Dear Friends,
I'm sure the travel-savvy among you will probably already know everything this post is about to say. Yet, for the people who are like I was, I'm writing a bit of advice on how to get to one of the worlds most amazing sights - Machu Picchu. I'm going to talk mostly about the walking methods of getting there. It is completely possible to get a bus/train combination from Cusco to the entrance of Machu Picchu itself, but I will not be discussing that here.
One thing I learnt during my time in South America, and I think this applies for a lot of the so-called "developing world", is that it's always easier and cheaper to arrange sight seeing once you're already there. Only for the fact that I spoke to fellow travellers did I realise that the Inca Trail is not the only way of getting to Machu Picchu. If you search how to get to Machu Picchu online before arriving in Peru, it is likely you will end up booking the most expensive way of getting there.
Now don't get me wrong, by all accounts the Inca Trail is spectacular and well worth doing. However, for the budget travellers among us, sometimes even the most amazing of sights have to be done on a shoestring. Additionally, the Inca Trail must be booked months in advance and therefore may not be possible for some people. If you choose NOT to do the Inca Trail, this is my advice: Go to Cusco and organise your excursion from there.
There are a few reasons for this advice. One important reason is that your ticket for Machu Picchu only counts for the date you specified. If you have any travel disruptions, it is likely you would have to buy a new ticket if you can't get there on your planned day. Additionally, it is much easier to haggle for prices to get to Machu Picchu (the travel aspect of it, the entrance is always a set price) from Cusco than it is online.
Apart from the Inca Trail, there are many other options. Although I did not use this method, I have been told the Salkantay Trail is breathtaking, and is considered in the top 25 treks of the world according to National Geographic. This can generally be booked a day or two in advance upon arrival to Cusco.
However, the cheapest way is the way I did it. From Cusco, there are many travel agents that offer minivan trips to "Hidroelectrica". This is about a 6-7 hour mini van drive and not very comfortable so I would not recommend it to people who like their comforts. From Hidroelectrica it is possible to get a train to a town called Aguas Calientes for about $20. I would recommend walking along the tracks. This is not dangerous and you will find hundreds of people doing the same thing. In addition, the train drivers know this and constantly blow the horn of the train as it moves, so you will hear it coming from miles away (and it might give you a heart attack if you're close when it happens). The walk is not very comfortable however as it is along big stones that surround the tracks.
At this point you will have to spend a night in Aguas Calientes, which is a nice little town but extremely touristy. I didn't actually buy my entrance to Machu Picchu until I arrived to Aguas Calientes. I did this because I wasn't sure of when exactly I would arrive. There are a few options for the ticket you buy - Machu Picchu, Machu Picchu + Montana, Machu Picchu + Huayna Picchu. The latter is the most popular but must be booked in advance as there are only 200 people a day allowed on Huayna Picchu. I bought the Machu Picchu + Montana ticket which allows you up one of the mountains next to Machu Picchu for a spectacular panoramic view.
The only way up to the Montana or Huayna Picchu is by walking (up many many stairs). To get to Machu Picchu from Aguas Calientes, you can get a bus, or walk. The climb is arduous but the views are amazing and there are hundreds of people around for support. Bring bananas and water!! Once you get there you will (feel incredibly relieved!) find many guides outside offering tours of Machu Picchu. I would recommend this as it's a great and reasonably priced way of finding out more about the area.
I have not gone into much detail because there are many ways to get to Machu Picchu. However I just wanted to raise awareness to people who want to go there but find it too expensive/difficult to arrange, that the best way of doing it is going to Cusco and organising everything from there. I had no problems and didn't have to wait for a specific day, I arrived and booked my transport/tickets as I went. HOWEVER if you want to use the train/bus system as far as the entrance of Machu Picchu I would recommend booking that in advance.
Climbing up the "Montana"
Views of Machu Picchu from above
