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The dry season in the sierra of Peru is from April to october. It is hot during the day (20°C and +) and cold and dry at night (sometimes below freezing). It is the best period for travel. One week in/around Cusco is a good introduction to the land and culture of the Incas. Allow at least one day to acclimatize to the altitude. Take a cab to Tambo Machay and walk back/down to the city passing by Puca Puccara, Qenqo and Sacsayhuaman. The next day you can visit the Sacred Valley with Pisac and Ollantaytambo. From Ollantaytambo you can make a beautiful hike to Moray/Maras and Salinas (the experimental agro terracing and the old inca saltpans). For the Inca trail one needs 4 days, so you will be short of time for this, but instead suggest you walk the Camino Royal i.e. 2 days (1st day hike to Wiñay Wayna/2nd day Inti Punku/the Gate of the Sun/to Machu Picchu, return to Cusco in the afternoon. Arrangements for this have to be made upon your arrival in Cusco. A good and independant source of information for travel companies/hostals/hotels is the Andean Travel Web (www.andeantravelweb.com).
Have a nice trip and enjoy Peru, jewel of the Americas.
Arnulfo Martinez
20-Dec-2003 03:59
John Servayge:
These are nice pictures. I was navigating on the Lonely Peru Page and found you out. I am thinking on going to Peru, specifically the Cuzco - Machu Pichu area, since I only will have a week. Please give me your recommendation on when to go, what to do. I like hiking a lot, I am starting to read about the Incas in order to be culturally aware. My thinking is going on summer. I will do a backpacking kind of think.
