38-Machu Picchu

First of all MachuPicchu are the famous ruins we have heard about.You probably have seen sone pictures of it, so there is no road you can drive or ride to it.Down by the river Urubamba is the town Aguas Calientes. This town has changed its name to MachuPicchu. But the locals still refere to the town as Aguas Calientes.

From Cusco to MachuPicchu it takes minimum 4 hours of travel.

- 1st. segment, can be by taxi,or public mini van 2 hr …or a 5 hr tour bus which makes several stops along the Sacred Valley following the Urubamba river to the town of Ollatowtamba.

- 2nd segment- The a train takes you further to MachuPicchu/Aguas Clients , for another 2 hours.
This last part is the only transport to MachuPicchu/Aguas Calientes There are 2 companies by train on the same track, Peru Rail and Inca Rail leaving you in the Town of MachuPichu/Aguas Clients. They have different schedules and slight different prices.

For the first segment we decided to take the tour bus, showing the Pisac Inca ruins, Ollatawtambo Inca ruins and stopping at local markets and offer a lunch in the town of Urubamba. This trip takes 5-6 Hrs but you have the chance to see much more. It arrives in time to catch the train to MachuPicchu in the afternoon so you have a full day with lots of things to see.When we arrived in the late evening went straightto one of the so many Hotels.

Next morning you have to take the bus from MachuPichu/Aguas Cabinets to the ruins. The bus which leaves every 10 min and you have to pay a ticket. for every entry and purchasing of tickets they ask for your passport, so....have your passport ready and easy accessible. 

I have here the cost for the trains and entrances of the parks.

Cost of MachuPicchu visit per person
Tour Bus to Ollantanbmba along the Sacred Valley ....... $23 US dollars or 70 soles/ per person incl lunch
Train-(Ollatowtamba- MachuPicchu/ Aguas Calinetes $82 US dollars
MachuPichu ruins entry fee to park ............................ $40 - 128 soles
Bus From MachuPichu to park entry round trip - $24

Personal guide in MachuPicchu ruins ...........................Aprox $50 US dollar or 150 soles
On return Taxi from Ollatamtambo-Cusco 2 hr Drive in a van.....20 soles/ per person aprox $6.50 us dollars.


ADVrider posts:

Trailer Rails:

Looking at your Dad's photos and yours, it looks like much of the place was rebuilt. What are your thoughts on that? I was in Rome a while ago and they were rebuilding the coliseum and other buildings, I kind of felt cheated, thier work was so good that it was difficult to tell what was old and what was new.

Response:

Hi Trailer rails:

I have also noticed the reconstruction, I guess that was done in the 70 or so, As we all know our knowledge and way of thinking changes over time. I guess at that time the emphasys was to see as much as posible how it would look like, with years we come to apreciare the true remains of what was left. We humans have different views of old arquitecture and just looking at today the destruction happening is some of the war counties we read in the news is mind bogling and very sad. Still this place is fantastic, pictures can not represent the magnitude of the valley and structures. I am glad they preserved it and there are lots of guards making sure people respect what is there.



© Nina Boonacker 2012