I receive a fair amount of emails regarding travel to Peru – here is one of my latest replies to a traveler.

Domiruth travel and has been very helpful in the past regarding good
prices for in country airfare –

http://www.domiruth.com.pe/default.aspx?AspxAutoDetectCookieSupport=1

The Site is in Spanish.

Inca Trail – Regardless of whether you take short trail or not, stay overnight in Aguas Calientes so you can have first chance in the morning to visit MP before the buses and tourist trains arrive from Cuzco.

Under my MP page I list some options regarding travel to MP – short trail is very short. I think regular Inca trail is about $500 or $600 now – yes, its
getting late to make reservations for Inca Trail but you might want to ask one of the agencies about this.

You might want to email Hiking Peru or some of the other agencies I list on this page. I’ve used several of them, visited some of their offices and or had recommendations for the ones i list:

http://www.davestravelcorner.com/articles/cuzco/travel-agencies.htm

I’ve taken the bus from Puno to Arequipa – I took the overnight one which was fine, a bit of a windy road in places. Be sure to visit Sillistuani – even higher than Lake T.

The weather should be great in the north coast. My brother rented a car and drove up the entire coastal highway for 1 month. Lots of beaches and desert like. Very smart to fly from Arequipa north – I’ve done both bus and plane. Bus takes like 18 hours to Lima!

I loved Iquitos as its so isolated and remote and you need to fly. Huaraz is also great with spectacular mountains nearby. I’ve been there during rainy season before and it doesn’t rain all the time. 9 hours by bus from Lima.

May want to consider flying to Cuzco from Lima rather than taking bus.

For light packlist I hve the fllowing:
http://www.davestravelcorner.com/travellist.htm

consider the cold weather lightweight otions for your trip since you will be going to lake t which is very high and can get cold there esp at night but also during day. Course cold is relative 🙂 – maybe in the low 40’s.

I have NEVER had any problems in Peru by showing up and getting rooms on the fly – ie you don’t need to pre book your rooms. cruz del sur is ne of the mre expensive nicer buses, they even have free wifi in some of their buses outside of the mountains – there are cheaper buses for sure. Cial, Movil Tours etc.

Flying into andes ie Cuzco, usually ealrier flights better b/c of weather. shoppoing for soevnenirs in Cuzco too expensive as its tourist area. cheaper in Lima. Great ceviche in lima.