The Peru Channel

About a month into Lima's current State of Emergency, there appears to be a lot of show and few results. While we await an official report, some new data shows that homicides have not significantly decreased. Also, there are some big train discounts for travelers planning their trips to Machu Picchu next year all the way though June 30 that you really have to check out. 

Friday morning Peru woke up to its 7th President in the last 9 years with only two actualluy being elected. In this episode I'll explain what has happened and what you can might expect in the coming days, week, and months. When more comes out -- and this is a very fluid situation at the moment -- you can check out the link on the Show Notes page to learn more.

Nothing will ruin a trip for which you may have spent hundreds if not thousands of dollars to visit one of the Seven Modern Wonders of the World only to find out you can't get a ticket or your dream of hiking the Inca Trail is not possible because tickets are sold out months in advance. In this episode, I give you advice on how to make sure your once-in-a-lifetime trip actually occurs and that you are not left terribly disappointed because you waited too long to plan ahead. I talk about not only the Inca Trail and Machu Picchu tickets which are generally straight forward processes, but spend a lot of time explaining how to pick the right train which can be quite daunting when looking aty the websites of the two companies with all their options. I close out the episode talking about how last month's crisis at Machu Picchu has been averted, but perhaps only for the moment with the rest of 2025 looking as if things will be smooth. You can find links to everything I talk about (train companies, where to buy official MP tickets, and the Inca Trail companies that I recommend) on the Show Notes page. You can also leave any questions or comments on that page.

No matter how amazing Machu Picchu is, once again incompetence is making it look like a bad choice of places to visit. The possibility of a strike stopping transportation for yourists up and down the mountain in a few days is of great concern as walking is not recommended except for the very strong. In this short, last minute episode, I talk about what's happening there as of today, September 10, and give some background on why it has gotten this bad so quickly. I'll add anything new on The Peru Channel's "News" page with a link in the Show Notes. Hopefully this will all work itself out quickly, but there seems to be so much ill will and, with a LOT of money involved, it's very possible that things will get worse before they get better.

This was a lot of fun and focuses on absolutely free things to see and experience mostly around Cusco's central historical center. Some you can probably guess, but not all.  You can learn more at the Show Notes where I'll include some relevant links and pics of the different places I talk about.

This episode took a long time to prepare as I simply have a LOT of adventures to tell you -- things like dealing with miners and loggers in the rainforest, searching for wild (and even sometimes dangerous) animals, and so much more. It was a lot of fun to prepare, but keeping things fairly organized and trying hard to avoid my tendency to ramble in my storytelling -- epecially when given the backstory and background information -- is hard for me! Yoiu can found some more information in the Show Notes including a link to some of my relevant YouTube videos (or just look for The Peru Channel on Youtube). They're not going to be picked by Netflix, but I think they're still a lot of fun to watch and show what it's REALLY like exploring here as opposed to the fake "adventures" shared by professional influencer on social media.

In this episode I answer questions that I've seen come up the most so far in 2025 from people planning a trip to Peru. I read social media and watch YouTube videos constantly to get a feel for what people are thinking about when they plan a trip to Peru. Sadly, so much of what is shared is simply wrong.  As I mention in this episode, it's frustrating to have someone who spent five days in Peru try to tell people "everything they need to know" and even become angry if someone questions what they say.  For many social media influencers, it's often all about making money instead of helping others. You can visit the Show Notes page here: Podcast Episode 36 - Most Asked Questions About Visiting Peru in 2025. Thank you for listening!

With the new Lima airport opening a couple of days ago, another robbery and kidnapping of tourists near Iquitos, and the death of a U.S. tourist in Huacachina, the past few days have been extremely busy and I thought it would be a good idea to record another episiode a little quicker than usual as ther's so much to share. There's really nothing much in the Show Notes this week to see other than some links that might help you in coming to Peru through the new airport, but you can leave a comment on the page if you have anything to say including any questions that I might be able to answer. ----- YouTube Instagram Our "Explore Peru"  Facebook Group (0ver 5000 people and growing!) 

There's a lot going on Peru as the tourist season really gets underway. The new Lima airport is set to open ina few days and problems with tourism continues to plague the industry based on crime and questionable tourism companies. You can read more about this week's episode with some useful links for travelers at the Show Notes page here: Podcast Episode 34 – Lima Airport to Finally Open and Tourist Terror on the Amazon. 

Learn about the routes from someone who has actually been on every single one. In this episode I give a little description with some comments about each of the 10 routes through Machu Picchu to help you make a decision on which is best for you. You can read the Show Notes here:  Episode 33 - Which Machu Picchu Route to Choose

Tourism in Peru has some very real issues. While it's a magical place to visit, there are things that you should know about that might make your trip better and maybe even save your life. Show Notes: Podcast Episode 32 - The Dark Side of Tourism in Peru    

There's really not much on the Show Notes page this week, but you can access it here and leave any comments, questions, or suggestions. I promise -- everyhthing is really appreciated.

This is the second part in the series about Machu Picchu in which I talk about more about getting there, the best time of the year to visit and even the best time of the day, plus some assorted tips including my two favorite restaurants where the food is plentiful and cheap, and finally what to do if tickets are sold out because you DO have an option. You can find the Show Notes here at Podcast Episode 30 - Questions About Visiting Machu Picchu (Part 2). ---------- You can always follow me on Instagram: (@ThePeruChannel) and YouTube (The Peru Channel) or join our Facebook group (Explore Peru).

In this first episode of a series, I talk about about guides, tickets, buses, and trains. There's so much to talk about, that I had to start somewhere and these are some of the topics that come up most of all. There are a lot of links to things like where to buy tickets for Machu Picchu, the trains, and the buses as well as great sources for more detailed information on the Show Notes page here:  Podcast Episode 29 – Questions About Visiting Machu Picchu (Part 1)

In this epsiode I talk about a variety of topics that come up often for people considering Peru including tipping, money, all things money, weather and what clothes to wear, electricty concerns for electronics, and restrooms! You can leave any comments or questions on the Show Notes page here: Podcast Episode 28 - Questions About Visiting Peru (Part 1) . 

Visiting somewhere and actually living there are never the same. In this episode I talk about some of what life is like as an expat living in Cusco. While there's a lot to talk about, I focused on shopping, food, noise, and getting around with some quick comments about things like laundry and health care. Please leave a comment on the Show Notes page here: Episode 27 - Some Thoughts on Living in Cusco. Thank you very much for listening!

Safety, getting around, and general experiencing travel -- lots of people tell you all kind of tips about visiting a place -- some good, some bad, some relevant, and some not... I wanted to discuss a few things that always seem to come up when people come to my city that might make your visit a little more enjoyable. There are, of course, lots more to talk about, but they will have to wait until another episode.) Cusco is a one-of-a-kind place to visit and I hope that everyone can get a taste of what I'm lucky enough to experience every day. There aren't many Show Notes this time, but you can visit them here: Some Tips for Visiting Cusco (From Someone Who Lives Here)

When to visit? Is Peru safe? Is Machu Picchu really worth it? Why do I live here? These are some of the most common questions I get and in this episode I try to answer each. Also, I talk about a new announcement affecting last minute ticket purchases for Machu Picchu -- a major issue since online ticket sales are often sold out in weeks in advance and getting one of the 1000 tickets set aside at Aguas Calientes can be a challenge (if not impossible) if you don't know what to do. You can find more information here on the Show Notes page:  Podcast Episode 25: 4 Questions I'm Often asked About Peru.

I'm lucky to have been able to travel many places in Peru by just about every means possible from airplanes to buses to cars and even to boats along the Amazon. In this episode I talk about how it's not as challenging or confusing as you might think and how it's possible to go anywhere you want easily and cheaply in Peru using public transportation. You can check out the Show Notes here - Podcast Episode 24: Traveling Peru by Road and River - where you can find all the links tralked about in the episode as well as leave a written and even a voice message! Please follow or subscribe to this podcast to be notified when the next episode is available. Thanks for listening.

In this episode I talk about 7 places that will give you a taste of what the city, it's history, and its culture are really like. As someone who lives here, these are among my favorites because they are most representative of what Cusco really has to offer from modern life going back through its centuries of history. You can always follow me on Instagram: (@ThePeruChannel) and YouTube (The Peru Channel) or join our Facebook group (Explore Cusco and Peru). I've added something different on the Show Notes Page (Podcast Episode 23: The Seven Places You Have to Visit in Cusco) -- the option to record any questions, suggestions, and/or comments that you would like to share with me. Please subscribe to this podcast and share it with others. Thanks again for listening!