Just booked for August and wanted to say hi to anyone else booked on this trip :)

I booked and really excited a big hello to you and anyone else going. 😃

I did this trip last year, 2017 with the Amazon add on.   If you have any questions I will try to answer for you.    It's a wonderful tour. Have fun.    :)

I would love to know how much in rough term money to take . What happens in the Amazon add on all I know is where I am staying there have been no details of meals things to do.

Firstly regarding money.  Most of your meals are included in the holiday costs, but there are 1 or 2 that you will need to cater for. All of the meals on the Amazon add on are inclusive. There will be many opportunities to buy items throughout the holiday. The costs are not prohibitive, but there are so many interesting things to bring home that you could well purchase more than you bargained for. I took £500 with me and still returned with some available. But I would say that this would be a good sum to take.  

Regarding the Amazon add on. I stayed at the Helliconia Lodge and everything there was organised. As said all the meals are included and cover a wide range of tastes. Each meal is based on a buffet plan. You help yourself to what ever you fancy from what is available. And it's all good stuff. I never heard of any complaints from other tour members.                                                                                    

Because you are in the middle of the Amazon jungle it is advised that you don't wander off on your own.  So every day was organised with an itinerary, which fully occupied your day. Although there were times left for you to relax,   A boat trip in the early morning to catch the water birds in the jungle waking up. A trip to a local village to see how the indigenous people live ( and I might say not just a tourist trap) Walks in the jungle both during the day and if you are brave enough at night, all under the close supervision of an extremely well qualified guide.  Even the chance to go fishing and catch a Piranha or two.  

Being a photographer, Peru was a dream location for me. So many magnificent places and views. Don't forget your camera. It is a tour and a place you will never forget and the pictures will constantly remind you of the good time you had.  

One word of caution. Take careful note of all the advice given regarding dealing with high altitude. It can noticeably affect you from Abra La Raya @ 14,284ft  and in Puno.  Take your time, don't rush around and drink the mate de coca, a herbal tea infusion, available free at the Hotel. It helps.    

If there is anything else I can help with please ask.

Thanks for your comments, some real treats in store for us on this trip.

you don't mention what time of year you travelled - just wondering about wardrobe and what to pack? ?

Hi,

Firstly regarding money.  Most of your meals are included in the holiday costs, but there are 1 or 2 that you will need to cater for. All of the meals on the Amazon add on are inclusive. There will be many opportunities to buy items throughout the holiday. The costs are not prohibitive, but there are so many interesting things to bring home that you could well purchase more than you bargained for. I took £500 with me and still returned with some available. But I would say that this would be a good sum to take.  

Regarding the Amazon add on. I stayed at the Helliconia Lodge and everything there was organised. As said all the meals are included and cover a wide range of tastes. Each meal is based on a buffet plan. You help yourself to what ever you fancy from what is available. And it's all good stuff. I never heard of any complaints from other tour members.                                                                                    

Because you are in the middle of the Amazon jungle it is advised that you don't wander off on your own.  So every day was organised with an itinerary, which fully occupied your day. Although there were times left for you to relax,   A boat trip in the early morning to catch the water birds in the jungle waking up. A trip to a local village to see how the indigenous people live ( and I might say not just a tourist trap) Walks in the jungle both during the day and if you are brave enough at night, all under the close supervision of an extremely well qualified guide.  Even the chance to go fishing and catch a Piranha or two.  

Being a photographer, Peru was a dream location for me. So many magnificent places and views. Don't forget your camera. It is a tour and a place you will never forget and the pictures will constantly remind you of the good time you had.  

One word of caution. Take careful note of all the advice given regarding dealing with high altitude. It can noticeably affect you from Abra La Raya @ 14,284ft  and in Puno.  Take your time, don't rush around and drink the mate de coca, a herbal tea infusion, available free at the Hotel. It helps.    

If there is anything else I can help with please ask.

I went late June early July.  What you must consider is Peru is in the  Southern hemisphere which of course means that the seasons are reversed.  June to them is mid winter and the locals were all walking around with heavy coats and puffer jackets. Us Brits in complete contradiction were walking around in short sleeved shirts and shorts. The ladies were also in summer wear.  Peru is only 300 miles from the equator ( we are 3,000) so their winters are in fact very much like our summers. The temperatures there were up in the higher 20's  As you are going in August, this would equate to their spring time, so I would advise taking appropriate seasonal clothing for that. Remembering that it will be hotter than our springtime.  

No long to go now.  🙂  Hope you have a great holiday

I went in August last year and had a great time.  Overall assume days that can get quite hot and evenings that get quite cold - as they like to say take 'layers' with you.  I wore my lightweight fleece a lot as well as a kind of zip up tracksuit top both first thing in the morning to keep warm on the early starts and when we went out of the hotel to eat in the evening at Cusco or Puno.  I travelled in jeans and wore them most evenings.

Lima will probably be very misty - they say it is for most of the year so it can drizzle a bit and you will need a showerproof but lightweight anorak with a hood - good to have one that folds up small as it will be useful on the Amazon add on as well - although we have good weather there apart from a couple of very heavy showers.

Daytime is lightweight trouser weather - I certainly didn't venture into my shorts.  Some of the girls wore jeans but I opted for lighter weight trousers 'cause I find them more comfortable for walking and sitting on coaches. Mostly T-shirts in the day with that lightweight jacket perhaps if you get a chillier spell or you are high up - but you will need suncream as well.  There is lots of walking and the ground can be rough - I actually travelled in my lightweight walking boots 'cause they wouldn't fit in my case - so I wore them each day we were flying on and also for the walking days around Cusco - I was pleased I took them with me but some of the girls just had trainers or comfortable shoes. They were good for the Amazon as well although you get given wellies there so it doesn't matter so much. I wore my Sketchers the rest of the time.  

I splashed out on a pair of very lightweight trousers that were mosquito repellant for the Amazon and again I was pleased but the most important thing on the Amazon leg is just to be covered up - so take a couple of long sleeved T shirts and a hat - in fact you will wear your hat a lot to keep the sun off your head for the whole holiday.  The pool at the Amazon lodge is very welcome on most days so take your swimsuit.

There is no need to take anything very dressy for evenings although we did have a few meals out in Lima and Cusco so it depends how much you like to dress up - it can take up a lot of space in the case for not much chance to wear it.  I took a smarter pair of trousers and a couple of smarter tops plus a lightweight cardigan which I did wear but I wouldn't say it was essential.

You can wash clothes in your hotel room but on this trip there is a lot of moving on after 2/3 days so you have to plan so you can get things dry.  I only washed underwear ( took 5 pairs of knickers and socks) but other girls did wash T shirts and trousers.

Not sure if you have read it but you can only take a smaller lightweight bag on the Amazon leg - the boat trip from Iquitos to the hotel can't carry much luggage.  I had a slightly larger rucksack that I used for this as well as on all the flights.  Then I took a fold up smaller rucksack for normal days out. So you have to plan a bit and limit your clothes for the last few days.  I took a small hairdrier 'casue I am fussy about how I dry my hair but the hotels did all have driers.

I hope this is useful - anything else just ask.  Have fun  Janet

Hi Tracey

I went late June early July.  What you must consider is Peru is in the  Southern hemisphere which of course means that the seasons are reversed.  June to them is mid winter and the locals were all walking around with heavy coats and puffer jackets. Us Brits in complete contradiction were walking around in short sleeved shirts and shorts. The ladies were also in summer wear.  Peru is only 300 miles from the equator ( we are 3,000) so their winters are in fact very much like our summers. The temperatures there were up in the higher 20's  As you are going in August, this would equate to their spring time, so I would advise taking appropriate seasonal clothing for that. Remembering that it will be hotter than our springtime.  

No long to go now.  🙂  Hope you have a great holiday

Thanks for the info, much appreciated.  😃

Thanks Janet, great advice and tips. 

Definately got an idea of what I'll need now, I hate taking things that I never end up wearing, takes up to much room that I could be using for souvenirs  😉

Hi Tracey

I went in August last year and had a great time.  Overall assume days that can get quite hot and evenings that get quite cold - as they like to say take 'layers' with you.  I wore my lightweight fleece a lot as well as a kind of zip up tracksuit top both first thing in the morning to keep warm on the early starts and when we went out of the hotel to eat in the evening at Cusco or Puno.  I travelled in jeans and wore them most evenings.

Lima will probably be very misty - they say it is for most of the year so it can drizzle a bit and you will need a showerproof but lightweight anorak with a hood - good to have one that folds up small as it will be useful on the Amazon add on as well - although we have good weather there apart from a couple of very heavy showers.

Daytime is lightweight trouser weather - I certainly didn't venture into my shorts.  Some of the girls wore jeans but I opted for lighter weight trousers 'cause I find them more comfortable for walking and sitting on coaches. Mostly T-shirts in the day with that lightweight jacket perhaps if you get a chillier spell or you are high up - but you will need suncream as well.  There is lots of walking and the ground can be rough - I actually travelled in my lightweight walking boots 'cause they wouldn't fit in my case - so I wore them each day we were flying on and also for the walking days around Cusco - I was pleased I took them with me but some of the girls just had trainers or comfortable shoes. They were good for the Amazon as well although you get given wellies there so it doesn't matter so much. I wore my Sketchers the rest of the time.  

I splashed out on a pair of very lightweight trousers that were mosquito repellant for the Amazon and again I was pleased but the most important thing on the Amazon leg is just to be covered up - so take a couple of long sleeved T shirts and a hat - in fact you will wear your hat a lot to keep the sun off your head for the whole holiday.  The pool at the Amazon lodge is very welcome on most days so take your swimsuit.

There is no need to take anything very dressy for evenings although we did have a few meals out in Lima and Cusco so it depends how much you like to dress up - it can take up a lot of space in the case for not much chance to wear it.  I took a smarter pair of trousers and a couple of smarter tops plus a lightweight cardigan which I did wear but I wouldn't say it was essential.

You can wash clothes in your hotel room but on this trip there is a lot of moving on after 2/3 days so you have to plan so you can get things dry.  I only washed underwear ( took 5 pairs of knickers and socks) but other girls did wash T shirts and trousers.

Not sure if you have read it but you can only take a smaller lightweight bag on the Amazon leg - the boat trip from Iquitos to the hotel can't carry much luggage.  I had a slightly larger rucksack that I used for this as well as on all the flights.  Then I took a fold up smaller rucksack for normal days out. So you have to plan a bit and limit your clothes for the last few days.  I took a small hairdrier 'casue I am fussy about how I dry my hair but the hotels did all have driers.

I hope this is useful - anything else just ask.  Have fun  Janet

Hi,

Firstly regarding money.  Most of your meals are included in the holiday costs, but there are 1 or 2 that you will need to cater for. All of the meals on the Amazon add on are inclusive. There will be many opportunities to buy items throughout the holiday. The costs are not prohibitive, but there are so many interesting things to bring home that you could well purchase more than you bargained for. I took £500 with me and still returned with some available. But I would say that this would be a good sum to take.  

Regarding the Amazon add on. I stayed at the Helliconia Lodge and everything there was organised. As said all the meals are included and cover a wide range of tastes. Each meal is based on a buffet plan. You help yourself to what ever you fancy from what is available. And it's all good stuff. I never heard of any complaints from other tour members.                                                                                    

Because you are in the middle of the Amazon jungle it is advised that you don't wander off on your own.  So every day was organised with an itinerary, which fully occupied your day. Although there were times left for you to relax,   A boat trip in the early morning to catch the water birds in the jungle waking up. A trip to a local village to see how the indigenous people live ( and I might say not just a tourist trap) Walks in the jungle both during the day and if you are brave enough at night, all under the close supervision of an extremely well qualified guide.  Even the chance to go fishing and catch a Piranha or two.  

Being a photographer, Peru was a dream location for me. So many magnificent places and views. Don't forget your camera. It is a tour and a place you will never forget and the pictures will constantly remind you of the good time you had.  

One word of caution. Take careful note of all the advice given regarding dealing with high altitude. It can noticeably affect you from Abra La Raya @ 14,284ft  and in Puno.  Take your time, don't rush around and drink the mate de coca, a herbal tea infusion, available free at the Hotel. It helps.    

If there is anything else I can help with please ask.