Reiseland Peru

After Bolivia, many things in Peru were similar, but many things were also different. Certain differences in development standards are obvious and in terms of tourism, Peru seems to attract much larger crowds, which also leads to obvious problems. We had a fascinating journey through a part of this country. Here are our impressions in brief:

People:

They seemed more open and direct to us than in Bolivia. In the tourist hotspots of Cusco/Machu Picchu, it can also become pushy, but everything is within reasonable limits and not comparable to other countries. Latin American politeness and friendliness are truly very charming.

Language:

In Peru, a very understandable Spanish is spoken and Peruvians are also pleased when you try to communicate in Spanish.

Safety:

No problems in Peru, even in the bustling and congested Lima. If you follow the basic rules of behavior and also inform yourself beforehand, you can avoid many things. However, you should not be reckless.

Landscape:

Peru has some jewels with Machu Picchu, the Sacred Valley, and Cusco. The landscape on the Pacific coast is barren, actually a desert, and even Lima is actually located in a desert. Unfortunately, due to time constraints, we saw less of the country in Peru and only visited a part of it. There is much more to see with the hiking paradises in the north and the Amazon basin.

Elevation:

No problem after Bolivia, of course. However, if you fly directly from Lima to Cusco and want to go hiking in Machu Picchu the next day, you should take this aspect into account.

Cuisine:

Peruvian cuisine is now world-famous, yes there is a real hype. In Lima, there are gourmet restaurants where a table must be reserved several months in advance. The cuisine is absolutely delicious and tasty. And the variety is great too. While in the highlands, meat dishes, trout, and grain dishes are offered in many variations, fresh fish and seafood are also added near the sea. The world-famous ceviche comes from Peru (even if the Chileans claim something else) and the Pisco Sour tastes absolutely excellent. It is worth mentioning that Peru has developed an amazing beer culture with a wide variety of microbreweries, brewery pubs, etc. However, I changed my mind about trying the Peruvian national dish, "Cuy" (guinea pig), after seeing a few cute animals in a small zoo in their lively form.

Accommodations:

Generally good to very good, but surprisingly not on the level of Bolivia in terms of quality and value for money. In many places, it feels like the model is "one-time guests". In Peru, we did experience poor service at times (e.g., rooms not being cleaned). On the other hand, we also had great experiences at great prices. And... the staff in Peru was always exceptionally friendly.

Infrastructure:

Peru is a modern country, with a smartphone penetration rate similar to ours. Modern shopping malls, Wi-Fi everywhere. The price level is much higher than in neighboring Bolivia. Unfortunately, the infrastructure cannot keep up with the tourism boom in any way. The airports of Cusco and Lima are bursting at the seams, and it is sometimes quite chaotic. Lima has a huge traffic problem, cars get stuck all day, the express roads are hopelessly congested. A lot has already been done with the construction of an electric suburban train and the Metrobus system, but there is still a lot of work to be done. Apart from that, Lima is a cool city!

Weather/Climate:

In Cusco as well as in Lima, the climate was very balanced. In Lima, it is supposed to be the same throughout the year. About 25 degrees Celsius during the day, cool in the evening and at night. It got really warm on Machu Picchu in the sunshine, but otherwise, we always had very pleasant temperatures. Warm clothing is definitely a must.

Other:

Peru offers many beautiful indigenous shopping items. The range is almost inexhaustible, although it repeats itself over and over again. For high-level shopping, especially in Lima, there are luxurious malls, but the price level there is almost like in Switzerland!

Peruvians also love 80s music. Our friendly taxi driver, Mario Enrique, even revealed himself to be an ABBA fan.

Peruvians, like Bolivians, have perfected the art of filling out forms as a way of life. In every hotel, both persons, whether husband and wife, non-husband and non-wife, and whatever else, must fill out a form. In Peru, the passport must be presented for every bus journey and even when buying stamps (!?). Different countries, different forms...

Downsides:

The complete package of destruction in and around Machu Picchu with the pseudo-luxury train that only transports tourists, so that exorbitant prices can be charged. But it is what it is.

Excited about Peru? We can also highly recommend this - it's not a beach destination either. However, if you want to see cultural highlights and - like in the case of Machu Picchu - can fit into a tourist stream for two days to see at least one wonder of the world, it's great! City enthusiasts will enjoy themselves in Lima, animal lovers on the Ballestas Islands, hikers and mountaineers in the northern areas or the Colca Canyon. And if you also enjoy eating very well and can appreciate the hustle and bustle of a big city, you will be in good hands in Peru.