How to Get to Cuzco
- 1). Plan to spend at least one night in Lima after arriving in the country. International flights usually land in the evening after the daily flights to Cuzco have departed. It is wise to spend at least a day or two relaxing after a long flight in preparation for the challenges posed by Cuzco's altitude, around 11,000 feet.
- 2). Make a reservation through your international carrier for the flight from Lima to Cuzco as part of your ticket to Peru. This may save you money, since some international carriers partner with one or more of Peru's national airlines.
- 3). Purchase your ticket to Cuzco separately after arriving in Lima if you want flexibility. Run the numbers both ways if saving money is a priority. If you think your plans may change once you arrive you can purchase your tickets in Peru online, at the airport or at a travel agency. Four national airlines serve the Lima-to-Cuzco route: Lan Peru, www.lan.com; Taca Peru, www.taca.com; Aerocondor Peru, www.aerocondor.com; and Star Peru, www.starperu.com.
- 4). Make an airline reservation for a flight as early in the day as possible. Most flights to Cuzco are in the morning since weather in the Andes can develop quickly and cause flight cancellations.
- 5). Make a bus reservation online with one of two major Peruvian bus companies, Grupo Ormeno or Cruz del Sur, or at their offices in Lima. There is no central bus station in Lima and the websites are in Spanish. However, several commercial Cuzco tourism sites in English--there is one listed in the References below--provide bus reservations service. Be prepared for a long trip, as much as 40 hours with delays over spectacular but sometimes terrifying roads.
- 6). Ride to Cuzco by train from Puno through some of the most beautiful mountain terrain the world. The Andean Explorer takes passengers on a 10-hour, 225-mile ride past the shores of Lake Titicaca high in the Andes. The train's cars are styled on classic 1920s Pullman cars, and the ride recalls the golden age of train travel. Puno is served by the nearby airport at Juliaca, about 45 minutes away.
