Our trip to Machu Picchu was a complete rush. It was the only way to make it possible to spend a few hours in Pisac before catching the train in Ollantaytambo to Aguas Calientes, the base for visiting Machu Picchu. Time was tightly scheduled, and nothing could afford delays. And, of course... everything got delayed.
Like most tourists do, we booked a tour package that included a van and two guides. In reality, the package comprised two day-trip excursions, with Cusco as the base. The first itinerary covered Chinchero, Moray, and the Salineras de Maras. The second one included the town and the National Archaeological Park of Pisac, lunch in Urubamba, and the town and Archaeological Park of Ollantaytambo.
As we had limited time, we arranged with the tour agency not to return to Cusco after visiting the archaeological site of Ollantaytambo, heading straight to Aguas Calientes. However, during the tour, we were informed that our van needed to deviate from the route to drop someone off at a junction, to be picked up by another van to continue their tour on an alternative route. This detour delayed our excursion by almost an hour.
Furthermore, our lunch stop at Inka's House, a roadside restaurant in Urubamba, with a folkloric presentation to entertain tourists, also ended up causing delays. This meant we only saw the city through the van's windows. To top it off, we realized that if we entered the archaeological site of Ollantaytambo, we wouldn't have enough time to see practically anything, or else we would miss our train to Aguas Calientes, for which we had already bought tickets before leaving Brazil!
Photo: Inkayni Peru Tour
Photo: Ingresso Machu Picchu
However, despite the setbacks – which deserved a scene and a serious argument to at least get some of our money back – we made the most of what we could. Moreover, the mishaps only confirmed what we already knew from other trips: a good traveler needs to always be armed with some adventurous spirit and a sense of improvisation. Precisely scheduled trips, with a strict list of tourist spots, souvenirs to buy, and angles to photograph, have a high chance of being a failure.
In summary: we didn't get to know Urubamba or Ollantaytambo – except for their train station, where we took the beautiful (and expensive) train, the only one going to Aguas Calientes, from where buses depart to Machu Picchu. By the way, I must warn you right away that reaching Machu Picchu requires patience and some cash. It's a true military operation, despite the final result, which, in my opinion, is worth all the effort. Let's take it step by step, then.
Photo: Em Algum Lugar do Mundo
The adventure actually begins at home, well before the trip starts. It's part of what some call "traveling within the journey," and many travel enthusiasts despise: selecting the destination, learning about it, planning the itinerary, booking flights, accommodations, tickets, etc. That's why many travelers entrust everything to a travel agent, with all the bonuses but also the drawbacks of handing over some days of their lives – usually the most precious ones, for rest and leisure – to a stranger whose main goal is to make money from their unwillingness to plan.
But enough beating around the bush, let's get to the point. To access the Machu Picchu Historic Sanctuary/National Archaeological Park of Machu Picchu (the official name of the so-called "lost city of the Incas"), you need to do two things well in advance.
The first is to check the availability of slots to enter the archaeological site on the day you intend to visit, reserve your entry if the desired date and time are available, and make the payment. All of this must happen online, through the Machu Picchu Terra website.
The second is to book the train ticket to Machu Picchu Pueblo (the official name of the town Aguas Calientes), from where minibuses depart to the sacred city of the Incas. There are two competing and complementary companies that provide this service: Inca Rail and Peru Rail. There are various options for departure points, times, and prices, varying according to the level of comfort, amenities, and departure time. But I must warn you that the prices are steep: at the moment I write this post, the cheapest one-way ticket from Peru Rail costs $50.00, and the most affordable from Inca Rail costs $54.00. On the other hand, it's also important to mention that the trains are high-standard, comfortable, with onboard service, and the more expensive ones offer panoramic views.
Vistadome train from Peru Rail, and below, one of the many postcard-worthy landscapes it allows you to enjoy
If you opt for more sophisticated compositions with panoramic views and onboard service, the price increases. On the flip side, the later your departure time, the greater the chances of the price dropping. Therefore, it's important to carefully analyze the various train models, from the simplest to the most sophisticated, and the time you intend to depart. If you choose a train from Inca Rail, the only departure point is Ollantaytambo station – also known as Valle Sagrado. If you opt for Peru Rail, you can choose to start the journey in Cusco, Urubamba, or Ollantaytambo.
In fact, if you choose Cusco, there are two departure points: San Pedro, about 6 km from the center, and the locality of Poroy, 31 km away. The station you use depends on the train's departure time. The journey takes between three and four hours.
As mentioned above, we chose to depart from Ollantaytambo because it was in our plans to visit the famous archaeological site located in this city, which unfortunately did not happen. The distance is 30 km, but the journey takes about 1.5 hours.
If you want to visit the town or the Archaeological Park of Ollantaytambo (photo below, from the Viajando na Janela website), there is a bus line from Cusco, as well as vans that make the trip. Since we hadn't booked a transfer service back to Cusco, we intended to return by bus. But we waited so long that we ended up deciding to take a taxi. Fortunately, we found a Brazilian couple also tired of waiting and – even luckier – a taxi driver who had come to drop someone off and would return without passengers.
The journey from Urubamba to Aguas Calientes is 50 km, which takes about two and a half hours. From what I've read from those who have taken the route, the journey is enchanting, with magnificent landscapes.
It's important to note here that another way to reach Machu Picchu is by walking. There is a considerable number of trekkers who have as one of their projects to walk the so-called Salkantay Trail or Inca Trail (photos from the Mit Viajes website below), from Cusco to Machu Picchu. This is one of the most famous trekking routes in the world, admired by nature lovers. It covers a minimum of 42 km in two or four days.
The advantage of taking four days for the journey is being able to visit other archaeological sites along the way and see very beautiful landscapes. However, to reach Machu Picchu by the trail, you need to make a reservation and be accompanied by at least one more person. But it's essential to consider that, in addition to good physical preparation, there are also expenses for meals, accommodation, and guides.
Arriving at Machu Picchu Pueblo/Aguas Calientes, there is still one more hurdle to overcome. It is necessary to buy the bus ticket in advance to take you to the mountain where the archaeological site is located. This is the only means of transportation to the Lost City. Moreover, the journey to the top is a spectacle in itself – and also an adventure. The road is narrow, without pavement in some sections, with a cliff on the right and a precipice on the left.
You can buy the ticket at the company's ticket office itself – but don't leave it to the last minute! The number of tourists going up at any given moment to visit Machu Picchu is immense. And everyone has a scheduled time, which forces everyone to make the ascent, about half an hour, at a time that coincides with their entry time into the archaeological site. Therefore, it is highly recommended that you buy your ticket in advance. On the same website where you buy the ticket for the archaeological site, you can also buy the bus ticket, which is round trip, at the (pricey) cost of $12.00.
Aguas Calientes is a very friendly town and, as it couldn't be otherwise, with good infrastructure to receive tourists. Although its main activity is, obviously, tourism, it still maintains a small-town atmosphere that makes it quite peaceful, despite the constant coming and going of tourists on their way to or from Machu Picchu. One of the factors contributing to this calmness is the fact that there are no cars in Aguas Calientes, except for the minibuses that take visitors to Machu Picchu.
I recommend arriving in the afternoon, spending the night there, and ascending the mountain the next morning. I believe this is the best way to enjoy the trip: after a good meal (there are many gastronomic options in Aguas Calientes), a peaceful night's sleep, and with a relaxed body. After all, Machu Picchu is nestled atop a mountain, and you will need to climb many ramps and staircases to make the most of the experience.
We arrived there in the evening, and it was rainy. Imagine the fear that struck us since we only had the next day to visit Machu Picchu.
Machu Picchu Pueblo train station
Bridge at the confluence of the Urubamba and Aguas Calientes rivers
Urubamba River running behind the modest Adela's Hostal, where we stayed
Carved stone sculpture in the Aguas Calientes riverbed, with the Crafts Market in the background
There you have it! You've overcome all the obstacles and managed to arrive unscathed at the Old Mountain! Now it's time to appreciate its stunning beauty, incredible architecture, and ponder on how and why people lived in such a high place, on top of the world. And try to guess what political, military, cultural, or religious reasons led to the construction of Machu Picchu, living in it, and later abandoning it. Whatever answers you imagine, it will be difficult not to be enchanted and moved.
The Machupicchu Archaeological Park is a natural and cultural space with an area of 37,302 hectares. It is one of the areas with the greatest biodiversity in Peru and houses more than sixty archaeological monuments linked by a complex network of Inca roads, of which the Lost City is just a part, although it is its most important monument.
The Inca llaqta (village) of Machu Picchu was planned and built around the year 1400. Its construction required the participation of experts in architecture, engineering, and astronomy, as well as a large amount of labor. More than 50% of the effort needed for its construction was used in preparing the terrain, foundations, and drainage system. Its construction responded to the Inca state's need to have a religious, political, and administrative center within a sacred space considered the link between the Andes and the Amazon. Therefore, Machu Picchu is considered by Peruvians as the most important legacy of Inca civilization to mankind.
To know in detail the most important points of the Machu Picchu citadel, visit the Machu Picchu Viagens website (English version). My photos may give you a faint idea of what this mysterious and charming place is like, but they don't come close to seeing these images live, on-site. The climb is worth it, the hardships and high prices are worth it.
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