We had a very special episode of the Real Food Traveler Podcast recently when my guest was my husband, Jimmy McDonough, who is also the Real Food Traveler Eco-Friendly Food, Travel & Adventure Editor. He visited Peru with his three sisters who love to celebrate major birthdays in their lives with an adventurous trip. In celebration of his older sister’s birthday, they planned a trip to Peru and Machu Picchu. Jimmy has written three articles about visiting Peru for Real Food Traveler readers, providing really practical, you-might-not-have-thought-of-this advice. In this podcast, he divulges some of those tips. 

Save this podcast article to Pinterest to help you plan your trip to Peru. Photos by Jimmy McDonough. Graphic by RealFoodTraveler.com.

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Travel to Peru: Tips & Recommendations

Here are a couple of Jimmy’s tips in this article:
Pack an extra empty travel bag. Peru’s artisans will tempt you to take home irresistible gifts and beautiful treasures to remind you of this magical place. Give in and buy lots of gifts for friends and family and support the local economy. That said, budget for gifts. Stick to it. You’ll be tempted to buy more. Trust me.

Do not drive yourself. Aggressive drivers, narrow roads, minimal signage, etc., make Peru a difficult place to negotiate. Relax, sit back, and enjoy your trip by hiring a local driver and guide.

Tips for Visiting Machu Picchu

Decide if you want to try to visit MP in one day by traveling from nearby Cusco, or by overnighting in nearby Ollantaytambo, or elsewhere. I highly recommend overnighting in Aguas Caliente; a one-day visit from Cusco will be exhausting. On my visit, I took the train from Ollantaytambo to Aguas Caliente (also known as Machupicchu Pueblo), spent the night, then visited MP early the next day. Spend another night in Aguas and take an early train back to Cusco. While in Aguas Caliente, enjoy the thermal swimming pools, as well as the many restaurants, bars, public art, huge artisans’ marketplace, and street life.

Get in shape for lots of climbing archeological wonders like Machu Picchu.

Food in Peru: Memorable Dining Experiences in Peru

Our first meal in Lima was lunch at LA73 in the lovely clifftop Barranco barrio. This hip and casual spot near the MAC Lima (Museum of Contemporary Art, where our artist sister Jodi helped us divine the meaning of the abstract collection) offered a perfect introduction to the creative fusion that is contemporary Peruvian cuisine with an emphasis on fresh seafood. Hispanic, Japanese, and European culinary traditions influenced the many dishes we scarfed down. And the cocktails were perfect. Actually, everything was perfect at this place, from the vibrant Lima street life setting, to the food, cocktails, to the friendly service. What a great introduction to Peru!

Mixed seafood at LA73 restaurant in Lima.

Enjoy our podcast conversation that provides a well-rounded introduction to Peru. And be sure to listen to our other Real Food Traveler Podcast episodes which you can listen to here on our site as well as on iTunes, Spotify, Overcast and wherever else you stream podcasts.

-Story by Courtney Drake-McDonough, Publisher and Managing Editor. Photos by Jimmy McDonough, Eco-Friendly Food, Travel & Adventure Editor