Last Updated on January 24, 2024 by Tori Pines
Hello and welcome to my Peru travel blog where I journaled throughout my 10 day Peru vacation! I visited Peru during June of 2022 with my sister Ally. We visited Lima, Cusco, Ollantaytambo and hiked the Inca Train to Machu Picchu. I hope my adventures can inspire you to visit Peru and educate you when planning a trip. Take a look at all of my Peru content to help you plan a perfect vacation.
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Getting to Lima, Peru – Peru Travel Blog
Well, it has certainly been an adventure today!! My sister Ally and I are going on a 10 day trip through Peru. 7/8 days are with a tour group. We started off last night in the US, she was flying from Philly to Atlanta and I was flying from Nashville to Atlanta. There we would meet up and fly together to Lima. Well, in true Summer of 2022 travel fashion, her flight got canceled so she missed the flight to Lima and would have to wait almost a full day to get there. I had to go alone and arrived here in Lima this morning at 5:30am!
Immigration was very smooth and easy, and took about 20 minutes waiting in line which wasn’t too bad! I did not check a bag so I didn’t have to worry about that. However when I arrived (now that I was on my own) I planned to take the 7am shuttle into Miraflores, the tourist area of the city which is located on the ocean, that’s where our hotel is. So, I sat in the airport and waited until about 6:30, when I decided to start looking for the shuttle. As it turns out the shuttle has stopped running since Covid.
Taxi to Miraflores – Peru Travel Blog
Now I’m standing outside of the Lima airport in a city… no… country, no… continent I had never been to before lost and confused and unsure what my safest option would be. After a frantic call to Ally, I made my way back inside the airport to the info desk where a nice young woman told me that a cab was my only option and that it was safe if you book through the cab booths inside the airport.
So I followed her instructions, paid for the cab, they led me out to my driver and off I went, hoping and praying for the best! It ended up feeling perfectly safe. The driver followed the gps the whole way and took me directly to my hotel. He was kind and safe.
The ride itself was interesting. It was as though there were no lanes on the road, the cars just kind of drive wherever they want to, horns honking and mirrors passing by a centimeter. The roads were not fast though, which made it feel a lot safer. It was a normal car with seatbelts and everything that you would expect.
The neighborhoods we drove through definitely looked pretty poor until we got to the coast line and drove along the Pacific Ocean to Miraflores. It was gorgeous and there were many locals out by the beach getting exercise. However, the fog here is as intense as they say it will be in the Winter. You can’t see far ahead of you, and its just a little dreary.
Checking in at the JW Marriott Miraflores
I arrived at the hotel in 45 minutes. We are staying at the JW Marriott and the property is beautiful!! Everyone at the front desk speaks fluent English and was very kind and helpful. Since I was on my own for the day, I decided to stay very close to the hotel all day just to be safe.
Exploring Miraflores – Peru Travel Blog
I walked across the street to Larcomar, an outdoor shopping mall built into the side of the cliff above the ocean. It is unique and beautiful, and a tourist spot, so I felt safe there alone. I normally go out of my way to only eat at great local restaurants…but this morning would have to be an exception. I am hungry and exhausted and want to stay close to the hotel so I found the first restaurant that was serving breakfast in the shopping center and got a table.
The table had beautiful views over the ocean and a fairly basic menu. I ordered a waffle and French fries (yes, it’s weird but I just wanted something simple and comforting). The food was fine, but it filled me up and gave me some energy until I could get into my hotel room for a nap. It was chilly sitting on the water but I had a warm fleece on and was comfortable. Since I’m in the Southern Hemisphere, it’s winter right now. Being fairly close to the equator, Lima never gets terribly cold, but still not beach weather.
The servers were very friendly and kind but barely spoke any English. I was honestly shocked being in the main tourist area, I expected them to speak English. Having just been in Italy in April, we were spoiled with English speakers. Almost every single person we came in contact with in Italy spoke English and made it very easy on us. Now, I am actually happy to have to speak Spanish here, I mean, I am in their country and they should not have to know English for us tourists. It was still just a culture shock!
Waiting for Ally’s Arrival
After breakfast I wandered the shopping center as the stores started to open. Many are familiar stores like Nike and North Face, with some other brands I have never heard of mixed in too. I walked back across the street to the hotel and set up camp for a few hours in the lobby, read my book and talked to friends and family. The lobby of the JW Lima is beautiful and so comfortable for spending the day here. The hotel room was finally ready around 12:30, so I got in and took a much needed 3 hour nap.
Quick tip about staying here…I’ve never stayed in a JW, they’re at the level of the Ritz and the St. Regis…What I’m saying is that this is luxury. But I’ve never stayed here for obvious reasons, they’re expensive. BUT stay at one in South America where things are cheaper in general, and you’ve got a great deal on a luxury hotel! I encourage you to stay at the JW Marriott Lima when you are in town!
Dinner at Insumo in Miraflores – Peru Travel Blog
I had already made reservations for us at the rooftop bar at the AC Hotel by Marriott right next door so I decided to go even though my sister hadn’t arrived yet. The restaurant is called Insumo and had the nicest atmosphere, staff, but the food was the star of the show. I ordered a glass of Peruvian white wine which was shockingly amazing, who knew Peru made great wine?? For dinner I ordered two appetizers that I had to try during my time in Lima, Ceviche and Causa. They’re two of Peru’s most classic dishes.
I love ceviche at home but holy cow the one I had tonight was jaw dropping incredible. It was super citrusy, with a big slice of the sweetest sweet potato on the side. I expected the ceviche to be incredible, this city is THE place to have ceviche, but the Causa really surprised me! It’s another cold dish, the base is basically cold mashed potatoes but with a citrus flavor, not buttery. It’s topped with shrimp, calamari, red onion and avocado. It was an incredibly bright and flavorful dish that I just adored.
This restaurant could not have been better for our first night. It was easy to get to, had beautiful views, safe and outstanding food with great service. The menu had a great variety of Peruvian food and I really think I might return! You need to add Insumo to your itinerary now!
Ally Made it to Miraflores!
I returned to the hotel to wait for Ally’s arrival. I ordered a chocolate mousse dessert in the lobby and enjoyed the energy of the buzzing hotel guests all around me. She finally made it safely around 11pm and we could not be happier to be together. Off to bed because we have a LONG day tomorrow!!!
Be sure to read about Sandboarding in Huacachina in my Peru Travel Blog Day Two to hear about our incredible 18 hour day trip to Paracas (home to wild penguins) and Huacachina (the driest place on earth!) See you then!
