1

I recently bought a return ticket Lima to Cusco for $115 with TACA. The price would have been the same regardless of where I bought it. Star Peru probably has similar prices, again the same price whether bought inside of outside of Peru. It's only LAN that has two tiered pricing.

A $39 ticket is fantasy land. Even locals only get that if they buy a return ticket, and pay added taxes and fees, bringing the total in at a tad under $100.

2

Just book with Cruz del Sur the 47 dollars top service to Cusco and everything will be ok (with the exception of the looooooooooong travel time).

3

The trip as far as Nasca is easy, it's from there inland the road gets windy and the altitude incline is sharp. Anti-nausea tablets and sleep should get you through it though if youre worried about illness.

4

Peruvian Airlines might have flights to Cusco from February. Star Peru is not always very on time, last Saturday my flight Cusco - Lima was delayed two hours while a few days earlier another Star Peru flight from Lima to Cusco was delayed 6 hours.
If not worried about the long travel time just take the Cruz del Sur luxury bus and you'll be fine. The best service, Cruzero Vip, leaves at 2 PM which means you would be in Cusco the next day by 10 - 11 AM. Unfortunately you would miss some of the best scenery as it would be dark by reaching Nasca.

5

OK thanks a lot everyone, I may get Cruz del Sur via Nazca, spending a couple of days there, then on up to Cusco from there. Don't want to do round-trip via Arequipa as heading south after Cusco.

One slight concern is the Cruz del Sur website shows times/fares for Lima-Nazca but says 'no schedule' for Nazca-Cusco - does anyone know if this second leg is doable seperately?

Sounds like total journey is around 20hours...??

6

The place in Nazca where the road to Cusco begins is a technical stop for Cruz del Sur. Lots of people catch buses there to Arequipa or Lima, so why not Cusco? what you have to do is to send them an email asking about.

Total time is, in fact, around 20 hours. Leaving 2pm from Lima you will in fact lose very interesting scenery from the high andean plateaus in Ayacucho, but the last five hours, from Abancay to Cusco, will give you lots of interesting views. Be sure to have the left side of the bus, on a window.

7

I did Lima to Ica/Huacachina by local bus for 2 nights, then to Nasca for an afternoon flight and a night bus to Cusco. Defintely doable. Allow a stay in Nasca if the flight is important in case the weather is bad, and if not there are a few attractions around to fill the time.

8

@ Bad_Hiker. Planning to go to Cusco a week before fiestas patrias by car from Lima. In the past I've read that you were going to Cusco by car. I was thinking of leaving Lima at around 8 - 9 am, stop en route to buy some food (grifo, huarique, cevichería, ...), stay around 24 hours in Lunahuaná which until now I haven't visited, the next day drive further to Nasca in the afternoon and the third day drive from Nasca alll the way to Cusco. Is Nasca - Cusco doable in one day during the dry season if leaving at say 05:30 am? Any recommended rent a car companies in Lima? I was thinking about Liberty Rent a Car in Surquillo.

9

If you get tired of driving, you always have the option of sleeping in Abancay that day, and continuing next morning to Cusco. Abancay has a pleasant valley climate, enough food and accomodation.

You could also spend time visiting Pampa Galeras, and sleep a night in Puquio.

10

Ok--What;s the trick to get a TACA ticket Lima to Cusco RT? It won't let me buy a ticket--

11

I've just booked a one-way Lima to Cusco ticket on their website for end March, $126 incl taxes, pretty straightforward using a Visa card from UK.

It's a bit of an extra expense but I want to get up there quickly for Spanish lessons/Inca Trail. Will then get scary/beautiful bus ride down to Nasca on onwards...

Thanks for all advice/discussions, happy travelling...

12

OK I found thge trick--can't type in Cusco-must use their drop down list of cities or I get a message saying TACA does not fly to Cusco.

13

@IncaKola:
With the experience in your trips to Peru, I'm sure you know about Lurín and Pachacamac, where there are lots of places to have a good typical breakfast. Less than one hour from Lima. For a totally untouristed experience in July, and if you want a ceviche close to the ocean I'd suggest Pucusana, but it's only 60km from Lima, forcing a long stop until lunch time.
About Lunahuaná I've posted two or three interesting things yesterday. I would add Bodega Santa María to try Pisco Don Benedicto and Bodega Buena Vista in Pacarán (some 20 km beyond) to try Pisco Don Nepta.
Lunahuaná-Nasca will take you around 5 hours of driving, so, Huacachina would be ok for lunch. The restaurant at Hospedaje del Barco and the bar at El Huacachinero Hotel have good food. In Nasca you'll find places like Kañada close to Hotel Alegría, the big chicken resturant at the square not so far, and lots of tiny cevicherías. A different place is El Tablón, a tourist oriented restaurant with good food, but prices are slightly high for the peruvian average. An advantage: El Tablón belongs to the owners of Tampumayu, a hotel in Chalhuanca offering a diffrent option for a stay before Cusco.
In Abancay you'll find better service than in Cusco at hotels having the same rates, but there are few places to eat. Weather is excellent and there are hot springs not so far in the route to Cusco.
If you leave from Nasca 5:30am you could arrive to Cusco in the afternoon, but it's a tiring drive: slow zigzag for hours to Pampa Galeras, then crossing the cold plateau, then from Chalhuanca to Abancay an interesting road including around one hour to get out of Abancay, and crossing the Apurimac canyon (not less than 1 hour), for a drive that could take around 10 hours including time for pics, food, etc.