How do you JUST do Machu Picchu?

Question

My husband and I are looking to go to Peru for holiday in late November. We will possibly be spending 7 days in Peru in total. We want to go to Machu Picchu, but we aren't really big on hiking. I've been trying to look up how to just get to Machu Picchu without doing a 10-day hike (which is all I can find). Can anyone give me any information on trains directly there? Or...anything? I just need some help in general. I can't find a good website that explains anything.

I've also heard that you need to wait three days to get a walking permit...would that be just to walk the Inca Trail? Or if you want to tour Machu Picchu?

Answer 1

Fly to Cusco and take the train to Machu Picchu.  Trains leave very early in the morning and return around 2 in the afternoon.  That only gives you a few hours at M.P. which is not nearly enough, particularly if it is your primary reason for going to Peru.

So, if I were you, I'd stay in Aguas Calientes over night. That way, you can stay at M.P after the train leaves and there are lots fewer people, and can get up early to tour again in the morning before the train arrives.

Be sure to take another full day at least to explore Cusco--one of the neatest places in the world, and, to me, more interesting overall than M.P.  Maybe another to take a tour of the Sacred Valley.

BTW--seven days is not nearly enough for Peru--I spent seven days just in and around Cusco the first time I went to Peru.

Answer 2

YOu could just fly there, try lanperu

I would advise against hiking, altitiude sickness is commong, try eating lemon candies or smelling alcohol or drinking mate tea.

TIcket for MP, for foreigners are about 30 USD, but might have been raised due to the World Wonder Contest.

From Cusco, you should be able to easily find touris to MP, Cusco is crawling with travel agents, and they speak English as well.

Answer 3

Go from Lima to Cuzco by plane, either by Lan Peru

www. lan.com , Aero Condor or Star.

Once in Cuzco, practically the only way to go to Machu Picchu is by train, the inka trail (the hike) is another option (its 2, 3 or 4 days not 10).

there are 4 types of trains and it takes about 4 hrs. to get there:

-Autovagón (its the local train. It's very cheap, you travel with the local people, only that sometimes there can be hens!)

- Backpacker train

- Vistadome

- Hiram Bingham train (luxury travel)

these 3 last trains are operated by Orient express

http://www.orient-express.com/web/tper/t...

All trains reach Aguas Calientes, a small settlement at the foot of the famous Machu Picchu Mountain, the place only holds hotels, souvenir stores and restaurants.

From there, you take a bus up the hill (tickets are bought at Aguas Calientes unless your travel agent books you in advance) buses go up and down every 10 minutes from 5:30 a.m. (to see the sunrise) till 6:30 when the ruins are closed.

At the entrance of the MP sanctuary you buy the ticket to get into the ruins.

Another way of going is reaching Ollantaytambo by road and take the train from there to reach Aguas Calientes (just 1.5 hrs.) At your hotel you can ask them to refer you to a taxi driver to take you to Ollantaytambo, these are people affiliated to a taxi company and offering this service as an extra income for themselves. Please, never get one at the street!

here are some extra links for you:

www.peru.info  (Peruvian official tourist information site)

www.boletoturisticocusco.com  (here thay sell all the entrances for most museums, ruins and churches, except for Machu Picchu).

www.cuscorestaurants.com

The permit is only for the inka trail.

Note: Cusco is at 3400 meters above sea level, many people get really awfull mountain sickness. To try to avoid this,  the first day you get there, rest a lot, don't eat much, just a "sopa de dieta" there's a coca tea and some special pills but trust me, none will work! Just rest, the next day you'll feel better, and if possible, go to the sacred Valley (Yucay, Pisaq, Urubamba Ollantaytambo and Even M Picchu) first, it's 1000 meters lower than Cusco.

have a great trip!

Answer 4

You can always take the train there from Cusco.