Peru II Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu

UNESCO world heritage site since 1983.

If you want to know more historic facts etc - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Machu_Picchu

When to visit? 

The heaviest rainfall is in February, which is also when the Inca Trail path is closed for maintenance. The best time to visit Machu Picchu is from April to October. We went in early November and got some rain on the 4 day trek towards Machu Picchu but nothing extreme.

How to get there? 

You need to get to Cusco first. Then from there you have few options to get to Aguas Calientes (the town at the doorstep of Machu Picchu):

• Inca Trail trek
• Salkantay trek
• Choquequirao trek
• Bus
• Train

The fastest option in and out is the train to and from Aguas Calientes.

You can do Inca Trail only with a guided tour, the other treks you can do on your own. You can also go to Machu Picchu site on your own and buy all the necessary tickets yourself.

We did the 4 day Salkantay trek and arrived by foot to Aguas Calientes and carried everything in and out ourselves. It was very hard as we didn't pack light enough, struggled with the fast changing altitude (highest point 4600m) and didn't eat enough. But we did it! And in our own pace and stopped whenever we wanted for as long as we wanted. It is absolutely scenic trek :) 

You can do the same trek with a guided tour and horses carrying your gear and food being cooked for you at the campsites. It will be slightly more expensive but not overly. 

With leaving and coming back to Cusco, trekking gear rent (tent, mats, cooking stuff etc)&food, Machu Picchu site, accommodation in Aguas Clients and transport back to Cusco, it cost us in total of 270 USD each. 

You will need to book in advance Machu Picchu site ticket on a high season (European summer months), on a low season you can book it few days/a week in advance or as soon as you get to Cusco, in the Machu Picchu ticket office. You can also do it yourself online on their official website (http://www.machupicchu.gob.pe) and choose either morning (1er Turno 6:00am~12:00) or afternoon (2do Turno 12:00~17:30) ticket and besides Machu Picchu site, a Huayanapicchu/Waynapicchu or Montana Machu Picchu access. We bought the Machu Picchu and Machu Picchu Montana morning tickets and climbed the mountain as a first thing. The ticket for that was 200 soles ~ 62 USD per person.

We experienced a fog over the hills until 10 am but after that it was blue sky. The weather can change quickly, especially during rainy season. Then stay another night in Aguas Calientes and come up  again the next day :) There is a ticket office in Aguas Calientes aswell if you need to change/buy tickets. 

Then you need to decide if you are going to walk from Aguas Calientes 1h uphill in the morning to the Machu Picchu site or take the 15-20 min bus to the top. When we visited in November 2017, the return bus cost 24 USD each. You can buy the ticket at the the bus stop in the centre of the Aguas Calientes town in the morning and it's recommended to go as early as possible (before it gets too hot up top). The busses are constantly going from 5.30am as soon as they are full, we stood in the queue for approximately 30min (same for going down from Machu Picchu site). There's lots of people.  

The train ticket from Aguas Calientes to Ollantaytambo was actually the most expensive - 70 USD each. From there we took a collectivo bus to Cusco for 10 soles ~ 6USD each. There are two train companies running the route  - Peru Rail and IncaRail. Both with very similar prices and absolutely milking the tourists with a convenient train route.  

The hotel we stayed in Aguas Calientes, Panorama B&B, cost the most during our time in Peru, ~ 80 USD a night. That town is milking the tourist aswell :) 

Enough of the chit chat now, look at this natural beauty!

This is the only picture I took with my big camera on the Salkantay trek. That peak in the clouds is the Machu Picchu Montana and the Machu Picchu ruins lie left from it!

Here we go. Lamas everywhere, grazing. 

The 1,5h hike to the top of the Machu Picchu Montana. Only uphill. 

And the views from the top of Machu Picchu Montana :) 3061m

This is the viewpoint the day before, where I took the first picture of Machu Picchu Montana in the distance. Miles away! Ben loved that trek - just look at his face :)

Flora and fauna

Machu Picchu site itself. 2430m 

Magical place. They have kept it really well and it's so spread out and doesn't feel overcrowded despite the max 5000 visitors a day.

Aguas Calientes

It is tiring, you know!

Aguas Calientes is a little tourist town, every building is either a souvenir shop, hotel or a restaurant. If not then it will be soon finished to be one :)