Travelers who enter Peru through Bolivia tend to travel from Puno to Cusco, while those who enter through Lima do the same trip in reverse, after first visiting Machu Picchu. There are several buses working the Cusco-Puno route, offering direct overnight trips and day trips with guided stops at sites of interest along the way. You shouldn’t have any trouble contracting your transport from Cusco, although you will have a lot of options to choose from:
Although most people rush off to the nearby canyons and volcanoes, there’s lots to see in the White City of Arequipa, most of which costs little or nothing. For those of you looking for local culture, great photo ops, and a look into the city’s past, here are our favorite sugestions on how to spend some free time in the city:
The most popular daytrip from Puerto Maldonado is Lake Sandoval, which one can reach by traveling along the Madre de Dios River by motorboat. After disembarking at a rustic dock, there’s a two-hour hike to the lake along one of the trails of the rainforest. There’s an observation tower and a ranger station where one registers before reaching the lake, where one can explore along the shores or enter by canoe.
The lazy town of Puerto Maldonado, on the confluence of the Madre de Dios and Tambopata rivers, is the perfect base for those tours of the Peruvian Amazon we wrote about. We’ve also dedicated some blog space to activities to do in the town itself, rather than solely visiting the surrounding rainforest.
You’ll find Plus Restaurant on the second floor of Pirwa Posada del Corregidor, overlooking the Plaza de Armas of Cusco. It boasts its own balcony from where diners can admire the main square’s picturesque cathedrals and central fountain. This is a popular spot for travelers during events such as this month’s Corpus Christi and Inti Raymi, as watching from the balcony gets you a great view without the struggle for space among the crowds.