Luxury Peru Vacations – More Affordable Than You Think
Transport
Gone are the days where cramming into a rusty bus was the only option. Peru is a country with a well developed and rapidly expanding national airline network. Travelers can also zip along well maintained highways in private transport or air-conditioned buses in five star comfort. Depending on your requirements you can travel as quickly as you need in complete safety.
There’s also a dose of luxury in transit that you’ll never get back at home. If you are visiting Machu Picchu, consider the Hiram Bingham train; the cars are elegantly upholstered in blue and gold, there’s a bar and observation car so that you can enjoy your surrounding en-route, and English speaking guides are present to give general information. Passengers can travel in style and enjoy a 4 course a la carte dinner with a wide selection of cocktails available. There is also a luxury train service operating on certain days between the major destinations of Cusco and Puno. This service also has excellent food and an observation car.
Accommodation
Sharing a room with cockroaches is a thing of the past; Peru has a national network of five star hotels, and luxury accommodation is available in both city centers and remote countryside destinations. Below are just a few of the options on offer.
Passing through Lima? You can check in to the spectacular, modern Miraflores Park Hotel or the colonial Country Club Hotel which is also a national monument, both five star rated.
On the south coast at Paracas there are two excellent options operated by the Hilton and Libertador chains.
In Arequipa you can stay in the old mint which has been converted into a beautiful hotel. There’s even top class hotels at the top of the second deepest canyon in the world, where you can enjoy a soak in the thermal baths in the Colca Lodge.
Planning a visit to Cusco? Consider the Monastario Hotel, a converted Monastery and voted the Best Hotel in South America by Conde Nast. Alternatively the small and exclusive Inkaterra La Casona is an excellent option. You can also pamper yourself in the largest spa in Latin America at the Aranwa Hotel in the Sacred Valley among other options.
At Machu Picchu there are several options including the beautiful Inkaterra Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel set in tropical gardens, the five star Sumaq and the Orient Express operated Sanctuary Lodge located by the site itself.
Even in the Amazon jungle you do not have to rough it, as Inkaterra also operate an excellent property in the Tambopata Reserve.
Food
Peruvian cuisine, for years a well-kept secret, is starting to be more recognized internationally. Peruvian chefs are taking their skills and traditions abroad to establish exciting fusions in the United States and Europe, to critical acclaim.
With more investment in Peruvian cuisine through cookery schools and restaurants, visitors to Peru will be spoilt with the wide variety of traditional Peruvian dishes. In any of the major destinations in Peru you can eat excellent quality food, whether it be traditional fare, ‘novo-andino’ or international.
Tours
The best thing about Peru vacations are the ease with which you can put all the luxury options together; a good custom tour company can provide you with an itinerary that will take you where you want to go and do it in five star style.
Peru has a well developed tourism industry and you are sure to find a reliable operator to help you get a luxury vacation for an affordable price.