We spent 2 weeks in Peru (late March to early April). This was a good time of year to visit -- early enough in the rainy season that we didn't encounter too many other tourists, but late enough that we didn't encounter rain (!).
We spent roughly equal amounts of time in Puerto Maldonado, Machu Picchu, Lake Titicaca (Puno), and Lima. Of these, I enjoyed Puno: cheap and there was stuff to do.
************************
The actual logistics required the following transportation:
BWI --(fly)--> Miami --(fly)--> Lima --(fly)--> Puerto Maldonado
In Puerto Maldonado we had pre-arranged a tour through http://tambopatahostel.com/ to visit a lodge on the Amazon river
Puerto Maldonado --(fly)--> Cusco --(private minivan, train)--> Aguas Calientes --(bus)--> Machu Picchu
In Cusco we had pre-arranged a tour of Machu Picchu with https://www.llamapath.com/en/
Machu Picchu --(bus)--> Aguas Calientes --(train, private minivan)--> Cusco --(bus)--> Puno
Puno --(boat)--> Isla Taquila --(boat)--> Puno
Puno --(bus)--> Juliaca --(fly)--> Lima, specifically Miraflores
Lima --(fly)--> Miami --(fly)--> BWI
************************
Money:
20180328 - lima at airport
700 soles from BCP using USAA American Express
400 soles from Scotiabank using BoA
BBVA didn't recognize USAA or BoA
20180404
Withdrew 400 soles from Scotiabank using BoA at Puno
Withdrew 700 soles from BCP using USAA at Puno
************************
March 27
Dinner in Miami at Cuban restaurant (Old's)
GF got a huge fried filet of white fish. I got a Cubano sandwich
March 28
Arrived in Lima. GF threw up.
GF withdrew cash.
I used wifi to call <bank> and <bank> to set my credit card PINs
We decided not to go into Lima due to the expected rush hour traffic.
2:30pm Flight to Puerto Maldonado
Picked up by taxi at the airport and taken to hostel for 15 soles.
Dinner at Plaza de Armas.
March 29
Woke at Puerto Maldonado hostel
Breakfast of hardboiled eggs, pastry, jam
9am taxi to a waiting 4x4. Rode in the bed of the truck to the river.
Boat to lodge.
Lunch
Nap
Walk in the jungle
Played soccer with workers
Saw monkeys
Boat ride looking for black caiman. Saw capaberra and a small white caiman
Dinner at the lodge: rice, fish, broccoli and beet
Night walk. Saw poison frog, tarantulas, owl moth. I noticed a large beetle.
March 30
Woke at 4am
1 hour boat ride to Macaw clay lick
Sunrise on Tambopata river
Watched parrots arrive and took pictures
Breakfast on the riverbank of hardboiled eggs, small bananas, buns with jam, peach juice
Kayak to 4x4 to taxi to Puerto Maldonado
March 31
Flew from Puerto Maldonado to Cusco
Taxi to Llama Path
Ecopackers hostel in 8 person dorm
Bbq dinner for 15 soles
Washed clothes for 10 soles
April 1
Cusco to Aguas Calientes via minivan, then train.
Didn't see our hotel pickup person, so we wandered to Waman hotel on our own.
Got briefed at 7pm about the Machu Picchu itinerary.
Late dinner from Tree House restaurant. It was more Italian than Peruvian, but good food.
Slept at a real hotel. GF's first satisfactory shower of the trip.
April 2
Aguas Calientes to Machu Picchu via bus
Hiked Wayna Picchu in 3 hours (7 to 10am). Cloudy/sunny, still no rain the entire trip.
Guide was late by 20 minutes. Started around 11am, finished tour after 1pm
Train from Aguas Calientes to Ollantaytambo, minibus to Cusco
We got a private room at Ecopackers because they messed up our reservation. We didn't pay extra.
April 3
Waited at Cusco bus station from 10:30am
Cusco to Puno via bus, 3pm to 10:30pm, 70 soles per person
Taxi to Casa parq'arani
April 4
Puno. I withdrew cash
Day trip to Uros for 40 soles: 10 soles for the boat ride per person, 5 soles entrance. An optional ride on a reed boat for 10 soles, but we negotiated our price to 5 soles.
Dinner of burger, then later pizza and salad
April 5
Puno to Taqile via boat
Lunch for 20 soles. I had an omelet with rice, GF had half an omelet and trout on rice. Our guide, Guillermo, arranged for us to sleep in the same compound
100 soles for dinner+bed+breakfast.
Rained overnight on the tin roof; it was loud. GF had temperature regulation problems; mostly cold but surprisingly too warm during some cuddling overnight.
April 6
Woke in Taqile island at 6:15am
(Presumably) High school brass band started playing around 6:45am
3 hour boat ride back to Puno
Stayed at Pukara hotel
April 7
bus (50 soles per person) picked us up at Pukara hotel and drove us to Juliaca (1 hour away)
flew on LATAM from Juliaca to Lima
picked up at airport by Jose, owner of Marqay hostel in Miraflores. 35 minutes becuase it was before rush hour
ate ceviche at Punto Azul for 30 soles [best]
April 8
walked around Miraflores and the coast cliffs and the beach
ate at Casa del Ceviche
April 9
rented bikes (45 soles per person for the day)
ate at La Tok for lunch - civeche was 17 soles [second best]
ate at Panchita for dinner - civeche was 45 soles
flew back to BWI (arrived 11am on April 10)