Hi Nick,
Thank you for the excellent experience in exploring Peru!
We had a great time, and for sure, did not want to drive there myself!, especially when the train is offering great opportunities to travel to Machu Picchu and to Puno.
Great balance between Andes, Amazone and Desert. Best of Peru!
Lunch at Central restaurant, worlds number 4 best restaurant, turned out excellent timing when you want to visit the evening show in Parque de la Reserva, a must do in Lima! Too many highlights to mention, but the Delfin Cruise is beyond expectations. The full itinerary: Loved it!
Some details:
Indeed flights can be cancelled just before boarding. We experienced this, after just one night staying in Peru, when traveling from Lima to Cusco. Fortunately many flights go to Cusco, so we only needed to manage the 3 hours on the airport without missing a tour, just missing relaxing a couple of hours in the beautiful Belmond Sacred Valley hotel.
Lima tours at all locations, did a great job. It felt good to have a travel agency, and not just book via the intranet, especially when 4 people missed their flight and arrived too late for Delfin 1 departure! The American couple that had a travel agency resolved the issue without paying a penalty, but of course, you don't want to go there!!!
Guide to Machu Picchu I can definitely recommend, keeps you motivated to walk the inka trail to Machu Picchu and climb the mountain next to it. Nick, thanks, the Lima restaurant you recommended in Cuzco was really nice (under statement). They did not immediately found the reservation, but we ended up with a very nice table on the balcony and they baked a cake for my birthday, food was great! Also the restaurant in Arequipa, Chicha, you recommended was great. We found out that it's better to reserve restaurants upfront, as Casina Andina hotel (nice city hotel!) was very helpful, but many restaurants were fully booked even out season. Loved Nasca lines, but people who are not used in flying such small airplanes might get motion sick. As pilot in training, I managed of course ;-). Will send you some pictures.
Please send my compliments to Lima Tours.
All the best, Inez