Anne-Charlotte PasseraWhat better way to celebrate Christmas than in a foreign country with the family; in this case, the town of Cuzco in Peru.
When you and your family live in different countries, sometimes it’s just fun to actually meet up abroad and take a family trip together. That’s what my brother and I did a few years ago with his wife and our 5 kids.
It was a surreal experience. Our father had passed away in France only 2 days before we were due to fly out from Canada in my case, and from Chili for my brother. My dad was supposed to make the trip with us so that we could celebrate his 70th birthday all together. Sadly, that didn’t happen. Nonetheless, we took the trip. He didn’t want us to change our plans; no matter what.
So, on December 22nd, we flew into Cuzco and reunited more than 11 000 feet above sea level (3,399m) with my brother and his family.
The town of Cuzco is the oldest inhabited city in South America. It was formerly the capital of the Inca empire and is the gateway to the sacred valley and Machu Picchu. Although the architecture alone of the city makes it worth visiting, it is highly touristy. In some parts of town, you might feel like you are a walking ATM.
Getting to Cuzco
The easiest way to get to Cuzco is by Air. There are daily flights from cities such as Lima or Arequipa and they are really affordable. They usually arrive or depart in the morning.
We flew from Lima to Cuzco, shortly after having landed in Lima from Canada. My brother and his family managed to get a flight that left only 30 minutes after ours.
The easiest way to get to the city from the airport is by taxi. Before getting into the cab, ask for the cost. As a general rule, the ride should cost you between 10 and 15 soles.
Moreover, there is a departure tax when you leave Cuzco by air. Since we left by bus, I can’t give you more information about that.
Another option is to either take a bus from Lima or Puno. However, that means a 7 to 12 hour bus ride. It’s less expensive for sure and can also help in adjusting to the altitude if you’re coming from Lima.
Recommendation
People say that once you arrive in Cuzco, you should leave the same day for Machu Picchu as it’s located at 8,000 feet. It’s a great idea but the train for Machu Picchu leaves really early in the morning, so I don’t know exactly how that logistically would work.
In any case, we left the very next day for Machu Picchu, spent a night there and then came back to Cuzco where we spent three more nights.
Altitude sickness
Altitude sickness in Cuzco is a real thing. Both myself and my brother had the unfortunate experience with it. Our first night in Cuzco was rough. We didn’t get much sleep and both had major headaches.
Since your body needs to adjust to the altitude, don’t over do it on the first day or so. Take it easy. Avoid drinking alcohol and over exercising the first day or two.
We thought we did but still managed to get sick.
The day we arrived, we walked down to the Plaza de Armas, had dinner and then walked back up the hill to our lodging. We were almost on our knees going back up that hill. The kids on the other hand, ran around the Plaza de Armas as they were so excited to see each other. They didn’t take it easy and none of them got sick.
However, we left the very next day for Machu Picchu and by the time we got there we were already feeling better.
Drinking coca leaf tea can possibly alleviate the altitude sickness symptoms. We tried some on our way to Puno from Cuzco and it was quite good. In Cuzco you can buy some leaves at the San Pedro Market if you want to make yourself some.
Where to sleep
Don’t book anything around Plaza de Armas, as it’s a lot more expensive. However, since in that part of town it’s relatively flat and if you only need one night it might be a better option so as to help with adjusting to the altitude. You won’t have to over exerce yourself if you stay in that area.
We stayed at Loki Hostel because my mom who had been to Peru a few years back recommended it. It’s a 450 year old national monument located about 15 minutes away on foot from the Plaza de Armas, the heart of the city.
Unbeknown to us, we didn’t know it at the time of our booking, it turns out that it’s actually a party hostel. However, families are welcomed to stay there and we found it to be perfectly safe and a whole lot of fun.
We had a whole dorm to ourselves as we were 8. Fortunately, it was located close to the street and the farthest away from the hustle and bustle of the bar.
The bar is where we hung out during the day in between outings with the kids and played pool and ate breakfast and lunch.
Our Christmas experience
Since we were in Cuzco on Christmas Day, we celebrated it with a sit down dinner held at the hostel. The food was good and decently priced. It was held outside in the inner courtyard under a tent where we were able to engage with travellers from all parts of the world. We even got free Loki Hostel Christmas T-shirts!
Unfortunately, our kids somehow beat up the unofficial Santa Claus. My sister-in-law and I shamelessly denied that those kids were our offsprings.
Christmas Eve, Anna and I danced the night away, 11,000 high up in the air.
In the evenings, the bar is jumping. We hung out one evening with the kids and had a dance party. My niece was going all out, testing out new dance moves. Dancing gets to be exhausting relatively quickly due to the altitude. Drinking alcohol and blood bomb shooters (vodka and red bull) certainly doesn’t help. People actually come from other hostels to spend the evenings at Loki. Every night, there is something different to do. You definitely won’t be bored.
If you are going away for a few days and returning to Cuzco, you can leave your bags at the hostel for Free. Make you sure you get a receipt. Don’t leave any valuables inside your bags unless you have a lock for them.
Things to visit at Christmas in Cuzco
Christmas in Cuzco is not exactly cheerful due to the lack of sunshine. It’s actually pretty grey at that time of year. At least it was when we were there. That shouldn’t discourage you from visiting this Unesco World Heritage site (1983) though.
As you navigate the narrow streets of this diverse city, you’ll notice the highly crafted stone architecture reflecting the great skills the Incas had. Many walls which are still visible today were built without mortar. The stones were cut in irregular shapes and fitted with precision.
The name Cuzco means navel or center in the Quechua language. Cuzco was established during the 11th and 12th century.
The name is based on a legend where the first Inca, Mano Capac came to life. He had to find a place to settle based on the sun god’s guidance where his golden rod would plunge into the ground completely. This would be the navel of the earth and this the name: Cuzco.
A couple of terrible earthquakes destroyed parts of the city but the essence of it remains intact.
We didn’t visit a whole lot of the city and took it relatively easy. However, since we were in Cuzco for Christmas we checked out the San Pedro market designed by Gustave Eiffel so that we could buy some little presents for the kids to open. The trip was a present in itself but kids like to unwrap things. We got them typical Peruvian hats. They were going to be useful during the trip and also back home.
Plaza de Armas
Plaza de Armas is the cultural center of the city and has to be seen during the day and at night.
It is surrounded with colonial arcades similar to the ones you’ll find in Arequipa that host restaurants, bars and coffee shops. Many of them have a great view of the city. It’s the perfect spot for spending an afternoon, for people watching and acclimating to Cuzco’s elevation.
At the center of the plaza you’ll find an intricate statue of the Inca ruler Pachacuti and a cathedral with dominates the plaza. It is the most photographed public space in South America.
On Christmas Day, in the morning, there is a parade. It’s colourful, cheerful and completely authentic. You shouldn’t miss it.
Qorikancha temple
The Qorikancha temple was the most important one in the Inca Empire. Qorikancha means Golden courtyard in the Quechua language. So this temple dedicated to the sun god was literally covered in gold and was one of the richest during the Inca Empire.
The temple was also used as an observatory to monitor celestial activities.
Unfortunately, when the Spaniards came over, they looted it and between that and earthquakes, all is left is the stone work.
Although all is left are just ruins which you can see, a convent was built on top of it and can be visited along with a museum. It’s not very big which will make it easy to visit with kids. If you get a guide, you’ll understand the site better.
Entry fee: 10 soles at the time of our visit.
Chocolate Musem
Our kids obviously enjoyed visiting the chocolate museum of Cuzco the most and it is FREE.
You get a guided visit and actually get top taste some. It’s an informative and delicious experience.
It’s a great little place to stop at especially during Christmas which falls right in the middle of the rainy season that starts in November and ends in February.
They also offer chocolate workshops ($) if you want to take your experience one step further.
Other things to do in Cuzco during Christmas
- Take a 2 hr free walking tour from Plaza de Armas. It leaves at 10 am.
- Hang out on Plaza San Francisco on a Sunday.
Observe Quechua speaking campesinos (peasants) as meet up on their day off. During Christmas time in Cuzco, campesinos tend to spend a couple of days hanging out and sleeping in the streets.
- Weather permitting, go Horseback riding in Sacayhuaman.
You can walk there from the city and head over to one the many ranches. You’ll be able to negotiate a price on your own instead of going through a tour operator.
Word of warning: Not all horses are treated with the same care.
- Trekking might not be possible as the best time to go is between June and August.
What to wear and bring in Cuzco at Christmas
Since Christmas falls during the rain season, a rain jacket will be necessary. It can get fairly cold during that time of year if you are not dressed properly. Consider it as late Fall weather in North America along the Canadian border.
Here is a list of items you should have with you:
- Comfortable walking shoes, hiking boots;
- A sweater;
- Long sleeve shirt;
- Warm waterproof jacket;
- Warm socks;
- Carrying scarf for babies. A stroller will be useless.
It was a festive Christmas experience we had in Cuzco with the family and not a bad place to be despite the cold and dreary weather.
Where are you going to next?
[…] In Cuzco, we took it easy to adjust to the altitude, visit some sites and enjoy a Christmas dinner at our hostel. Read about Cuzco HERE. […]