Where To Stay

Cusco is full of excellent value hotels throughout the price ranges and finding a hotel room to suit your budget should not present any problems. The exception to this is during the Christmas and Easter holiday periods, Carnival, in June and Independence celebrations at the end of July, when all hotels seem to be crowded. It's advisable to book in advance at these times and during school holidays and local festivals. Accommodation, as with everything else, is more expensive in Lima, where good budget hotels are few and far between and, therefore, tend to be busy. Remote jungle towns such as Puerto Maldonado tend to be more expensive than the norm. And if you want a room with air conditioning expect to pay around 30% extra.

All hotels and restaurants in the upper price brackets charge 18% state tax and 10% service on top of prices (neither is included in prices given in the accommodation listings, unless specified). The more expensive hotels also charge in dollars according to the parallel rate of exchange at midnight. Most lower grade hotels only charge the 18% IGV but some may include a service charge.

By law all places that offer accommodation now have a plaque outside bearing the letters H (Hotel), Hs (Hostal), HR (Hotel Residencial) or P (Pensión) according to type. A hotel has 51 rooms or more, a hostal 50 or fewer, but the categories do not describe quality or facilities. Generally speaking a pensión or hospedaje will be cheaper than a hotel or hostal. Most mid-range hotels have their own restaurants serving lunch and dinner, as well as breakfast. Few budget places have this facility, though many now serve breakfast. Most places are friendly and helpful, irrespective of the price, particularly smaller pensiones and hospedajes, which are often family-run and will treat you as another member of the family. Cheaper places don't always supply soap, towels and toilet paper. In colder (higher) regions they may not supply enough blankets, so take your own or a sleeping bag.

Getting around: Air

On the Cusco-Lima route there is a high possibility of cancelled flights during the wet season; tourists are sometimes stranded for several days. It is possible for planes to leave early if the weather is bad. Always give yourself an extra day between national and international flights to allow for any schedule changes. Flights are often overbooked so it is very important to reconfirm your tickets within 72 hours of your flight and in the high season make sure you arrive at the airport two hours before departure to avoid problems. By law, the clerk can start to sell reserved seats to stand-by travellers 30 minutes before the flight. To save time and hassle, travel with carry-on luggage only. This will guarantee that your luggage arrives at the airport when you do. Internal flight prices are given in US dollars but can be paid in soles and the price should include the 18% state tax. Tickets are not interchangeable between companies but sometimes exceptions will be made in the case of cancellations. Prices for tickets should be the same whether sold by the airline or an agent.

Getting Around: Road

Peru is no different from other Latin American countries in that travelling by road at night or in bad weather should be treated with great care. It is also true that there are many more unpaved than paved roads, so overland travel is not really an option if you only have a few weeks' holiday. In the Cusco area a number of roads in the Sacred Valley are paved, but in the main, mountain roads are of dirt, some good, some very bad. Each year they are affected by heavy rain and mud slides, especially those on the eastern slopes of the mountains. Repairs can be delayed because of a shortage of funds. This makes for slow travel and frequent breakdowns. some of these roads can be dangerous or impassable in the rainy season. Check beforehand with locals (not with bus companies, who only want to sell tickets) as accidents are common at these times.

Bus

It is best to try to arrive at your destination during the day; it is safer and easier to find accommodation. Services south of Lima and inland to Cusco are improving as the road gets better. Many bus companies have direct (ejecutivo) service and regular (local) service and the difference between the two is often great. There are several bus lines that run between Lima and the towns on the route to Cusco. Tickets for ejecutivo service buses can cost up to double those of the local service buses. For mountain routes, take a fleece and sleeping bag as the temperature at night can drop quite low. Night buses along the coast and into main highland areas are generally fine. Once you get off the beaten track, the quality of buses and roads deteriorates and you may want to stick to the day buses. Prices of tickets rise 60-100% during Semana Santa (Easter), Fiestas Patrias (Independence Day - July 28 and 29) and Navidad (Christmas). Prices will usually go up a few days before the holiday and possibly remain higher a few days after. Tickets also sell out during these times so if travelling then, buy your ticket as soon as you know what day you want to travel.

Car

The minimum age for renting a car is 25. If renting a car, your home driving licence will be accepted for up to six months. They do tend to be very expensive, reflecting the high costs and accident rates. Hotels and tourist agencies will tell you where to find cheaper rates, but you will need to check that you have such basics as spare wheel, toolkit and functioning lights etc. Check exactly what the hirer's insurance policy covers. In many cases it will only protect you against minor bumps and scrapes, not major accidents, nor 'natural' damage (eg flooding). Ask if extra cover is available. Also find out, if using a credit card, whether the card automatically includes insurance. Beware of being billed for scratches that were on the vehicle before you hired it.

Combis, colectivos and trucks

Combis operate between most small towns in the Andes on one- to two-hour journeys. This makes it possible, in many cases, just to turn up and travel within an hour or two. On rougher roads, combis are minibuses, while on better roads there are also slightly more expensive and much faster car colectivos. Both operate in the Sacred Valley area.