<p>Hi, my son is going on a medical relief mission to Cuzco, Peru for 2 1/2 weeks next week. I have done some research into the area & reviewed the info. from the sponsoring org., United Planet, but wonder if anyone has any additional insights or tips as to what he may expect or need to prepare for that he hasn't anticipated. Thanks for any suggestions.</p>
<p>Great adventure! </p>
<p>I don't know anything about Peru, but have some general tips:</p>
<p>Kids keep absolutely every phone contact in their cellphones now. When my S travelled (just stateside) and forgot his charger cord at a motel, his entire system for contacting people (airport rides, and so on) fell apart until he got back to his home. They need to also carry a traditional phone and address list on paper. Perhaps he'll be in places without electricity for a few days running, so rather than depend on laptop computers or cellphones, find a backup alternative.</p>
<p>Does he use prescription medicine? I like to travel with a second set, which might require a doctor's cooperation to double-up on a prescription count for those days.</p>
<p>Write down his passport number to keep in your records.</p>
<p>Make sure he understands he needs to always walk around with personal identification in his pocket that traces back by phone to his program in Peru and to you, in case of emergency. Write it in both languages.</p>
<p>It took me many conversations to convince each of my kids not to just walk around like a hunk of flesh without any identification.</p>
<p>If the time zone will be different, he could start to adjust his sleep schedule now at home, an hour daily, so he'll be ready upon arrival in the new time frame.</p>
<p>Beware of the altitude! I don't know how to help him adjust to that (maybe someone here will) but Cuzco is very high. </p>
<p>Also, he sure he knows he will see quite a few beggars and street people.</p>
<p>Great country. Visited last year. See if he can take time to hike the Inca Trail up to Machu Picchu. The usual amenities are found in Lima and larger cities, but nothing but thatched roofs and donkeys as soon as you get out into the smaller villages. If he's going to be outside the main city, he'll do well to prepare for little/no electricity.</p>
<p>Check for immunizations that are recommended for the area. It is also a good idea to bring antibiotics, in case he gets severe food poisoning (happened to our son...).</p>
<p>See a travel health specialist. My D is in Peru on an exchange this year. Our travel health nurse got her Hep A and B vaccinations, antibiotics in case of food born infection, medication for altitude sickness, and a few other vaccinations. Also anti malarials, should she be in the lower altitude area with malarial mosquitos. Cuzco, as well as much of Peru is too high altitude for that to be a concern. </p>
<p>She's had no health problems, and has had a wonderful time. </p>
<p>The Inca trail can only be hiked with a guide service (if my Ds info is correct) and is well worth it, though difficult. She was thrilled with that hike. </p>
<p>If taking the train, reserve well in advance. My son didn't know, and was unable to go to Manchu Picchu. </p>
<p>No time change! At least from the central US, with daylight savings time. Now she's an hour later.</p>
<p>DD hiked the Inca trail also. Definitely book ahead, as regulations now limit the number of hikers and guides - and choose a well-run company. D took the advice of some chilean friends (she was studying in Chile) and went with this company- she said it was an incredible experience, and she came home with photographs that looked like National Geographic pictures (not due to her camera skills, but due to the incredible scenery.) [url=<a href="http://www.sastravelperu.com/%5DSAS">http://www.sastravelperu.com/]SAS</a> Travel Tour Operator - Adventure travel agency in Cusco, Peru<a href="F.Y.I.%20I%20have%20no%20affiliation%20with%20said%20company.">/url</a> I think it is a 4day journey.</p>
<p>S went to Peru this summer (there for the earthquake) and was taken by surprise how crowded it was at Machu Icchu so be prepared in advance for the crowds. He also felt it was more $ than previously since it had been named as an additional Wonder of the World. I've heard that in order to hike you must book way way in advance.</p>
<p>Was in Peru in 1990. Cuzco was very interesting colonial town (visit the main church and also try the native whole roasted Guinea pig) and Machu Picchu was astounding. Get all suggested shots. Also, he needs to make sure to protect his passport from theft. If they still allow people to stay at the hotel (government owned at that time) just outside the entrance to Machu Picchu book there if he can't hike the trail.</p>
<p>The all day train trip from Cuzco across the altiplano to Puno at Lake Titicaca is considered one of the 10 best train trips in the world. The scenery is other-worldly. Take a camera. We (a buddy and I) took small highly colored rubber balls and gave them to the children who come to see the train stop. They loved them.</p>
<p>The train will get into Puno late at night and he must stay the night. There are hydrofoils that will take you across Lake Titicaca (the highest altitude lake in the world) and into Bolivia. On the lake there are Indian tribes who live on woven reed mats although I have heard that there have been government efforts to force them off the Lake. These are the Indians that Thor Heyerdahl used to weave the Kon-Tiki for his trip in 1947.</p>
<p>La Paz, Bolivia at approx. 15,000 feet takes getting used to (the better hotels serve a mild tea made from cocoa leaves that helps with the altitude problem) but is well worth the trip. Check out the area just outside town that has large moonscape rock formations over several acres. Our astronauts used to train there for the lunar missions. Since many Germans expatriated to Bolivia (including Klaus Barbie) after WWII the German food is great. FYI -- the uniform of the police looks just like the SS.</p>
<p>You might want to check with the State department on the immediate political climate in Bolivia, but it is worth a little risk. I spoke to a young woman who was from La Paz in the Miama airport two months ago and she said things were fairly stable. DO NOT HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH DRUGS!!!!!!</p>
<p>The train trip and excursion into Bolivia adds 3 days minimum and that doesn't count getting back (we flew from La Paz back to Lima and then to Miami but that was years ago).</p>
<p>I also suggest that if he has time he take a bus tour from Lima to Nazca, Peru on the Pacific. That is where the Nazca Lines are found which are the gigantic rock outlines of animals and ET looking beings that are best viewed from a small airplane flyover. That is 1 day out, spend the night and 1 day back.</p>
<p>I flew from Lima to Iquitos in the North and took a motorized shuttle boat down the Amazon and stayed at a botany camp in the jungle from 3 days. The fresh water porpoises and howler monkeys were my favorites. Here's the link. Amazon</a> Explorama Lodges. This was a once in a lifetime experience.</p>
<p>While in Lima, visit the Gold Museum.</p>
<p>Your S should have a very memorable trip. When in Lima, Cuzco or La Paz use lagre city awareness of what is going on. If it seems dicey, don't do it. I suggest that your S get a traveling buddy to do the Bolivia trip. I met solos, but there were times I was glad that there were two of us.</p>
<p>I'm Peruvian. Most of the advice that ppl here has given you is totally correct (except that most of you has mispelled Cusco with Z... its with S) and yes, it is worth to visit Peru, at least Cusco.</p>
<p>Peru is a very contrasting country in every sense. Lima is a huge city in the middle of the Andean coastal desert, and it's very populated, even chaotic, but it has cosmopolitan areas. Lima's people are kinda rude as of any big city and it's not too safe, so tell your son no to trust ppl there easly and to catch only registered cabs. </p>
<p>Cusco is like another different country, it's located high in the Andes, and is common to get altitude-sickness so tell your son to ask for COCA-leaf tea in the plane or as soon as he lands at Cusco airport (coca is not a drug like cocaine, but a medicinal and very nutritious plant). The first day he must rest and eat vegetarian food, no spicy stuff. The next day he will be ready to go.</p>
<p>Cusco is the capitol city of the Tawantinsuyu (Inka civilization) and their descendants the Quechua indigenous people still live there. Native people make up most of Peruvian population -although most Lima's people deny their roots sadly (it's called globalization-- anyways, Cusco is built over Inka palaces, or what is left, since the Hispanics distroyed most of it. But the Sacred Valley and sorrounding places are spectacular and people are very nice and friendly, some speak English. </p>
<p>Unfortunately there is a lot of poverty in Cusco, since the multi-millionare tourism industry is in hands of foreign and Lima-based companies. The only train that goes to Machu Picchu is British-owned and they don't let Peruvians travel with foreigners, go figure.</p>
<p>Check this page: Come</a> to Peru: Culture, Nature and Adventure. - Travel and Tourism. Peru Export and Tourism Promotion Board for more info on Peru: visa, vaccines, attractions and stuff.</p>
<p>And this VIDEO will give you an idea of how Cusco look like when landing:
YouTube</a> - A320 Landing in Cuzco-Peru</p>
<p>Happy holidays!</p>
<p>If ou are concerned about altitude sickness have your child's physician get a prescription and fill it before leaving for Diamox and steroids. Make sure your child drinks tons of water (filtered, of course) daily.</p>