Hotel Quality:   In all honesty, the hotels in Peru that we use on my small group tours at least, are of better quality than we find in most historic districts in any city we travel to in Italy or Paris.   Peruvian hotels are modern, they have all the facilities you would expect in a top-notch North America hotel.    The other difference is that travelers get much more for their money when traveling to Peru.

Safety:  I often tell people that Lima, the capital of Peru, is much like Southern California in look, feel, and weather and I feel as safe in Peru as I would in any North American city.   Of course precautions need to be taken like you would anywhere else.

Altitude Sickness:  Cusco is at an altitude of about 12,500 feet.  To be frank, about 10% of those who travel with me to Cusco get altitude sickness.  At worst, it causes headache and upset stomach, much like if you had a little too much to drink.   I have taken many, many people on my small group tours to Peru and Machu Picchu and no one has suffered through altitude sickness for more than 18 hours.  I have changed my tours a little bit for more time in Cusco where travelers do have more time to acclimate to the high altitudes.  We also have learned how to prepare for the altitude to minimize any discomfort.  When we travel to Machu Picchu at about 8,000, most travelers are acclimated to the altitude and deal with it well.

Food:  The biggest misconception I find people have about Peruvian food is that it is like Mexican food.  It is not.  Peruvian cuisine is some of the best in the world with beef, chicken, and wonderful seafood dishes.  Restaurants are modern, clean, and the service is outstanding.   We dine at some of the most spectacular restaurants on any tour I go on and we pay only a fraction of the cost you might expect to pay in North America or Europe.  Dining is a bargain in Peru.

For information on The Traveling Professor's small group tours to Peru and Machu Picchu, see: www.travelingprofessor.com