peru is possible on a shoestring budget

When I embarked on a river voyage down the Amazon two years ago, nothing could have prepared me for the otherwordly beauty of Peru and its people. I was on assignment at the time, and the fine folks at International Expeditions picked up the tab for my adventure (thank you 100 times for a trip of lifetime). I’ve since returned to Peru twice in a work slash play capacity and have had to fend for myself financially. Since I like to make my travel adventures last as long as possible, when flying solo, I subscribe to a budget travel style.


Peru is perfect for travelers on a shoestring budget, and not just the backpacker hordes. Its currency is the nuevo sol (S/) and compared to other South American countries, traveling costs are low – it’s easy to survive on $20-25 USD a day. Here are seven tips to help stretch your soles.

Photo courtesy of kudumomo

Timing is Everything
Depending upon when you decide visit Peru, prices can make or break a budget. The dry winter months of June and July are peak season in Machu Picchu and prices rise accordingly (and Inca Trail reservations are scarce for last-minute planners) Tourists flock to the sun-soaked coastal regions during the summer months of December and January. The best bargains can be found during the fringe months of April and May or September and October.

Photo courtesy of Zug55

Take a Tour
Although I tend to be a DIY solo traveler, there are some sights in Peru which require a tour operator – like hiking the Inca Trail or flights over the Nazca Lines. It is, however possible to explore Peru without paying inflated prices. Karikuy, the organization I’m currently volunteering with in Lima, for example, offers a wide variety of tours throughout Peru at budget-friendly price points. They also work to promote responsible tourism, social development and give back to the people and communities of Peru. Do your homework and ask questions and you're more likely to find the perfect fit tour operator.

Photo courtesy of Ivoinperu

Get Out of Town
Lima, Cusco and Puno are Peru’s top tourist hot spots, but venture beyond these towns and prices drop significantly for budget travelers. Think about exploring Ica, Peru’s top wine-producing region on its southern coast, the colonial city of Trujillo and its sunny beaches or hiking in the highland town of Huaraz, near the Cordillera Blanca Mountains.

Cheap Sleeps
Prices for accommodations in Peru vary from dirt-cheap, backpacker hostels to luxury boutique hotels. My head has hit the pillow at every price range in Peru, but when I’m traveling on my own dime (a.k.a. not on assignment), I’ve found several decent mid-range hotel deals. In Cusco, I highly recommend Hotel Rumi Punku (around $50 a night during peak season). It’s a family run, 2-star hostel within three (steep) blocks of Plaza de Armas. Hotel Rumi Punku is safe for the solo female traveler, clean and has free Wi-Fi and continental breakfast daily. Another Cusco property I’m excited about is the just opened, Yamanyá Backpackers Hostel. They had me at heated stone swimming pool and poolside bar, but more practical travelers will probably like their free breakfast, Wi-Fi, airport or bus-stop pickup, TV room with high-definition LCD, huge guest kitchen, comfortable beds and hot, hot water.

Photo courtesy of Muy Yum

Eat Like a Local
As a rule, I try to steer clear of restaurantes turistica. They’re easily identified by oversized menus or chalkboards posted by the entryway with English translations and seats filled with folks who don’t quite look like the locals. Sure, there’s comforting about pointing to a menu item and knowing roughly what you’re getting in a land of language barriers. But I pinky swear promise that if you put the tiniest bit of effort into dining at a non-touristy destination, nine times out of ten, you’ll reap the benefits of lower prices and far superior food.

Imbibe
The name brand liquors you know and love at home are pricey in Peru. For example, a pour of Johnny Walker will run 20 soles – or about $7 USD. That may not seem outrageous by US standards, but if you’re imbibing on a budget in Peru, you can make your bar-hopping dollars stretch much further with a few smart choice. If you insist on drinking cocktails, swap your spirit of choice for a pisco-based beverage. Pisco is a South American liquor distilled from grapes, and cocktails tend run about half the price of American cocktail counterparts. Plus, Pisco packs quite a high octane punch. If you’re really cash-strapped, stick to local beer brands like Cristal, Pilsen Callao or Cusqueña, which rarely cost more than the equivalent of $2 USD.

Photo courtesy of ChrissyJ

Souvenirs
It’s hard to travel pretty much anywhere and not want to take some tsotchkes home, especially in Peru. There are a few basic rules of the retail road that will help you get the best deal. Avoid buying souvenirs near bus stops, where prices tend to be higher. Be sure to bargain – the price on the tag is rarely the final price. Have a maximum price you’re willing to pay in mind and don't be tricked by discounts for multiple purchases. Also, keep in mind that souvenir prices at the airport can triple, so if you see something you can’t live without, grab it. Last minute buyer’s remorse is no fun.

There are a lot of great goodies to take home from Peru, but it’s best known for:

• Baby alpaca woven goods, not just sweaters, but rugs and wall hangings (be sure to check the label – many products incorporate acrylic)
• Silver jewelry with enamel and gemstones, many with Incan and Peruvian imagery
• Pisco, the national drink of Peru
• Small embroidered purses made out of manta cloth
• Chullos (woolen hats with the earflaps)
• Huayruru seed jewelry and keychains – this seed is found in the Amazon and is red with a black spot

Since I’ve helped save you all sorts of money in your travels to Peru with this nifty blog post, be sure to pick up a little something for me. Or send a postcard. I swoon for handwritten mail.

third time's (maybe) the charm for lima

I don’t shy from professing my love for Peru; my feelings for Lima, though, have been lukewarm at best. This is my third trip to Peru in less than two years, and to be fair, I must disclose that I’ve logged less than 100 hours total in this colonial capital city; population 8 million.

Past visits were pre- and post pit stops before a riverboat journey on the Amazon and an early 2009 trip to Cusco, Machu Picchu and Puno. The bulk of my time in Lima has been spent shuttling between Jorge Chávez International Airport (one of my favorite airports in the world) and the safe haven of luxury hotel, Swissôtel in the swank San Isidro neighborhood. The extent of my urban explorations was a guided whirlwind afternoon tour of colonial Lima, with stops at Plaza Mayor, Mercado Indio and a restaurante muy turístico, Puro Perú. This sightseeing tour de force was meant as a quick Lima look-see, but traipsing around town en masse felt more like a dog and pony show, with minimal opportunity for organic cultural discovery.

The most telling insight of the day was of the city’s great socioeconomic divide. As we traveled from the well heeled Miraflores area, with its colonial mansions, cafés and upscale boutiques, through gritty neighborhoods riddled with trash, stray dogs and graffiti it was painfully clear that there was wide disparity between the haves and have-nots. Traffic was a major issue – in its sheer volume and recklessness – everywhere we went. Peru has the highest rate of deaths related to transit accidents in the region, and most of the fatalities take place in Lima, where pedestrians are victims in 7 out of 10 traffic accidents. That stat isn’t exactly a selling point for gal who likes explore destinations on foot until they blister. I left Lima on both occasions with a “meh” feeling and no burning desire to return.

Admittedly, it’s hard to get a handle on a place in a short amount time, especially such a sprawling urban landscape, and my half-assed Spanish skills certainly don’t help. Still, I wasn’t putting Lima on the top of any travel planning wish lists anytime soon. Or so I thought.

When I started planning the itinerary for The Global Citizen Project, my 12 country, 12 volunteer project over 12 months plan to give back, Peru was a priority. I toyed with volunteering in places I know, love and have seen need in, like Cusco and Puno, but decided that this was an opportunity to give Lima a fair shake – and not simply for an overnight stint. Cyber-sleuthing led me to Karikuy and I liked that this organization worked to promote responsible tourism, social development and gives back to the people and communities of Peru. After seeing so many inflated prices and tour company scams when I was in Cusco en route to Machu Picchu, I felt it was important to help support the people and companies who aren’t trying to suck as many soles as possible from unsuspecting gringos and gringas.

I touched down in Lima last Thursday – without my luggage – but with an open mind. (American Airlines has since delivered my missing bag.) We drove about 10 minutes across town, under an icy blanket of early, deep winter darkness to Planeta, the neighborhood where Karikuy is located. Barely one week into my volunteer experience, I’m already charmed by my new, temporary neighborhood. Taxi drivers peg this former squatter settlement as an unsafe place, but I have not felt threatened since my arrival. I hear Planeta was pretty rough and tumble a decade or so ago, but today, it’s your standard issue middle class Peruvian neighborhood. And when in doubt, we call on the fierceness of Karikuy founder, Julio’s guard dog, Killer.

The Karikuy house is located on a gated street and has enough locks, bars and gates to stump even the 'Hillside Burglar.' Beyond the façades of security, though, is a vibrant neighborhood filled with children playing, corner stores and makeshift sidewalk cafés, and the most delicious (and reasonably priced) street food you can imagine. Churros! Papas rellenos! Hamburguesas! Even Sunday afternoon drunks and the sadness of a three-day wake and funeral bring color to the neighborhood.

Peru is a place I’ll return to over and over again, so for this project, it’s important for me to break from my usual see-it-all travel modus operandi to explore within the city limits. I’ve seen the extreme natural beauty of this country, but I’m enjoying the raw realities of everyday life in Lima; especially in Planeta. I’m not running to the wedding registry with Lima quite yet, but this South American city seems more worthy by the minute as an extended travel destination instead a layover or a one-night stand. It’s cleaned up quite a bit since my last visit. Traffic is still an issue, but seems slightly less chaotic. And like everywhere you go in Peru, people are warm and inviting. I’m curious to learn more about Lima over the next two weeks while volunteering with Karikuy, but maybe third time’s the charm. So far, it looks like we’re off to a promising start.