Trying to work out what is possible itinerary wise, places to check out. Seems like a lot has changed re flight availability and cable cars being built etc?

Was thinking:

Lima > Chachapoyas > Kuelap > Chicalayo > Trujillo > Lima in 7 Days. Crazy or doable?

Can’t remember our itinerary, me and my lad went there basically for the hike to Machu Picchu…

The whole coach being held up by a gang of gunmen in the desert put paid to that.

Seeing a gun held to your 14 year olds head is something you don’t forget.

German girl got pistol whipped as she just wanted the memory card out of her camera as she was handing it to them. Spent rest of night raiding the desert for stuff to burn as we were all freezing…. and couldn’t stay in the coach as they had rammed it into a boulder on the edge of a cliff. You couldn’t make this **** up.lol

Coach company wouldn’t supply a replacement coach so we stayed there well into the next day as they hauled the coach of the cliff edge/boulder, repaired it them got us back on it.

The route we were on was supposed to be safe. Only country I’ve packpacked around that I was glad to see the back of.

Drug trafficking through the country has lead to a large undercurrent of violent crime.

Would it stop me going back? Actually no but I’d do a few things different,I’d not take my son back either. Also don’t go with the “premium” coach companies as they are targeted for hold ups so often it barely makes the news. Go with a coach company the locals use.

Also always take a bog roll into the toilets with you. Always.

All the above said, genuinely, have a marvellous time but just stay safe.

Yeah. It’s great as not many tourists go north.

Mancora – nice beach town
Chachapoyas (nice town) for Kuelap, which is really impressive. They’ve built a cable car which is a shame as the drive was epic. There is also a waterfall in that area which is seriously high, but I didn’t visit.
Huanchaco was an okay beach stop too but Mancora is better.

You can fly north. The buses are okay. We went with the most expensive for Lima to Mancora and they breathalysed the drivers in front of the passengers before setting off. That gives you some idea as to why you spend top dollar 🙂

If its your first trip to Peru you would probably enjoy Cuzco, the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu more though. That definitely suits 7 days and is a truly spectacular trip. You could even squeeze Lake Titicaca in.

The North in seven days could work but you might spend a large chunk of that in cars and buses. And the bus journeys are long and tiring.

And regarding Poopscoop’s experiences, that sounds horrific. But to provide some balance, I work in travel and I book around 10 trips each year for my clients. Mostly to Cuzco, Lima etc, but sometimes to the north. The worst that has happened to any of my clients aside from some altitude sickness is getting caught up in strikes. The love to blockade roads to make a point.

But it’s a poor country and that does present risks.

Yep, been re-reading my post.

It’s an overly negative post about a negative experience there isn’t it?
I shouldn’t weigh up a whole country based on one experience.

In truth I was in the wrong coach on the wrong night, just unlucky basically. It did mar the trip to put it mildly but I genuinely would go back. Unoriginal as it is,I still regret not taking part in the hike to Machu Picchu, camping overnight on the way. I think I was looking forward to that as much as the destination, probably more in all honesty.

On a side note, my lad at 14 handled or much better than me. He had the foresight to hide his mobile (bookings, access to money etc on it as a back up to mine) whilst mine was gone in seconds before id even woke up!

Hugely proud of how he handled the whole situation and I always mention it when he feels a bit out of his depth in life occasionally.👍

So yeah, have a great time op. Just don’t forget the bog roll though as I said…though that’s another story I won’t go into!ha!

My wife and I back packed through that part of the world in 2007.
Chachapoyas was one of our favourite places in S America, just a nice small town vibe.
Kuelap was seriously impressive… Interesting that there’s a cable car now.
Gocta waterfall is reportedly third highest in the world, and one of our trip highlights.
We travelled in from Ecuador, and out by overnight bus, 24hrs to Lima.

There is a greater density of stuff to see in the south which does suit a short trip better.

Highly recommended. But 7 days is rushing it a bit. Kuelap was virtually devoid of tourists as is much of the other areas you mentioned but it’s a question if you want to enjoy the sites and towns or just “do them” as so many people seem to say.
I often hear we “did machu pichu” etc. You “do” a sh#t, you visit a town or historic site.
Anyway, enjoy your trip. Peru is great, the driving is terrible.

Driving in Peru is indeed terrible. Bolivia is worse though. I still have nightmares about what I saw there.

Yeah not sure I went where you’re planning but I did a cycling trip with Redspokes a few years back.

Billed as a mountainbiking trip, it was really a road riding trip with a tiny percentage of off-road. I don’t think I’ll ever stop going on about how pished off I am with the riding on that trip and how essentially I feel that Redspokes mis-sold me the trip. Another story.

Blimey, Poopscoops story is gnarly. We went to many of the classic places you’d go I suppose. Cusco, Macchu Picchu, Olyantaytambo, Lake Titicaca and the floating reed islands, eventually riding into Bolivia and La Paz (on the frikkin roads! 😠)

I often hear we “did machu pichu” etc. You “do” a sh#t, you visit a town or historic site.

Ha! Agree on that. My gf says she ‘did’ places, much to my annoyance 😅

Oh yeah, and being a veggie isn’t very easy…

Haha, thanks all, strong replies. I am now going in expecting to be held up at gun point, being driven on death roads by drunk drivers and worst of all, getting taken on road for a miss-sold Enduro MTB trip. It can only get better from here 🙂 Good tip re sticking to local / cheap busses.

Would love to immerse myself and do everything properly, not a fan of the old package hols – hop on/off tours.

Just for travelling between places it looks like I can do the below:

Lima to Chachapoyas in under 2hrs by plane.
Chachapoyas to Gotca Falls in 1.5hrs
Gotca Falls to Kuelap in another 1.5hrs
Kuelap to Chachapoyas in 1hr
Chachapoyas to Chicalayo on night bus 9hrs.

Now just need to see if I can find busses or a cheap way of getting around in-between the flight and night bus.

Totally off the trail but anyone done Nazca Lines? Tourist trap?

Give my regards to my Aunt Lucy.

I’ve been to Peru loads of times and never had any trouble there. If you’re heading to Trujilo you’d be better off going to Huanchaco and finding a place to stay on the coast there, Trujilo is great for a look around but I wouldn’t want to stay there. And rather than go all the way from Trujilo to Lima could you not fit in a stop off at Huaraz on the way? That way you get to see a bit of the Andes as well.

Totally off the trail but anyone done Nazca Lines? Tourist trap?

ye went there in 2005. Got smashed in a bar with a bunch of students we met there (I was 35 at the time!) then had to get in the tiny little plane the following morning. Although I was hungover and remember feeling quite sick it was definitely good to see.

btw OP. If you’re staying in Lima get a taxi from the airport to Miraflores and stay there, it’s a much safer part of Lima.

“Anyone here been to North Peru?”
No, but I’ve been to Paddington.