Visiting Machu Picchu, Peru- planning options
If Machu Pichu in Peru is your bucket list, this post shares your options based my hands on experience visiting Peru last month.
Things to know about visiting Machu Pichu:
Machu Pichu doesn't have an easy access- like you cannot simply walk into a train or bus station and reach-It is located in a remote location with limited access, hence proper planning will be needed
Peru Govt issues limited permits per day to visit Machu Picchu, so at times you may have to wait for next day if not planned well
To reach Machu Picchu you need to take train to a town called Aguas Calientes. Train service has limited seats, hence again you will have limited options
Most of these bookings can't be done online, plus language problem will haunt you, hence most tourists prefer to avail services of travel agents to get them through
3 ways to visit Machu Pichu
1. Taxi to Ollantaytambo from Cusco + Train from Ollantaytambo to Aguas Calientes + Bus to Machu Pichu:
This is the most convenient way with minimal trekking. It involves following steps
#1 From Cusco you've to take early morning taxi to Ollantaytambo (or plan overnight stay in this town)
#2 Train from Ollantaytambo to Aguas Calientes
#3 Stay in Ollantaytambo (optional, but usually required)
#4 Bus from Aguas Calientes to Machu Pichu & back (ticket can be bought on the spot)
#5 Entry ticket to Machu Pichu- these two are limited in supply and hence might spoil your plan if you don't get one for the dates you want. Either keep a few extra days buffer or work with a travel agent to have confirmed tickets
2. Two-day Inca trail trek
Trekking option also needs train tickets but till halfway point. Then we start a 12 km moderate trek, reach sun temple and proceed down towards Machu Pichu. Trekking company/tour operator will provide a guide, porter, packed lunch etc to ease your experience.
You can stay overnight at a hotel in Aguas Calientes or camp in the woods- Camping is more expensive than hotel stay, due to porter charges, food and other aspects.
Our 2-day trek to Machu Pichu costed us around 530 USD per person from Sam Travels Peru. Amount included the following
- Briefing session on previous day in their office
- Pickup in private taxi from hotel in Cusco to Ollantaytambo & back to Cusco on Day 02
- Train ticket from Ollantaytambo to trekking start point and from Aguas Calientes to Ollantaytambo back on Day 02
- Machu Pichu circuit 1, 2 and 3 tickets,
- Porter, guide, lunch & dinner on day 1
- Bus ticket from Machu Pichu to Aguas Calientes on day 01 and from Aguas Calientes to Machu Pichu & back on Day 02
- Overnight stay in Aguas Calientes in a good hotel.
- Hiking pole rental at extra cost
3. 4 Day trek to Machu Pichu:
A more complex, longer trek option available for those who seek more adventure. I didn't try this- check with tour operators for this option. Most of the trek is in the surrounding hills.
Few people I knew didn't book any package with tour operator (Option 1), went directly and tried their luck. They did manage to visit but often with help of local agents who take some money and find a short cut to let their customers through.
We booked 2-day INCA Trail with Sam Travels Peru, who took care of all paperwork, bookings. Had to pay some 200 USD in advance and balance in cash on the day of the trek
Visiting Peru:
- Indian passport holders get visa free entry into Peru if they have US, UK, Canada or Schengen visa. So easiest way to plan your Peru visit after getting one of these visas, before they expire
- Flying all the way to Peru directly from India is also expensive. Makes it lot economical to add Peru as an extension to your visit to USA or Canada
- Nearby: Peru is surrounded by Columbia, Chile, Brazil etc. If time is not a factor, it is more economical to visit Peru along with few other destinations in South America
- Most airlies fly to Lima, Peru's capital. From here you will need another flight to Cusco. National airline LATAM can give one stop flight from various destinations to Cusco
When I visited, entry ticket and train could be booked online. There was bus+train option from Cusco during that time. Seems like a few changes have happened.
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