mikeyp102 Posted August 18, 2017 Share Posted August 18, 2017 So planning on next year. Always wanted to do Machu Pichu and also the rainbow mountains. As a solo traveler I'm thinking of doing a package tour as think in this kind of scenario it'll be best. They'll arrange the proper tour guides, accommodation and ensure everything is safe. So who's been ( @tonyh29) I'm guessing you have? Any recommendations? How fit do you have to be to do the rainbow mountains? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyh29 Posted August 18, 2017 Share Posted August 18, 2017 (edited) Funnily enough I have been to Machu P I'm lazy and did it by train , which offers some spectacular views ...every now and then the paths either wash away or the locals block them so check as best you can before you book if you plan to trek there. We flew into Cusco with a LAN air pass check into one of them as they were great value ( if they still do them ) rainbow mountain I didn't do , did I mention I'm lazy ? ... it's a few hours away from Cusco by road so I don't know if you'd be better off having a different start point. ? Rainbow is at 14,000 feet so I can speak with some experience having been helicoptered off Mount Everest with altitude sickness that it will be bloody tough , spend a few days in cusco first as it's around 10,000 feet and let your body acclimatise , you'll be a little short of breath but as you aren't excerting tourself you'll be fine, gives you a chance to eat guinea pig and drink the local flavoured beer as you do so so hiking at altitude ... the Everest thing was when I was young and super super fit , my brain was wobbling like a jelly my resting heart rate was about 180 it was tough I was puking struggling to breathe and eventually keeled over and blacked out .... if you get like that get down the mountain as quickly as you can or simply you will die about 6 years ago when I was older and completely unfit , I hiked up the Atlas Mountains , id done the 3 peaks a few weeks earlier and just walked around 30 miles to get to the final push for the summit so was kinda in the zone .... I left at 4 am managed around 6 steps and then had to stop for a breather , then on other 6 steps then stopped again ... I decided to try and increase the numbers without stopping , your body will scream at you to stop but push through it and soon you'll be getting 20 steps then 30 then 40 steps without stopping... you kinda have to really want it though , tbf the atlas one was steep and in snow upto my knees at time so it may not be quite so tough in Peru dont let me put you off some people find altitude a doddle but do some conditioning hikes before you go and try and find out what you are like at altitude if you don't already know i did Nazca lines and a few nights in the Amazon when I was in Peru as well , if you want some more things to look into Visiting on your trip edit - looking at Rainbow a bit more it's a day hike so you'll be up and down well before altitude sickness type symptoms get a hold of you ... l assuming you're not already suffering them at Cusco Edited August 18, 2017 by tonyh29 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeyp102 Posted November 11, 2017 Author Share Posted November 11, 2017 Tony, do you remember if you flew to Lima? I'm looking at flights at the moment but it seems there isn't a direct flight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NurembergVillan Posted November 11, 2017 Moderator Share Posted November 11, 2017 I went a couple of years ago, but only to Lima and only for a couple of days. I was ill for one of the days, after using the tap water to brush my teeth. Apparently it's some of the most polluted water on Earth. It would've been by the time I'd finished anyway! I can't tell you much about the place other than it was very grey, and we were taken to a superb sushi restaurant. The second night I missed apparently one of the world's best meat restaurants whilst I was sat on the khazi, so that was a blow. I flew through Dallas, but was travelling from Vancouver so that won't really help you. Any other questions just shout. Glad I could help 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stevo985 Posted November 11, 2017 VT Supporter Share Posted November 11, 2017 I would absolutely love to go. South America is my number one destination and Peru would be a big part of that. If I ever did the backpacking thing it would be around south america. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xela Posted November 12, 2017 Share Posted November 12, 2017 15 hours ago, Stevo985 said: I would absolutely love to go. South America is my number one destination and Peru would be a big part of that. If I ever did the backpacking thing it would be around south america. Same, South America is my ideal destination. Colombia and Peru would be my top 2 picks. Argentina third perhaps. Not fussed on Brazil tbh Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyh29 Posted November 12, 2017 Share Posted November 12, 2017 On 11/11/2017 at 18:02, mikeyp102 said: Tony, do you remember if you flew to Lima? I'm looking at flights at the moment but it seems there isn't a direct flight. I flew in via Mexico City ( did a couple of days there with the pyramids and what not ) the LAN pass covered us for in via Mexico and then out via Venezuela and numerous flights in between ... but included internal flights in Peru for the Lima - Cusco - puerto maldonado etc 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeyp102 Posted June 12, 2018 Author Share Posted June 12, 2018 Just over a month until I go. Going with a tour group which is a first for me, hopefully have some good people on it. It’s a 2 week thing. Into Lima, then down to the Amazon, then Cusco for Rainbow Mountains and then Machu Pichu. Really looking forward to it as first time in South America . Inl slight concern is that I’ve been having back/nerve problems in my legs so haven’t done much training. Will just have to dose up on painkillers and hope for the best. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyh29 Posted June 13, 2018 Share Posted June 13, 2018 think I mentioned it previously but Diamox would be a good shout as you'll be at 3,000+ m when you arrive in Cusco .. first thing you notice when you step off the plane is the shortness of breath , rainbow is about 5000 m , you'll def feel it there ...MP is much lower than that so should be fine there depends really on how you body copes with the altitude but if you can get some I'd def consider it 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PieFacE Posted July 9, 2018 VT Supporter Share Posted July 9, 2018 On 12/06/2018 at 23:44, mikeyp102 said: Just over a month until I go. Going with a tour group which is a first for me, hopefully have some good people on it. It’s a 2 week thing. Into Lima, then down to the Amazon, then Cusco for Rainbow Mountains and then Machu Pichu. Really looking forward to it as first time in South America . Inl slight concern is that I’ve been having back/nerve problems in my legs so haven’t done much training. Will just have to dose up on painkillers and hope for the best. How much is it costing you if you don't mind me asking? Tempted to take my OH to do the Inca Trail for her Birthday next year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeyp102 Posted July 10, 2018 Author Share Posted July 10, 2018 4 hours ago, PieFacE said: How much is it costing you if you don't mind me asking? Tempted to take my OH to do the Inca Trail for her Birthday next year. Think with flights etc it’s just over £3k. I’m sure there are a lot of cheaper ways of doing it, but because I’m going on my own and joining a tour group who are arranging everything for it then price increased a bit. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeyp102 Posted July 31, 2018 Author Share Posted July 31, 2018 So just back from Peru. What a wonderful place. Lima, a very vibrant city, but personally I was happy to leave as it is just a city. We did have a lesson in making Pisco Sours and Ceviche, followed by an amazing lunch in a restaurant called Lima27. Puerto Maldonado, got a boat down the river and stayed in a wonderful lodge within the rain forest. Unseasonal torrential rain didn’t spoil a trek through the jungle, followed by a boat cruise around a beautiful lake. Cusco, wow what a place. Such a beautiful little town. Inca ruins, on the outskirts of the town were really interesting. Some good places to eat, and of course a good place to acclimatise to the altitude. We followed this up with a day down hill mountain biking, taking in some rural towns, with the mountains as a back drop. Finally visiting a working Inca salt pit and more Inca ruins. Again due to unseasonal weather (heavy snow this time), our mountain climb to rainbow mountain was cancelled. Obviously gutted about this, but instead we took in a 2 day 25 mile hike along the Huchuycosco trail, getting up to 14000 ft at one point, altitude certainly affected the breathing when exercising at that height. We camped over night in Incan ruins, with temperature dropping below 0c. Finally, we headed down to Ollantaymbo, a beautiful little with some amazing Incan ruins. From here we got a scenic train to Aguas Calientes. Then up to Machu Picchu. This place blew my mind. We hiked the mountain behind the ruins and then a guided tour around the ruins. Photos don’t do the place justice, it is phenomenal. Really recommend anyone to take a trip to this wonderful country. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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