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Destination:

Peru


Travel Tips

Rainforest Excursions

To get the most out of a rainforest adventure, it’s important to manage your expectations. If you’re used to African safaris, where the animals are out in the open and easy to spot, the Amazon jungle takes some getting used to. There are plenty of animals here, but seeing them requires patience, luck, good binoculars, and a knowledgeable guide. When you do see monkeys, river otters or toucans, it’s very exciting, but you just never know when or if you’ll see them. One way to improve your chances is to get up early, before the day is too hot. Birds and animals will be most active at this time, and again around sunset. Another option is to visit a clay lick where macaws, parrots and certain mammals come to eat the clay (it aids their digestion). You’ll be sitting in a blind, hidden from view. There are a number of these licks in the Tambopata and Manu regions – it’s worth asking about,

Another thing to keep in mind – tropical rainforests by their nature are hot and humid year-round, and trails can be muddy. Be sure to pack waterproof boots and lightweight nylon pants that dry quickly (I like the convertible kind with the zip-off legs). You’ll need full-length shirts and pants, to protect against mosquitoes, so light, breathable fabrics are a must. I also recommend bringing plastic bags for carrying wet, muddy clothes.

Machu Picchu Trains

There are only two ways to get to Machu Picchu – by train or by foot (via the Inca trail). We took the Hiram Bingham train from Cusco. This is an elegant Orient Express train, very glamorous and definitely worth doing. It books up early, though, so be sure to make your reservation well in advance. All trains to Machu Picchu, including the Hiram Bingham, have a luggage limit of 11 lbs. total per person – our partner gave us a duffel bag to carry just the items we needed, and held on to the rest of our luggage.

I advise not planning a trip to Machu Picchu during the worst months of the rainy season (Dec-Mar), as landslides can wash out the train tracks, which can impact access to the ruins.

Avoiding Altitude Sickness

Cusco is at nearly 11,000 ft., so spending couple of days there to acclimatize before going to Machu Picchu is a wise decision. The coca tea was delicious and definitely helped with the altitude, and Terry and I also took the altitude medication that we use in Aspen, so as to prevent migraines, etc. (We all took Malarone for malaria prevention in the rainforest.)