Machu Picchu

REI Adventures does a number of types of trips to Machu Picchu. Here is a link to their seven-day trip:

http://www.rei.com/adventures/trips/latin/machu-picchu-peru-hiking-tour.html

I know several people who have taken their trips and were very happy with them. I also know someone who worked for them as a guide and I trust her judgment when she says they are a good reliable tour company.

We used a company called Cultural Immersion. They can arrange a nice trip for you.

Thank you ..Will check both out.

We don't have any recommendations for companies who could help but I just visited Peru for about eight days and did it independently. If this is a first trip a tour group could help you avoid some headaches but if you are a seasoned traveler I had great luck using Lonely Planet's guidebook. They had good recommendations for local tour companies that you could connect with but nothing that would be a full tour of Peru.

You don't really need a tour operator to do MP, it's very easy. Suggest you fly into Cuzco a few days ahead to get yourself comfortable with the altitude, and check out the many tour shops around plaza de amas. they sell every ticket you need to do MP yourself. if you're going to see the sacred valley, you can get a day tour here, and at the end of the tour asked to be left behind in ollantaytambo. Book a hotel here for the night, or take the train up to aguas calientes on the same day. if you over night in AC, book a hotel here, then bus from AC up to MP. Many of the tour shops can include a tour guide for a couple of hours in MP with a group, it's a good value. If you do that, suggest you get up early to climb huayna picchu. it only allows certain climbers per day, and it's a pretty amazing climb (if you're in relatively good shape).

I agree with David's comments, i.e., you don't need a travel company. Also, I think he meant in his last sentence that they only allow a certain number of climbers per day. Have a great trip!

Hi, I want to go to Machu Picchu by individual travelling.Is it too dangerous for a woman alone?

I am signed up to hike the classic Inca Trail 4 days/ 3 nights with SAS Travel. I found the following website incredibly helpful. I would aim to use a local tour company for the money to stay in Peru instead of an international company.
http://www.andeantravelweb.com/peru/destinations/machupicchu/index.html

I went to Peru a couple years ago with Gate 1 Travel and found the tour of Peru including Machu Picchu was fantastic.(Also stayed in Lima, Cusco, and a couple other places)
Plenty of time to explore the areas and the guides are great.
In country flights to Cusco and Puno were included in the price.
We also went by bus to Lake Titicaca and out to the floating islands.
I was 1 week in Peru and then had 1 week in Ecuador.
I like this company because it has more budget prices - yet very very nice hotels.
The buses that we rode were very modern and the train portions were great ( we had option into Machu Picchu of taking a first class train....but I opted for the inclusive standard train (it was very modern and comfortable.)

Another vote for REI (personal experience in visiting Machu Picchu and environs).

I haven't been for a few years, but I wouldn't hesitate travelling there by myself. I understand that it has gotten harder to do inca trail but if you are just doing MP I wouldn't bother paying for a group. As for safety, I wouldn't hesitate - but be sensible - I wouldn't wander by myself, late at night in a poorly lit area anywhere in the world (except my home town which is still in the 1950's), so don't do it in South America. The people in Peru are lovely, sweet lovely people, but every group has "those people", just use common sense. I agree that you need to arrive early to adjust if you are flying in. Even 7 or 8 days may not be long enough if you suffer from altitude sickness. If you come ion by road you adjust slowly and I never found any problems _ except that long tiring walk up the hill to the hostel from Cross keys Pub late at night!

I initially went to MP with Intrepid Travel. I really liked their emphasis on small-group local experiences. I then spent another 3 weeks traveling around Peru by myself. It was fine to do as a woman alone - my ability to speak Spanish was very helpful as a solo traveller. I did need a few days to adjust to the altitude and I enjoyed my time in Cuzco doing so.

I cannot say enough good things about the company we used for Machu Picchu: Adventure Life (www.adventure-life.com)

What I love about them is that they use local, smaller, eco-friendly hotels. At the time we were there, they had 14 people at the same time, but our group was just five people, and the other two groups were 6 and 4 people. No big groups!! You have your own local guide the entire time.

They are based out of Missoula, Montana, and every one of their travel guides has actually been to the places you are booking. We wanted to "just do Machu Picchu", but they told us that we'd forever regret not also spending time in the Sacred Valley. So right!!

As for Machu Picchu, we went up the first day at 3 pm. The place closes at 5 pm, so this seemed odd...but our guide told us it's because the main tour groups get there at 11 am and leave at 2 pm. By 3 pm we practically had the entire place to ourselves!! Amazing.

We've since used the same company for our family trip to Belize, and it was also amazing.