• Home
  • Round The World Trip
  • Hiking
    • John Muir Trail
    • West Coast Trail
    • New Zealand’s Great Walks
    • Waitukubuli National Trail
    • Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu
    • Torres del Paine W-Circuit
  • About
    • Map Of Places I Have Been
    • About Me
    • Contact Me

Kevin's Travel Blog

  • Home
  • Round The World Trip
  • Hiking
    • John Muir Trail
    • West Coast Trail
    • New Zealand’s Great Walks
    • Waitukubuli National Trail
    • Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu
    • Torres del Paine W-Circuit
  • About
    • Map Of Places I Have Been
    • About Me
    • Contact Me
May 30, 2014March 28, 2017

In Review: 18 Days of Backpacking in Peru

This post is part of a series called Peru 2014
Show More Posts
  • Fighting Fatigue on First Day in Lima, Peru
  • The Desert Oasis of Huacachina, Peru
  • Flying over the Nazca Lines in Peru
  • Altitude Sickness in Cuzco
  • Machu Picchu, 9 Years Later
  • Salkantay Trek To Machu Picchu Journal
  • Salkantay to Machu Picchu Day 1: Mollepata to Soraypampa
  • Salkantay to Machu Picchu Day 2: Soraypampa to Salkantay Pass to Huayracpunko
  • Salkantay to Machu Picchu Day 3: Huayracpunko to Colpapampa
  • Salkantay to Machu Picchu Day 4: Colpapampa to La Playa
  • Salkantay to Machu Picchu Day 5: La Playa to Llactapata
  • Salkantay to Machu Picchu Day 6: Llactapata to Aguas Calientes
  • Salkantay to Machu Picchu Day 7: Machu Picchu
  • In Review: 18 Days of Backpacking in Peru

Why I Went There?

I went to Peru nine years ago and for a while I have been wanted to go back to Salkantay Trek and Machu Picchu. It was also a cheap place (using airline miles) to fly into from Los Angeles.

Where Did I Go?

Lima, Ica and Huacachina, Nazca, Cuzco, Salkantay Trek, and Machu Picchu.

My Other Blog Posts on Peru

Fighting Fatigue on First Day in Lima
The Desert Oasis of Huacachina
Flying over the Nazca Lines
Altitude Sickness in Cuzco
Salkantay Trek To Machu Picchu Journal
Machu Picchu, 9 Years Later
Salkantay to Machu Picchu Day 1: Mollepata to Soraypampa
Salkantay to Machu Picchu Day 2: Soraypampa to Salkantay Pass to Huayracpunko
Salkantay to Machu Picchu Day 3: Huayracpunko to Colpapampa
Salkantay to Machu Picchu Day 4: Colpapampa to La Playa
Salkantay to Machu Picchu Day 5: La Playa to Llactapata
Salkantay to Machu Picchu Day 6: Llactapata to Aguas Calientes
Salkantay to Machu Picchu Day 7: Machu Picchu

Expenses

Total Days: 18
Total Expenses: 1,003 USD
Average: 56 USD/day

How Is It to Backpack in Peru?

Peru is very easy to travel, especially on the so called “Gringo Trail, which includes Lima, Cuzco, Machu Picchu, Puno, and Lake Titikaka and the way to Bolivia.

Because of the large number of backpackers, there’s usually a very good number of great hostels in each city. Some of them are mega-hostels with bars, restaurants, movie rooms, terraces, etc.

Bus travel is very comfortable and convenient, especially with the better companies such as Cruz del Sur. You can book seats online and pay with credit cards, and the buses are modern and very comfortable.

Favorites And Not So Favorites

Favorite Places: Cuzco and Machu Picchu, second time there and found them even more beautiful than the first time.
Favorite Moment: When it started snowing at Salkantay Pass.

Snow falling right before Salkantay Pass

Favorite Food: Ceviche
Other Things I Liked: Comfortable buses. Lots of bathrooms on the Salkantay Trek.
Most Annoying Thing: The constant hassle from vendors at the most touristy places such as Aguas Calientes and Cuzco.

My Recommendations

Pariwana Hostel in Lima.
Cruz del Sur bus company.
Getting a group of 4-6 people together and hiring a guide at Machu Picchu for a 2-hour tour.

Conclusion

I would have liked to stay longer in Peru, but my compressed schedule in the first month of travel didn’t allow that. While I had already previously been in Lima, Cuzco, and Machu Picchu, I enjoyed the last two even more than the first time. I found Peru more modernized than nine years ago, and much easier to travel around.

It was an easy destination to start my long trip around the world, since I speak the language and had previously been there. It is also one of the easiest country to travel around in South America.

My Favorite Pictures

Miraflores, Lima, as viewed from Pariwana Backpackers Hostel
Calle Quilca, Lima
Huacachina, Peru, at night
Cuzco during twilight
Siete Culebras, Salkantay Trek.
Flowers on the Salkantay Trek
Salkantay Trek
Walking on train tracks to Machu Picchu
Machu Picchu, Peru
Views of Machu Picchu from Huayna Picchu
Riding Vistadome train back to Cuzco
Posted in Travel, Photography, Round The World Trip, Americas, Peru
Leave a comment
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Pinterest

Post navigation

   Salkantay to Machu Picchu Day 7: Machu Picchu
Desaguadero Border Crossing and Bolivian Roadblocks   

You may also like

Western USA Road Trip: Zion National Park

Continue Reading
Looking back at Wheeler Peak

Western USA Road Trip: Great Basin National Park

Continue Reading

Leave a ReplyCancel reply

Follow Me

  • Instagram
  • Facebook

Subscribe


 

Categories

  • Travel (354)
    • Round The World Trip (242)
      • Pre-Trip (20)
    • Americas (176)
      • Argentina (24)
      • Bolivia (12)
      • Brazil (20)
      • Canada (12)
      • Chile (12)
      • Colombia (9)
      • Mexico (9)
      • Peru (21)
      • United States (71)
      • Uruguay (3)
      • Venezuela (8)
    • Africa (13)
      • Djibouti (2)
      • Eritrea (6)
      • Somalia (6)
    • Asia (46)
      • Cambodia (4)
      • China (1)
      • Hong Kong (1)
      • Japan (15)
      • Macau (1)
      • Malaysia (2)
      • Mongolia (1)
      • Myanmar (10)
      • Singapore (2)
      • Taiwan (8)
      • Thailand (4)
    • Caribbean (14)
      • Dominica (14)
    • Europe (1)
      • Russia (1)
    • Middle East (26)
      • Iran (13)
      • Jordan (1)
      • Kuwait (3)
      • Oman (7)
      • Qatar (3)
      • United Arab Emirates (4)
    • Oceania (50)
      • Australia (8)
      • New Zealand (42)
  • Hiking (149)
    • John Muir Trail (31)
    • West Coast Trail (10)
    • Olympic National Park (7)
    • Yosemite National Park (10)
    • Sequoia National Park (6)
    • Angeles National Forest (2)
    • Ansel Adams Wilderness (5)
    • Bryce Canyon National Park (1)
    • Chapada Diamantina (1)
    • Death Valley National Park (1)
    • King's Canyon National Park (8)
    • Mount Roraima (3)
    • New Zealand Great Walks (33)
    • Salkantay To Machu Picchu (9)
    • Torres del Paine (6)
    • Waitukubuli National Trail (11)
    • Zion National Park (2)
  • Motorcycle (12)
  • Photography (286)
  • Train Rides (14)
  • Life (15)
  • Other Stuff (2)

Archives

  • 2020 (2)
    • April (2)
  • 2019 (5)
    • July (2)
    • June (3)
  • 2018 (10)
    • May (2)
    • March (4)
    • February (1)
    • January (3)
  • 2017 (34)
    • December (1)
    • September (1)
    • May (1)
    • April (4)
    • March (12)
    • February (10)
    • January (5)
  • 2016 (47)
    • November (1)
    • October (4)
    • September (6)
    • August (4)
    • July (2)
    • May (2)
    • April (8)
    • March (11)
    • February (3)
    • January (6)
  • 2015 (75)
    • December (1)
    • October (6)
    • September (2)
    • August (5)
    • July (8)
    • June (7)
    • May (9)
    • April (13)
    • March (13)
    • February (6)
    • January (5)
  • 2014 (80)
    • December (2)
    • November (5)
    • October (6)
    • September (9)
    • August (7)
    • July (6)
    • June (10)
    • May (17)
    • April (5)
    • March (4)
    • February (4)
    • January (5)
  • 2013 (27)
    • December (4)
    • November (2)
    • October (6)
    • September (2)
    • June (1)
    • May (5)
    • April (3)
    • March (2)
    • January (2)
  • 2012 (14)
    • December (3)
    • November (5)
    • September (1)
    • August (2)
    • June (1)
    • March (1)
    • February (1)
  • 2011 (18)
    • December (1)
    • November (2)
    • October (2)
    • September (2)
    • August (1)
    • July (1)
    • May (1)
    • April (6)
    • March (1)
    • January (1)
  • 2010 (28)
    • December (4)
    • October (2)
    • September (1)
    • August (3)
    • July (7)
    • May (3)
    • April (2)
    • March (3)
    • January (3)
  • 2009 (22)
    • December (6)
    • November (3)
    • October (1)
    • September (5)
    • August (2)
    • July (2)
    • June (1)
    • March (1)
    • January (1)
  • 2008 (4)
    • November (2)
    • May (1)
    • March (1)
  • 2006 (4)
    • November (1)
    • February (1)
    • January (2)

kevinstravel

Rough race and not the result I was looking for. W Rough race and not the result I was looking for. Was targeting a sub 2:55 but finished in 3:31. It felt hard from the start and had stomach issues later on. Still proud of the effort and finish.
2 more days 2 more days
Tiruchirappalli, India. January 2018. Tiruchirappalli, India. January 2018.
Tiruchirappalli, India. January 2018. Tiruchirappalli, India. January 2018.
Tiruchirappalli, India. January 2018. Tiruchirappalli, India. January 2018.
Kerala, India. January 2018. Kerala, India. January 2018.
Load More Follow on Instagram

996 Days Traveled
33 Countries Visited
290 Beds Slept In
79 Flights Taken
180 Buses Long Distance
93 Trains Long Distance
48 Boats Survived

© 2006-2023 Kevin's Travel Blog. All Rights Reserved.