<p>DD is planning to go, and things I read on the internet make me shudder. Anyone have any experiences visiting Machu Picchu, or know anyone who has? Cautionary tales? Things to avoid or things to experience?? Anxious mom here!!!</p>
<p>Maybe I can help. </p>
<p>The Machu Piccho Wal-Mart has taken quite a toll on the mom and pop’s . The Market square is basically deserted. There are still a few high end blanket dealers but most of the restaurants are now chains. Much of the local flavor has been sanitized. The ever widening “chipotle” craze has pretty much overrun traditional Andean regional specialities. </p>
<p>Nike has a strong “foot-hold” so to speak on the urban footwear front, with woven sandals only seen on the over 50 crowd at the Golden Corral Buffet Steakhouse.</p>
<p>I-pods are everywhere and for some inexplicable reason most clubs still play a lot of Madonna dance mixes. Most cafes are internet ready. They have Starbucks inside their larger Starbucks. </p>
<p>And in a play on “all roads lead to Rome” their saying is “all stairs lead to more flippin’ stairs”. </p>
<p>Hope this helps. </p>
<p>(Sorry. No football till 11:30. Bored.)</p>
<p>What sort of stuff made you shudder? I’ve been to Bolivia and a bit of the Bolivian Inca trail, but not Peru…</p>
<p>Cur - I WISH!!! LOL 
eireann; stuff that makes me shudder… two Scottish girls robbed and raped after getting in taxicab at Cuscu, departure point for Inca trail… another couple tied up and robbed, counterfeit money scams, robbery, rape, sandflies, torrential rains, another tourist broke rib, jawbone, wrist, etc. after ground gave way while standing a foot from the trail at Machu Picchu (probably due to rains.) poor water and sanitation, corrupt police, altitude sickness. It’s not for nothing I named myself “anxiousmom”! I was hoping someone had some first or second-hand experiences so that I won’t feel like DD is heading off into danger.</p>
<p>Wait, two more!!</p>
<p>The Shining Path Maoist guerilla movement is now fully contained and relegated to a couple of booths at the airport and some scattered skateboard shops. </p>
<p>And , don’t forget to tip the Simon and Garfunkel back-up band as they play their sets at Baggage Claim “C”. They’ve still got that flute thing happening.</p>
<p>try this:
<a href=“http://pandaspace.blogs.com/pandablog/2006/05/index.html[/url]”>http://pandaspace.blogs.com/pandablog/2006/05/index.html</a></p>
<p>I went to Peru and Machu Picchu about 5 years ago, and it was amazing. There are dangers associated with any traveling and I really do not think that Peru is worse than anywhere else. Look at crimes in Chicago, New York, or LA and you would probably be equally horrified! </p>
<p>Machu Picchu is an amazing site and the remoteness of it (you have to take a train and then a rickety bus to the site) makes it not overwhelmingly touristy and absolutely beautiful. </p>
<p>The water in Peru is poor. Advise your daughter to only drink bottled water or soda (ask for no ice! Sin hielo!) and take plenty of pepto Bismol along. Also, bring warm clothes! I was not ready for how cold Peru was. </p>
<p>I hope she has a great time!</p>
<p>Is she going on her own or with a tour group?</p>
<p>Obviously cur is getting the better of mudge this morning…What? D not up yet? Doing the girly chat thing with Mum?</p>
<p>Machu Picchu…aaaaahhhhh…what an amazing, unforgettable, magical experience. If there is any way you can join her for that trip–do it. Machu Picchu is one the best trips for a family outting. It has all the components–history, beauty, art, thrill.</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Cuzco is the gateway town to Machu Picchu. The elev of Cusco is 10,900 ft. All four of us experienced serious altitude adjustments including lethargy and quite aggravating insomnia. My youngest son was vomitting. However, the altitude sickness passes in a day or two. I enjoyed the town. There are a few ruins to see in and around Cusco. If possible, hire a driver for the day to take you around to see some of them. Driving threough remote parts of the Andes is thrilling. The physical landscape is stunningly beautiful. </p></li>
<li><p>The most magical thing about Machu Picchu is the physical landscape. The ancient fort city was built on top of a tall thin knob mountain (warning: not a geological term LOL)–surrounded by other tall thin knobs. The vertical drop is like nothing else–and exaggerated by the terracing. I have a fear of heights and I had to cling to the back fo the terrace for the first 20 minutes to acclimatize myself. I’m surprised I survived the terror of watching my 7 year old skip along the terrace edge the minute he stepped into the ruins.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>I think that is it. The height of the damn place. The sheer verticality of the place–like nothing I have ever experienced before. Machu Picchu is the most incredible awe-inspiring sensation. One of the highlights of my spatial life–and I am an architect. Plus, the top of the mountain is covered in cloud forest–with clouds moving in and around the ruins all day long. Mystical. I didn’t want to leave. I wish I could go back but I doubt I will find the time again.</p>
<ol>
<li><p>We also went down to an eco-tourist lodge deep in the amazon jungle, near the mouth of the amazon river. If your D can swing that excursion, I recommend it. The lodges are staffed by young bioologists from all over the world. I took a four hour hike/tour into the jungle with my 10 year old son and a UK biologist. I can still recall nearly every moment. Wow. The complexity of jungle life! That hike was a two year biology course–at least! We couldn’t rouse my 7 year old son (poor wee thing, he was exhausted) so my DH missed that hike–one of my everlasting regrets.
<a href=“andeantravelweb.com”>andeantravelweb.com;
<li><p>Other than that, I would redcommend she read up on the volatile politics of Peru–but not let it dissuade her unless the US State department says so. <a href=“404 - Page Not Found”>404 - Page Not Found;
</ol>
<p>As for safety, the food is lovely. Drink bottled water. Wash hands. Get the shots the State department/CDC recommends, esp Yellow Fever. Easy to get around the country. No need to take a an organized tour–other than a driver here or there. Lima is the most dangerous place for crime. Caution and more caution in Lima.</p>
<p>She’s in for a treat!</p>
<p>When we went in the mid nineties, we stayed overnight at a hotel on the site of the ruins. It was government run, uncomfortable, with tasteless food. After we left the ruins and took a bus down the hill to the river (Urubamba, I think), we discovered a delightful inn with good food. Check that out in your guidebook. </p>
<p>We took some other day tours around the Cuzco area (even though I dislike tours; these were only about 12 people). I was surprised at how medieval and poor the area is. Of course it was just opening up to tourism again after being shut down by the Shining Path and a cholera scare.</p>
<p>Good luck! It’s a magical place!</p>
<p>RE: dealing with the altitude. Apparently the thing to do is drink the coca leaf tea, which seems to be available averywhere. Doesn’t make you high, but helps with the oxygen problems.</p>
<p>When wife and son went to Lhasa (12,000ft) this spring, the tour company took the group in higher altitudes over a period of 3-4 days. The company discovered that when they took sealevel people to that altitude in a day’s time, many of the tourists ended up in the infirmary in a portable barometric-oxygen tent. </p>
<p>Machu Picchu is at 7700 ft, according to Wiki.</p>
<p>When helping plan D’s Mexican trip this summer, I used the Trip Advisor forums to ask my questions and was happy about the results I received. Do about an hour of reading posts and then ask away. See if it helps. </p>
<p><a href=“Machu Picchu Forum, Travel Discussion for Machu Picchu, Peru - Tripadvisor”>Machu Picchu Forum, Travel Discussion for Machu Picchu, Peru - Tripadvisor;
<p>Other good travel forums: Lonely Planet (better for students):
<a href=“Thorn Tree is coming to an end - Lonely Planet”>Thorn Tree is coming to an end - Lonely Planet;
<p>including Machu Picchu FAQ:
ttp://thorntree.lonelyplanet.com/messagepost.cfmpostaction=reply&catid=22&threadid=704981&messid=5982251</p>
<p>Also Fodors: <a href=“http://www.fodors.com/forums/[/url]”>http://www.fodors.com/forums/</a>
Definately (!) more upscale (read: for old farts), but well-read with good advice.</p>
<p>My daughter was there this past Spring during a Peru study abroad. They did a very long hike up there. I can have her talk to you via an e-mail or a pm if you have specific questions, but she’s leaving Wed. for England and Kenya!</p>
<p>Machu Picchu is at 8,000 feet, but the gateway, Cusco is at 11,000 ft.</p>
<p>I’m Kathie’s daughter. I went to Peru last spring with my College and had an amazing trip. We were there for five weeks. We started by adjusting in Areiquipa for a week to the altitude. Most of our group was sick at some point in the week, but nothing major. We then went to Cusco, which is higher in altitude. Cusco is an amazing city and I would love to go back. </p>
<p>The goal of the trip for me was not to just see Machu Picchu but to experience and further understand peruvian culture. Machu Picchu is beautiful and breathtaking, but also crowded with tourists. My favorite part of the trip was staying with villagers on the island of Amantani, in Lake Titicaca. We harvested potatoes and stayed with traditional quechua families that cooked over wood stoves. There was also a dance for all the vistors… and before going, they dressed us up in their traditional garb. soo much fun! </p>
<p>I would suggest going with a tour group if you do not have a basic command of spanish. I would highly recommend the group we used <a href=“http://www.andeanlandperu.com%5B/url%5D”>http://www.andeanlandperu.com</a>. The site is mostly in Spanish, but you can get guides in English or Spanish. They set up a comprehensive reliable and flexible tour for our group. You should also check out hotel los ninos. It is a lovely hostel in Cusco that gives their profits to an afterschool program for underpriviledged youth. They have multiple locations in Cusco.
Also if you go to Cusco and are tired of Peruvian food (I found it was quite bland), check out Jack’s, a favorite place for European and American travellers. It is a bit more expensive than other places, but expensive in Peru for a meal means $5 US. Everything there is so much cheaper! Internet cafe’s never charged more than 1 USD for an hour. Cabs to almost anywhere were about the same price. </p>
<p>It is a bit dangerous to be alone in the major cities in Peru (like in the US). I would not get into a cab alone or without someone who knew more spanish than I (I’m at a beginning-intermediate level). They told us we should not walk back to our hotel alone after dark (because there was one sketchy street). I walked alone all over the main plaza during the daytime… but that was the extent. No one had any trouble with robbery or anything while we were there. It was a great trip. I would definately recommend going… but for more than just Macchu Picchu. Trekking (Not on the Incan Trail!) to Choquequira was another highlight… but incredibly intense. You climb up and down all those mountains you see in pictures of the Andes- not easy! Choquequira is a Incan ruin that you can only get to on foot. It is a lot smaller than macchupiccu, but incredible because it is practically untouched by tourists. Oh, one last thing… the Hot Springs… a lovely natural phenomena that happens in Peru because of the same tectonic plates that merged to form the Andes. Anyways, they are hot pools that charge a minimal fee for admission and are soo worth the experience. I hope your daughter gets to go and enjoys the whole experience.</p>
<p>Wow. Great post, kathie’s D. Five weeks? What kind of program? Language immersion?</p>
<p>Thanks for all the info! I’ll forward links to DD. :)</p>
<p>It’s been twenty-five years since I have been in that neck of the woods. I remember the scenery, the altitude and its effect (Cusco & environs is where it is high), the markets where I found powdered minerals which I later made paints from, and the blessed coffee which kept me going! I know we didn’t go to certain areas because of the political situation, did make Iquitos and the jungle camps despite a blown out tire on the plane, had the time of my life for that time of my life and recommend it without hesitation.</p>