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As there are a lot of sites in Cusco area, i.e. the famous "Sacred Valley" and the world famous Macchu Picchu, one week could even not be enough, moreover if you are a backpacker and you are not willing to spend to much box...
The easiest, and the cheapest way to visit all the area, is to take a taxi for two days at the cost of USD20 in total.
The cost is pretty good, moreover if you find people with whom share this cost.
In the morning of day one, you can easily visit Cusco and then drive till Ollaytatambo to visit the beautifull ruins.
Then, at night, you can drop in the "backpacker train" from Ollaytatambo to Aguas Calientes that leaves at 19.45 (2hrs).
There you will find just backpackers or locals (at the costs of 23.80USD roundtrip>>the normal day-train will costs you beetween 70 and 100USD).
Sleep in Aguas Caliente for less then 2dollars each, in a simply but clean double room (just drop of the train and there will be plenty of people offering accomodations!), and at 06 AM (the best time!!!) of the day after take a bus or walk to Macchu Picchu (3USd one way).
Visit Macchu Picchu and climb Wayna Picchu (USD 20,00 entry fee for MP) and get back to Aguas Calientes to sleep the 2nd night.
The morning after take the train back to Ollaytatambo where there will be your taxi driver waiting for you.
On the way back to Cusco you can visit all the sacred valley sites, i.e. Pisac (amazing!!!), Calca, Salinas and all the sites closer to Cusco city, i.e. Sacsayhuamàn, Qenko, Puca Pucara and Tambo Machai.
So, in this way, you will spend something like USD 60,00 plus the cost of the taxi, instead of USD 120/150 as requested from all the travel agency in Avenida del Sol in Cusco, with the big advantage that you are the one that will decide the waiting time in every sites! Leave a Comment
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Everyone who goes to Peru has to see Machu Picchu, and perhaps slightly to my surprise it lived up to its reputation as a tourist "must see". I've created a separate page about our visit there, but here are a few things I'd recommend if you're planning a visit:
Take a hat and sun screen, even if the weather's overcast - in those mountains it can change very quickly (it was cloudy all morning when we were there but clear and bright in the afternoon)
Take bottled water - there are no facilities inside the site. The same applies to food as well of course.
Do think about having a guide, especially if you only have the one day to see the place. OK it can be a bit of a hassle going round in a group, but a guide will make sure you see all the essentials and tell you some of the history, and there should still be time to explore by yourself in the afternoon.
If you don't think you have the stamina to climb to Huayna Picchu try the path up to and beyond the Caretaker's Hut which will get you high enough for some great photos - but even that will take some effort at this altitude!
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Machu Picchu is the big ticket attraction in Peru and the primary reason why this fascinating country receives so many tourists. For certain it is the most wonderous archeologocial monument in South America and arguably all of the Western Hemisphere. For all the praise that it receives as an attraction one could fear that the place might be a bit of a letdown. It is not. I have seen many of the world's archeological ruins and perhaps only Petra and the Pyramids of Giza are as awesome as Machu Picchu.
One of the principal reasons that Machu Picchu is so captivating is of course is its setting. Machu Picchu is located across a mountain saddle, hanging over two cliffsides with a high peak scenicly place as a backdrop. The valleys that surround Machu Picchu are covered with damp green cloud forest.
This history of the place is also quite fascinating. Dating from the mid 15th century, it was built by the Incas and Emperor Pachacuti as a ritual centre. However like many Inca religious sites, it also served as an economic centre and fortress. Machu Picchu was never captured by the Spanish during their conquest of Peru in the 16th century. It was however abandoned by the Inca after this conquest was complete and largely forgotten until 1911. In that year it was re-discovered by Hiram Bingham with the help of a 11 year old local boy.
To visit Machu Picchu you will have to empty out your wallet. If you choose to hike the Inca trail, then it will cost you $60 to $250 to arrange for the equipment and guide. To travel there by train, which is how I visited will cost you anywhere from $58 to $86 depending upon which train you take. As for entering the actual grounds, admission is $20. This is all very sad as one Peruvian mentioned to. As Peru is a very poor country, very few Peruvians can actually afford to visit Machu Picchu. The fact is virtually everyone I saw there was a foriegn tourist. Leave a Comment
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Also knows as "the lost city of the Incas", Macchu Picchu is the world' famous reckon site of Peru, and for sure one of the main beauty of wholeSouth America, perhaps of the whole globe.
I would not say anything about the history, as I think you should check it by your self if interested, but believe me, get to such place with one information more is always better!
The only one thing I could say about such a beautifull place is:
GO andVISIT IT! No way to miss it.
Try to get to Macchu Picchu as early as possible, as there will be so many people at already around 09AM that will not make you enjoy this place at100%.
So try to take the first bus from Auguas Calientes (06AM) that will get to MP after 30/40mins. At this time the place is still quiet empty and you can feel amazing sensations!....(the pic has been taken at 06.30AM)
The site empty takes really your breath away!
Then, when the visitors will get to Machu Picchu, you can leave the main site and take a quiet easy (but not too much) hiking and hike the Wayna Picchu.
The trail is pretty easy, in some points is quiet deep but there are not so big troubles...and the views of MP from the top of Wayna Picchu are simply great!
(take a look on my other pics).
Before to take the way to Waina Picchu, you must fill your details in a register at the entrance. The way will take something like 1 hr 20 mins or so (depends on your phisical situation)
Well, what to say more, just DO NOT ABSOLUTELY MISS this place! You weill
just regret this decision! Leave a Comment Address: Macchu Picchu
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try to arrive the Machu Pichu site early in morning before train arrive from Cusco with lots of tourists. This way you can take great photos of the place with few people in back ground. I love this photo of the site, one man stand and photo, and the Andes peaks covered with snow in the back ground. Leave a Comment
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Machu Picchu is now one of the top tourist destinations in the world. It is a spectacular achievement left to us by the Incas. I took a four hour train ride from Cusco to Aguas Calientes and then a 25 minute bus ride up the mountain. Even though there will be many people there, everyone should visit Machu Picchu at least once in their life. The guy in the left background with the green coat had two artificial legs. Three of us had to help him off and on, but he did get to see much of the site. It rains there often, so be sure to take a raincoat or poncho. See my Cusco travelogues for more pictures. There is also an excellent travelogue by VT member, Hopkid, about his Inca Trail and Machu Picchu trip that should not be missed. Leave a Comment Address: 112 km from Cusco in the Urubamba River Valley
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This mythic incaic citadelle was discovered in 1911 by an american adventurer (and perhaps a thief).
Built over the almost unaccesables pinacles of the mountains and surrounded by a prolific jungle, here the mistery is more thick than the rocks, preserving his original purposes in the dark, and let me tell you that all the histories that you will listen about it are just this: imagination. Nobody knows.
Just let this splendent marvel drag you to the fog of ages. And fly over the clouds.
Watch my T-Logues for more stunning pix. Leave a Comment Address: more or less 100 km N-NW from CuscoDirections: Located on the mountains, just in "La Ceja de Selva" (The Eyebrows of The Jungle)
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Of course Cusco is the starting point to travel to Machu Picchu. You leave generally ( the most common way) Cusco by train from the railway station San Pedro to go there. Nowadays the inca trail only can be done with organized tours, so search for it all around the main place (plaza de armas), here you will find agencies that organize everything for you. Leave a Comment
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I hiked the Short Inca trail on October 1, 2007. This was a 1 day, 18km journey which I thought was absolutely incredible! I had a difficult time with the alititude compounded by the fact that the first 3 hours of the trail was practically vertical - with no shade from the hot sun (30C). I am no superstar athlete, but I do jog a couple of times a week and I found the trail rigorous. Once you reach the halfway point, you hike into jungle and there is more shade from the sun - the trail gets easier from here. Despite the difficulties, it was an incredible experience not to be missed! SAS was a great company.
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I won't spend too many words on Machu Picchu; go see for yourself and admit that words can hardly describe this spectacular site. Leave a Comment Directions: Take the train from Cuzco to Aguas Calientes (4.5hrs); prepare for a bumpy ride! From Aguas Calientes, buses transport the tourists to the site.
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