F.A.Q.S – Apurimac Adventures Peru

How is the weather in Peru?

Peru’s climate varies depending on where you visit.

On the coast it is usually quite hot although during the winter (April-August) it can get chilly early in the morning and at night.

In the Andes there are two main seasons – wet and dry. The wet season runs from December to March and is wet but usually warmer overall.

The dry season runs from April to November and has hot clear days but cold nights.

The only one thing you can say about the weather in Peru is that it is difficult to accurately predict. You can see beautifully clear hot days in the middle of the wet season and hail storms in the dry season

When do I have Pre – Trek Briefing?

We offer you a briefing prior to departure 1 or 2 days before you leave on your trek. (2 days is preferred) Depending on your schedule a suitable time is usually around 6pm -8 pm. (The briefing should last ½ an hour to an hour- depending on how many questions you ask!) At this briefing the guide (or a representative of the agency if your guide is on a trip) will explain the route you will take on your trek and you have a chance to ask last minute questions about the trek. The advantage of having the briefing two days before the trek is that it gives you a last minute opportunity to buy snacks or warm clothes (there are plenty of hats, gloves and scarves for sale in Cusco). Your pre-trek briefing will be organised once you have paid your deposit. Please advise us if your briefing time (advised in your trek confirmation) is suitable. it’s one of the beauties of Peru.

In the Andes there are two main seasons – wet and dry. The wet season runs from December to March and is wet but usually warmer overall.

The dry season runs from April to November and has hot clear days but cold nights.

The only one thing you can say about the weather in Peru is that it is difficult to accurately predict. You can see beautifully clear hot days in the middle of the wet season and hail storms in the dry season

How is the food on the treks?

We’re so happy and proud to say that the only complaints we get about our food is that there is too much of it. Many people comment that the food they eat on the treks is the best they get whilst in Peru and we provide the best organic food on the treks.

A sample menu is as follows:
Breakfast: omelet, toast, butter, jam, pancakes, fruit salad, yogurt with hot chocolate, coffee and a variety of teas.
Snack: Every day you are provided with a snack to eat whilst trekking, this is usually something like a power bar + biscuits + fruit.
Lunch: appetizer + Soup + a main course ranging from Lomo Saltado, Causa Rellena, Trout, Spaghetti Bolagnese, grilled alpaca and lots of  fresh salad  etc. served with rice and garlic bread
Happy Hour – Every afternoon around 5 pm we serve hot chocolate, tea, Inca popcorn, coffee, biscuits, bread and jam, etc.
Dinner – See the main courses served at lunch.

Is necessary to have a travel Insurance?

As outlined in our booking conditions, we strongly recommend that you have your own travel insurance prior to departing on one of our treks. Please note that the non refundable deposit should be able to be recuperated through a travel insurance claim in the case of accident or illness. We are often asked to provide more information about travel insurance but believe it best if you contact insurance companies in your own country to learn more about travel insurance. In brief, an individual’s medical insurance is very distinct from typical travel/trip insurance. Read here about typical travel insurance http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Travel_insurance

Medical insurance is quite different in that it often does not cover emergency evacuation. We strongly recommend that you check your medical plans for emergency evacuation coverage AND strongly recommend that you obtain travel/trip insurance if you want to hedge your risk against trip cancellation, illness, injury, death, etc in order to recoup some of their expenses in such an event.

What vaccines do I need for Peru?

You should always consult your local travel clinic regarding vaccines. In general the regular vaccines such as Tetanus, Diptheria, Polio etc are recommended. If you are visiting the low-land jungle then Yellow Fever is recommended.

How is the Trek Difficulty in general?

It is very difficult to describe as it depends on your fitness, experience and a whole range of factors including your health on the day. Trekking in the Andes is never easy!!! The most common feedback we get is “this trek was much harder than I anticipated; you should rate it much harder.” (About most treks!) Read the reports on each trek page to get a good idea of what other trekkers thought of the difficulty!

The trek difficulties are in relation to one another not to trekking in your home country, or even in another country. Therefore Huchuy Qosqo is considered easy, Ausangate considered moderate and Choquequirao to Machu Picchu difficult… but actually all are challenging!

Most people can do many of the treks as long as they have average to good fitness and a positive attitude. (but they do find it a challenge!) Some training before the trek will make it much easier! See Exercise Recommendations below.

Also, please advise us if you have any medical conditions – like bad back, sore knees, weak ankles as well as other medical conditions. If you do not tell us we assume you are 100% healthy! We do not take any responsibility for your assumptions about the grading of the treks (“but I thought it would be easier than it was…!”) or poor/insufficient acclimatization.

Do I need to be fit to do one of your treks?

All of our treks (choquequirao, lares trek, the Inca Trail, Salkantay trek, Ausangate trek etc.) are moderately difficult, long and mountainous. We highly recommend that you are relatively fit and acclimatised to altitude (a minimum of 2 days at altitude) before undertaking them.  During the months (or at the very least, one month) before your trip, you should take regular, moderate exercise.  We want you to have an amazing experience and the fitter you are, the more enjoyable the treks will be.

What about altitude sickness & acclimatization?

We strongly recommend that you acclimatize for 2-3 days in a high place (like Cusco, Arequipa or Lake Titicaca) also we highly recommended to drink lots of water and coca tea  before attempting any of these hikes. Altitude can affect anyone at moderate to high altitude (generally anything over 3,000 meters). Altitude sickness is caused by a lack of oxygen which can be up to a third less than at sea level. No one understands why some people are affected and others not. Age, level of fitness and strength is no indication of how well you will fare at altitude. Be aware that altitude sickness can be serious, so if your guide advises you to rest or descend, please do as instructed. As most of our

Treks are a mixture of ascents and descents, altitude sickness is often short term and suffering from it does not necessarily mean you will be unable to complete the trek. Drugs are available to combat the effects of altitude sickness, for more information please ask your doctor.