Peru or Chile?

[ICriedAllTheWayToTheChipShop]

That's my question - I can't decide between the two because they're completely different holidays and I don't know which one I like the idea of most.

The Peru tour takes in Lima, Cusco, Machu Picchu, Puno, Colca, Arequipa and the Nazca Lines. Chile would involve Santiago, Puerto Varas, Puerto Natales, Torres del Paine and then Easter Island. Both equally interesting but for different reasons!

The things that might decide it for me are the food, the friendliness, how expensive or otherwise it is to eat out, how good the roads are, how efficient the local airports are for internal flights, and how safe it will be for me, as a lone woman, to go out of my hotel in the evenings. I don't want to be limited to eating at hotels every night preferably!

Has anyone been to either or even both and had a strong preference for one over the other?

We didn’t need yellow fever for the Amazon - not sure if that a time of year or location issue.

I have been to both, although it was 20 years ago! I did both as part of a tour group and it was a mix of solo travellers, couples, friends etc, and we all tended to spend evenings together/eat together. I would say I felt a bit safer in Chile as a female traveller, and if I was going again now I would pick Chile - Torres del Paine is stunning. However, saying that, Machu Piccu was one thing I had always wanted to do and it didn't disappoint.

It would be in the Madre de Dios region near Puerto Maldonada, which shows on the yellow fever map as needing a jab. I'll look into if the time of year/length of stay makes a difference though.

We flew into Puerto Maldonado. Looking at the map, I'm surprised we didn't get it. Perhaps it's changed - although that seems odd. We have had rabies and pretty much everything else over the years, but the nurse never mentioned it and she's pretty cautious

It has changed it seems:

1Current as of November 2022. This map is an updated version of the 2010 map created by the Informal WHO Working Group on the Geographic Risk of Yellow Fever.

We travelled Aug 22

I have only been to Peru, which was one of my favourite holidays ever. However, we didn’t feel very safe in Lima. Cusco was fine, though.

What's everyone's favourite South American country? I'm trying to decide whether to go back to Peru and do Huarez in the north, or Colombia. I loved Peru to the point where I felt sad for ages once I got back but realise there is a whole continent I've yet to experience.

100% Peru. Have been to both, so very fortunate but, for me, Peru “flowed” very smoothly and every stop was a delight.

How did you find Colombia in composition?

I really like Argentina! I’ve been to Ecuador too which I really enjoyed. I found Brazil slightly odd. Difficult to say why. Overall Argentina, Peru and Ecuador ticked my boxes. Torres del Paine would too.

The security situation in peru is let's say, variable. Check for up to date advice. Chile is more expensive I'm told but easy to travel independently and very welcoming with added bonus of no Shining Path (the rebel group)

Colombia is on my list too, but not for this time.

@mrsrobin

So jealous, it's on my bucket list to motorcycle around south America though we'll be 2 up, so heavy larger bike not really up for off road consequently

I haven't been to Peru but I've travelled in Chile and fell in love with it. Felt safe.

We were 2 up - but hardly took any gear, travelled extremely light - just the essentials! We were right off the beaten track. Just go for it!
(Sorry OP for kind of hijacking your post!

OP - are you any further along with a decision? Are you favouring one?!

I loved Peru- chile not so much. But you could do Lima and Machu piccu and then go through to Bolivia and cross the salar de uyuni into northern chile! Truly amazing!

Yes, probably - I'm very much a history nerd and I love animals, so I think Peru with an Amazon excursion would suit me better. My main reason for considering Chile is for Easter Island, and I do still want to go there, but I'm just mindful that Machu Picchu is getting more and more popular (and visiting more restricted) so I feel like I should do that sooner. I'm seeing Tikal this year and you can still climb some of the pyramids there, but I can imagine that'll be stopped some time in the near future.

@ICriedAllTheWayToTheChipShop I think you do need a yellow fever jab for Puerto Maldonado but it’s a wonderful area to visit. One of the best places to go. Didn’t rain when we were there. A bonus.

I looked it up - it's not mandatory to have the jab, i.e., you don't need a yellow fever vaccination certificate to enter Peru, but it is recommended by the NHS travel website. I suppose you have to weigh up the pros and cons. Probably worth getting one because I have other destinations on my bucket list that definitely require it.

@ICriedAllTheWayToTheChipShop Yes. But it’s firmly in the yellow section on the yellow fever map! I think it lasts a long time though,

I've been to Peru 2 years ago.

I did some on your list as group tor but was on my own for a tour from Cuzco to Puno and then on to Arequipa.
Personally I did feel safe in Puno on my own. They had a folk music festival on so it was busy in the evening with a cretin amount of police around. Which could have clouded my judgement!
Arequipa was OK during the day with the usual caution of staying within tourist areas, but I was told through tour guide & hotel not be out too late. The airport was fine, no issues.

PS: you know the correct and only way to see Machu Picchu is by hiking along the Inka Trail!!
Nothing beats the feeling of exhaustion and joy when you see it sitting there below the Sungate.

I'd love to do the Inca Trail but I'm not in the best physical condition and I fear it wouldn't be dignified...

Sounds like a good plan :) Yes Macchu does get a lot of visitors but it is still worth visiting. There are loads of short hikes in the area of Cuzco and there is an easy bus you could get to the site of Saqsaywaman which is also very intriguing. Would be safe enough to do as a single woman :)

Tikal is fantastic - one my favourite of the pyramids in Central America. I loved the Amazon also (but have never been to the Peruvian Amazon).