The Floating Islands of Uros are actually man-made islands, constructed by Uru people who inhabit them. The local lady who lived on the Island demonstrated to us how these Islands are ‘made’ using Totora reeds which grow in Lake Titicaca.

The reeds have a very thick root which also happens to float when cut out. They are harvested and then anchored to the bottom of the lake with ropes.

Walking on the Island feels like walking on a mat, with a slight sinking feeling. When we visited in the morning there was ice crystals in the straw from overnight. We could feel the coldness through our shoes!

They also cultivate reeds and use them to make houses, boats, souvenirs, mats etc.

Reed boats. For an extra fee you can take a ride on them.

Most of the descendants of the original Uros people have moved to shore. Now only a handful families remain, primarily to preserve the culture and make a living out of tourists that come here.

With that we bid good bye to the Uru people and Puno and continued towards the border of Peru and Bolivia.

]]> http://unboundexplorers.com/2016/05/15/puno-uros-islands/feed/ 0 http://unboundexplorers.com/2016/05/14/the-andean-explorer/ http://unboundexplorers.com/2016/05/14/the-andean-explorer/#respond Sat, 14 May 2016 19:37:48 +0000 http://unboundexplorers.com/?p=115 After Machu Picchu, this was one of the major highlights of our trip – The Andean Explorer – First Class train that operates between Cuzco and Puno. Rated amongst the Top 25 Train Journeys in the world, the Andean Explorer takes you from Ancient capital of Cuzco at 11500ft to Puno on the shores of Lake Titicaca at 12500ft. During the 10 hour journey you are pampered with gourmet meals, live performances and stunning views of the beautiful Andes mountains!

The reservations have to be made well in advance via the Peru Rail website – same company that operates trains to Machu Picchu. You can take the train either from Cusco to Puno or vice versa. It is not cheap! The ride from Cusco to Puno will set you off by $300+ per person, but trust me it is worth it!

The Experience

Upon reaching the Cusco station (Wanchaq), our bags were collected by porters and we were escorted to a VIP lounge where we were ‘checked-in’. While the train was being prepared for departure, we were offered refreshments in this area.

After few minutes, a service staff approached us and personally escorted to our seats in the coach. We were blown away by the luxurious wood interiors and spacious seats. It was the first time we were traveling in a First class tourist rain. The train had 3 Passenger compartments, a Bar car, an Observatory car, a pantry car and a storage car.

Passenger Car

Once all the passengers boarded, the guard gave the signal and the train slowly pulled out of the station. In a short time we exited the city limits of Cusco and started our winding journey through the Andes.

The observation deck was the most busy space. This is the most unique part of the train. It is like the Guard cabin of freight trains in India. You get unobstructed view of both sides of the track. The most interesting time is when the train goes through a curve. We tried to capture the same in different landscapes!

Another interesting photo opportunity is the view from the back of the train, again as it passes through different landscapes.

Soon we were asked for our preference for lunch. Looking at the menu, the names looked straight out of a Master Chef show. Thankfully, it was a set menu and we just had to choose between two options for each course except dessert. I ordered meat dishes (Fish & Beef), while Swati opted for vegetarian dishes. They were served soon with excellent presentation, making us wonder how they manage to do on a moving train! They were as tasty as they looked!

Soon after lunch, the train pulled into La Raya station – the highest point on the route – and the only stop where we can get out. The station is nothing much but a platform, with a souvenir market and Church right next to it. When all the passengers got busy shopping, we got the whole train for ourselves! Being a fan of trains since childhood, I couldn’t resist going around taking a few shots of the train. Since it was stationary, it was a great opportunity to get some HDR images!

The train moved on, continuing through barren valleys after this. Around 4pm, the next activity was ready. Announcement was made that soon live performance will begin in the Bar/Observatory car! Since our coach was right next to it, we went and got ourselves a seat right away. But as the passengers came in, we realised most of them were Senior Citizens and we gladly gave our seats to few elderly. Soon the artists came, quickly set up the instruments and started their performance, playing traditional music.

After a while, a young lady came dressed in traditional clothes and started a dance performance in between the crowd.

After watching a round of performance we returned to our seats and relaxed for a while. The slowly came out of the rural areas and entered the outskirts of town Juliaca. Now, the route between Cusco and Puno does not have any other passenger trains operating. It is just the two Andean Explorers that pass through here, and an occasional freight trains. So as far as the local population is concerned, the tracks are too a valuable real-estate. If you ask me why, see below –

As soon as the train passed, pedestrians, shoppers and vendors returned to carry on with life as usual! After passing through multiple such markets and streets, we entered Juliaca station.

Here the train made a technical stop and moved on. Light faded quickly afterwards as the sun set. This meant all the lights on the train has to be turned on! It was a challenge to take photos in low light on a moving train, but some how managed to get a basic shots to give you a feel how the train looks at night!

We arrived in Puno on time. By the time we were led out of the train, our luggage was arranged outside according to carriages, making it easy for identification.  We had 3 big bags with us and were struggling to find a cab, when the Service Manger approached us and offered us a city cab at the local standard rates.

The whole end-to-end service was top notch and this trip exceeded all our expectations. It was the most memorable train journey so far!

After returning to Ollantaytambo after our Machu Picchu trip, we transferred back to Cusco the same day. Next day we decided to join a City Tour to see Cusco that covered the major attractions.

Cusco Cathedral : The most distinguishable building in the Plaza de Armas or centre of the city, Cusco Cathedral was built in 1654 over an existing Inca temple – Kiswarkancha. It also had the objective of eradicating the Inca pagan religion and establishing Christianity amongst the natives. This building has many beautiful and important relics inside. Unfortunately, no photographs are permitted inside, so once the tour was over we took some pictures from the outside at night.

Church & Convent of Santo Domingo and Korikancha: Korikancha was the main temple of Incas dedicated to the Sun God Inti. The temple was constructed of perfectly carved huge stone blocks interlocked with each other. It is said that once it was completely covered with gold sheets with gold statues filling the spaces. All the gold was taken and molten down by Incas themselves to fund the ransom demanded by Pizarro to release the last Inca King Atahualpa. Pizarro abducted the King and demanded a room be filled with gold to secure his release. Poor Incas did do, but ultimately the King was killed, ending the Inca Empire as the world knew it.

Sacsayhuamán – Located in the hills above Cusco is the ruins of a fortified complex known as Sacsayhuaman. Predating the Incas by a couple of hundred years, this monument is famous for its construction. Huge boulders are used with no mortar. The construction was so robust that when earthquakes shattered colonial buildings in Cusco, this remained intact! This was also used by Inca rebels to fight the Spanish invasion without success. The mighty boulders of this construction later found its way to the Cathedrals, Convents and other colonial buildings in Cusco.

Puka Pukara – Meaning Red Fort, this is a minor fort located near Sacsayhuaman.

Qenko : Qenko was the last site we visited. It was a holy place for the Incas. This was primarily used for sacrifices.

Once the tour was over we continued our walk around the Historic quarter, taking few photos and doing some souvenir shopping.

Twelve Angle Stone : If you see unusual crowd in a street near the central square, most likely this is the reason. There is a stone in the Inca wall which has 12 angles, puzzling people how it was fitted so perfectly!

Pachacuti Statue and Fountain – Pachakuti is considered one of the most important Inca rulers. He is also the person who is believed to have constructed Machu Picchu. His statue and fountain can be found in central square.

Souvenir Shops – The narrow streets have many souvenir shops. We picked up these cute alpaca dolls from one. No need to mention that you need to bargain

We stayed in a cozy B&B called Amaru Hostal II very close to the historic centre of the city.

Recently elected as one of the New Seven Wonders of the world, Machu Picchu (MP) is visited by over a Million tourists every year. Although visiting Machu Picchu is straightforward, it requires some planning in advance. In this post i’ll share a bit about our preparation and actual experience of visiting this wonder.

When to visit ?

To get the postcard worthy photographs and best visit experience, the best time is between May to October. The busiest is during July and August that coincides with the Summer vacations. This is also the Winter season in South America, but the Summer of November to March is the rainy season in the mountains, making it very difficult to visit. We visited during the shoulder season of May, when crowds are just building up and the weather is decent.

How to reach ?

The nearest major city and that has a well connected airport is Cusco in Peru. From here there are couple of options. First is a hiking trail, famously called “The Inca Trail”, you will trek across the mountains and reach Machu Picchu. Depending on the route, duration varies from 3 to 5 days. Unless you are a Trekking/Hiking enthusiast, have a lot of time in Peru and want to visit MP like the Incas did it, I wouldn’t recommend this way. It is expensive and requires some of preparation to battle it out in high altitude. The slots are also limited which has to be booked much in advance. But it does have it’s own perks! The views en route are parallel to none!

The second and more popular or conventional route is to take the Train to Aguas Calientes – the base town – and bus to the summit. We opted for this option and will cover the same in detail. Two companies operate in this route – Inca Rail and Peru Rail. The trains pass through towns of Urubamba and Ollantaytambo, so it is possible to board here as well.

What to Visit?

Machu Picchu of course! But there are 3 areas to visit here – the main archaeological site of Machu Picchu,  summit of the mountain Machu Picchu (which has the ruins) and the summit of mountain Huayna Picchu (the summit overlooking the site). Visiting the site would require at least 4~5 hours as we realised. First 2 hours was a guided tour, then some exploration on our own. This can be combined with visit to either of the two mountains. But it will cost you slightly more and demand more time and effort. Also the tickets are also extremely limited (200/Day). Among the two side attraction, Huayna Picchu is more popular offering stairways with deep drops and birds eye view of MP. Unfortunately, we skipped them due to lack of time.

Where to Stay ?

Most people stay in Cusco, take the morning train, visit the ruins and return post lunch. If you follow this itinerary, you are bound to visit when the crowd is maximum! We suggest you base yourselves either at Aguas Calientes or Ollantaytambo. Our pick – Ollantaytambo. Not only is this town cheaper and prettier, there is much stuff to see here as well (Please read our previous post). Aguas Calientes is an over priced and over crowded tourist town.

Planning your visit

Once you have decided how to go about your visit, you should lock down the date. This is critical as both train tickets to Aguas Calientes and entrance tickets to Machu Picchu are limited in number and will sell out  in advance. The Train tickets can be booked via Peru Rail or Inca Rail. We opted for Peru Rail. Peru Rail has 3 classes of trains shuttling between the various stations in the valley and Aguas Calientes – Expedition, Vistadome and Hiram Birmingham. Expedition is the cheapest, while Hiram Birmingham is end to end First Class service. We took Expedition to manage the overall budget. Once train tickets are booked, reserve the MP tickets at the Official Site.

Our Experience

We stayed in Ollantaytambo and dedicated one full day for MP visit. We took the first train to Aguas Calientes at 6.30am. The station is just walking distance from the town, but there are small tuk-tuks that can take you there for a small fare. Our’s was the Expedition train and even in this budget option the seats were comfortable and windows on the roof offering outside views.

We reached Aguas Calientes in an hour or so. The town was crowded, touristy and over priced. As you can see below, not a great place to stay.

100m from the exit, we found a queue toward the counter for purchasing Bus tickets to the top. We strongly recommend buying the return bus tickets – $24 per person. It took us 30 mins of waiting to get tickets. We payed in Cash as US Dollars. Cards were not accepted.  Then we moved towards the queue to board the buses. In next 20 minutes or so, we got the seats. While standing in line, we also met our guide who offered us 2.5 hours of tour at 110 Sols for both of us. (Negotiated down!)

Once we reached the top, the guide took care of us for the next 2.5 hours. He took us around the major sections of the site, explaining the history on the way. He followed a different route than usual, avoiding crowds en route.

About Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu was the only Incan settlement undiscovered and unconquered by the Spanish. When the Spanish reached Cusco, the Incas hid the trail to Machu Picchu. Believed to be constructed in the 15^th century, at the height of the Inca Empire, this was a major settlement. The site has Royal residences,  Common houses, Temples and Agricultural areas.  Highlights from our visit in the gallery below –

Once you have completed your visit, you can go back to Aguas Calientes via two ways – Bus or Walk. We decided to save $24 and also enjoy the scenery and opted for a walk back. Our assumption was that it won’t take more than an hour and it would be a nice walk. But be warned! It was a foolish decision. The walk was longer than we thought, not that scenic and tiring. Please take the bus back! By the time we reached the town we were dehydrated and hungry. We ate in the first restaurant we saw (La Roca Sagrada). That was the best Pizza we had in South America!!! We barely reached in time for the train back at 2.30pm.

Tips

1. Previous night ask at the Reception for a Breakfast box. Although breakfast is served in the train, it may not be sufficient for a full day’s sight seeing
2. Carry and drink plenty of water. Even at this altitude going up and down a flight of stairs tires you easily
3. Ensure the Guide you hire is registered and has a badge/ID card. Rates are negotiable. We paid 110 Soles/2.5 hours. He spoke good English and was very knowledgeable
4. There is a booth where you can stamp your Passport with Machu Picchu seal. We missed it. Don’t forget!
5. Restrooms require change (1 Sol). Use before entering the monument
6. Take the Bus down. Don’t walk down unless you have plenty of time in your hand.

We stayed in Casa del Abuelo, a small B&B located on the street next to the ruins. Our room opened to the street and beautiful view of the moutains.

We started the morning with tour of the Ruins of Ollantaytambo. This was the last stronghold of the Incas during the Spanish invasion. The complex served as a Military Fort while offering spaces for Religion and Agriculture.

From the top of the ruins, you get to see the whole valley, with Ollantaytambo town at bottom.

There were clear sections for farming, religion, administration and military. All these had thatched roofs once, all gone now.  Some more pictures in the Gallery below –

It is here we first noted the beauty of Inca Architecture. The huge stones are locked against each other as they have been welded together. They even withstood earthquakes! All this was done on hard stone without help of modern technology!

On our way down we came across some Quinoa plants. These were one form of staple food for the Incas. They were once harvested in these grounds. Extra grains were stored in granaries, like the one you see in the distance in the mountain.
 

After exiting the ruins, we walked around the old town a bit. The streets and houses have not changed at all. Many people still stay in the ancient stone houses that Incas built, just the roofs have changed.

Then we walked into the town square. The views from every corner of this town are just stunning!

That’s all Ollantaytambo has to offer. There are many shops where you can bargain and get some souvenirs. It is advised you buy them here, as the prices are cheaper than in touristy Cusco.

Flying into Cusco

Cusco is situated at an altitude of 3400m or 11200ft (similar to Ladakh in J&K, India). As it is a major destination, it is well connected via air, road and rail. Fastest way to reach is to fly.

However, flying from city like Lima which is at sea level is bound to cause Altitude sickness. So we decided to visit Cusco later and headed straight to Ollantaytambo, a small town in the heart of the Sacred Valley. Since it is located at a much lower (<2800m) it would be easier to acclimatise while having reduced effects of altitude. We had carried medicines for altitude sickness, but fortunately didn’t face any issue.

We arranged our transfers through a reputed company called Taxidatum. The driver was waiting for us at the airport with a sign board. This was not a straight transfer to Ollantaytambo, but combined with 3 stops on the way – Chinchero, Maras and Moray. As we left Cusco town, the road started to descend through scenic valleys. Our first stop on the way was picture perfect!

Chinchero Village

After a while we entered the village of Chinchero – a small Andean village in the Sacred Valley which also is a main market place for local products. Both sides of the narrow cobblestone paths are filled with souvenir shops selling Alpaca wool products.

The village is situated on a hill. Soon we realised that climbing here is no easy task! The air is thin and you start panting very fast. However the climb was short this time and the view was worth it. Imagine waking up to a view like this from your home every day!

Salt mines of Maras

Next stop was the Salt Mines or Salineras at Maras. Usual visitors have to alight at the entrance and walk down the long route. But we were short on time. Knowing that, our driver who was a local talked with the officials and took us in car itself till the inside!

This is how the Incas produced salt. Being so far away from the sea, they found that the spring water coming out from this mountain had high levels of salt. So they channeled this water into multiple ponds, made on the hill side. The water evaporated under the sun and salt was ready for the taking!

 Ruins of Moray

The last stop before reaching Ollantaytambo was Ruins of Moray. We reached just in time before the site closed for the day!

This is a very special site as it demonstrates the technology the Incas possessed in medieval times. The site consists of concentric steps that reduce in diameter as you go deeper. As you go each level down, the temperature decreases! This enabled them to regulate temperatures and grow crops more productively!

As we left Moray the light was too good to resist taking few pictures. The Andean foothills are so pretty!

We reached Ollantaytambo by dusk and checked in to the hotel. More about it in next post!

So, the only way to view and appreciate these ancient artforms is to fly over them! Just outside the town of Nazca lies the Airport, where many tour agencies offer aerial tour of the lines. A decade ago, they were infamous for safety standards, as the planes were old and pilots inexperienced, leading to many accidents and fatalities. Recently the government intervened and now it is strictly regulated, making it more reliable and safe to enjoy this wonder.

We opted for Aero Nasca, which was one of the more reliable and trusted Tour Operator here. Actually, the tour includes a pick up from the Hotel, but as it was Mother’s Day (Important holiday in Peru), the team forgot about us. So after waiting for a while at the hotel, we hailed a cab and went to the airport, where upon presenting ourselves the agents became apologetic. They promised us to lengthen our flight and include some additional sights to compensate!

After making payment, you are “Checked-in”. This involves being weighed and allocating seat accordingly.

The planes are small 6 seater Cessnas. Post the security check, we wait for the remaining passengers. It is best to take the flights in the morning, when the air is clear, so we were going in the second flight in the morning!

Once 6 passengers are ready, we are escorted to our Plane by the Pilot and First Officer. First Officer also serves as the Guide. Once strapped in as per allocated seats (basis weights), we wore headphones, that cancelled the noise and opened channel to listen to our guide. We were also given a sheet which indicated the designs.

It was our first ride on a 6 seater airplane. Take off was quick and smooth and we soon flew over the city and entered the desert!

The instructions were simple. When a Geoglyph is about to appear, the guide will tell us when it will come (next 30 seconds), where it will come (left side or right side), and how to easily identify it (say focus on the shadow of the plane on ground). And when it does come, the pilot banks the plane sharply to that side so people can take a look and take pictures. Then he goes ahead and makes a turn so that people on the other side can see. Now this is not easy on the stomach!

The next 30 minutes was the most acrobatic flight we had ever experienced, but it also presented some dramatic views!

This regions is so arid that for over a millenia these forms have survived. There is hardly any wind or rain to disturb them.

We also saw umpteen lines and trapezoids, smaller figures like dog and parrot as well. To this day there is no definite answer why the Ancient Nazca people created these lines. With no technology to view this from the air, how did they create so accurate figures ?  Why do some resemble landing strips found in current airports? So many unanswered questions!

The Nazca people were not just experts at creating Geoglyphs in the desert! They were smart engineers too! The following wells is an example of how they managed to get water supply in such an arid place!

They were also experts in Mummification. There is a mummy kept in museum in town. Unfortunately, we didn’t have time to visit the same.

Had the flight been any longer, we too would have puked on board. Fortunately, they brought us down safely! Afterwards, the team dropped us back at our B&B!

Tips for Photographing the Nazca Lines

Before I left in the morning to board the flight, I was totally confused on what equipment to take with me. The flight is extremely short and challenging. So there is no possibility of changing lenses and all in flight. So basis my research and experience, here are some tips.

1. Zoom Lens works best : Almost all the pictures above were taken with help of 18-50mm Kit lens. This is a versatile option as it provides Zoom and Wide view. If you have a 18-135mm, that would be even better. The figures are huge but from up in the air, they look small. Sometimes you fly up close, and they appear larger. So it is best to have a lens with variable focal length
2. Carry a Point and Shoot Back-up : The close up of the humming bird was taken with a Point and Shoot Nikkon camera by Swati. Keep a back up option if the DSLR settings are not working.
3. Lines are hard to spot in Unprocessed images : You might see the image all brown or grey in your LCD Screen after clicking a picture. This is normal. You have to enhance the contrast and adjust brightness to see the lines. All images above are enhanced.
4. Watch out for glare : There would be the glass window of the plane between you and the ground. Just ensure that the camera angle is such that the glare is reduced – or use a Polaroid Filter.

The Hotel had just rooms and no service. So when our stomachs started making noises, we headed out to the town. It is a very small town and mainly centred around tourism, so was pretty safe. The destination was Misk’i, a small restaurant with good reviews on Tripadvisor.

We ordered our usual – Chicken Pizza – and to go with it a Pisco Sour. Pisco is a local alcoholic cocktail. As the name suggests, it is sour, but in a nice way.

Next day, we had 2 tours planned back to back. First was a boat trip to Ballestas Island. Paracas is often called poor man’s Galapagos, these islands are the reason why. Located 30 mins off the shore of Paracas, these islands have a huge population of birds and few marine mammals, resembling Galapagos island wildlife. The rocky islands are covered in guano or bird droppings. There is so much of bird shit, that every 10 years, it is mined on a commercial scale!

But, the first stop on the ride was a unique Geoglyph on the sands – Candalebra. No one knows who created this, when or why.  Speculation is it was a guiding beacon for mariners in the past.

As soon as the islands come in sight, so does the deafening sound of the birds. We had never seen so many birds flocked together is such a small location!

There were Peruvian Pelicans, Peruvian Boobies, Humboldt Penguins and Sea Lions.

The whole tour lasted exactly 2 hours and we were back to the jetty by 10am. Although late, we had a quick breakfast and went back to the Tour operator for our next tour – Paracas Reserve.

TIP : Try and sit on the front of the boat. You get a better view, less shaky and won’t get drenched.

This region of Peru, although in the Tropical region, does not have a Tropical climate. It is because of the cold Humboldt current, whereby the air is cooled and cannot produce precipitation or rain leading to an arid climate and desert landscape.  Paracas Reserve falls in this region is home to rich Marine life and unique land formations.

As part of the Paracas Tour, you visit the Museum first, where you get to know more about the regions geological and zoological history. Just a short walk behind the museum you get to see Flamingos feeding in the distance.

After that you get to see different landscapes in the park, like the Playa Roja or Red Beach!

You wind up the tour with a visit to a beach-side restaurant. It is optional to eat here, but you would be definitely tempted to do so. Try the Ceviche, local seafood delicacy!

After the Tour we came back to our Hotel, checked out and was in time for our Bus ride to the next destination – Nasca!

Both of us being committed to full time jobs, 3 weeks was the maximum break we could manage, that too courtesy of our supercool bosses! We had to be super choosy what we should include and what we should leave out. After few months of intense research and planning, we finally nailed down the itinerary, and it started here in Lima!

Lima is the capital and largest city in Peru. It is one of the well connected cities in the continent, with direct flight connections to Europe. We flew to Lima from Mumbai via Amsterdam on KLM Royal Dutch. Although slightly expensive, this saved many hours of travel time a transit of United States/Schengen Zone and an extra connection. We left Mumbai on May 6 morning and reached the same day evening, as we gained 12 hours crossing time zones from east to west!

We had planned just a half day to see Lima, that too as part of a organised tour. If you have time, the city can be explored in 2-3 days, visiting different monuments, parks, museums, neighbourhoods etc, trying local food, experiencing local culture etc. Unfortunately, we didn’t have the luxury of time, so decided to do the capsule form of sightseeing.

Basis reviews on Trip Advisor, we opted for “Kings & Queens Tour of Lima” offered by Haku Tours. We started our tour with a visit to a classic colonial house in Lima. Lima has a long colonial history and was founded by Spanish Conquistador Francisco Pizarro in 1535! He defeated the last Incan Emperor Atahualpa and ended the dominance of Incas in South America. The site of Lima was carefully chosen, that it was suitable to supporting settlements, with access to water, fertile lands and ocean. So in the historic centre of Lima, you’ll see a lot of European influence, primarily Spanish. This particular house has been converted to a Hotel – Hotel España.

Situated just next to this building was an important landmark of Lima – Monastery of San Francesco.

More than 300 years old, this building complex is noted for it’s architecture and paintings. The complex consists of the chapel, convent and catacombs.

The convents and catacombs were off-limits to cameras. The most interesting fact was the style of the paintings. All the paintings look European to the untrained eye. But as our guide pointed out, these were drawn by local Inca converts. They were trained by Spanish priests and artists. But when they started painting, lot of local influence crept in. Like the recreation of The Last Supper, where the main dish Jesus and the Disciples are eating, is Guinea Pig ! Talk about local cuisine! Beneath the beautiful church is an eerie spot – the catacombs. Long maze of narrow passages which used to be old graves. Most of them still have bones and remains!

This is a very touristy area, and there are many local vendors selling souvenirs.

The next stop was the main attraction – Historic Centre of Lima – a UNESCO World Heritage site. This area houses the oldest and most beautiful buildings in Lima. The guide gave us some time to walk around, explore the area and take photos.

Afterwards, we moved on, walking through narrow lanes and streets, taking in more of colonial Lima.

After crossing the last street, we left the pedestrian street and boarded our car. That was Lima in a short glimpse. If you are on a dedicated visit to Peru or have an unconstrained/open itinerary, Lima is worth 3 days at least. You can explore the different neighbourhoods, mix with the people, taste the cuisine etc. Unfortunately, for us it was time to catch the bus to Paracas, our next destination!