A Non-Hiker’s Guide to visiting Machu Picchu

Machu Pichhu is of course the highlight of many a trip to Peru and the Cusco region, and it was no different for me. This has always been a bucket-list item, and in fact I planned my entire trip around being at Machu Picchu on my birthday!

There are several ways to get up to Machu Picchu, the most infamous being a (four-day) hike of the Inca trail. However my aunt did the Inka trail a few years ago, and from her description I honestly had no desire to experience it for myself. I will leave such things to the more intrepid. So I sought out the best way of making it to Machu Pichhu without any trekking.

Before you get to Machu Picchu

Before I even got to Peru I acquired our train tickets and Machu Picchu entry tickets online. Unless you are visiting as part of a tour, I would suggest buying your entry tickets online directly from the government website rather than third party sites. You will be most certainly by paying a mark -up otherwise. Buying directly from the government website, I paid $45 per ticket for general entry.

There are a limited numbers of tickets alloted for entry to the site per day. They divide access by entry time, and you will not be able to enter before your assigned time. During the high season in particular, the prime slots go pretty quickly (you can see how many remain for a given time slot on the site), so reserve yours as far in advance as possible. There are several categories of entry ticket. Apart from general entry to Machu Picchu, there are tickets that will allow access to Huanya Picchu, as well as access to the museum.

There are two rail services that provide this experience: IncaRail and PeruRail. I had bought our Inca Rail tickets online in advance (highy advisable), and picked them up at their airport location when I landed in Cusco. There are also offices in Cusco itself, as well as at the train stations. Buy train tickets in advance so that you can ensure you secure the class of ticket and departure times that you want. I actually missed out on the time I had orignally planned for our return trip.

Getting to Aguas Calientes

If you are already in Cusco or the Sacred Valley, the next step is to find your way to Aguas Calientes, now also known as Machu Picchu Pueblo (Town). My route ended up being : Train ride from Cusco to Aguas Calientes >>> Overnight in Aguas Calientes >>> Bus from Aguas Calientes to Machu Picchu >>> Train back to Cusco.

The trains from both providers are available directly from Cusco. Previously one would have to find their way to the Poroy or Ollantaytambo stations. Some choose to spend a few nights in the Sacred Valley itself and environs (Maras, Moray, Pisac etc), and then take the train from Ollantaytambo. You can also take public transportation directly to Ollantaytambo, and then take the train from there to save money. Apart from the trains, you can also get up to Aguas Calientes via local bus. However the tricky part with that option is that it doesn’t actually get you directly into the town, and you will have a bit of a walk.

Inca Rail has three category of tickets- “The Voyager”, “The 360°” and First class. We chose to go with the second option. In addition to the “360° view” windows, there was also the option to visit the observation carriage which had no windows at all included with this option. It was great for stretching your legs, getting some fresh air, as well as fantastic unobstructed views! We were also provided with some snacks and a meal during the journey.

When I was trying to decide whcich rail service to choose, I decided to go wih Inca Rail partially because I was able to take advantage of a flash sale that gave me 50% off one leg of the journey! I gather that both services have sales occasionally, so it might me a good idea to follow their social media pages a few months before you plan to go so that you can benefit.

Where we stayed in Aguas Calientes

Since we were returning directly to Cusco following our Machu Picchu journey, I booked an extra night at our hotel in Cusco and left our stuff there while we spent one night in Aguas Calientes. This saved us from having our luggage with us on the quick overnight trip, which would have been both a hassle as well as an extra cost on train. We each only had our backpacks. If you have the option, plan for an overnight in Aguas Calientes rather than making a day trip of it. Going to and from Cusco plus a visit to the citadel of Machu Picchu in one day is a realllly long day.

There is only one hotel at the Machu Pichhu site itself which is the high-end Belmond Sanctuary Lodge. Most people (ourselves included) have to stay in the town of Aguas Calientes and make your way up. We stayed at the Tierra Viva Machu Picchu Hotel, which is from the same chain that we stayed at in Cusco. It was an easy walk from train station to the hotel. The hotel even sent a rep to meet us at the station, to help with luggage and walk us down to the hotel. We had very good service from the staff here, and I would recommend it.

What we did in Aguas Calientes

Once we checked in, we went out to walk around the town. There is only one road that runs through the town, so you have to walk to get everywhere.

We were still feeling lingering effects of altitude sickness, but I did feel some difference having gone down to a lower altitude (yes the altitude in Aguas Calientes and Machu Picchu itself is actually lower than that of Cusco!). Unfortunately for me though, my sinuses had been triggered, so I still wasn’t feeling 100%.

One of the first orders of business was to buy our Machu Picchu bus tickets. This is another thing to do in advance if possible. By the time we got there, the morning rush from day trippers had died down somewhat, so the process didn’t take too long. We paid $25 per person for round-trip tickets.

That evening we had dinner at Inkaterra Hotel restaurant. I had hoped to have a meal at their other restaurant Cafe Inkaterra, but we got there a little too late. We were also a little too early for the opening of the hotel restaurant for dinner. So we spent about half an hour people -watching, and taking in the river and nearby scenery.

Getting To Machu Picchu

If possible book an entry time for the site before 9am. This seems to be when a lot of people (including day trippers coming off the early trains) choose. After that, the lines get really long.

While it may look daunting, they were quite efficient and buses depart regualrly. Don’t bother to go too far in advance of when you are booked to enter the site. You have to show your entry tickets to the bus conductor; people who are there for their correct time slot will be given priority. I would love to own a stake in that bus company as its a monopoly on a captive market!

If you really want to get in some hiking, or would rather not pay for the bus, you can hike from Aguas Calientes to Machu Picchu. Unfortunately the weather had taken a turn that morning, and was at various times quite overcast/misty/rainy. I had absolutley no regrets about taking the bus. Especially as I observed the poor souls trudging uphill along the bus path in the rain. The bus ride took about 30 minutes.

Machu Picchu

We hopped off the bus and made our way over to the entrance. Remember to have your passport on hand for entry! They will not allow you in without it (and no a copy will not be sufficient). There are no bathrooms on the inside, so it’s best to try to go before you go in as there is no re-entry. Near the entrance there will be many tour guides offering their services. If you feel so inclined you can engage one right there on the spot. We opted not to do so.

Machu Picchu is of course, a historical phenomenon with much acclaim. It is a UNESCO World Heritage site and is currently considered one of the wonders of the world. It was the site of an Incan citadel set high in the Andes Mountains, above the Urubamba River valley. Though it was abandoned in the latter half of the 16th Century, it was never “lost”. History books will tell you however, that it was “discovered” in the early 1900’s.

It started to drizzle very soon after we got there. So I was VERY happy that I had acquired some packable rain gear specifially for this trip. It may have been a bit miserable otherwise, as there were a couple heavier downpours during our visit. Fortunately we were adequately protected . Included the long list of things that you are NOT allowed to enter the park with are umbrellas!

We made our way along the trails until we got to what we all come her for; the view of the ancient citadel with Huanya Picchu looming in the background. What can I say? Despite the less than favourabe weather conditions, pictures still do not do the sight justice. It really is quite something to behold.

There was a bit of a downpour soon after we got to this vantage point. However we managed to shelter in one of the nearby buildings until it made sense to get back out. We then continued to make our way along through the site reading the descriptions along the way .

We had more than enough time left between when we decided to leave the site, and the departure of our train back to Cusco that evening. In hindsight, I could have booked an earlier train back. We were able to have lunch and then even a nap in the hotel’s lounge area (we had checked out before we left that morning), before heading up to the train station. The hotel also presented me with a little birthday dessert :).

Then it was back to Cusco to get ready for the next leg of our journey- the “Route of The Sun” bus tour to Lake Titicaca!

Tips

• Buy bus/train tickets in advance.
• Buy entry tickets directly from the government website unless you are participating in a tour .
• Walk with your passport.
• Pack some sort of rain gear if going outside of the dry season.
• Check the list of prohibited items– this includes bags over a certain size, umbrellas etc.
• Pee before you go in.
• Pack light for the train.
• If coming from Cusco, spend overnight if you can rather than making a day trip.
• Continue to take your altitude sickness tablets!!!!!