Getting from Arequipa to Machu Picchu?

Question

What is the best way? Fastest, cheapest, most reliable?

It would be best if you could recommend a tour that would take me directly from Arequipa. Thanks!!

Answer 1

The fastest way would be to take a flight from Arequipa to Cuzco. The cheapest way would be to take a bus, but this is probably not the best way to go for you if you are looking for speed and reliability.

There is a touring agency in Arequipa called Expotours. They are extremely good. Their prices are fair and their service is excellent. They really work with you. They speak English very well. This is the agency that I worked with whenever I would take groups around Peru to vist different places (including Machu Picchu).

There are PLENTY of agencies out there that can give you a tour directly from Aqp. Don't get "snookered." Shop around before making your decision.

Answer 2

We flew from Arequipa to Cusco on Lan. The flight was less than an hour & was like $50 one-way. A tip for when you're booking the flight is to select Peru as the country on the opening page of the Lan site. The fares are like a 1/3 of the rate you'd get if you selected USA or Europe....for the exact same seat. Seriously. Everything will be in Spanish but you can probably figure it out even if you're not fluent. Also, fares are lowest on Lan in mid-week, so book it on Wednesday if you can.

From Cusco you can either take the train all the way to MP or take a bus, collectivo or car to Ollytaytambo and then the train on to MP.

You have to either take the train to MP or hike it on the Inca Trail. There are no roads for buses or cars to take you directly there.

You can take a bus directly from Arequipa to Cusco...but it's going to take SO much longer (it's like a 12 hour trip) & from what I understand the road is really bumpy, so that along with the altitude changes might make for a miserable ride.

If you're looking for a good tour company in Arequipa & the surrounding area, try Giardino Tours. We took their trip to Colca Canyon & loved it; they were A W E S O M E.  We had an amazing driver, Walter, and our tour guide Joel was also so very sweet, knowledgeable and sincere. It was one of the highlights of the trip. If you did want to take a bus to Cusco, I'm sure they could help you out with it.

http://www.giardinotours.com/english/mai...

Have an awesome time in Peru! Check out the Peru forum on Tripadvisor.com

There are a ton of people posting there & you can find info on pretty much everything there.