As for Peru, don't waste your time in Lima. There are a couple of cool things to do and see in Lima but nothing compared to what you'll experience in Cuzco. I've heard northern Peru is beautiful, but I spent most of my time in southern Peru, and I'm certainly glad I did. I worked at "the house in Huambutio," as we called it, and I taught English to children. I also acted as a teacher's aid a few times for an English teacher at the nearby school, and I held a class for children and adults at a nearby government building. But most of my work was done at the house in Huambutio. While I was there, I not only got to teach and get to know the children who lived nearby and see how much they loved to learn different trades and languages in their classes, but I spent a lot of my free time hiking to nearby ruins. There are Inca ruins all over Peru, and the scenery all around you - huge, ruggid mountains - are breath-taking. I did so many things in southern Peru, like milk the neighbor's cow; attend some of the other teachers' classes (like French class, Peruvian lyre-playing, and tela-climbing;) see the ancient Incan tombs of Qoricancha; hike to "Christ the Redeemer" (the secondary one overlooking Cuzco, not the original one in Brazil, unfortunately;) tour a local woman's house where she taught everyone how to dye cotton to make clothing; see the Salinas de Maras (salt pools;) learn the art of macrame, eat lunch in Urubamba, visit Inca ruins such as Saqsaywaman, Puka Pukara, Tambomachay, Moray, and Pisaq and Ollantaytambo in the Sacred Valley; see about a billion llamas and hold a baby llama; party with the most awesome travel friends in a few excellent backpackers hostels (Cuzco's Wild Rover, for the win;) explore some awe-striking architecture (mostly churches and cathedrals;) see condors at Colca Canyon outside of Arequipa (the deepest canyon in the world;) and try Mate de Coca, Inca Kola, Chicha Morada, and Frutillada (yuck!) But the most incredible part of my trip were the ruins that everyone knows of and aspires to see one day: Machu Picchu. I took a 4-day hiking/biking/driving tour from Cuzco to Aguas Calientes, the city below Machu Picchu. (Machu Picchu is located on the top of an enormous mountain.) Once in Aguas Calientes, the people I toured with and I partied quite a bit in the ciy and bathed in the hot baths that the city is known for. Since Machu Picchu opened at 6am, we all only got a little sleep after partying the night before and started our trek at 4am in pouring rain and pitch black at night/early morning. I was a bit sick and exhausted from trekking through mountains for 4 days straight, and I tell you, that trek was not for the weak of heart, but I made it to the top of Machu Picchu 3 hours after starting the hike. And the view was more than worth it. The other best part of Peru were the friends I made. I made a group of friends there, and I don't think I would've met them if I hadn't been a solo traveler. There is definitely something to be said for dealing with a little loneliness on your travels; you meet all kinds of incredible people along the way, which make the entire trip worth it.
If you decide you want to experience all of this in Cuzco, stay at a hostel in the Plaza de Armas, or the main square. There's tons to do there. In one small area, you'll find restaurants, bars, clubs, spas, and tourist agencies who will put together adventures for you. And just around the corner, there is an outdoor market for all your grocery needs.
As for Chile, I backpacked into a coastal city at the very top of Chile called Arica, and there wasn't a whole lot to do there besides some shopping and enjoying the beach. Everyone said to only ever try Ceviche in a South American city near the coast, because that's where it's the best, so I did, and I must say, it was awful. I'll never eat Ceviche again. If you want to try it, keep in mind that it is uncooked fish. Although the Ceviche was a bust, the drinks were not. Pisco is the liquor of Peru and Chile, and Chileans love to make sours out of everything, so I tried a Pisco Sour, and it was pretty good, but I prefer a Mango Sour and an Amaretto Sour I had at other restaurants. The best beer I found in Chile was Kunstmann Miel, a honey beer. I was only 19, and being from the United States, I was not able to drink legally back home, so I had to drink as much as possible while I lived in South America! The legal drinking age in South America is 18, but in the places I went, the bartender will pretty serve anyone and everyone. I was never asked for an ID. The neatest city I visited in Chile was San Pedro de Atacama, which is quite a bit farther south than Arica. It is in the middle of the Atacama Desert, so it's hot, except for the salt flat and Tatio Geyser area, but it was such a neat little town with a lot to do. I visited the Salar de Atacama (the second largest salt flat in the world,) 2 beautiful lagoons, the Valley of the Cactus (if you want to see a million cacti,) Valle de la Luna (Moon Valley,) Valle de la Muerte (Death Valley,) and the Tatio Geysers. You can take a dip in the hot springs at the geysers, which is nice, because the air around the geysers is so freezing cold.
The great thing about traveling in South America is that there is easy, cheap public transportation everywhere, and it's so easy to get around, especially if you know some Spanish. Granted, by far, most people in Peru and Chile do NOT speak English, so you need to learn a little Spanish in order to get around on public transportation easily, but I met a few friends in South America that knew all of two words in Spanish and still got around the continent easily. I took buses pretty much everywhere I went, but taxis are really cheap and common in both Peru and Chile too. When you want to get off the bus, just yell "baja!" loud enough for the driver to hear, and he will let you off.
Make sure to pack loose-fitting, cool clothing if you decide to take this trip. It gets pretty cold at night too, so much sure to pack a decent jacket, as well as a warm sleeping bag for extra comfort at night. Many places, like REI, sell some really comfortable (albeit very expensive) ones that fold up SO tiny that they are easy to travel with. And then, if you decide to go to the Tatio Geysers and/or the Salar de Atacama in San Pedro de Atacama, then you need to pack as many layers as possible, because it's freezing in those areas. It's a good idea to pack some bug spray, although the bugs aren't near as bad in Peru and Chile as they are in other places in South America. If you backpack through Peru and Chile, take a rucksack, not a suitcase; this is a "roughin' it" kind of trip - for people who like to exercise and don't mind getting a little dirty. It's not for someone who wants to stay in a 5-star hotel.
Speaking of which, hostels are a dime a dozen - on every street corner - in Peru and Chile, and they are mostly very cheap, but all of them that I've stayed in have hot shower water. Many of them have kitchens for you to cook if you don't want to spend all your money on food. However, food is cheap in Peru and Chile, so you won't break bank on this trip. I recommend eating at some mom & pop restaurants while you're there, because those are the best eats. The food is so fresh and straight from the ground in Peru and Chile that, for the first time in my life, I lost tons of weight without even trying. And of course, I gained it right back after going back home to the U.S.
I do have a couple of regrets from each country. I regret not flying over the Nazca Lines in Cuzco and not seeing Lake Titicaca in Puno, Peru. As for Chile, I regret not making it down into Santiago, or better yet, into Patagonia in the south. Patagonia is supposed to be the most incredibly beautiful area of the world to visit, and there are some incredible marble caves in Patagonia, Chile. If I could go back and do it all over again, I would try to incorporate these things into my time in South America, but it is a bit hard to travel that far into Chile, as the country is so long.
As for anywhere you travel, you should watch out for crooks, mostly in the form of cab drivers who try to charge you more than he/she should, because they know you probably don't know the exchange rate. Nothing should cost a whole lot in Peru. Also, before I went to Peru, I was warned about trick ATMs; if the ATM sucks the card all the way into the machine, don't use that ATM, if possible. I don't know if it's just a myth or the truth, but apparently, some ATMs may be rigged to read and steal your card information. Also, one time, a kid tried to trick my friend and me into paying for a shoe shine. However, there isn't much to worry about in Peru or Chile safety-wise. The only thing I would caution you about is how intense the locals of Cuzco can be. They will drive you crazy if you stay too long. Not only are they not interested in becoming your friend, because they aren't very friendly to newcomers, but the main problem is the workers. Store and restaurant employees, as well as street vendors, will harass you to buy something from them, block your path, and even grab your arm to make you stay. They don't mean to scare you; they just have no sense of boundaries. You probably won't see any beggars, as Peruvians tend to try to work for their money, so they almost always have something to sell if they need money, but street vendors are everywhere, and they will bug you while you're trying to mind your own business. Just don't make eye contact if possible, and keep walking; don't stop to answer anyone. It's not that they are dangerous; they're just annoying, and once they reel you in, it'll be awhile before you get back out of their clutches, so it's best not to get reeled in in the first place. That's why I said Peru is a great place to visit but not to live.
Traveling to Peru and Chile are easy. As for Peru, if you are going to be in the country for less than 90 days for tourism, you do not need a passport, and you will be issued a free tourist card. There are no currency restrictions, and you are not required to get any vaccinations to enter the country, but a Yellow Fever vaccine is recommended. Peru's exchange rate is fairly easy to calculate and remember. I just looked up the current exchange rate, and 1 USD is equal to 3.40 Peruvian nuevo soles. They're pretty close. As for Chile, tourists are allowed to stay in the country for up to 90 days without a visa as well. You are not required to have any vaccinations, and there are no currency limitations. However, the exchange rate from USD to Chilean pesos is a bit more challenging that of USD to Peruvian nuevo soles. I just looked up the current exchange rate, and 1 USD currently equals 667.80 Chilean pesos. Confused? Yeah, don't get excited and think there's been a mistake in your favor when they exchange lady at the airport gives you thousands of bills in exchange for 100 USD. It is a confusing exchange rate, but you will get used to it. This trip was so worth it for me; I know it will be for you too!
One of the two really cool churches in the Plaza de Armas of Cuzco. Notice the locals carved "Viva el Peru" into the mountains behind the church.
The view from my bedroom window in the house in Huambutio.
A tela-climbing class at the house in Huambutio.
A lyre-playing class at the house in Huambutio.
I milked a cow! (Well, I tried.)
Saqsaywaman ruins next to "Christ the Redeemer" at the top of a mountain overlooking Cuzco.
"Christ the Redeemer" at the top of a mountain overlooking Cuzco.
Overlooking Cuzco from the mountain that holds "Christ the Redeemer."
While visiting "Christ the Redeemer," I got to hold a 3-day-old baby llama! Many of the indigenous adults and children wore what the people in this photo were wearing.
Qoricancha ancient Inca tombs in Cuzco.
Salinas de Maras, or salt pools outside of Cuzco.
Moray Inca ruins outside of Cuzco.
The view of the city below Ollantaytambo Inca ruins in the Sacred Valley.
Pisaq Inca ruins in the Sacred Valley.
Colca Canyon, the deepest canyon in the world, known as the home of many condors.
The Inca Trail, which I hiked to get to Aguas Calientes, and ultimately make it to Machu Picchu.
The baths in Aguas Calientes.
Machu Picchu in all its glory.
Machu Picchu is so far up the mountain that it's above the clouds.
Machu Picchu.
The best friends I could've ever met in Peru.
Salar de Atacama, or the second largest salt flat in the world outside of San Pedro de Atacama.
Laguna Miñiques outside of San Pedro de Atacama.
The Valley of the Cactus - hot up front, cold in the back - outside of San Pedro de Atacama.
Tatio Geysers outside of San Pedro de Atacama.
Moon Valley outside of San Pedro de Atacama.
Death Valley outside of San Pedro de Atacama.
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