ABD Peru Newbie Questions

[VillianinVogue]

Hello! I'm a newbie on this forum. I have been on disboards for many years I've just always been a lurker. I'm taking the Peru vacation next year with my mother, and have a couple questions.

When do the 2010 dates usually come out? I know most travel companies come out in fall, so what about Disney?

Are there ever any discounts or "deals" for ABD?

Is the Peru vacation strenuous? My grandmother would like to come along too. But we think it may be too difficult.

I'm a vegetarian, will I be able to find options there? I'm not picky at all and would never ask for somenone to accomodate me, just curious.

I probably will come up with more questions and thanks so much!!!


P.S. Pictures would be nice too if anyone as ones they could share, please!

 

[redzinner]

kristilew is one person to answer your questions about Peru. Maybe if you edited your title to include the word Peru she might pop-in to answer your questions.
Here is a link to her trip pictures from Peru.
http://lewisfamilyperuadventure.shutterfly.com/

 

[kjd469]

Hi...I was on the Peru trip in October of last year...it was an amazing trip, you will love it. Is it strenuous?...I guess that would depend on your fitness level - keep in mind most of this trip is done at a high altitude, so even people who are "fit" can be affected. You don't say how old or healthy your grandmother is, so it would be difficult to say. On our trip, the oldest was 68...they used those newer type walking sticks, and for the most part had no difficulties, but did sit out a couple of the walks. There is a lot of walking on this trip, uphill, and on uneven ground, so that could be an issue as well.

The food on this trip is lovely...varied and something for everyone...you will really have no problems at all accommodating your vegetarian diet...there were plenty of options available.

In the past, when ABD releases the new dates and itineraries in August, there have been Early Booking Discounts for all the trips, but the numbers of each were very limited...there has been a rumor that they are eliminating the EBD, but we will not know for sure until the release...my advice to you is if you are definite about where and when you want to go, and if they do offer an EBD, you book it right away.

The link to Kristilew's photo's is great...really gives you an idea of what the trip is all about...be sure to check it out.

 

[VillianinVogue]

kristilew is one person to answer your questions about Peru. Maybe if you edited your title to include the word Peru she might pop-in to answer your questions.
Here is a link to her trip pictures from Peru.
http://lewisfamilyperuadventure.shutterfly.com/

Thanks! I changed the name and loved the trip report! Thank you!

Hi...I was on the Peru trip in October of last year...it was an amazing trip, you will love it. Is it strenuous?...I guess that would depend on your fitness level - keep in mind most of this trip is done at a high altitude, so even people who are "fit" can be affected. You don't say how old or healthy your grandmother is, so it would be difficult to say. On our trip, the oldest was 68...they used those newer type walking sticks, and for the most part had no difficulties, but did sit out a couple of the walks. There is a lot of walking on this trip, uphill, and on uneven ground, so that could be an issue as well.

The food on this trip is lovely...varied and something for everyone...you will really have no problems at all accommodating your vegetarian diet...there were plenty of options available.

In the past, when ABD releases the new dates and itineraries in August, there have been Early Booking Discounts for all the trips, but the numbers of each were very limited...there has been a rumor that they are eliminating the EBD, but we will not know for sure until the release...my advice to you is if you are definite about where and when you want to go, and if they do offer an EBD, you book it right away.

The link to Kristilew's photo's is great...really gives you an idea of what the trip is all about...be sure to check it out.

Thank you! I think my grandmother can do it. It is yes, just the altitude.

I'm glad there is yummy food!

Definitely be waiting for August!

Thanks!

 

[kristilew]

popping right in with that name change!

You will love the Peru trip!

There was a lady on our trip celebrating her 70th birthday. She was able to do most of the activities with no trouble. I think she maybe skipped the rafting, and did a shorter hike at Machu Picchu. She also used a walking stick, as KJD469 mentioned. Good walking shoes/hiking boots are a must as well. You don't want Granny to turn an ankle!

There is oxygen provided for anyone having altitude issues, so as long as your grandmother (or you, for that matter) doesn't try to be a martyr, it should be ok. If you feel faint, dizzy, headachey or sick, don't be a hero - take a few hits of the O2!

There are some threads from last summer a few pages back with both mine and KJD469's trip experiences on them. This board doesn't move as quickly as others on the Dis, so it shouldn't be too hard to find them. I think between the two of us, we probably covered most questions. Or, feel free to ask away and we'll try to remember!

 

[VillianinVogue]

popping right in with that name change!

You will love the Peru trip!

There was a lady on our trip celebrating her 70th birthday. She was able to do most of the activities with no trouble. I think she maybe skipped the rafting, and did a shorter hike at Machu Picchu. She also used a walking stick, as KJD469 mentioned. Good walking shoes/hiking boots are a must as well. You don't want Granny to turn an ankle!

There is oxygen provided for anyone having altitude issues, so as long as your grandmother (or you, for that matter) doesn't try to be a martyr, it should be ok. If you feel faint, dizzy, headachey or sick, don't be a hero - take a few hits of the O2!

There are some threads from last summer a few pages back with both mine and KJD469's trip experiences on them. This board doesn't move as quickly as others on the Dis, so it shouldn't be too hard to find them. I think between the two of us, we probably covered most questions. Or, feel free to ask away and we'll try to remember!

Thank you! Does everyone get a walking stick or do you have to ask? I think my grandmother might feel more comfortable with one. Lovely pics, by the way!

 

[VillianinVogue]

Found some trip reports!

 

[kjd469]

Thank you! Does everyone get a walking stick or do you have to ask? I think my grandmother might feel more comfortable with one. Lovely pics, by the way!

No...she would need to purchase her own walking stick at home before she goes...they do not provide anything like that. I think they are readily available at most sporting goods stores.

 

[VillianinVogue]

Thanks!

 

[eeyorelvr10]

Hi There -

just popping in to say that onour trip we had several grandparents over the age of 70. Both sets managed to do all and they were very wise and knew when to sit out. One lady chose to sit out on the rafting but really I didn't think it was that bad. THere really is only one iffy rapid and if you listen to the guide, you should be fine. I was a bit worried and almost sat out but stuck it out and it turned out that it was almost nothing. I did some rapids in CO 15 years ago and they were a bit harder than this one. There is also the option of getting out just before it gets bad.

I hope this helps, the trip really is an awesome one.

 

[VillianinVogue]

Hi There -

just popping in to say that onour trip we had several grandparents over the age of 70. Both sets managed to do all and they were very wise and knew when to sit out. One lady chose to sit out on the rafting but really I didn't think it was that bad. THere really is only one iffy rapid and if you listen to the guide, you should be fine. I was a bit worried and almost sat out but stuck it out and it turned out that it was almost nothing. I did some rapids in CO 15 years ago and they were a bit harder than this one. There is also the option of getting out just before it gets bad.

I hope this helps, the trip really is an awesome one.

Thanks for the input!

 

[Mimas]

I would say that the hardest part of the trip to me was adjusting to the altitude. Sone of teh stair-climbing and hiking are more strenuous than usual because of the altitude. When I went in October 2008 there were several people that brought walking sticks, and that seemed to help.

 

[bicker]

I'm a vegetarian, will I be able to find options there? I'm not picky at all and would never ask for somenone to accomodate me, just curious.

I'm wondering ... did you ever do the trip? and if so, how did being a vegetarian visiting Peru work out for you?

 

[kristilew]

bicker, on the ABD you would have no trouble finding lot of good vegetarian options. There were a ton of fruits, veggies and grains at all the meals. The variety of veggies, and the differences in how they grew due to altitude was really interesting.

I know you are looking at Peru on your own. The only thing I could say about that is to be careful with the food and eat in well-reputed tourist places. The sanitation is not what we are used to and even when fruits and veggies are washed, the water is not what we would use. That was one thing we liked about going with the ABD - we felt like we could trust the food more. (though there was still one night that many got ill)

 

[bicker]

To be clear, we're not considering doing Peru on our own. I think our traveling companions may be, and could convince us, but our inclination would be to go with Globus Monograms. Still, that would put us doing most meals on our own, so your advice is well-taken.

 

[kristilew]

To be clear, we're not considering doing Peru on our own. I think our traveling companions may be, and could convince us, but our inclination would be to go with Globus Monograms. Still, that would put us doing most meals on our own, so your advice is well-taken.

Ah, I see. If you do it, please post back here and let us know how it was. We're always looking to compare other companies, especially as the ABDs keep changing!

 

[socalfamily]

Hi there!

We did Peru 2 yrs ago, and it was AWESOME! My parents were celebrating their 70th birthdays, and they participated 100%. They live in a high altitude city, so that part was easy for them. (We are low-landers, and our kids were pretty sick for the 24-48 hrs). My dad is really fit because he bikes like a maniac through the Rockies, and my mom is in good health. They had no problem with the activities, and neither used a walking stick or other support. They did not use the oxygen either.

We have 3 sons, and they were 4,6, and 9 at the time. We were concerned most about our youngest on the rapids, and the river guides told us that safety was the priority; so if things looked like they would be rough, then they would ask us to exit the raft before the swiftest rapids. My mom and I were so focused on watching my youngest; but when we hit a bump, my MOM was the one that popped out! Crazy! Of course, Disney is really well-prepared, and they had an expert kayaker ready to scoop her out of the water.

I don't think my parents were the oldest of the tour group. To be honest, all the older people did great. Several children got gastrointestinal bugs.

Also, I am not 100% vegetarian, but I am pretty close. They had plenty of fruits and veggies at every meal. If you let ABD know ahead of time, then they try to accommodate your dietary needs.

My entire family would do this adventure again in a heartbeat. It. was. that. good.

Hope that helps!

 

[gayleaboone]

Hi there!

We did Peru 2 yrs ago, and it was AWESOME! My parents were celebrating their 70th birthdays, and they participated 100%. They live in a high altitude city, so that part was easy for them. (We are low-landers, and our kids were pretty sick for the 24-48 hrs). My dad is really fit because he bikes like a maniac through the Rockies, and my mom is in good health. They had no problem with the activities, and neither used a walking stick or other support. They did not use the oxygen either.

We have 3 sons, and they were 4,6, and 9 at the time. We were concerned most about our youngest on the rapids, and the river guides told us that safety was the priority; so if things looked like they would be rough, then they would ask us to exit the raft before the swiftest rapids. My mom and I were so focused on watching my youngest; but when we hit a bump, my MOM was the one that popped out! Crazy! Of course, Disney is really well-prepared, and they had an expert kayaker ready to scoop her out of the water.

I don't think my parents were the oldest of the tour group. To be honest, all the older people did great. Several children got gastrointestinal bugs.

Also, I am not 100% vegetarian, but I am pretty close. They had plenty of fruits and veggies at every meal. If you let ABD know ahead of time, then they try to accommodate your dietary needs.

My entire family would do this adventure again in a heartbeat. It. was. that. good.

Hope that helps!

Hi!

What did the guides/you do about the gastro bugs and the altitude sickness in the kids? I am traveling with a 10 yr old in two weeks on the July 26 Peru adventure.

Thanks!

 

[Adena]

In preparation for our July 25 trip, DD and DS got hepatitis A and typhoid vaccinations last week. DH and I got the vaccines, too.

Also, our pediatrician prescribed zithromax for DD and DS in the event that they get traveler's diarrhea.

We plan to pack immodium, ibuprofen and benadryl.

 

[kristilew]

In preparation for our July 25 trip, DD and DS got hepatitis A and typhoid vaccinations last week. DH and I got the vaccines, too.

Also, our pediatrician prescribed zithromax for DD and DS in the event that they get traveler's diarrhea.

We plan to pack immodium, ibuprofen and benadryl.

Pack aspirin for the adults as well. This combined with caffiene helps with the altitude more than anything. (Obviously not for the kids, but for the adults at least!)