Toronto, Canada to Lima, Peru for only $409 CAD roundtrip

from https://travel.gc.ca/destinations/peru

Peru - Exercise a high degree of caution
Exercise a high degree of caution in Peru due to high levels of crime, as well as social conflicts and strikes that may occur across the country.

nimenkanne wrote: ↑ from https://travel.gc.ca/destinations/peru

Peru - Exercise a high degree of caution
Exercise a high degree of caution in Peru due to high levels of crime, as well as social conflicts and strikes that may occur across the country.

Lollll can't tell if serious or trolling...

nimenkanne wrote: ↑ from https://travel.gc.ca/destinations/peru

Peru - Exercise a high degree of caution
Exercise a high degree of caution in Peru due to high levels of crime, as well as social conflicts and strikes that may occur across the country.

I lived in South America for a year - This is Peru we're talking about, not Bolivia.
Its a pretty safe country as long as you aren't acting like the British do at their stag parties in Poland
(link for those who are curious: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldn ... rties.html)

I’m trying to schedule something later on this year as well as the salt flats in Bolivia, but this is a really good price.

As in any other country always be alert.

We usually don’t go out at night in our travels unless accompanied by a guide that knows the area.

Cheers !

StrangeThings wrote: ↑ Cheap flights from Toronto, Canada to Lima, Peru for only $409 CAD roundtrip with Avianca.

DEPART:
Toronto, Canada

ARRIVE:
Lima, Peru

RETURN:
Toronto, Canada

DATES:
Availability in May 2020

Example dates:
11th-19th May
11th-21st May
12th-19th May
12th-21st May
12th-23rd May
12th-26th May
13th-21st May
13th-26th May
13th-27th May

and more…

STOPS:
San Salvador
Quito (outgoing only)

AIRLINES:
Avianca

419justblaz wrote: ↑ I lived in South America for a year - This is Peru we're talking about, not Bolivia.
Its a pretty safe country as long as you aren't acting like the British do at their stag parties in Poland
(link for those who are curious: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldn ... rties.html)

Exactly. Peru is probably the safest and cleanest place (maybe Uruguay gets close?) in South America. Just don't be an arsehole and exercise the usual precautions to prevent theft/pick pocketing like you would in Barcelona or Rome.

Lived in Peru 20 years ago, and even then it was incredibly safe and friendly. Much more so these days.

nimenkanne wrote: ↑ from https://travel.gc.ca/destinations/peru

Peru - Exercise a high degree of caution
Exercise a high degree of caution in Peru due to high levels of crime, as well as social conflicts and strikes that may occur across the country.

lol .... was just there in september. never once felt uneasy due to any social conflicts or potential for crime

nimenkanne wrote: ↑ from https://travel.gc.ca/destinations/peru

Peru - Exercise a high degree of caution
Exercise a high degree of caution in Peru due to high levels of crime, as well as social conflicts and strikes that may occur across the country.

You realize nobody would ever travel anywhere if these travel advisories were treated as the gospel right?

nimenkanne wrote: ↑ from https://travel.gc.ca/destinations/peru

Peru - Exercise a high degree of caution
Exercise a high degree of caution in Peru due to high levels of crime, as well as social conflicts and strikes that may occur across the country.

North Americans are so sheltered, they literally have no idea what it's like outside their borders. Sad that the government instills fears on ignorant people, potentially holding them back from the greatest experiences of their lives. Peru is a must see. From the incredible architecture in Lima, the Huacachina Oasis, the Nazca Lines, Lake Titicaca and the Uros, Cusco, The Rainbow Mountains, Ayahausca Retreats (this is personal preference), to Aguascalientes and finally Machu Picchu. This is by far one of the top destinations in South America and perhaps the world.

Parrajara wrote: ↑ North Americans are so sheltered, they literally have no idea what it's like outside their borders. Sad that the government instills fears on ignorant people, potentially holding them back from the greatest experiences of their lives. Peru is a must see. From the incredible architecture in Lima, the Huacachina Oasis, the Nazca Lines, Lake Titicaca and the Uros, Cusco, The Rainbow Mountains, Ayahausca Retreats (this is personal preference), to Aguascalientes and finally Machu Picchu. This is by far one of the top destinations in South America and perhaps the world.

Exactly. Just about everywhere you go on the planet there is some risk of crime. Would you skip over Sweden because of the Eastern European organized crime in Malmo? No, of course not. You would just avoid parts of Malmo.

Parrajara wrote: ↑ North Americans are so sheltered, they literally have no idea what it's like outside their borders. Sad that the government instills fears on ignorant people, potentially holding them back from the greatest experiences of their lives. Peru is a must see. From the incredible architecture in Lima, the Huacachina Oasis, the Nazca Lines, Lake Titicaca and the Uros, Cusco, The Rainbow Mountains, Ayahausca Retreats (this is personal preference), to Aguascalientes and finally Machu Picchu. This is by far one of the top destinations in South America and perhaps the world.

Lake what?

uhh 29 hour travel time?

I went to Peru at Christmas. Do not recommend. Highlights of the shitshow include:

• Train from Cusco to Aguas Calientes (machu pichu), which cost almost $300RT, got canceled with no recourse other than being told to come back and try again in 2 or 3 days. If you're going to charge first world prices then I expect first world service, but we were left stranded in a strange city with no hotel and were offered no compensation or help figuring out our new logistics. We forfeit our pre-paid hotel in aguas calientes because we couldn't show up. Our Machu Pichu tickets (which are tied to a specific time and date) were void because we would now be there on a different day. Many people got f****d over because they had flights or onward travel plans that meant they couldn't just hang around for a couple extra days waiting to be re-booked. This was Inca Rail, btw. I've heard that Peru Rail is a bit better for customer service when shit hits the fan.
• Agreeing with a taxi driver at the airport that he would charge 70soles to take us to our hotel, and when we arrived he changed his mind. It wouldn't be 70, it would be 80.
• One of the AirBnBs we stayed in had no windows. There were windows on the pictures online, but since then it appears that the building next door wanted to expand, and just bricked over our windows to do so.
• Another AirBnB was just absolutely filthy. Like, looked nice in pictures but then just grime on every surface. After we got home and I left my review, the host messaged me to curse me and my family for what I had done to him.
• Seemingly no building standards. Things are just brick or cinder block walls with no support frame. If there is ever an earthquake the death toll will be in the thousands.
• No concern for safe food handling. Everything, no matter how perishable, is just left to fester at room temperature. Raw meat, cheeses, prepared foods, I will never forget the smell. Also no concern for hygiene. We had one waiter who literally smelled like he shit himself. I saw food-handlers blow their their nose into their hand and then go right back to touching food. And you can't even eat salad because there's no guarantee that the water it was washed in was sterile. All of us got some level of food poisoning, despite following general precautions for eating while abroad.
• Tour guides at machu pichu cutting the line, and then once they were in line ahead of you, they'd invite the rest of their friends to join them. We didn't have this problem anywhere else, so I don't know if it's just that we weren't waiting in lines elsewhere, or if it's just specifically the tour guides at machu pichu that know they can get away with it.
• Being hustled for everything all the time. I know it's a little bit to be expected when traveling, but it gets old fast.
• The air quality is shit. People burn their garbage and there are emission standards on cars. My allergies were going crazy the entire time we were there.

In short, don't go to Peru.

LOL, you are literally talking about a developing/3rd world country here.

You were charged "1st world prices" because you've gone during Xmas... Are you a first time xmas traveler?

evange wrote: ↑ I went to Peru at Christmas. Do not recommend. Highlights of the shitshow include:

• Train from Cusco to Aguas Calientes (machu pichu), which cost almost $300RT, got canceled with no recourse other than being told to come back and try again in 2 or 3 days. If you're going to charge first world prices then I expect first world service, but we were left stranded in a strange city with no hotel and were offered no compensation or help figuring out our new logistics. We forfeit our pre-paid hotel in aguas calientes because we couldn't show up. Our Machu Pichu tickets (which are tied to a specific time and date) were void because we would now be there on a different day. Many people got f****d over because they had flights or onward travel plans that meant they couldn't just hang around for a couple extra days waiting to be re-booked. This was Inca Rail, btw. I've heard that Peru Rail is a bit better for customer service when shit hits the fan.
• Agreeing with a taxi driver at the airport that he would charge 70soles to take us to our hotel, and when we arrived he changed his mind. It wouldn't be 70, it would be 80.
• One of the AirBnBs we stayed in had no windows. There were windows on the pictures online, but since then it appears that the building next door wanted to expand, and just bricked over our windows to do so.
• Another AirBnB was just absolutely filthy. Like, looked nice in pictures but then just grime on every surface. After we got home and I left my review, the host messaged me to curse me and my family for what I had done to him.
• Seemingly no building standards. Things are just brick or cinder block walls with no support frame. If there is ever an earthquake the death toll will be in the thousands.
• No concern for safe food handling. Everything, no matter how perishable, is just left to fester at room temperature. Raw meat, cheeses, prepared foods, I will never forget the smell. Also no concern for hygiene. We had one waiter who literally smelled like he shit himself. I saw food-handlers blow their their nose into their hand and then go right back to touching food. And you can't even eat salad because there's no guarantee that the water it was washed in was sterile. All of us got some level of food poisoning, despite following general precautions for eating while abroad.
• Tour guides at machu pichu cutting the line, and then once they were in line ahead of you, they'd invite the rest of their friends to join them. We didn't have this problem anywhere else, so I don't know if it's just that we weren't waiting in lines elsewhere, or if it's just specifically the tour guides at machu pichu that know they can get away with it.
• Being hustled for everything all the time. I know it's a little bit to be expected when traveling, but it gets old fast.
• The air quality is shit. People burn their garbage and there are emission standards on cars. My allergies were going crazy the entire time we were there.

In short, don't go to Peru.

sexyj wrote: ↑ LOL, you are literally talking about a developing/3rd world country here.

You were charged "1st world prices" because you've gone during Xmas... Are you a first time xmas traveler?

We were technically there after christmas, when it is considered low season. The trains were not full.

Then why you say you went to Peru at christmas ?

evange wrote: ↑ We were technically there after christmas, when it is considered low season. The trains were not full.

Been to Peru a few years ago, don't go expecting a first world country in terms of convenience.
Had guides for a majority of the things done, was warned about choosing what foods to considered (avoiding raw vegetables and such).
Went to the rain forest, hiked the machu pichu trail, went to many of their land marks.
Altitude sickness depending which city you are in.
Lima airport is legit in a "slum" looking area and the ride to the 'tourist" areas is eye opening. You would never be walking around in any of those dirt road areas. Tourist areas are safe and bustling.

edit:
Went during dry season, which is the most popular for hikes and what not.
Stray dogs are everywhere.
Didn't notice pollution or smells when in the tourist areas of Lima.
Only burning I noticed was the farmers near the rainforest burning previous season's crop leftovers during the dry season to prepare for next. These are controlled burns.

419justblaz wrote: ↑ Lake what?

Lake Titicaca, home of the Uros and the Taquile Island where Quechua people live. It is very fascinating, look it up. It is also one of* the world's highest (altitude wise) navigable lake.