# Peru: Sacred Valley and Incan Cities Meets Thread



## sayhello

Please post here if you would like to talk with anyone else who has signed up to travel to Peru with ABD.

You can also share information/ask questions about the Peru Sacred Valley and Incan Cities ABD.

Please try and keep this thread on topic to discussion and questions  about the Peru ABD.  Off topic posts will be deleted or moved.

Thanks!
Sayhello

Roll Call:

Current:
Previous:

Dec 22 - 30, 2012 - margie100
Mar 23 - 31, 2013 - Bobo912 & son
July 14 - 22, 2013 - queenmother & ? & two teens (16 & 13)
Oct 5 - 13, 2013
- Boardwalk_bride & DH
                       - standardgirl (Wendy - turning 29 during the trip) & DM Michelle
                       - abbyjt & ??

Mar 22 - 30, 2014 - CarrianneB & ?? & 2 boys (12 & 13)
Jul 24 - Aug 1, 2014
- queenmother, spouse & 2 Teens (14 & 17)
- Disney_fans (Michelle), her partner Sheila, their daughter (14), and son (12)

Dec 19 - 27, 2014
- SeaPic & DH &  DD (13) DS (10) & another family with 2 sons (13 & 10)
                            - Moms & ??

Aug 2 - 10, 2015 - anonymousegirl & DH
Sep 23 - Oct 1, 2015 - kaceyisme & husband


----------



## Boardwalk_bride

Hi 

Myself and DH are booked on the Oct 5, 2013 - Oct 13, 2013 (Adults Only). It is our first ABD and we are so excited! We had planned to do the Germany one this year, but ended up going on our own instead. We had a great time, but realized that we would like to try a guided tour, as it is tiring always trying to figure out things on your own!

The most south I have ever been is Florida (WDW), so I am really looking forward to Peru! If anyone has any tips either from their ABD to Peru, visiting on their own, or planning their upcoming ABD, I would love to hear them! We have not done any planning yet since it is so far away.


----------



## tufbuf

This is an amazing trip!! We did it June last year and we had a blast. Some tips I can offer, pack clothes for layering. It is very cool in the mornings and evenings and warm during the day especially under the sun. Try not to get water in your mouth in the Urubamba River. I would not recommend jumping in either. If you plan to use US dollars as currency, make sure you have crispy, new-looking ones. They are very prejudiced about wrinkled old bills especially those with creases. My hubby ended up giving them the whole pile of cash for them to choose since it is such a hassle! Have room in your luggage to bring home high quality woven products! They have beautiful ponchos and sweaters and even runners as accents for your home. We also enjoyed Peruvian food.

There you go! Hope that helped a bit.


----------



## Boardwalk_bride

tufbuf said:


> This is an amazing trip!! We did it June last year and we had a blast. Some tips I can offer, pack clothes for layering. It is very cool in the mornings and evenings and warm during the day especially under the sun. Try not to get water in your mouth in the Urubamba River. I would not recommend jumping in either. If you plan to use US dollars as currency, make sure you have crispy, new-looking ones. They are very prejudiced about wrinkled old bills especially those with creases. My hubby ended up giving them the whole pile of cash for them to choose since it is such a hassle! Have room in your luggage to bring home high quality woven products! They have beautiful ponchos and sweaters and even runners as accents for your home. We also enjoyed Peruvian food.
> 
> There you go! Hope that helped a bit.



Thank you so much for your response!  We are Canadian, so we won't have US$ with us. Good to know about the river! We are really looking forward to the food....we used to have a South American restaurant (with food from all the regions) by our house, but it closed, and it was our favourite!


----------



## Karabee

Boardwalk Bride - Were thinking of signing up for that same trip! Our goal is adults only. It's just actually putting the money down this early on a trip...Im a planner but that gives me anxiety! Hopefully we will be joining you though!


----------



## Boardwalk_bride

Karabee said:


> Boardwalk Bride - Were thinking of signing up for that same trip! Our goal is adults only. It's just actually putting the money down this early on a trip...Im a planner but that gives me anxiety! Hopefully we will be joining you though!



Trust me, I know exactly what you mean! The two reasons why we choose to do it was 1) to get the discount through DU and 2) so I didn't spend another month(s) changing my mind of where I want to go next 

That would be awesome if you joined so that I "knew" someone else going!


----------



## kac911

Hi all, we are looking to do the adults only trip Oct 6, 2012.  Anyone else???  For those who have been to Peru, my only concern is the river rafting, I get really sea sick, will this be an issue???  Also, would love to get input on how much extra money to budget for the trip, not so much souvenirs but additional meals, and free time money.

Kelly


----------



## sayhello

kac911 said:


> Hi all, we are looking to do the adults only trip Oct 6, 2012.  Anyone else???  For those who have been to Peru, my only concern is the river rafting, I get really sea sick, will this be an issue???  Also, would love to get input on how much extra money to budget for the trip, not so much souvenirs but additional meals, and free time money.
> 
> Kelly


I haven't done Peru, but I thought I'd throw in here that I get really seasick, also, and I haven't had any problems with seasickness the 3 times I've been river rafting.  Of course, everyone is different. 

Sayhello


----------



## margie100

We will be on the December 22 Adventure to Peru!


----------



## standardgirl

For those of you booked on the Dec 22 trip to Peru, what are your thoughts on the weather and the fact that it's going to be rain season?  We're still struggling to decide on what to do


----------



## Barbsw39

Just returned from Peru! Amazing trip!! We took about $300 extra and used our credit card when possible. A lot of places would take credit, except a restaurant we ate at in Cusco was cash (soles) only. Remember to let your credit card company know you will be traveling. We forgot and one of our cards was declined.


----------



## tufbuf

Barbsw39 said:


> Just returned from Peru! Amazing trip!! We took about $300 extra and used our credit card when possible. A lot of places would take credit, except a restaurant we ate at in Cusco was cash (soles) only. Remember to let your credit card company know you will be traveling. We forgot and one of our cards was declined.



Glad to hear you had a wonderful time! Did you have Armando as one of the guides?


----------



## Barbsw39

Sorry for my delayed response...Still trying to catch up since being on vacation. No we did not have Armando as a guide. Our Local guide was Alejandro...Ale for short. She was great! Seemed to know people wherever we went   Our "dinsey" guide was Tina. SHe was awesome too. She is newer to the Peru trip, but has been a guide for Disney for 8 years...think that is what she said.


----------



## sayhello

Barbsw39 said:


> Sorry for my delayed response...Still trying to catch up since being on vacation. No we did not have Armando as a guide. Our Local guide was Alejandro...Ale for short. She was great! Seemed to know people wherever we went   Our "dinsey" guide was Tina. SHe was awesome too. She is newer to the Peru trip, but has been a guide for Disney for 8 years...think that is what she said.


I had Tina as one of my Guides on the Med cruise add-on.  What a power house!  I agree, she's really awesome!

Sayhello


----------



## tufbuf

Barbsw39 said:


> Sorry for my delayed response...Still trying to catch up since being on vacation. No we did not have Armando as a guide. Our Local guide was Alejandro...Ale for short. She was great! Seemed to know people wherever we went   Our "dinsey" guide was Tina. SHe was awesome too. She is newer to the Peru trip, but has been a guide for Disney for 8 years...think that is what she said.



We had Alejandra too as our local guide! She is one bubbly woman!


----------



## dizneekrazee

We are traveling to Peru in Oct as well, however we decided to do it on our own instead of with ABD, or with any tour company for that matter. This is our 1st intercontinental trip, and I must say, all of our international bookings were beyond difficuly. Had I have known it was to be that rough, I would have done ABD.


----------



## Bobo912

I took a calculated risk and delayed booking, hoping for an incentive.  I wanted the March dates and figured the prices for the summer dates would increase first, but I was wrong.  Our date went up by $100 pp this week, so I booked today before the price goes up again.  We're going to Peru!  

BTW...there were 17 people booked on this trip already and the price had gone up within the last day or two, so that gives an idea of when the price increases, in this case, at least.


----------



## sayhello

Bobo912 said:


> I took a calculated risk and delayed booking, hoping for an incentive.  I wanted the March dates and figured the prices for the summer dates would increase first, but I was wrong.  Our date went up by $100 pp this week, so I booked today before the price goes up again.  We're going to Peru!


Very cool!!  I'll make that one some day.

Sayhello


----------



## Bobo912

sayhello said:


> Very cool!!  I'll make that one some day.
> 
> Sayhello



I thought I should go for it while the knees and hips are still fully functioning.


----------



## tufbuf

Bobo912 said:


> I took a calculated risk and delayed booking, hoping for an incentive.  I wanted the March dates and figured the prices for the summer dates would increase first, but I was wrong.  Our date went up by $100 pp this week, so I booked today before the price goes up again.  We're going to Peru!
> 
> BTW...there were 17 people booked on this trip already and the price had gone up within the last day or two, so that gives an idea of when the price increases, in this case, at least.



Congrats, Bobo912!!! You will love this trip! Yup, I agree, gotta do it while the legs and hips are still working, especially on this trip.


----------



## Bobo912

I noticed that the price for our date had increased another $100 pp this week so when I called to book a pre-night, I asked how many had booked so far, expecting the count to have increased, but it was still the same as when I made my reservation 2 weeks ago.    I also booked our air and the price they quoted for our Delta flight was about $50 less pp than booking directly with Delta.  In the past the price has always been the same as what I found on my own.  They told me they have an arrangement.  I'm glad I didn't book it myself.


----------



## kristilew

But didn't the count increase by your group? I think the price must have gone up because of your booking.


----------



## Bobo912

kristilew said:


> But didn't the count increase by your group? I think the price must have gone up because of your booking.



When we booked there were 17 already, so we made the total go up to 19.  I guess somebody cancelled because now it's 17 including us.  I thiink the price went up around 10 days after we booked.


----------



## fireplug

Bobo912 said:


> I thought I should go for it while the knees and hips are still fully functioning.



We did this trip on 2009 and loved it! You are correct in needing good legs. I had an arthroscope of one knee 6 months before the trip and it was tough going on some of the climbs. I hope you all have a great time!

Squid


----------



## kac911

Suitcases are packed!!  We actually leave tomorrow to spend some time on our own before the ABD check in, but 1 1/2 weeks until our Peru Adult Only ABD trip!  I'm kind of sad I wasn't able to meet anyone on the trip beforehand, My DCL disboard friends have become some of my favorite people and I was hoping for the same pre-made friendships to enhance this trip (I guess DH will just have to keep me entertained, but poor guy doesn't always have the energy needed to feed my "go"!).  Nonetheless, I'm sure it will be wonderful! I'll try to get to a TR, I'm just not a great writer and am an even better procrastinator (I still mean to write the Disneyland Tokyo report from last Sept).  So, I'm mostly posting this so if those with up coming trips need a resource I can be contacted.  Be back home mid Oct!


----------



## sayhello

kac911 said:


> Suitcases are packed!!  We actually leave tomorrow to spend some time on our own before the ABD check in, but 1 1/2 weeks until our Peru Adult Only ABD trip!  I'm kind of sad I wasn't able to meet anyone on the trip beforehand, My DCL disboard friends have become some of my favorite people and I was hoping for the same pre-made friendships to enhance this trip (I guess DH will just have to keep me entertained, but poor guy doesn't always have the energy needed to feed my "go"!).  Nonetheless, I'm sure it will be wonderful! I'll try to get to a TR, I'm just not a great writer and am an even better procrastinator (I still mean to write the Disneyland Tokyo report from last Sept).  So, I'm mostly posting this so if those with up coming trips need a resource I can be contacted.  Be back home mid Oct!


Yes, because the number of people on an ABD is so much smaller than the number of people on a cruise, there's less chance of hooking up with fellow DISers.  I'm sure you'll become friends with your fellow travellers VERY quickly!  ABD is really good at fostering that!

Safe travels!
Sayhello


----------



## queenmother

After discussion with family members over Thanksgiving who have visited Peru in the past, we have booked for July 14 2013!!  We have 2 teens who will be 16 and 13 next summer. I am studying the flights now and insurance, I think 500K of med evac insurance will be enough, Disney insurance is only 75K, I usually carry what I call "mean boss" insurance which is actually unpredicatable job insurance with Allianz that will reimburse us if I have to work after all due to unforeseen work circumstances, as well as the usual medical and trip interruption reasons. Also, happily I have found that the airfare doesn't seem too crazy from Indiana. I am debating if we need to fly in a day early or not, the flight arrives at 9:40 pm on Day one and the action seems to start on Day 2. Is there much extra to see in the Lima area? I will have to do some research of course!! So excited!!!!


----------



## Bobo912

queenmother said:


> After discussion with family members over Thanksgiving who have visited Peru in the past, we have booked for July 14 2013!!  We have 2 teens who will be 16 and 13 next summer. I am studying the flights now and insurance, I think 500K of med evac insurance will be enough, Disney insurance is only 75K, I usually carry what I call "mean boss" insurance which is actually unpredicatable job insurance with Allianz that will reimburse us if I have to work after all due to unforeseen work circumstances, as well as the usual medical and trip interruption reasons. Also, happily I have found that the airfare doesn't seem too crazy from Indiana. I am debating if we need to fly in a day early or not, the flight arrives at 9:40 pm on Day one and the action seems to start on Day 2. Is there much extra to see in the Lima area? I will have to do some research of course!! So excited!!!!



Congratulations!  I decided to fly into Lima a day early.  Last year when we flew to Guayquil, Ecuador our flight was scheduled to arrive at 11:00PM, but our take off from Miami was delayed due to mechanical problems.  We ended up arriving at our hotel in Guayquil around 3:30AM.  We got to bed around 4:00 and had to get up an hour later to go back to the airport for a flight to the Galapagos.  We were so excited we managed to make it through the first day without collapsing from fatigue, but I wanted to avoid any possibility of that happening again.


----------



## kristilew

I second flying in a day early.  We did not on the Peru trip, and spent a day or two catching up.  Once the Adventure starts, you are going full-tilt!

You will LOVE this trip!


----------



## queenmother

Thanks!! How crazy are those 2 am departures from Lima? Was the check in at the Lima airport in Lima to come home a little crazy at midnight?


----------



## kristilew

queenmother said:


> Thanks!! How crazy are those 2 am departures from Lima? Was the check in at the Lima airport in Lima to come home a little crazy at midnight?



It was actually great.  We had a nice dinner, took a shower (ABD books your room for you, even though you're leaving that night) and then headed over.  The people working at the airport were super nice, security was very efficient.  One of our better overall airport experiences.  Once we got on the plane, everyone went right to sleep.  It wasn't like the night flights from the US to Europe where they keep you up with bustle for a couple of hours.


----------



## queenmother

That is good news, I am studying my Peru Fodors too, Lima chapter, if we fly in a day early we can see some catacombs with actual skulls! Fun for teenagers I would think. There is a bike tour as well. And pre-inca pyramids right in Lima. I think we will enjoy an extra day there.


----------



## dizneekrazee

queenmother said:


> Thanks!! How crazy are those 2 am departures from Lima? Was the check in at the Lima airport in Lima to come home a little crazy at midnight?



What airline are you flying home with? We flew with LAN, and yes, even in the middle of the night, the line is crazy long.

I was in Peru mid October (not with ABD, which I previously mentioned), but wanted to come on here to to tell everybody that one cannot emphasize enough the importance of pants/long sleeves and bug spray at Machu Picchu. The sand flies are horrid. I recieved a total of maybe 6 bites on my arms (had to take of my long sleeves as it was so hot, but I wish I didn't). 4 of those bites I still have, and I returned Oct 22. They were healing, but a few days before Thanksgiving, they began to get worse. Red, swollen, began to spread, etc. I ended up having to be seen and was given steroids for them. 

I know that my case was that I was allergic to the saliva in these bugs, and thay may not be the case for everybody. Just please be prepared.

If any of you are on tripadvisor as well, there is a thread 19 pages long on these bites, some people had them for several months.


----------



## kristilew

The ABD guides did have really good bug spray for us...We were there in June and had long sleeves and jeans because it was a little cooler. There definitely were midges and other biting bugs, but they didn't bother us once we were sprayed.  Maybe they are worse when it is hotter?


----------



## Bobo912

I spoke to ABD today and found out that there are 42 people booked on our departure date and that it's 91% full.  That makes full 46.  When did the maximum group size go up?  Has anybody seen that information on the website recently?  I know it used to say 40, but I can't find anything about it now.


----------



## dizneekrazee

kristilew said:


> The ABD guides did have really good bug spray for us...We were there in June and had long sleeves and jeans because it was a little cooler. There definitely were midges and other biting bugs, but they didn't bother us once we were sprayed.  Maybe they are worse when it is hotter?



Possible. But I do not want to be the guinea pig to find out!! Lol. My bites are almost completely healed, but they left scars.


----------



## queenmother

Bobo, are you doing the March or the summer dates? July?
We haven't booked the flights yet, I am trying for some frequent flier award tickets. Soon.
Thanks for the bugbite tips. Long sleeves and DEET will be our friends.


----------



## Bobo912

queenmother said:


> Bobo, are you doing the March or the summer dates? July?
> We haven't booked the flights yet, I am trying for some frequent flier award tickets. Soon.
> Thanks for the bugbite tips. Long sleeves and DEET will be our friends.



We booked the March trip.  

I am a bit concerned about the insects.  DS is a bug magnet, so I want to have plenty of heavy duty bug spray.  I saw a link to a blog on the Lindblad/Nat Geo Facebook page about a traveler who missed his flight in Lima because his luggage didn't make it through security.  And the reason was the bug spray he put in his checked bags.  I know from previous posts that some ABD'ers have taken bug spray to Peru, but now I'm worried.  They took this guy off the plane and wouldn't let his wife come with him.  When we were flying home from Ecuador, I  was taken to a luggage handling area while my bags were searched.  There was nothing suspicious in my bags.  They just select people at random.  But I had to leave my then 11-year-old son at the gate and the plane was boarding by the time I got back.  Luckily, he was with friends from the tour, but I'm sure he was nearing the point of freaking out.  And so was I.  

Here's the guy's story.  Everything turned out okay, but I can just imagine how stressful this was.  He was going to the Amazon.  Maybe the area he was traveling to had restrictions on insect repellant.  But I would think it would be a necessity in the Amazon.

http://www.expeditions.com/blog/2012/12/05/an-unplanned-amazon-adventure/


----------



## queenmother

That is a concerning story. According to the Lan website, the repellants are allowed in checked luggage up to a limit; see below which I copied from them. 


"Medicinal items or toiletries, non-radioactive (including aerosols), such as hairspray, perfume, cologne, repellents and medicine containing alcohol. The total net amount of all the articles mentioned above should not exceed 2 kilograms (4.4 lbs.) or 2 liters (2 qt) and the net amount of each article should not exceed 0.5 kilograms or 0.5 liters (1 pt). The valves should be covered with a protective cap or by another appropriate method that prevents the inadvertent release of its contents."


It sounds like they (Lan or the Peruvians?) were overzealous at the Lima airport to me. Even the State Dept website recommends we bring our own repellant from the US.  I think we will be fine up to the above limits. 

Which airline does ABD use to fly from Lima to Cusco?


----------



## Bobo912

ABD also has insect repellant on their list of items to pack.  I'm going to pack one in my bag and one in DS's.  At least that way, if they have an issue maybe they'll remove both of us from the plane.


----------



## standardgirl

Just want to say hi to everyone - we're finally booked for the Adults only trip to Peru this October!  

Need to start looking at flights now, but the plan so far is to fly with Delta, arriving a day early (since the ATL-LIM flight otherwise doesn't arrive until after 10pm...), and leaving "a day later" (well, the return is just past midnight, so technically a day later, but not really).

Looking forward to meeting others on this trip


----------



## abbyjt

We booked the October Adults only Peru trip a little before New Years.  The price has gone up twice since we booked.  Glad we took the plunge when we did.  This will be our 9th ABD (didn't go on the 8th yet, it's coming up this summer)  This will be our first Adults only trip.


----------



## standardgirl

abbyjt said:


> We booked the October Adults only Peru trip a little before New Years.  The price has gone up twice since we booked.  Glad we took the plunge when we did.  This will be our 9th ABD (didn't go on the 8th yet, it's coming up this summer)  This will be our first Adults only trip.



Hi Abbyjt . We'll be on the same trip! First ABD ever so I'm really excited!

Kind of want to hit myself in the head as the price literally just went up a couple days before we booked...  We were too busy sorting out another trip and were traveling during Christmas so never got to book until now.  Anyway, still excited!


----------



## Boardwalk_bride

standardgirl said:


> Hi Abbyjt . We'll be on the same trip! First ABD ever so I'm really excited!
> 
> Kind of want to hit myself in the head as the price literally just went up a couple days before we booked...  We were too busy sorting out another trip and were traveling during Christmas so never got to book until now.  Anyway, still excited!



We will be on your trip as well! This will also be our first ABD.


----------



## standardgirl

Boardwalk_bride said:
			
		

> We will be on your trip as well! This will also be our first ABD.



  I can't wait for the trip!  Booked air ticket already too!  

We'll arrive on Wednesday and are thinking about either going to the Colca Canyon or the Nazca lines (staying in Paracas).  We thought about Lake Titicaca but three days just seem rather rush, so we'll probably ave that when visiting Bolivia, I guess.

Now just need to find a reputable tour agency...


----------



## DisFan10

This security warning was issued by the State Department.  I guess insect repellent isn't the only thing we have to worry about...

Security Message for U.S. Citizens  Potential Kidnapping Threat in Cusco
U.S. Embassy Lima, Peru
February 13, 2013

The U.S. Embassy warns U.S. citizens of a potential kidnapping threat in the Cusco area.  The Embassy has received information that members of a criminal organization may be planning to kidnap U.S. citizen tourists in the Cusco and Machu Picchu area.  Possible targets and methods are not known and the threat is credible at least through the end of February 2013. For the moment, personal travel by U.S. Embassy personnel to the Cusco region, including Machu Picchu, has been prohibited and official travel is severely restricted as a result of this threat.

Review your personal security plans; remain aware of your surroundings, including local events; and monitor local news stations for updates.  Maintain a high level of vigilance and take appropriate steps to enhance your personal security and follow instructions of local authorities.

Thousands of U.S. citizens routinely travel to the Cusco region without undue incident. The U.S. Embassy remains confident of the Peruvian governments efforts to ensure the safety of all tourists in the region.

We strongly recommend that U.S. citizens traveling to or residing in Peru enroll in the Department of State's Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) at https://step.state.gov/step.

STEP enrollment gives you the latest security updates, and makes it easier for the U.S. embassy or nearest U.S. consulate to contact you in an emergency.  If you don't have Internet access, enroll directly with the nearest U.S. embassy.


----------



## Boardwalk_bride

Oh, that is scary. I just checked the Canadian travel warning website, and nothing like that is listed there.


----------



## Bobo912

We may be spending our afternoon on our own in Cusco locked in the hotel room.


----------



## sayhello

Bobo912 said:


> We may be spending our afternoon on our own in Cusco locked in the hotel room.


When do you leave?  Maybe the Adventure Guides will organize something to do as a group for safety's sake.  That's the sort of thing they'd do... I hope it all blows over before you leave!

Sayhello


----------



## Bobo912

sayhello said:


> When do you leave?  Maybe the Adventure Guides will organize something to do as a group for safety's sake.  That's the sort of thing they'd do... I hope it all blows over before you leave!
> 
> Sayhello



I hope so.  We leave in 5 weeks.


----------



## tufbuf

That's too bad! Cusco is such a nice place to roam around in and check out the local shops, sights and restaurants.


----------



## Bobo912

We got our box today!  There's not very much in it this year.  That's okay with me.  I really don't need any more stuff.


----------



## sayhello

Bobo912 said:


> We got our box today!  There's not very much in it this year.  That's okay with me.  I really don't need any more stuff.


I know.   I have a lot of ABD backpacks and tote bags...   But I like the stuff anyways!

It's getting closer!  You must be so excited! 

Sayhello


----------



## Bobo912

sayhello said:


> I know.   I have a lot of ABD backpacks and tote bags...   But I like the stuff anyways!
> 
> It's getting closer!  You must be so excited!
> 
> Sayhello



I can hardly believe how soon it is!  Except for renewing DS's passport, I have done absolutely nothing to get ready.


----------



## sayhello

Bobo912 said:


> I can hardly believe how soon it is!  Except for renewing DS's passport, I have done absolutely nothing to get ready.


Ah, the beauty of an ABD!    That you can actually *do* that, and still have an amazing vacation!

Sayhello


----------



## Boardwalk_bride

This is a bit off topic, but I thought I read somewhere that Canadians do not get the 'box'. Does anyone know if this is true? 

Thanks!


----------



## sayhello

Boardwalk_bride said:


> This is a bit off topic, but I thought I read somewhere that Canadians do not get the 'box'. Does anyone know if this is true?
> 
> Thanks!


I've never heard that.  I know some Canadians have had issues getting it because of customs.  I'm sure if I'm wrong, some of our Canadian folks will chime in & correct me!   (If you don't get an answer here, I'd suggest starting a separate thread with your question in the title, so that others who might not check a thread on the Peru trip would see your question).

Sayhello


----------



## Boardwalk_bride

sayhello said:


> I've never heard that.  I know some Canadians have had issues getting it because of customs.  I'm sure if I'm wrong, some of our Canadian folks will chime in & correct me!   (If you don't get an answer here, I'd suggest starting a separate thread with your question in the title, so that others who might not check a thread on the Peru trip would see your question).
> 
> Sayhello



Thanks for the response. If I don't see another response in a few days, I will try the main thread!


----------



## Bobo912

No proof that there is a connection to the embassy warning, but it is mentioned in the story.  

http://news.yahoo.com/california-couple-vanishes-during-cycling-trip-peru-000934306.html


----------



## dizneekrazee

Bobo912 said:
			
		

> No proof that there is a connection to the embassy warning, but it is mentioned in the story.
> 
> http://news.yahoo.com/california-couple-vanishes-during-cycling-trip-peru-000934306.html



That is scary!!!!


----------



## sayhello

Bobo912 said:


> No proof that there is a connection to the embassy warning, but it is mentioned in the story.
> 
> http://news.yahoo.com/california-couple-vanishes-during-cycling-trip-peru-000934306.html


Have you talked to ABD about any of this?  Do they seem concerned?

Sayhello


----------



## tufbuf

FWIW, there is no proof they were kidnapped but I'll practice caution if I am booked to go there. Cuzco didn't look like a seedy town. It is quite busy during the day time and I'll be very careful going out at night, or go in groups at least.


----------



## dizneekrazee

They have been found alive and well. They were not aware ppl were looking for them. They were in the Amazonian region headed to Ecuador & fell off the grid. The bike shop they work for is 10 minutes from my house.


----------



## Bobo912

dizneekrazee said:


> They have been found alive and well. They were not aware ppl were looking for them. They were in the Amazonian region headed to Ecuador & fell off the grid. The bike shop they work for is 10 minutes from my house.



Apparently the families still haven't heard from them.  Hopefully, they will hear from them tomorrow, when supposedly they will arrive in Ecuador.  The young man's mother posted on Facebook that she is waiting for proof. 

https://www.facebook.com/MissingInPeruGarrettHandAndJamieNeal?fref=ts



> Have you talked to ABD about any of this? Do they seem concerned?



I haven't called ABD because I really haven't been all that concerned.  If the reports from Peru's Minister of Tourism that the two cyclists have been found turns out to be false, then I will be more concerned and I will call.  The embassy warning only mentioned a threat through the end of Februrary, so I was hoping that in the next few weeks the State Dept. might feel the situation had changed for the better.


----------



## sayhello

dizneekrazee said:


> They have been found alive and well. They were not aware ppl were looking for them. They were in the Amazonian region headed to Ecuador & fell off the grid. The bike shop they work for is 10 minutes from my house.


So glad to hear that.  I *hope* it's true!  



Bobo912 said:


> Apparently the families still haven't heard from them.  Hopefully, they will hear from them tomorrow, when supposedly they will arrive in Ecuador.  The young man's mother posted on Facebook that she is waiting for proof.
> 
> https://www.facebook.com/MissingInPeruGarrettHandAndJamieNeal?fref=ts
> 
> I haven't called ABD because I really haven't been all that concerned.  If the reports from Peru's Minister of Tourism that the two cyclists have been found turns out to be false, then I will be more concerned and I will call.  The embassy warning only mentioned a threat through the end of Februrary, so I was hoping that in the next few weeks the State Dept. might feel the situation had changed for the better.


I hope they really are OK.  And I'm glad you're not concerned.  I hope it all blows over soon.

Sayhello


----------



## Bobo912

I probably shouldn't have read the posts on Facebook.  I've had some time for my imagination to run away with me and now I'm worried.  I'll probably call today and let ABD reassure me.


----------



## sayhello

Bobo912 said:


> I probably shouldn't have read the posts on Facebook.  I've had some time for my imagination to run away with me and now I'm worried.  I'll probably call today and let ABD reassure me.


  Let us know what they say!

Sayhello


----------



## Bobo912

I called today and was told that ABD stays in contact with the Embassy and if they recommend that tourists not visit the area, ABD will cancel the trip.  But for now they haven't received any such communication and we are a go.  I was also told that we will have a security team that will follow us throughout our journey.  Did any of you who have taken the trip notice this or were they surreptitiously keeping an eye on you?  The security warning expires tomorrow and ABD says they haven't received any further warnings, so I'm hoping the State Dept has intelligence that indicates the threat has abated and there will not be a new warning in March.  But we shall see.   Nothing to do now but trust that ABD will keep abreast of the situation and keep us safe.  I know that is their intention.

ETA:  The couple in Peru have posted on their Facebook pages, so unless somebody has hacked both of their accounts, it appears that they are safe.  Very good news!  The mom hasn't posted that she has spoken to her son yet.  Hope she gets to speak to him soon, so she can stop worrying.


----------



## queenmother

I spoke to ABD today, they are "aware and studying the issue" and feel that a large group with guides is safe from kidnappers. Personally, I am anxious. I have 2 children and can travel anywhere on Earth with them, why would I chance it? Maybe a large group of criminals want to grab a large group of Disney travelers for effect? How do you protect us from a large band of banditos? Scotland is sounding better to me about now....... why is the threat through Feb still on the US Embassy website in March?
Sorry bobo, if I sound an alarmist, just reading that the Embassy staff is prohibited from travel to Cusco and MP concerns me. I have anxiety disorder.


----------



## Bobo912

queenmother said:


> I spoke to ABD today, they are "aware and studying the issue" and feel that a large group with guides is safe from kidnappers. Personally, I am anxious. I have 2 children and can travel anywhere on Earth with them, why would I chance it? Maybe a large group of criminals want to grab a large group of Disney travelers for effect? How do you protect us from a large band of banditos? Scotland is sounding better to me about now....... why is the threat through Feb still on the US Embassy website in March?
> Sorry bobo, if I sound an alarmist, just reading that the Embassy staff is prohibited from travel to Cusco and MP concerns me. I have anxiety disorder.



The word "prohibited" bothers me too.  If it's not okay for Embassy staff to travel to Cusco and Machu Picchu, why would it be okay for a group of tourists (and we have at least 44 on our trip, with a large contigency of children)? On the other hand, government issued warnings are not uncommon and usually nothing comes of it.  I am still concerned.  I check the State Dept. website every day to see if they have removed the warning.

queenmother, did you discuss the possibility of changing to another itinerary with ABD?

ETA:  Although the warning hasn't been updated on the State Deparment website yet, there is a post from March 1 on the US Embassy in Lima's facebook page stating that the warning is still in effect.


----------



## sayhello

Bobo912 said:


> The word "prohibited" bothers me too.  If it's not okay for Embassy staff to travel to Cusco and Machu Picchu, why would it be okay for a group of tourists (and we have at least 44 on our trip, with a large contigency of children)? On the other hand, government issued warnings are not uncommon and usually nothing comes of it.  I am still concerned.  I check the State Dept. website every day to see if they have removed the warning.
> 
> queenmother, did you discuss the possibility of changing to another itinerary with ABD?
> 
> ETA:  Although the warning hasn't been updated on the State Deparment website yet, there is a post from March 1 on the US Embassy in Lima's facebook page stating that the warning is still in effect.


Bobo912, did you ask ABD what would happen if the warning was still in effect when you are scheduled to go?   If they have to cancel the trip?  Did they offer you any alternatives?

Sayhello


----------



## Bobo912

sayhello said:


> Bobo912, did you ask ABD what would happen if the warning was still in effect when you are scheduled to go?   If they have to cancel the trip?  Did they offer you any alternatives?
> 
> Sayhello



No, I should have asked, but I didn't, and all they said was they they would continue to be in contact with the embassy in Lima and if it was necessary to cancel the trip I would receive a refund or could change to a different date or itinerary.  So they didn't say specifically what conditions would lead them to cancel the trip.  I'll be calling again tomorrow.


----------



## tufbuf

If it is any consolation, Peru is not included in the current list of travel warnings. Hope all goes well with your trip!


----------



## queenmother

According to the US Embassy Citizen Service, the warning has not been lifted yet......

http://www.facebook.com/AmericanCitizenServicesLima

They will update this page as soon as it is!!


----------



## DisFan10

This update was issued today.

*********************************************************
Security Message for U.S. Citizens  Reduction of Potential Kidnapping Threat in Cusco
U.S. Embassy Lima, Peru
March 6, 2013

The U.S. Embassy has conducted a thorough review of current information surrounding the potential kidnapping threat against U.S. citizens in the Cusco and Machu Picchu area by members of a criminal organization. Based upon this review, the February 13 restriction on travel by U.S. Embassy personnel to the region has been lifted. 

The Embassy continues to strongly recommend that when traveling in areas near the Peruvian VRAEM Emergency Zone, defined by the Government of Peru as parts of the Regions of Apurimac, Ayacucho, Cusco, Huancavelica and Junin, U.S. citizens heighten their security awareness and implement additional security measures. You can find additional tips for safe travel here. The full listing of areas to which Embassy travel is restricted are included in the Threats to Safety and Security section of our Country Specific Information for Peru.

Review your personal security plans; remain aware of your surroundings, including local events; and monitor local news stations for updates.  Maintain a high level of vigilance and take appropriate steps to enhance your personal security and follow instructions of local authorities.
We strongly recommend that U.S. citizens traveling to or residing in Peru enroll in the Department of State's Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP).  STEP enrollment gives you the latest security updates, and makes it easier for the U.S. embassy or nearest U.S. consulate to contact you in an emergency.  If you don't have Internet access, enroll directly with the nearest U.S. embassy.


----------



## Bobo912

Earlier today the Consul General at the Embassy in Lima was answering questions on Facebook and she mentioned several times that the Peruvian police had stepped up their presence in Cusco/Machu Picchu in response to the security threat.  Then a couple of hours ago they posted that the warning had been lifted.  Here's the communication on the State Dept. website:
http://lima.usembassy.gov/warden/emergency_messages.html

We will remain cautious in any event, but I do feel better about the situation.

I did speak to ABD again earlier this week and didn't get a definitive answer on what conditions would lead them to cancel the trip.  I was told that their Global Security Team assesses the situation and decides if the trip should be cancelled.  So, still don't know if the trip would have been cancelled if the warning were still in place.  Luckily, I won't need to find out.  Next time, depending on where I'm traveling, I may forego ABD's travel insurance and get insurance that allows me to cancel for any reason, so I'll be the one deciding what level of risk is acceptable to me.  The ABD polciy doesn't provide converage if there is only a threat.  Here's what it says:  





> A terrorist act committed by an organized terrorist
> group (recognized as such by the U.S. State
> Department) that results in property damage, Injury or
> loss of life. The incident must take place in a domestic
> or foreign city in which You are scheduled to arrive
> within 30 days following the incident and Your tour
> operator (if applicable) must not have offered a
> substitute itinerary.


----------



## sayhello

Bobo912 said:


> Earlier today the Consul General at the Embassy in Lima was answering questions on Facebook and she mentioned several times that the Peruvian police had stepped up their presence in Cusco/Machu Picchu in response to the security threat.  Then a couple of hours ago they posted that the warning had been lifted.  Here's the communication on the State Dept. website:
> http://lima.usembassy.gov/warden/emergency_messages.html
> 
> We will remain cautious in any event, but I do feel better about the situation.
> 
> I did speak to ABD again earlier this week and didn't get a definitive answer on what conditions would lead them to cancel the trip.  I was told that their Global Security Team assesses the situation and decides if the trip should be cancelled.  So, still don't know if the trip would have been cancelled if the warning were still in place.  Luckily, I won't need to find out.  Next time, depending on where I'm traveling, I may forego ABD's travel insurance and get insurance that allows me to cancel for any reason, so I'll be the one deciding what level of risk is acceptable to me.  The ABD polciy doesn't provide converage if there is only a threat.  Here's what it says:


Glad the situation looks better!

About the insurance, just thought I'd mention, Cancel for any reason policies almost always only reimburse you for 60-75% of the value of the trip.  Better than no refund, but you should know you probably won't get a full refund if the reason is uncovered.  And lots of insurance would not otherwise cover you if you're offered an alternative & turn it down (unless you have cancel for any reason coverage).

Sayhello


----------



## Bobo912

sayhello said:


> Glad the situation looks better!
> 
> About the insurance, just thought I'd mention, Cancel for any reason policies almost always only reimburse you for 60-75% of the value of the trip.  Better than no refund, but you should know you probably won't get a full refund if the reason is uncovered.  And lots of insurance would not otherwise cover you if you're offered an alternative & turn it down (unless you have cancel for any reason coverage).
> 
> Sayhello



If I was worried that I would be kidnapped, I think I'd be happy with 60%.   

If I had received more information on what criteria ABD bases their decision to cancel a trip, I would have felt better about it.  For instance, if they had told me that they would cancel if the warning was still in effect a week before our departure date, then I would have known they were just waiting to see if the situation changed before making a decision.  Or if they had information that the "criminal organization" only targeted individuals and not tour groups, that would have been reassuring.  But it was just a big unknown.  For all I know, the situation could have gotten worse and the trip still not have been cancelled.  I am happy I won't have to find out.  For the next trip, I'll probably pick someplace that is typically safer.  For now, I'm going to put this out of my mind and get back to being excited about the trip!


----------



## sayhello

Bobo912 said:


> If I was worried that I would be kidnapped, I think I'd be happy with 60%.
> 
> If I had received more information on what criteria ABD bases their decision to cancel a trip, I would have felt better about it.  For instance, if they had told me that they would cancel if the warning was still in effect a week before our departure date, then I would have known they were just waiting to see if the situation changed before making a decision.  Or if they had information that the "criminal organization" only targeted individuals and not tour groups, that would have been reassuring.  But it was just a big unknown.  For all I know, the situation could have gotten worse and the trip still not have been cancelled.  I am happy I won't have to find out.  For the next trip, I'll probably pick someplace that is typically safer.  For now, I'm going to put this out of my mind and get back to being excited about the trip!




Sayhello


----------



## queenmother

Yes, bobo you are on your trip! Can't wait to hear all about it!,


----------



## Bobo912

queenmother said:


> Yes, bobo you are on your trip! Can't wait to hear all about it!,



Yes I am.  We arrived at Sol y Luna today. Just got back from the welcome dinner.  No computer, just the Kindle which is a chore to type with.  So details to come when we get home.


----------



## sayhello

Bobo912 said:


> Yes I am.  We arrived at Sol y Luna today. Just got back from the welcome dinner.  No computer, just the Kindle which is a chore to type with.  So details to come when we get home.


OMG!  How did I miss this?  I hope you're having a fabulous time!   I can't wait to hear about it!

Sayhello


----------



## Bobo912

Just returned from Machu Picchu.  It was awesome!


----------



## sayhello

Bobo912 said:


> Just returned from Machu Picchu.  It was awesome!


  Looking forward to hearing all about it!  

Sayhello


----------



## Bobo912

We're back.  It was a great trip.  I'll post more when I have time.  For now, here's a photo of the Insider pin.


----------



## sayhello

Bobo912 said:


> We're back.  It was a great trip.  I'll post more when I have time.  For now, here's a photo of the Insider pin.


Oooo, cool!  Josh D'Amaro was pretty proud of those!  

Looking forward to more when you've recovered!  

Sayhello


----------



## tufbuf

We were told they were supposed to send the rest of the number pins back in July.

Josh is now president of AK. The guy who replaced him is Ken Potrock who is also the DVC senior veep.

Looking forward to your trip report, bobo912!!!


----------



## Bobo912

tufbuf said:


> We were told they were supposed to send the rest of the number pins back in July.
> 
> Josh is now president of AK. The guy who replaced him is Ken Potrock who is also the DVC senior veep.
> 
> Looking forward to your trip report, bobo912!!!



We were told that we would receive the other pins in the mail, as well.


----------



## tufbuf

Bobo912 said:


> We were told that we would receive the other pins in the mail, as well.



That would be great, you know. I even called ABD a few weeks after I got back and they said the same but none of the pins arrived. I guess we just have to wait and see...

Now that there's a new head, I wonder if they will revamp the program. I really like the books and the DVDs, I wonder if those will continue...

I'm glad you are back home and safe. Were your guides concerned about the warning?


----------



## Bobo912

tufbuf said:


> That would be great, you know. I even called ABD a few weeks after I got back and they said the same but none of the pins arrived. I guess we just have to wait and see...
> 
> Now that there's a new head, I wonder if they will revamp the program. I really like the books and the DVDs, I wonder if those will continue...
> 
> I'm glad you are back home and safe. Were your guides concerned about the warning?



The guides didn't mention the warning.  They did suggest areas they consider safe for the time on our own, but I imagine they always do that.


----------



## INSIDER

Bobo912

Did you stay at the Hotel Sol y Luna on your trip? We are spending 2 nights there in June when we are traveling to Machu Picchu (on our own). How did you like the resort? What activities did they have for the guest to do? How were the rooms and the dining?

Thanks for any info.


----------



## standardgirl

Can someone who's been on this trip before or who has any information share with us some reputable travel agents in Peru?  We will be arriving on Wednesday and ABD doesn't start until Saturday, so we need to plan some pre-trip activities ahead of the trip and would like to contact travel agencies directly (unless this is something ABD can plan for us? - it's our first ABD, so I really have no clue)...


----------



## sayhello

standardgirl said:


> Can someone who's been on this trip before or who has any information share with us some reputable travel agents in Peru?  We will be arriving on Wednesday and ABD doesn't start until Saturday, so we need to plan some pre-trip activities ahead of the trip and would like to contact travel agencies directly (unless this is something ABD can plan for us? - it's our first ABD, so I really have no clue)...


ABD will not plan your pre-days for you (at least not ahead of time).  I've found that once I met up with our Adventure Guides, they've always been happy to recommend things to do on the spot if I didn't have plans.  They are usually at the hotel where the trip begins a day or 2 ahead of time.

We've had several people on this board take this ABD, and I'm sure they'll be by to help you if they can!  

Sayhello


----------



## Boardwalk_bride

standardgirl said:


> Can someone who's been on this trip before or who has any information share with us some reputable travel agents in Peru?  We will be arriving on Wednesday and ABD doesn't start until Saturday, so we need to plan some pre-trip activities ahead of the trip and would like to contact travel agencies directly (unless this is something ABD can plan for us? - it's our first ABD, so I really have no clue)...



We have been looking at reviews from Trip Advisor (http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attractions-g2656695-Activities-c25-Lima_Region.html). We did this for our last Euro trip, and had a great time with the companies we choose!

I would be interested to hear from fellow ABD-ers too as well on what they did and what companies they used.


----------



## WeLoveABD

We used Viator to book a tour in Lima--beyond that we walked from the Lima hotel (we booked pre and post nights with Disney)--to the beach area with an interesting outdoor mall, etc.  Watch your backpacks!!


----------



## Bobo912

INSIDER said:


> Bobo912
> 
> Did you stay at the Hotel Sol y Luna on your trip? We are spending 2 nights there in June when we are traveling to Machu Picchu (on our own). How did you like the resort? What activities did they have for the guest to do? How were the rooms and the dining?
> 
> Thanks for any info.




We did stay at the Sol y Luna.  The resort is beautiful.  We were given an upgrade and had a huge, beautiful casita.  I'll post some photos as soon as I have a little time.  The guides didn't really mention any of the activities at the resort and when I asked the only comment was that past guests didn't recommend the horseback riding.  There wasn't any information on activities in the rooms either.  Their website says biking and paragliding, as well as horseback riding, but I don't know of anyone who did any of the activities at the resort.  We didn't have a lot of free time anyway.  We had one free afternoon where there was an optional excursion to an artists pottery studio and I think a lot of people in our group did that.  It was raining that afternoon and I took the opportunity just to spend some time in our awesome casita, soaking in the huge tub and sitting on the patio reading.  As far as dining goes, I wasn't particularly impressed with the breakfast buffet.  It was nothing special and never changed from one day to the next (we were there 4 days).  Dinner in the main restaurant was very good.  I don't know if you'll have the opportunity to attend the Pachamanca feast but it was interesting to see how the food is cooked in a pit and the entertainment was great, but the food IMO was nothing to write home about.  



> Can someone who's been on this trip before or who has any information share with us some reputable travel agents in Peru? We will be arriving on Wednesday and ABD doesn't start until Saturday, so we need to plan some pre-trip activities ahead of the trip and would like to contact travel agencies directly (unless this is something ABD can plan for us? - it's our first ABD, so I really have no clue)...



We arrived a day early and the guides were not at the Casa Andina in Lima (where the tour group stays). They arrived the next morning (the official day 1 of the tour, even though there are no activities on that day) and set up shop in the lobby to greet the guests.  They told me they were in town the night before, but stayed in a different hotel.


----------



## standardgirl

Ideally, we would want to use the pre-days (Th/Fr and most of Sa) to explore areas outside of Lima as we will also have one post-day to stay in Lima after ABD ends.  So far, I've found the following areas, but would need to get some travel agent involved to make this happens given the short time and the long distance involved:

1. Nazca Lines / Paracas
- helicopter tour or possible a boat cruise
- could spend time at a nice SPG beach side resort
- in this case, we probably won't need to plan much as I can just book helicopter or boat cruise and hotel nights myself.

2. Colca Canyon
- south of Lima, would probably need to fly there?
- would prefer booking a 3D2N trip with a travel agency (instead of going on our own)

3. Lake Titicaca
- border of Peru and Bolivia
- would need to fly there, but it seems like it's easier to visit Titicaca from the Bolivia side (as it's closer to La Paz, the capital of Bolivia)
- the pictures seem amazing, but 3D2N may be a bit tight
- would prefer booking a 3D2N trip with a travel agency if we do end up choosing this one

Does anyone have any other suggestion?  We're also still very interested in hearing any experience you've had with local travel agencies or tour companies.


----------



## tufbuf

A family in our group went to see the Nazca lines and from what I remember what they told us, someone local helped them book the trip. It was someone they knew. You would need a full entire day to see it. First you have to take a long bus ride to reach the airport where the plane will take you up to see the lines. 

Lake Titicaca is far from Lima. Another thing to consider is elevation. It is 18000 feet above sea level and not many will tolerate it. I would see how you do at 12000 feet (where you would be mostly) and consider.

You could probably ask your local ABD guide where to book those trips and do it after ABD. The online merchants are too few and far between.


----------



## tufbuf

I found this website online. You might want to check it out.

http://www.nazcaflights.com/nazcalines.htm


----------



## Grifdog22

Our family split in half - two did the pottery tour, and three of us did the horseback riding at Sol y Luna.  The horses were magnificent. The ride was through the village area, sometimes riding right beside people's "homes."  The trip was illuminating; the poverty severe; the horses were terrific. We enjoyed Sol y Luna - I agree with Bobo about the breakfasts - but we were happy with them.

We stayed post trip, and our guides assisted us in arranging very full activities touring Lima, with a separate hired guide they recommended, who was terrific.  It was just our family, and we absolutely loved the post trip.  

We had looked hard at visiting Lake Titicaca and the Nazca lines.  We ruled it out because, after everything else, we thought it would be too much, and I think that was the right call.

We have a couple of posts about this trip elsewhere here - it was a great trip - Cusco museums stay open late (We had our own "night in the museum experiences at 11 pm one night) and we LOVED this trip.  

Airlines are not real timely for "in country" trips...so be prepared and plan on substantial delays, by the way...


----------



## Bobo912

INSIDER said:


> Bobo912
> 
> Did you stay at the Hotel Sol y Luna on your trip? We are spending 2 nights there in June when we are traveling to Machu Picchu (on our own). How did you like the resort? What activities did they have for the guest to do? How were the rooms and the dining?
> 
> Thanks for any info.



INSIDER, I posted some photos of the hotel on my trip report thread.


----------



## standardgirl

tufbuf said:


> You could probably ask your local ABD guide where to book those trips and do it after ABD. The online merchants are too few and far between.



Unfortunately, our travel dates are set with flights booked, so we'll be touring before ABD and hence why I need to finalize everything before we go...  doesn't look like we would be able to wait until we're there by asking the local ABD guides


----------



## standardgirl

Grifdog22 said:


> Our family split in half - two did the pottery tour, and three of us did the horseback riding at Sol y Luna.  The horses were magnificent. The ride was through the village area, sometimes riding right beside people's "homes."  The trip was illuminating; the poverty severe; the horses were terrific. We enjoyed Sol y Luna - I agree with Bobo about the breakfasts - but we were happy with them.
> 
> We stayed post trip, and our guides assisted us in arranging very full activities touring Lima, with a separate hired guide they recommended, who was terrific.  It was just our family, and we absolutely loved the post trip.
> 
> We had looked hard at visiting Lake Titicaca and the Nazca lines.  We ruled it out because, after everything else, we thought it would be too much, and I think that was the right call.
> 
> We have a couple of posts about this trip elsewhere here - it was a great trip - Cusco museums stay open late (We had our own "night in the museum experiences at 11 pm one night) and we LOVED this trip.
> 
> Airlines are not real timely for "in country" trips...so be prepared and plan on substantial delays, by the way...



Do you mind sharing the agent/guide you used locally for Lima that your ABD guide helped you arrange?  Perhaps I could contact the same agency to see what else they offer


----------



## standardgirl

Leaving in 2 weeks!!!!!  I'm so excited


----------



## sayhello

standardgirl said:


> Leaving in 2 weeks!!!!!  I'm so excited


Yay!  Have a great trip!    Be sure & come back & tell us all about it!

Sayhello


----------



## CarrianneB

We just signed up for this trip (the March 22 - March 30, 2014 trip) and are really excited.  It's about 75% full.  We are going in on Friday so will have all day Saturday on our own to explore before it really gets started on Sunday).  Any suggestions for a family of 4 (Boys are 12 & 13)?

Thanks for all the wonderful information that has already been posted.


----------



## sabrecmc

Kind of looking into the March 2014 trip...that would coincide with DD's spring break...CarianneB, did they say anything about the age ranges of the kids?  DD is 8.


----------



## CarrianneB

I don't recall all the ages, but I thought they were actually skewed a tad younger than my boys (12 & 13).  If you call, they will tell you how many kids and ages, but not sex.  We are really looking forward to finally going on an ABD that isn't cancelled


----------



## queenmother

My family of 4 are on for this Adventure July 24, 2014. 2 Teens, ages 14 and 17 and us parents. We are working on the flights, probably arriving late night on the 23rd and adding a pre-night at the Casa Andina in Miraflores to allow a relaxed day on the 24th. The flights from the US seem to arrive either late at night or at 4:30 am. 
I would like to eat at the Huaca Pallaca (sp) pyramid for dinner on July 24th right in Miraflores. 
Anybody have any other ideas for Lima during the day?


----------



## SeaPic

Hi All,
So excited to be headed to Peru this December with two families (four kids boys 10, 10 and 13 and girl 13)! Our first ABD! Looking for any helpful hints on flights (still need to book those) clothes to pack etc. and see who else might be going.
Thanks!


----------



## sayhello

SeaPic said:


> Hi All,
> So excited to be headed to Peru this December with two families (four kids boys 10, 10 and 13 and girl 13)! Our first ABD! Looking for any helpful hints on flights (still need to book those) clothes to pack etc. and see who else might be going.
> Thanks!


Welcome to the DISBoards and the ABD Forum!  I've added you to the Roll Call on the first post of this thread.  Let me know if you want any clarification posted of the makeup of your traveling party.  

We have several folks here who have taken the Peru ABD, so I'm sure you'll get lots of suggestions!  

Sayhello


----------



## Disney_fans

Hi everyone! My family just booked the ABD Peru 24 July - 1 August. Traveling will be me (Michelle), my partner Sheila, our daughter Jordan (14), and our son Cameron (12). We are originally from Colorado, but we are currently living in Cambridgeshire, England.  We are very excited, but not looking forward to the very long flight to Lima from London.  This will be our first ABD, but we cruise a lot with DCL, including our upcoming cruise to Greece and Turkey in June.


----------



## sayhello

Disney_fans said:


> Hi everyone! My family just booked the ABD Peru 24 July - 1 August. Traveling will be me (Michelle), my partner Sheila, our daughter Jordan (14), and our son Cameron (12). We are originally from Colorado, but we are currently living in Cambridgeshire, England.  We are very excited, but not looking forward to the very long flight to Lima from London.  This will be our first ABD, but we cruise a lot with DCL, including our upcoming cruise to Greece and Turkey in June.


I've added you to the Roll Call on the first post of this thread.  It looks like you will be on the same trip as DISer queenmother and her family!

Sayhello


----------



## queenmother

Excited!! My name is Michelle also! We are from Indiana but are in Hawaii now which was a 14 hour trip for Spring break. The Turkey/eastern med cruise is great, we did it last year on Celebrity, so much to see, your kids are lucky this year. Researching the air now, prices have not budged all year for us!


----------



## HermanTriplets+1

There was an earthquake in Chile and a tsunami alert for Peru. Does anyone know if the group that just landed there is affected? Are they all OK? Yikes!


----------



## CarrianneB

I think they are in the Sacred Valley today, so they should be okay.


----------



## Moms

Booked our ABD this morning and will be joining the group for the December trip!  We had heard it was booked and was actually calling to book our "back-up" trip but did a "just in case" check ... it is all about timing!    Yay!


----------



## CarrianneB

We just got back from the trip last week and it was fantastic!  It was our first ABD ( But we are DVC, and have done DW/DL/DLP/DCL) and it was better than we hoped for.  We are now deciding on our next trip .  Happy to answer any questions that folks have for this.


----------



## SeaPic

CarrianneB said:


> We just got back from the trip last week and it was fantastic!  It was our first ABD ( But we are DVC, and have done DW/DL/DLP/DCL) and it was better than we hoped for.  We are now deciding on our next trip .  Happy to answer any questions that folks have for this.


Great to hear! Did you book any days before or after? Just wondering about what there is to see in Lima and if we should use the ABD hotel. Thanks.


----------



## CarrianneB

If you are doing pre-days I would do the abd hotel as you then get the transportation which is key in arriving in Lima.  I would say not as much for the post stay.  We took it easy our pre day and visited the pyramid.  I've also heard good things about the light show.  As most flights arrive at 11 or 12 pm I recommend a pre day.


----------



## Moms

CarrianneB said:


> If you are doing pre-days I would do the abd hotel as you then get the transportation which is key in arriving in Lima.  I would say not as much for the post stay.  We took it easy our pre day and visited the pyramid.  I've also heard good things about the light show.  As most flights arrive at 11 or 12 pm I recommend a pre day.



We booked our trip a couple of weeks ago and added an extra night on the front as our flight gets in late at night.  If you do the add on through Disney they will still pick you up at the airport.


----------



## Bobo912

The price that ABD charges for the hotel in Miraflores is almost double what it would cost if you booked it yourself.  You can take a taxi from the airport for 60 soles (about $22) or a private car for around $40.  We arrived in Lima a day early and I paid ABD's higher price for the room and then the driver didn't pick us up at the airport and I had to take a taxi anyway.  Of course, you never know when something will go wrong, but in hindsight I wouldn't have paid the inflated price for the hotel room and I won't do it next time.


----------



## CarrianneB

Bobo - sorry to hear that.  But when we did this for our trip a few weeks ago, the pricing was roughly the same as I could do direct.  And it made it easier to ensure the same room for both nights.  They had a service person meet us, arrange for a luggage porter, and take us to our transport bus.  She then went back to do the same thing for the next flight.  So maybe they learned from your experience and modified their approach.


----------



## Bobo912

I hope they did.  The room we were given at Casa Andina is $149 on the hotel website ($163 with tax).  ABD charged us $323.  After the meet and greet with the guides on day 1 of the tour, we went back up to our room a little after 11:00AM and our key card no longer worked.  We had to go back to the front desk where they told us we had been automatically checked out when the reservation went from my name to ABD.  Basically, nothing went right the first day.


----------



## queenmother

Thank you for that update Bobo, hopefully this year is better, We booked 2 rooms for one prenight and I see it is one hundred dollars higher than if I booked it myself, one the website. but perhaps after all the taxes and fees and taxi fare it would be about the  same?  Our flight arrives at night, like most Lima flights, 10:20 pm, I am predicting by the time we get through customs it will be close to midnight. It will be nice to be picked up at midnight by someone familiar. 

Also, our departure flight is at 11 pm, what is the Lima airport like that late, is the food court open and reasonably clean and nice? Did you feel comfortable there or should I spring for some club passes?

Thanks, Michelle


----------



## Bobo912

queenmother said:


> Thank you for that update Bobo, hopefully this year is better, We booked 2 rooms for one prenight and I see it is one hundred dollars higher than if I booked it myself, one the website. but perhaps after all the taxes and fees and taxi fare it would be about the  same?  Our flight arrives at night, like most Lima flights, 10:20 pm, I am predicting by the time we get through customs it will be close to midnight. It will be nice to be picked up at midnight by someone familiar.
> 
> Also, our departure flight is at 11 pm, what is the Lima airport like that late, is the food court open and reasonably clean and nice? Did you feel comfortable there or should I spring for some club passes?
> 
> Thanks, Michelle



Our departure was late too.  The airport was busy and all the shops were open.  I felt completely comfortable.  Fortunately, it was a total 180 from the late night arrival.


----------



## Disney_fans

queenmother said:


> Thank you for that update Bobo, hopefully this year is better, We booked 2 rooms for one prenight and I see it is one hundred dollars higher than if I booked it myself, one the website. but perhaps after all the taxes and fees and taxi fare it would be about the  same?  Our flight arrives at night, like most Lima flights, 10:20 pm, I am predicting by the time we get through customs it will be close to midnight. It will be nice to be picked up at midnight by someone familiar.
> 
> Also, our departure flight is at 11 pm, what is the Lima airport like that late, is the food court open and reasonably clean and nice? Did you feel comfortable there or should I spring for some club passes?
> 
> Thanks, Michelle



Michelle,
We are also arriiving at 10:20pm on the 23rd, so maybe we'll be on the same flight.  We'll be the very tired family coming in from London.  Right now we have the Hilton booked for that night, but I'm thinking about changing it to the ABD hotel.  We were given a quote of $509/night to add the hotel with ABD, but we can book two rooms on our own for only $306/night.  It's a little more than the Hilton, but I like not having to drag our luggage to another hotel the next morning after a very long travel day.
Michelle


----------



## queenmother

It will be nice to have the extra night to sleep. I checked the airport hotel but they seem to be booked up, at least that would have been convenient. I am glad to be at the Miraflores. I am looking at a short bike tour around for some exercise and dinner at the pyramid. I hear it is nice.


----------



## SeaPic

Ive been watching December Peru fare for a while now. Its come down $300 but for the last two months its only varied by $20. I know its a little early but Im afraid if I wait too long the holiday travel will get me. Not necessarily to Peru but the flights to hubs (DFW,IAH etc) every holiday traveler goes through. Any advice/opinions? Thanks.


----------



## Moms

SeaPic,

We will be on the December Peru trip too but unfortunately can't offer much advice on booking air.  We booked through ABD (Costco) when we booked the trip and probably paid more but frankly got better connections than it appeared we were going to be able to do on our own (at least at the time).  We will go through Houston on the way down and Newark on the way home.  
We are really looking forward to the trip ... also our first ABD!


----------



## SeaPic

Did anyone notice they changed the Lima hotel to the JW Marriott? It's on the website but I haven't gotten any notification. Just wondering if this will be for all trips from now on.


----------



## Bobo912

SeaPic said:


> Did anyone notice they changed the Lima hotel to the JW Marriott? It's on the website but I haven't gotten any notification. Just wondering if this will be for all trips from now on.



I think that will be a big improvement.  It is a better location than the old hotel.  The Casa Andina is nothing special, IMO.


----------



## SeaPic

Moms said:


> SeaPic,  We will be on the December Peru trip too but unfortunately can't offer much advice on booking air.  We booked through ABD (Costco) when we booked the trip and probably paid more but frankly got better connections than it appeared we were going to be able to do on our own (at least at the time).  We will go through Houston on the way down and Newark on the way home. We are really looking forward to the trip ... also our first ABD!


I just went through ABD as well. I freaked out when all the fares doubled overnight. Luckily the alternate flights I had my eye on were only $20 more. The agent was really great about looking for options.


----------



## Moms

SeaPic said:


> I just went through ABD as well. I freaked out when all the fares doubled overnight. Luckily the alternate flights I had my eye on were only $20 more. The agent was really great about looking for options.



Glad it all worked out for you.  Now it's just a matter of waiting!


----------



## kaceyisme

My husband and I have booked the September 23, 2015 Peru ABD!  This will be our first ABD trip, and I am insanely excited!


----------



## sayhello

kaceyisme said:


> My husband and I have booked the September 23, 2015 Peru ABD!  This will be our first ABD trip, and I am insanely excited!


Congrats on your first ABD, kaceyisme!  I always warn folks, though, ABDs are *highly* addictive, so it probably won't be your last!  

We have several people on this Forum who have taken the Peru trip and really loved it.  It's definitely on my short list!

I've added you to the Roll Call on the first post.

Sayhello


----------



## kaceyisme

sayhello said:


> Congrats on your first ABD, kaceyisme!  I always warn folks, though, ABDs are *highly* addictive, so it probably won't be your last!
> 
> We have several people on this Forum who have taken the Peru trip and really loved it.  It's definitely on my short list!
> 
> I've added you to the Roll Call on the first post.
> 
> Sayhello



Thanks for the welcome


----------



## queenmother

13 days and counting!!
We have had our typhoid and Hep A vaccines. Anybody get the Immunoglobulin shot? I read on CDC website that it is recommended for us "older adults" over 40 . Our kids are teens so are covered already with just the vaccine.
I am bring DEET, pepto bismol, and azithromycin as well. 
Considering Diamox tabs. 

Anybody have any recommendations about meds or vaccines to South America or other such places?


----------



## CarrianneB

queenmother said:


> 13 days and counting!!
> We have had our typhoid and Hep A vaccines. Anybody get the Immunoglobulin shot? I read on CDC website that it is recommended for us "older adults" over 40 . Our kids are teens so are covered already with just the vaccine.
> I am bring DEET, pepto bismol, and azithromycin as well.
> Considering Diamox tabs.
> 
> Anybody have any recommendations about meds or vaccines to South America or other such places?



We went to a travel clinic before our trip and got the Typhoid and Hep A.  In addition, they gave us antibiotics "just in case" to take with us in the event we had digestive issues with the food etc. (take that & immodium together).

I also got the Cipro for potential altitude sickness - but the family didn't.  They said the coca tea that is everywhere really helped with that.

I'm over 40 and they didn't recommend the immunoglobulin.


----------



## chats9195

queenmother said:


> 13 days and counting!! We have had our typhoid and Hep A vaccines. Anybody get the Immunoglobulin shot? I read on CDC website that it is recommended for us "older adults" over 40 . Our kids are teens so are covered already with just the vaccine. I am bring DEET, pepto bismol, and azithromycin as well. Considering Diamox tabs.  Anybody have any recommendations about meds or vaccines to South America or other such places?



I took Diamox tabs and never had a problem with altitude. No need to bring DEET, the guides will have it as well as sunscreen available for all. We also took Immodium as well as an antibiotic to have on hand just in case, but did not need it. Several in our group had mild intestinal bugs, but Immodium did the trick.


----------



## CarrianneB

One item it took that the entire group appreciated was aloe.  Even though it wasn't super hot people got burned.  There wasn't a place to buy more until cusco, so I recommend bringing this.  The guides had sunscreen but not aloe.


----------



## queenmother

Thanks for all those great tips  !! it looks like that immunoglobulin must have been an old recommendation- it's been updated since...
hoping for no mountain sickness!


----------



## queenmother

Those who have gone before... are hiking boots necessary or are good sneakers sufficient??
Michelle


----------



## Bobo912

queenmother said:


> Those who have gone before... are hiking boots necessary or are good sneakers sufficient??
> Michelle



I wore sneakers.  I didn't see any need for hiking boots.


----------



## queenmother

great, that will save a lot of room in the suitcases.


----------



## SeaPic

queenmother said:


> Those who have gone before... are hiking boots necessary or are good sneakers sufficient?? Michelle


 Thanks for asking. I've been thinking I'd have to buy waterproof hiking type shoes for the kids


----------



## SeaPic

Ran into the kids doc at today and got the scoop on international travel. So I'll be making an appointment tomorrow. I'd still be interested to know what anyone else did. 

Previous Post
Just wondering what immunizations or medicines people got/suggest. The cdc and state dept web sites don't exactly match for Peru. thanks!


----------



## anonymousegirl

Woot Woot! Just made our deposit for the 02 August 2015 ABD Peru.

First time ABD and not the last if I have anything to do with it, but definitely the last if DH (the family money manager) has his way!

Gotta admit, it is a bit of a price shocker. But I know it is going to be magical.


----------



## sayhello

anonymousegirl said:


> Woot Woot! Just made our deposit for the 02 August 2015 ABD Peru.
> 
> First time ABD and not the last if I have anything to do with it, but definitely the last if DH (the family money manager) has his way!
> 
> Gotta admit, it is a bit of a price shocker. But I know it is going to be magical.


Congrats!  I've added you to the Roll Call on the first page of this thread.  Let me know if there's anyone in your travel party besides you and your DH, and I can add them on.

Just don't tell your DH that ABDs are highly addictive!  Let him discover that all on his own!  

Sayhello


----------



## Moms

SeaPic said:


> Ran into the kids doc at today and got the scoop on international travel. So I'll be making an appointment tomorrow. I'd still be interested to know what anyone else did.
> 
> Previous Post
> Just wondering what immunizations or medicines people got/suggest. The cdc and state dept web sites don't exactly match for Peru. thanks!



Hi SeaPic!  We will be along on the December Peru trip and are getting excited as the time draws near.  

We didn't do much this trip but had the full round of immunizations for our trip to China/Tibet last summer.  I got an update to the polio vaccine and Hep A and B as well as one for typhoid.  

My daughter; being younger didn't have to have as many ... she is in her early 30's and was much more up to date on things.  Your physician can advise you on the youngsters.

We were also given a prescription for Diamox for altitude ... we both used it in Tibet and had no problems whatsoever ... we will have it along this time but may or may not use it.

FWIW ... we both have sturdy "hiking" sneakers ... mine are waterproof.  Hiking boots don't seem necessary and you are correct ... they are heavy and take up a lot of space!


----------



## SeaPic

Moms said:


> Hi SeaPic!  We will be along on the December Peru trip and are getting excited as the time draws near.  We didn't do much this trip but had the full round of immunizations for our trip to China/Tibet last summer.  I got an update to the polio vaccine and Hep A and B as well as one for typhoid.  My daughter; being younger didn't have to have as many ... she is in her early 30's and was much more up to date on things.  Your physician can advise you on the youngsters.  We were also given a prescription for Diamox for altitude ... we both used it in Tibet and had no problems whatsoever ... we will have it along this time but may or may not use it.  FWIW ... we both have sturdy "hiking" sneakers ... mine are waterproof.  Hiking boots don't seem necessary and you are correct ... they are heavy and take up a lot of space!



Hi Moms! Not long now! We got the box earlier this week and everyone here is getting excited as well! Sounds like we were similar in the immunization department. The kids only needed the oral typhoid. In addition the the typhoid my husband and I both needed the Tdap booster and Hep A . I thought it was interesting the pediatrician did everything for the kids including the just in case altitude and tummy meds. Our doc told us to go to the local grocery/drug store pharmacy and talk to the travel consultant. Didn't even know that existed - but they took care of everything.

The kids want to take something for "Pack for a Purpose" since the Sol y Luna (I think that's the second hotel) is a drop off. I just need to figure out what we have room and weight for .


----------



## sayhello

This is a test, because we seem to have lost a post by SeaPic.

*ETA: * OK, after I posted this post, I'm able to see SeaPic's reply.  Was anyone else having issues getting to it?  It was very strange.  The list said it was there, but when I clicked on it, I kept getting taken to the previous page...

Sayhello


----------



## carpenta

Sayhello,I can see the post (#151) perfectly. Maybe the NSA is "having some fun". Most larger hospitals have a Travel Clinic set up to give vaccinations needed for the area you are to visit. They usually are listed under the Infectious Disease subspecialty dept.


----------



## sayhello

carpenta said:


> Sayhello,I can see the post (#151) perfectly. Maybe the NSA is "having some fun".


Well, yes.  AFTER I posted!  

Sayhello


----------



## kristilew

sayhello said:


> This is a test, because we seem to have lost a post by SeaPic.  ETA:  OK, after I posted this post, I'm able to see SeaPic's reply.  Was anyone else having issues getting to it?  It was very strange.  The list said it was there, but when I clicked on it, I kept getting taken to the previous page...  Sayhello



I had same problem. I could see on the main page that her post was there, but could not get to it. Now I see it and the subsequent posts. Odd!


----------



## sayhello

kristilew said:


> I had same problem. I could see on the main page that her post was there, but could not get to it. Now I see it and the subsequent posts. Odd!


I'm assuming the indexing to her post was broken.  My post probably corrected that.  I think.

The site appeared to be having some on & off networking issues last night.  It may have been a result of that.

Sayhello


----------



## 2littlestitches

Hi guys....we are strongly considering booking the Peru trip for our family of four.  I have 2 teenage sons.  Well, I've been strongly considering it for years, but the stars are starting to align for this summer.  We are thinking about one of the July trips.  Fingers crossed that we work it out.  
I'll keep you posted!


----------



## sayhello

2littlestitches said:


> Hi guys....we are strongly considering booking the Peru trip for our family of four.  I have 2 teenage sons.  Well, I've been strongly considering it for years, but the stars are starting to align for this summer.  We are thinking about one of the July trips.  Fingers crossed that we work it out.
> I'll keep you posted!


Fingers & toes crossed!  

Sayhello


----------



## 2littlestitches

And just that quickly, everything has changed!  I just booked the British Isles cruise on DCL for June 5, 2016.  Now, I need info on a possible ABD add-on for this cruise.  I'll be watching the ABD board closely for that!  Thanks, Sayhello!


----------



## tazz23

Hi Everyone

My husband and I were on the March Peru trip and I wanted to thank everyone for their comments and trip reports. I don't have time to write a full trippie, but wanted to give back to the DIS community, so here are some thoughts and also some tips for those going in the upcoming months.

Firstly- What an Amazing trip. Just Wow. If you are thinking of booking, just book it! We are a couple in our late 20's and like some of the other posters in this thread, we were a little hesitant of doing an organized group tour. We are used to planning and travelling by ourselves. We fell in love with the itinerary and reviews of this trip and that is why we booked. Well, it did not disappoint- the guides are wonderful at making sure everyone is involved and as strange and cliche as it sounds, we did feel like one big family at the end.


Ok, onto the trip itself:

Our group- There were 22 of us, made up of 6 families. We had a great mix of ages- I can go into this in more detail if it helps, but we had 6 junior adventurers (under 12's) as well as some older teens (18ish) and another girl in her 20s, like us. We also had two sisters travelling together who were in their 50s/60s. The children were well behaved and it was fun having the mix of ages.

Our guides were Mike Hague and Rudy. They were both superb! Funny, friendly and always upbeat. Rudy is doing several more Peru trips this year, so for those doing the trip in 2015, he may be your guide. Ask him lots of questions- he really is a local expert!

Airport- We had read Bobo's trip report several times (thank you  ) so we were a little concerned about finding the person with the welcome sign at the airport. Our lady was directly in front of us, as we walked our of the baggage area. She had a sign with 'ABD' and our names. No need to walk through the crowds. Hopefully this is the same for others going.

Pre-day- We had a pre-day, which I highly recommend if you can. The pace of the trip is fast and it involves several very early starts. My understanding is that most USA flights land in Lima around 9pm at night. It took us a good few hours to get through immigration, collect our bags (we then had to put them through a security scanner again before we left- we didn't know this, so a heads up to those going) and get to the hotel, so it was 1am when we made it to our room. Lima is a beautiful city, so we woke up late the next day, relaxed, explored and took it easy on our pre-day. We met in the lobby the following day at 6am for our flight to Cusco. Only one family flew in the night before and like us didn't make it to their rooms until 1am. They had 4 hours sleep, which is not ideal.

Almost everyone in our trip suffered from altitude or travellers sickness at some point. We took Diamox and were fine. Things that helped us were drinking lots of water, as well as the coca tea which was freely available throughout the trip. Around day 3, my husband and I both suffered from diarrhea. We have no idea what caused it and it remained with us for the rest of the trip. Others in the group also suffered and our guides told us that this is common for visitors to Peru (different foods?). We took Imodium and painkillers which really helped and we didn't miss any days. We underestimated this when packing, so make sure you bring these. I also wished I had packed some saltines/ crackers, as well as those sachets with electrolytes in them, for the days that we didn't feel 100%. Whilst we are on the subject, bring sunscreen and insect repellent. Wear them every day, even if you don't think you need it! We did this after following advice from this thread. However, some of our group got very sunburnt and one person was bit by a bug and needed a shot to make the swelling go down.

Food- on the trip was incredible. 5 star meals, especially at Sol y Luna. We were stuffed every night.

Hotels- All three were amazing. Again, 5 star hotels and we felt like royalty in all of them. They all had plenty of bottled water, shampoo, conditioner etc. hair dryers and plenty of towels.

Excursions- We loved them all! Great mix of culture, exploring and fun things. When the children looked as if they were beginning to switch off, one of the guides would get them involved in something else, so the adults could learn about the sites in more detail. My husband is a history buff and felt the guides were brilliant.

Machu Picchu- Simply incredible! Everything was perfect and seamless. Again, we had read Bobo's trip report and based on her advice, we did not hike to the moon gate. This was the best advice! We were the only people who did not do the hike, so we had the local guide (a happy, knowledgable man called Diante) all to ourselves. We basically had our own private tour guide for 3 hours- it was one of the highlights of our trip. In the morning, you only get to see a small part of the site, so we still had plenty to see in the afternoon. We also went to the guardhouse in the afternoon, where you take the classic photo. Those who went to the moongate, missed out on the guardhouse and the rest of the ruins, as there was not enough time afterwards.

Postday- We booked an extra night at the end of the trip, as we weren't sure how fast paced the trip would be. We didn't really need this day and would have been happy to fly back at the end of the trip. The pace of the trip changed quite dramatically when we moved to Cusco, it was more relaxing and we had much more free time.

Disney magic- There are several disney references throughout the trip, but it was subtle. It was more about having a great experience and we really did! I am not going to ruin it, but we had several small surprises 

Please let me know if you have any other questions. I am happy to help!

Tammy


----------



## Bobo912

Glad my trip report was helpful.  Mike was our guide, as well, and Rudy was shadowing.  He had just finished training in Orlando.  While we waited at the airport for our flight to Cusco, he showed me photos of himself with Mickey.  He seemed so excited to be working for Disney.  I still think about the meal we had at Sol y Luna on the evening after we returned from Machu Picchu.  I've been trying to reproduce the pasta sauce ever since, but can't quite get it right. Too bad they can't do something to speed up immigration at the Lima airport.  Happy to hear you had a good trip!


----------



## kaceyisme

Thanks so much for the review!  We are going in September, and it's nice to get your perspective on the trip.  I'm a little concerned over the fact that the guide said that getting diarrhea is common .  It's hard to be careful of things if you don't know where you caught it!  Glad that you had an awesome time despite this.


----------



## tazz23

Hi Kacey

I think the guide meant some form of diarrhea, probably from the change of food/ environment, is common. I think we were just unlucky. Please don't worry about it- I only mentioned it so you and others would be aware and come prepared! We both felt back to normal once we arrived back in the USA if it helps. Have a wonderful trip


----------



## Bobo912

I think it is not uncommon for guests to be sick after the rafting trip.  I know several people on our trip had diarrhea the next day.   There is trash all around and we saw dead animals on the river bank.  Wouldn't be surprised if it contains sewage as well.  If you can avoid being splashed, that might help.


----------



## kaceyisme

tazz23 said:


> Hi Kacey
> 
> I think the guide meant some form of diarrhea, probably from the change of food/ environment, is common. I think we were just unlucky. Please don't worry about it- I only mentioned it so you and others would be aware and come prepared! We both felt back to normal once we arrived back in the USA if it helps. Have a wonderful trip





Bobo912 said:


> I think it is not uncommon for guests to be sick after the rafting trip.  I know several people on our trip had diarrhea the next day.   There is trash all around and we saw dead animals on the river bank.  Wouldn't be surprised if it contains sewage as well.  If you can avoid being splashed, that might help.



Thanks for the info and the good wishes!  We had already decided not to do the rafting portion of the trip, and now I'm glad that we did!


----------



## anonymousegirl

Bobo912 said:


> I think it is not uncommon for guests to be sick after the rafting trip.  I know several people on our trip had diarrhea the next day.   There is trash all around and we saw dead animals on the river bank.  Wouldn't be surprised if it contains sewage as well.  If you can avoid being splashed, that might help.



That's disgusting! not unexpected, but I am definitely skipping the rafting now.


----------



## kaceyisme

I called ABD a few months ago and told them that we didn't want to go on the rafting portion of the trip, and asked if there was an alternate activity we could do.  Unfortunately, there isn't, so we will use the opportunity to "sleep in" and they are going to pick us up at the hotel to have us meet the group at the next stop.


----------



## anonymousegirl

kaceyisme said:


> I called ABD a few months ago and told them that we didn't want to go on the rafting portion of the trip, and asked if there was an alternate activity we could do.  Unfortunately, there isn't, so we will use the opportunity to "sleep in" and they are going to pick us up at the hotel to have us meet the group at the next stop.



 We'll be sleeping in, too! DH doesn't swim and I have zero interest in inadvertently swallow some parasite and ruining the next few days!


----------



## anonymousegirl

Woo-who! Final payment made, insurance purchased, air ticketing done with excellent price for business class. Just 86 more days!!!


----------



## kaceyisme

anonymousegirl said:


> Woo-who! Final payment made, insurance purchased, air ticketing done with excellent price for business class. Just 86 more days!!!



 We are going in late September, so I can't wait to hear your feedback about the trip!


----------



## DCPhotoGal

Hi Everyone!  Just booked this trip for 5/28/16.  This will be our 3rd ABD... we did Scotland in 2014 and Galapagos in 2015.


----------



## RebelHawk

We are just happy that we are under the 1 year mark until our trip. We're lot leaving until Sept 2016.  We bought Rosetta Stone Spanish just to help a little with the language and are waiting for all of the 2016 travel books to be released. Keep those trip reports coming in because those are the best reference for us future travelers.


----------



## danv3

Mrs. Danv3 and I will be on the March 30, 2016 Peru trip.  Anyone else joining us?  We're 86 days out as of today!


----------



## acndis

We just jumped off of the River Cruise and joined the Peru trip for 12/16. So far, only us and one other family are booked. I hope some others join us!


----------



## danv3

Did those of you who've already gone to Peru get typhoid or hepatitis A vaccinations before your trips?  

AbD says no vaccinations are required ("Vaccinations to travel to the areas of Peru that are a part of the _Adventures by Disney_ itinerary are not required if you are going to Peru from the U.S. (If you extend your stay to other parts of Peru, you are advised to consult www.cdc.gov)") but the CDC recommends those vaccines for "most travelers" http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/traveler/none/peru


----------



## danv3

We leave for Peru in 25 days.  We've only got 11 confirmed guests, none of which are kids.


----------



## Bobo912

danv3 said:


> Did those of you who've already gone to Peru get typhoid or hepatitis A vaccinations before your trips?
> 
> AbD says no vaccinations are required ("Vaccinations to travel to the areas of Peru that are a part of the _Adventures by Disney_ itinerary are not required if you are going to Peru from the U.S. (If you extend your stay to other parts of Peru, you are advised to consult www.cdc.gov)") but the CDC recommends those vaccines for "most travelers" http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/traveler/none/peru



We didn't.


----------



## danv3

We ended up getting them just to be safe.


----------



## AdamEfimoff

anonymousegirl said:


> We'll be sleeping in, too! DH doesn't swim and I have zero interest in inadvertently swallow some parasite and ruining the next few days!


 Too fat to go to Peru I am


----------



## DCPhotoGal

danv3 said:


> We leave for Peru in 25 days.  We've only got 11 confirmed guests, none of which are kids.


Wow, I'm surprised they are going with only 11.  I called today and I think the May trip only has a few more than that.


----------



## danv3

DCPhotoGal said:


> Wow, I'm surprised they are going with only 11.  I called today and I think the May trip only has a few more than that.



Frankly I'm kind of surprised too.  We're two weeks out so I'm assuming they won't cancel at this late date!


----------



## Bobo912

danv3 said:


> Frankly I'm kind of surprised too.  We're two weeks out so I'm assuming they won't cancel at this late date!



We did the Peru trip in March of 2013 and there were 44 guests.  It was too many by far.  You are lucky to have a smaller group.


----------



## AdamEfimoff

Did anyone who is fat go to peru and like it?


----------



## DCPhotoGal

We have switched to the June 30 trip.


----------



## AdamEfimoff

AdamEfimoff said:


> Did anyone who is fat go to peru and like it?


I just feel you need to be skinny


----------



## danv3

So I am just back from Peru.  I'm not planning a formal trip report or anything like that, but I will share a couple of comments.

We did travel with only 11 guests, and we still had two guides, Zoe and Rudy, who were awesome.  Of our eleven, nine were repeat guests.  We loved the small group!  The trip overall was great as you would expect.  I did want to share a couple of unique points that may be of use to others (or maybe these things only happen to me!)

If your transfer to the Lima airport is only 3.5 hours from your departure time, ask the guides if it can be moved up.  Our flight left at 10:05pm, and we were picked up at the JW Marriott at 6:30pm.  Given the extreme traffic in Lima, we did not arrive at the airport until 8:00pm and then still had to wait in a long line to check bags and get through security.  We made it, but we were near the cutoff for the luggage.  Leaving at 6:00, if not 5:30, would have saved a lot of stress.  For what it's worth, the airlines recommend you arrive at Lima 3 hours before departure.  

When you complete your customs form returning to the US, be very careful about how you answer the question as to whether you've spent time close to livestock.  Based on the visit to the Awana Kancha camelid center, I answered yes (as we had in fact been close to, fed, and petted, llamas and alpacas). This was not the answer that the customs folks wanted to hear.  We had our passports temporarily seized and had to go through a couple of extra rounds of screening, and then had to have our shoes "sanitized" before we were cleared and got our passports back.  So, while I wouldn't advocate lying on the customs form, you should be aware that if you answer that question in the affirmative, you may have a less-than-enjoyable customs experience.  Honestly, I figured my answer would be pretty common for people coming from Peru, but the first customs guy looked at me like I had three heads when I said I petted a llama.  He said "Oh...you shouldn't have done that" which at first I thought was a joke, but quickly learned was not.  Anyway, just thought some might be interested in that experience.


----------



## acndis

Danv,

Thanks!  This was so helpful!  We go in December. So far only 12 booked.  It's nic to hear it went well with 11. What airline did you fly?  I got an amazing fare on Avianca but I am a bit nervous about them. 

Did you do anything in Lima on your own?  We are thinking about a culinary tour. 

Thanks,

Cindy


----------



## danv3

We flew American Airlines into Lima, so I can't really comment on the Peruvian/South American companies.  Our luggage didn't make our connection into Lima (despite hours of delay, the bags were mysteriously left in Miami), so I also wasn't really thrilled with American!   Our internal flights were on LAN and they were fine, but we had no control over those selections.  

We had two extra days in Lima.  We bought a pre-stay night and arrived late on "Day 0" if you go by AbD's counting of the days.  That way, on Day 1, while most everyone else was arriving really late at night, we had a day to explore Lima.  (The extra day was really helpful with our luggage arriving 24 hours after us...had we come on Day 1 like most in our group, it would have taken longer for our luggage to catch up to us at the Sol Y Luna)  Also, most guests left late on Day 8 (the day of the farewell lunch) but we stayed the night (included in the package) and instead left late on Day 9 (giving us a second day in Lima).

On both of the extra days, we took tours through a guide named Jhony Quinones.  If you google "Jhony Lima City Tours" he should come up.  He has great ratings on TripAdvisor and was very easy to work with.  He's pretty responsive on e-mail and his English is good.  Jhony's tours are private and he will personalize them for you.  The first day we did a tour in the historic center of Lima (cathedral, convent, and catacombs) and added on the Museo Larco which I found to be the best collection of Inca and pre-Inca artifacts.  On Day 9 we did a walking tour of Miraflores (where the hotel is) and Barranco (the bordering neighborhood to the south) and added on the Museo Pedro de Osma which is mostly colonial art.  I don't know whether Jhony does a culinary tour but it wouldn't hurt to ask.  

Hope this helps!


----------



## danv3

For anyone that's interested, everyone in our group did the rafting, and no one seemed to get sick directly related to it.  The river was actually less polluted/gross than I expected based on what I had read.  Some people did get what seemed to be traveler's diarrhea, but I don't necessarily associate it with the river.


----------



## AdamEfimoff

acndis said:


> Danv,
> 
> Thanks!  This was so helpful!  We go in December. So far only 12 booked.  It's nic to hear it went well with 11. What airline did you fly?  I got an amazing fare on Avianca but I am a bit nervous about them.
> 
> Did you do anything in Lima on your own?  We are thinking about a culinary tour.
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Cindy


http://www.theworlds50best.com/list/1-50-winners
http://www.theworlds50best.com/latinamerica/en/the-list.html


----------



## acndis

Adam and Danv,

Thanks!  This is fantastic info.


----------



## AdamEfimoff

http://www.pec.pe/#!destinations/c1cdl


----------



## RebelHawk

We are down to five months until our Adult Only Peru trip. We'll be a party of four adults that have been on dozens of trips together over the years. We spoke with our wonderful DU TA Tracey Heinrichs this week who has confirmed that the trip is in a "guaranteed" status. We will be traveling with 27 of our future best friends for a total of 31 people booked on the trip (so far).

With confirmation of the ABD trip being guaranteed we have moved ahead with our next steps by booking our airfare. Other than the horrible arrival and departure times from Lima (11PM arrive and 1AM departure) we are really looking forward to getting there. We have also booked one pre day at the Marriott Miraflores. We did choose to use my Marriott points for this reservation rather than the $410 price ABD wanted to charge. We are arriving so late well likely walk into the room and crash for the night. Then if we have to change rooms to our ABD room then we'll just leave our bags with the valet until our ABD room is ready later that day while we explore the city.

After reading the trip reports I could find I didn't see a lot of discussion on what people did for a pre day in Lima. Anyone have any suggestions? Lonely Planet just released their updated 2016 Peru book so I bought that and will likely get either Fodor's or Frommer's as well.

Last steps will be following up with our family Dr and see what she recommends for immunization as well as altitude pills once we get a bit closer to departure.


----------



## AdamEfimoff

RebelHawk said:


> We are down to five months until our Adult Only Peru trip. We'll be a party of four adults that have been on dozens of trips together over the years. We spoke with our wonderful DU TA Tracey Heinrichs this week who has confirmed that the trip is in a "guaranteed" status. We will be traveling with 27 of our future best friends for a total of 31 people booked on the trip (so far).
> 
> With confirmation of the ABD trip being guaranteed we have moved ahead with our next steps by booking our airfare. Other than the horrible arrival and departure times from Lima (11PM arrive and 1AM departure) we are really looking forward to getting there. We have also booked one pre day at the Marriott Miraflores. We did choose to use my Marriott points for this reservation rather than the $410 price ABD wanted to charge. We are arriving so late well likely walk into the room and crash for the night. Then if we have to change rooms to our ABD room then we'll just leave our bags with the valet until our ABD room is ready later that day while we explore the city.
> 
> After reading the trip reports I could find I didn't see a lot of discussion on what people did for a pre day in Lima. Anyone have any suggestions? Lonely Planet just released their updated 2016 Peru book so I bought that and will likely get either Fodor's or Frommer's as well.
> 
> Last steps will be following up with our family Dr and see what she recommends for immunization as well as altitude pills once we get a bit closer to departure.




I would eat eat and eat!!!!


----------



## danv3

RebelHawk said:


> We are down to five months until our Adult Only Peru trip. We'll be a party of four adults that have been on dozens of trips together over the years. We spoke with our wonderful DU TA Tracey Heinrichs this week who has confirmed that the trip is in a "guaranteed" status. We will be traveling with 27 of our future best friends for a total of 31 people booked on the trip (so far).
> 
> With confirmation of the ABD trip being guaranteed we have moved ahead with our next steps by booking our airfare. Other than the horrible arrival and departure times from Lima (11PM arrive and 1AM departure) we are really looking forward to getting there. We have also booked one pre day at the Marriott Miraflores. We did choose to use my Marriott points for this reservation rather than the $410 price ABD wanted to charge. We are arriving so late well likely walk into the room and crash for the night. Then if we have to change rooms to our ABD room then we'll just leave our bags with the valet until our ABD room is ready later that day while we explore the city.
> 
> After reading the trip reports I could find I didn't see a lot of discussion on what people did for a pre day in Lima. Anyone have any suggestions? Lonely Planet just released their updated 2016 Peru book so I bought that and will likely get either Fodor's or Frommer's as well.
> 
> Last steps will be following up with our family Dr and see what she recommends for immunization as well as altitude pills once we get a bit closer to departure.



You could hire a driver/guide to take you to the historic center to see the cathedral, convent/catacombs, and various colonial era buildings.  You can also do some nice walks in the Miraflores and Barranco.  That's what we did on our pre- and post-days.  If you're interested in Inca and pre-Inca art/artifacts, I thought the Museo Larco was the best museum we visited.  It didn't really seem to be near anything else, though, and it's not walkable from the hotel.


----------



## RebelHawk

Good news is our ABD box arrived this afternoon for our upcoming Peru trip. The bad news is we still have just over a month until we go.


----------

