What’s the best way to explore Peru? By plane or train?

Have a question? Ask our expert Simon Calder

Take in stunning views by rail (marktucan/iStock)

Q I am planning to explore Peru for three weeks in April 2020 over Easter. First, when will I be able to book flights to and from Lima? Second, should I travel by land or air within Peru?

Name withheld

A The usual booking horizon for airlines is two weeks short of 12 months (the idea being that it would be foolish to be selling tickets for, say, 1 April flights in two different years, with all the confusion that would entail). Many airlines will start putting their April 2020 schedules on sale in the middle of April 2019 – but usually only a day at a time, with 1 April 2020 going on sale on 16 April 2019, and another date opening up for each successive day. This way of doing things creates a problem for travellers who want to book a complete itinerary. The outbound flight will go on sale well before the inbound. But even for a relatively busy time like Easter, steep fare increases are unlikely during the three-week gap between when you can book the outbound flight and the inbound leg.

Given that you have a reasonably long time to explore Peru, I suggest that you don’t automatically book a trip in and out of Lima. Assuming you want to visit the marvellous Altiplano – the highlands, including Cuzco and Lake Titicaca – then there’s a strong case for flying into Lima but out from La Paz in Bolivia. The city of Puno on Lake Titicaca is an excellent place to conclude your Peruvian exploration. From here, the nearest intercontinental airport is La Paz – accessible overland in a few hours – rather than Lima. That means an “open jaw” ticket, which may be a little more expensive but saves backtracking, and will allow you to see the fascinating Bolivian capital.

With the exception of Iquitos, the sultry and isolated gateway for the Amazon basin, you can travel around Peru on high-quality buses. Road travel is riskier than flying, but the best way to travel between Cuzco and Puno is by train – if this three-times-a-week luxury service is too expensive, you might consider taking a risk on the fascinating bus trip.

Every day our travel correspondent Simon Calder tackles a reader’s question. Just email yours to s@hols.tv or tweet @simoncalder