Solo traveling--Santo Domongo to Lima to Cuzco to Machu Picchu?

Question

I am spending about 2 1/2 weeks in Peru visiting a friend in Santo Domingo. I will be traveling flying into Lima. I would like to see Machu Picchu while I am there, but I don't think she will be able to go. How do I get from Lima to Cuzco so I can see Machu Picchu? How much time should I allow for travel and sighseeing if I want to be able to see it and get back to Lima for my flight?

Also, I am a white female, and I'm traveling on my own. Would the SD-Lima-Cuzco-MP trip be safe? I speak pretty advanced Spanish, so that helps.

Answer 1

I found this online:

http://www.andeantravelweb.com/peru/tran...

http://www.aboutcusco.com/cusco/faqs/arr...

Your friend should have a better idea of how to get there and how safe it is. You can also consider having a travel agent arrange a tour for you.

Answer 2

Consider staying with a local family in Cusco. I helped create the following website as a way of connecting Independent travelers to Independent service providers so as to promote Fair-trade.  http://www.cuscoimmersion.com/

Have fun.

Answer 3

You should have no problem. Fly from Lima to Cuzco (you can also take a bus, but that takes really long ,-about a full  day). From Cuzco you have to take the train to Machu Picchu ( no roads go all the way to Machu Picchu. You can go by bus to Ollantaytambo (about half way to Machu Picchu), but then you ran the chance of not getting a seat on the train from Ollantaytambo to Machu Picchu (the train fills up in Cuzco)). To go to Machu Picchu, the fastest no thrills trip, should take 3 days. One to fly to Cuzco (the train to Machu Picchu leaves early, so that day you should visit Cuzco, the Coricancha temple, Sacsayhuaman, etc). The next day leave early to Machu Picchu and return at night and the next day you can fly back to Lima (actually it would be 2 1/2 days). I'm enclosing the web page for the train to Machu Picchu. Bear in mind there is only one company operating the route to Machu Picchu, so that will probably be your bottleneck.

Answer 4

What MSDC says is correct. I have done that trip alone and had no problem (I am white and a girl). Just watch out and always bargain because they take advantage of tourists...beautiful trip.

Enjoy!