Tourist Information

What is the best way to get from Lima to Cusco?

By far the easiest way to travel between Lima and Cusco is to fly. There are 6 or 7 flights per day, and the flight time is about 50 minutes. The alternative is a long, twisting bus journey through desert and mountains which takes between 19 and 24 hours depending on the service !! (and that's without delays!!).

Domestic Flights

There are several airlines operating the route between Lima and Cusco. The most reliable and professional companies are Lan and TACA.

Lan www.lan.com Lan is a Chilean owned airline and probably the best airline operating domestic flights in Peru. They also offer many international flights. Lan is a member of One World Alliance (together with American Airlines, British Airways, Iberia & Quantas amongst others) so it should be possible to purchase these flights through your local travel agent when booking your international flight. Their web site also allows online reservations and secure payments. Domestic flights between the following major cities in Peru: Lima - Cusco (3 flights per day each way), Lima - Arequipa (3 flights per day each way), Arequipa - Juliaca, Lake Titicaca (2 flights per day each way), Cusco - Puerto Maldonado (1 flight per day each way). Good safety record. Recommended.
 
TACA www.taca.com  Airline from Costa Rica. Operates international flights as well as one daily domestic flight each way between Lima and Cusco. Good safety record. Recommended.

Aero Condor  www.aerocondor.com.pe  - Tours and flights over the Nasca lines. Package deals from Lima. Started to operate other domestic routes such as Lima - Cusco in 2005. Peruvian owned, cheaper flights  than Lan and TACA. No accidents.

Star Peru www.starperu.com The most recent airline to enter the market with 2 flights per day between Lima and Cusco. This is a Peruvian company with a fleet of 7 Boeing 737-200s (bought from United Airlines). Flights can be booked and paid for online, however their website is only in Spanish. Together with AeroCondor they offer a budget alternative to Lan and TACA. No accidents that I have heard of so far!

Bus Companies

If you decide to take the bus from Lima to Cusco there are many bus companies offering daily services. However it is highly recommended to pay a bit extra and going with a more professional company such as Cruz del Sur or Ormeno.

Cruz del Sur  www.cruzdelsur.com.pe Good quality buses with a good safety record. Website in English with the facility to reserve and pay online. Can also be booked a day in advance upon arrival in Peru.  Recommended. Lima to Cusco between 18 and 20 hours depending on service.

Ormeno www.grupo-ormeno.com Website in Spanish only with no facility to pay online. Can be booked in Peru a day in advance. Lima to Cusco 24 hours.

When is the best time to come to Peru?

The high season is between June and September with July and August being the busiest months. This is because this is the dry season in the sierra and jungle regions (Cusco, Lake Titicaca, Amazon jungle) and also because this period coincides with summer holidays in Europe and North America, Canada etc. However since Peru is in the Southern Hemisphere it is also our Winter so the nights can be cold in the Cusco region, often falling to freezing in July and August.

Weather in Cusco (and the Inca Trail)

June, July & August

This is the dry season with little chance of rain. During the day you can expect blue skies pretty much of the time. Since we are close to the equator and very high up, the sun can be very strong so always bring sun protection cream, a hat and sunglasses. It is comfortable to trek in shorts and t-shirt. However when the sun goes in it can get cold very quickly so always have a warm sweater, fleece and long pants close at hand. you also need a good 4-season sleeping bag at night and a warm jacket, woolly hat and scarf.

The scenery can be fairly dry and brown during this period with not much activity in the fields apart from gathering in the harvest and drying it. This is a time for the people in the village to relax and enjoy some of the many festivals. August is a month when many people make offerings to Pachamama (Mother Earth) in thanks of a good harvest and to bring a luck in the next year. Book hotel rooms / flights etc well in advance.

September & October

Some years the rains can start as early as September. However usually we just get a couple of heavy showers each week and the rest of the time it is sunny or overcast. The rain just lasts for a couple of hours and dries up pretty quick. A plastic rain poncho is recommended. The nights are milder and a 3-season sleeping bag is usually sufficient on the Inca Trail.

November, December, January, February & March

The wet season usually starts around mid-November and can last until the end of March. January and February are at the height of the wet season. During these months you can expect rain on 2 out of the 4 days of the Inca Trail. Although downpours can be heavy during this period they rarely last for more than a few hours and then the sun comes out. Being in the Southern Hemisphere this is also the summer in Peru. The sun can be very strong and soon dries up the rain. The nights are fairly mild. Bring good waterproof clothing, pack your sleeping bag within several plastic bags, bring sun protection cream and a good hat. In fact prepare for just about all four seasons in one day!! Cusco is generally quieter during these months with hotels prices dropping a little. You can find rooms in most hotels upon arrival in Cusco. The maximum limit of trekkers on the Inca Trail is normally still reached during November, December and March so it is still important to book in advance although 2 months in advance is sufficient. The limit on trekkers is only met on about half of the days in January so if you are flexible about your Inca Trail departure date you could risk waiting to book your trek 4 or 5 days in advance (although not with Peru Treks). The Inca Trail is closed throughout February to allow for maintenance, conservation projects etc. In fact the Peru Treks office is closed from 01 February to about the 25 February as we all take a holiday to the sunny beaches of north Peru and escapes the rains.