TRIP DETAILS
10 days: US$2090 per person
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Is this trip for me?
This trip includes five days of trekking of approximately the same difficulty as the classic Inca Trail.  You need have no previous trekking experience, but should be in average physical health with no serious heart or respiratory conditions.  Anyone is welcome on this trip; those over 55 must receive a medical check-up and doctor's approval within six months of the start of the trip.  

 

Joining the Tour
On all Southern Crossings tours, you are met at the airport by one of our representatives (holding a Southern Crossings placard), who will accompany you to our joining hotel.  No bargaining or being ripped off by airport taxis!

What's included in the trip: 

Airport pickup at the beginning of trip and drop off at end of the trip

Southern Crossings bilingual guide  

Internal flights, Lima-Cuzco, Cuzco-Lima

Five nights of Econoclass hotel accommodation

Trek to Choquequirao, including bilingual guide, food, tent, sleeping bag and sleeping mat.

Five breakfasts, five lunches, and five dinners on our trek to Choquequirao.

Breakfast included with all hotel stays

The Cuzco Visitor's Ticket, which includes entrance to the ruins in and around Cuzco and the Sacred Valley, and many churches and museums in Cuzco.

Machu Picchu excursion, including bilingual guide, round trip train fare, transportation to/from ruins/Aguas Calientes, and two-day entrance to the Machu Picchu sanctuary.

Lima City Tour

Cuzco City Tour

Southern Crossings T-Shirt or Cap

 

What's not included
International flight to/from Lima, airport taxes (approx. US$4), pre- & post- tour accommodation, visas, vaccinations, personal insurance, meals except where specified above, drinks, laundry, souvenirs, tips while on optional excursions and other items of a personal nature. Medical travel insurance is not included through Southern Crossings though we do require that you have a policy. Check www.travelguard.com to purchase a policy for your trip.
 

Extra Accommodation
We will gladly arrange additional accommodation for you before or after your trip:
In Lima: $80 double/$60 single
In Cuzco: $80 double/$60 single

 

Single Person Supplement $390
Please add this to your total payment if you will be travelling alone or wish to have private accommodation


 

PRE-TRIP PLANNER

 

Required documents

All travelers to Peru are required to have a passport valid for at least six months from date of entry. Visas are not required for E.U., U.S., Canadian, Australian or New Zealand passport holders. For other nationalities, please consult the nearest Peruvian embassy or consulate.  An onward ticket and proof of funds may also be required at entry and should be available to show to immigration. Traveler’s checks, currency, or a bank statement, from the bank or printed off the internet, are sufficient for proof of funds.

 

Required immunizations

A yellow fever vaccination and certificate is required to travel to the Amazon. Travelers may wish to receive hepatitis vaccinations and should be current on all other standard vaccinations.  The rainforest area of Peru (approx. 3500 ft. and below, east of the Andes) is a malarial and yellow fever zone.  The yellow fever vaccination with the official certificate is required, and travelers may wish to take malarial prophylaxis.  Please consult your physician or local health department for more information. 

 

Things to bring

One should come well prepared for outdoor activity at temperatures ranging from 30 to 90 degrees Fahrenheit, and for extremes of sun and the possibility of rain. A list of things to bring would include:

 

Please note: During our trek, mules will accompany us to carry most of our things, including all the camping gear.  Each passenger is allowed 15 pounds of personal items which will also be carried by the mules.  Such items would include warm clothing for camping, toiletries, a book, CD player, or other entertainment, etc.  During the day we’ll be using a daypack and will just need to carry water, snacks, rain gear, and a layer or two for changing weather conditions.  Of course most people also carry a camera.

 

·         Passport and, if necessary, visa

·         Traveler’s checks and/or cash card

·         Airline ticket

·         Photocopies of airline ticket and documents

·         Wearable pouch for documents and money

·         Large, sturdy backpack or suitcase

·         Smaller, comfortable day pack

·         Trekking/walking boots, comfortable and worn-in

·         Sandals or flip-flops 

·         Rain poncho or jacket

·         Waterproof pants

·         Sun hat

·         Hat for cold weather

·         Good, warm clothing for cold weather (think layers!)

·         Scarf and gloves

·         T-shirts

·         Socks (thin wool or biking socks are best), undergarments

·         Towel and swimsuit for hot springs

·         Camelback or Nalgene bottle (optional)

·         Flashlight (head lamps are very handy)

·         Sunscreen

·         Insect repellent (15% DEET recommended)

·         Lip balm

·         Earplugs

·         Alarm clock or watch

·         Sanitizing hand wipes or gel

·         Camera and film/digital memory cards

·         Camera batteries

·         Playing cards, games, reading material

·         Prescription medications

·         Toiletries
 

Note that common clothing, batteries, film, medications, and such toiletries as toothpaste, toothbrush, toilet paper, deodorant and feminine hygiene items are available in Peru.
It is best to bring from home such items as prescription meds, eyewear and care, extra large clothing, shoes, unusual film and camera batteries. Also note that most digital camera memory cards can be downloaded and burned onto a CD in internet cafes in any large city.

 
 

Climate

Rain is possible at any time of year, especially in high mountains and cloud forest, and one should always be prepared. The climate in sites we will visit is as follows:
 

Cuzco: days are warm if sunny, slightly chilly if cloudy.  Nights are chilly in Cuzco. 

Lima: warm to hot days, cool evenings, almost never any rain.  Often overcast.

Trek: all ranges of weather from hot desert at the bottoms of canyons to possible snow and rain at higher elevations.  Most people trek in shorts or light pants (synthetic, fast-drying fibers are preferable to cotton) and a t-shirt, and carry a layer or two (thin fleece and micro-fibers are, again, preferable to cotton), plus a poncho or other rain gear.  There are biting insects, so even in warm weather some people opt to cover more skin with a long sleeve t-shirt and long pants.

 

Baggage
For your international flights, please check with your  airline.  Within Peru, you are allowed 20 kilos (44 lbs) of checked baggage, as well as one carry-on and another small, purse-like item.  The carry-on size regulations are the same as international carry-on size regulations.

 
 

Money guide

The unit of currency in Peru is the nuevo sol. Current currency conversion

 

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Automatic cash points are available in Lima and Cuzco. Visa, MasterCard, Plus, and Cirrus are the most common usable types of cards. Traveler's checks (American Express is best!) or a Visa or MasterCard for cash advances are also options.  Do not bring MoneyGrams or International Money Orders, as they are extremely difficult to exchange. Banks and exchange houses are available in Lima and Cuzco.  For currency, U.S. dollars are recommended and most easily exchanged.  Please note that cash must be untorn.  It can be older-looking, but even the slightest tear on an edge will make it un-changeable.  Acceptable bills come out of the ATMs in country.
 

Expect to spend about US$3-10 on a meal, US$2 on a beer, water or soft drink in Peru.  Shopping prices are usually lower than people expect.  Alpaca sweaters, for example, run between $5 and $30.