A Few Questions About Peru/Machu Piccu

if we do opt to fly out of Lima, how can I be sure the price is not for Peruvians only?

search google Flights and you will see that there are 10 or 11 direct flights to Cusco a day operated by 4 different airlines. just Choose the cheapest one. Book direct with the airline.

) as I said, there seems to be so much involved in getting there, and it’s kind of overwhelming me. Is Machu Piccu really worth all the trouble?

Remember all the hearsay that made you decide you wanted to go to Machu Picchu and question is it worth going. You are just going to get the same thing here.

You seemed to have traveled to many different countries. You’ll have not seen anything like Machu Piccu anywhere else so yes, worth the effort.

My best friend would tell you it’s absolutely worth it.

Well worth it.
I agree fly Lima up to Cusco. It is short. You can spend the time in Cusco slowly getting used to the altitude.
As far as altitude, Machu Picchu is only 8,000 ft. And most people will not feel that elevation change. Aguas Calientes is even lower in the valley.
Cusco on the other hand is 11,000 feet and you will feel that no matter what form of transportation. Just take it slow.

Machu Picchu totally do able from Cusco. Inca rail has some all inclusive tickets. That include bus to Ollantaytambo, train to Aguas Calientes, shuttle to MP and MP admission. It doesn't include the mandatory guide. Also, Macchu Picchu has a limit to visitors. There are two groups. 6:00 am to 12:00 and 12:00 til 5:30. I spent two days at Macchu Picchu, late group first day, early group next day.
It is awesome.

Just make sure you are aware of the new visiting rules:

Machu Picchu Visiting Rules

Wait, you're not going to do the multi-day trek via the Inca trail or alternate to get there? I cannot imagine worrying about the "trouble" to get to Macchiu Picciu when your means of transport (minus the bus idea) seems so relatively easy (on the body and otherwise). I doubt you'll find anyone on this forum willing to sit on a bus for 20+ hours (unless it was in their "young" backpacking years) when there are plenty of short flights, and it won't work with the acclimation process. You'll have to take short hikes (to build up to a bigger one) and spend some time in Cusco beforehand to get acclimated, and of course get plenty of sleep and water.

Have you explored any Peru books yet? There is plenty to see in Peru outside of Macchiu Picciu, there is a wide variety of landscapes and biodiversity.

Thanks all!! I have started to look at Peru books and such - just feeling a bit overwhelmed. I have traveled extensively and spent lots of time in Europe, and I don’t know, but this seems so ...different. Totally stepping out of my comfort zone!

Planning a trip to South America is not that different than Europe - the steps are still the same (although obviously there are different modes of transport outside the main cities that aren't used in Europe like the small shared vans etc, and a lot of long-distance buses instead of trains). I planned a whole road trip in Argentina a while back and although it was definitely more guesswork (and less good info online), it was still doable. Macchu Picchiu has tons of resources and Peru is well-touristed...it's not as if you're heading off the beaten path so there's not much to worry about.

Check out Footprint Guides for South America, or Lonely Planet.

take a look at this website to give you an idea of other places to go in Peru:

https://www.peru.travel/perutherichestcountry/usa/#destinations

Went to Machu Picchu 17 years ago. One of my travel highlights. Cuzco is amazing and so many things to do. If you are from sea level a 2 day bus ride really wont help you much with altitude. You will notice the altitude in Cuzco either way (I live at 7000 feet in Colorado and still notice living at 11 K). You are better off flying and getting more rest and taking the 1st couple of days easy to adapt to the altitude.

If you do want an alternate to MP we also went to Iquitos and then up the Amazon to a camp. No altitude, but still a flight from Lima to Iquitos and then setting up with an outfitter.

Thanks all for your help!
I just watched an episode of Andrew Zimmer and he was in Iquitos. That might be an option...

Hello,

I am Peruvian and I live in Seattle for the last 30 years.

Machu Picchu is totally worth it. Try to go up to Sun Gate for great views.

I have never taken bus from Lima to Cusco, flying only takes less than 2 hours.

If you have time check out Ollantaytambo which is on the way. It’s the oldest inhabited inca town.
It’s small, you get to walk around streets that were built by the Incas. Very charming. There are ruins to see there also. It was an old in a fortress. We spent 2 nights there. I liked your idea to spend 2 nights in Aguas Calientes. Make sure you go to hot springs. It’s a simple place with pools of different temperatures. It’s not a spa.

I recommend trying a variety of foods including picarones (dessert) and anticuchos (beef heart on a stick). Also go to a market and ask for jugos (juices) they will make them fresh in front of you. The taste is amazing.

Have a great time,

Giovanna

Hello,

I am Peruvian and I live in Seattle for the last 30 years.

Machu Picchu is totally worth it. Try to go up to Sun Gate for great views.

I have never taken bus from Lima to Cusco, flying only takes less than 2 hours.

If you have time check out Ollantaytambo which is on the way. It’s the oldest inhabited inca town.
It’s small, you get to walk around streets that were built by the Incas. Very charming. There are ruins to see there also. It was an old in a fortress. We spent 2 nights there. I liked your idea to spend 2 nights in Aguas Calientes. Make sure you go to hot springs. It’s a simple place with pools of different temperatures. It’s not a spa.

I recommend trying a variety of foods including picarones (dessert) and anticuchos (beef heart on a stick). Also go to a market and ask for jugos (juices) they will make them fresh in front of you. The taste is amazing.

Have a great time,

Giovanna

Giovanna, Welcome to this forum! Great info!

Thanks Giovanna! Nothing like hearing from a local! Great tips :)

Yes, Machu Picchu is amazing and worth it. As for a bus ride of 20 or more hours ...that’s brutal especially when considering flights are available. I really enjoyed Cusco with beautiful colonial architecture and the very impressive Incan temple, good food, interesting processions, etc. If you can, visit Ollantaytambo as well.

Guys, there was yet another fatal bus accident in Peru last month. I can't imagine why you would consider a 20 hour bus ride in a developing country. You should read up on altitude sickness, because the bus ride's duration would not "protect" you against it. Who told you that? Your doctor can determine if you should have some prescription pills that can protect. But even with them, we had to stop after every fifteen or so stair-steps in Machu Picchu.

Yes, Machu Picchu. You could say that all the trouble to get there is part of the point of the trip. Do you have tickets for the train? I agree that if you're on your own, you need to investigate government restrictions on the daily tourist load at the site itself. I'm not urging you to take a group tour, just suggesting that this isn't like deciding to go to Versailles tomorrow.

When we were there several years ago, I was struck by how early everything starts in that part of (tourist, I mean) Peru. Many first-class hotels have a checkout time of 9AM, because the many organized tours have breakfast around 5 AM for their early departure!

@Tim - my understanding wasn’t that necessarily the “duration” of the trip would help, but the gradual ascent. Going up 5000 feet +/- from Lima to Cuzco in the 2 hours it takes for a flight to get there vs. gradually making that ascent in a 20-hr bus ride would (in MY head) mean the symptoms would be lessened or the risk of sickness reduced. But clearly I’m wrong.
It doesn’t matter anyhow as I had been looking into the various “risks” associated with taking a bus since my original post, and noted the unusually high amount of accidents, and had already ruled out the whole bus thing. There was also some points where there’s been a history of hijacking. I have no problems taking a long bus ride in a “developing country” when I have to deal with inconvenience, like sitting next to a chicken. But when it’s a matter of personal safety, I’ll pass.

I have another proposal if you haven't decided on a Lima to Cuzco flight or bus. In 2006, I persuaded my travel companion Diane to go first by bus from Lima along the coast south to Nazca to see the famous "lines" as well as the incredible sand dunes along the coast. We spent a night in Nazca. Next day we spent an hour in an local plane flying over the mysterious lines, getting some great photos. That afternoon we went to some desert burial sites looking at prehistoric mummies. That evening we took an overnight bus up the Andes to Cuzco. True, I did not see the Andes as we ascended in the dark, but I was gradually acclimatized to the altitude as I slept. I was not really wanting to see those hairpin turns anyway.
Cuzco and Machu Picchu are well worth the effort. Cool clear air, sleeping under blankets every night. One caution: If you or any of your party are heavy tobacco smokers, even the overnight bus trip may not be sufficient to adjust to the altitude. My friend Diane was not able to go to Machu Picchu because of breathing difficulties. As 73 year old non-smoker, I had no problem; I climbed all over Machu Picchu, taking photos. Of course, I did drink some 'coca' tea each morning in Cuzco at our B&B. 'They' say it helps.

Hi
I went to Machu Piccu several years ago and found it life altering experience. Totally loved it. We spent the afternoon and then the next morning (early morning). Cuzco ended up being one of my favorite places in Central and South America and I have been to several. Do some research, follow the new rules and totally enjoy. We went before the new rules were initiated but had a tour in the afternoon and by ourselves the next morning. Good luck and enjoy!

All the transportation arrangements between places is why we did MP on a Nat Geographic tour. In 2009. We flew from Lima to Cusco and took a bus to Urubamba, where we spent the night (along the way we stopped at the ruins at Pisac). We then drove to see the ruins at Ollantaytambo and took the train to MP from there. At MP, we stayed at Sanctuary Lodge right outside the ruins. On the way back we stayed in Cusco and had a side trip to Saqsaywamam. If you get to MP try and get one of the spots for either the morning or afternoon walks up Waynapicchu. They limit the number of people, but it’s well worth it, even if you have to stand in line.

I went to Peru last year. The bus is VERY EASY!! I would not bother to fly. I took a shared bus from Lima to Ollantaytambo, then from Ollay to Cuzco, and flew Cuzco to Lima. I flew LAN within Peru on 4 flights and booked them once I was in Peru. I was there for a month. I Loved Ollantaytambo, Cuzco, Lima, in fact every place I visited. You can't go wrong. Wait until you get there. You can plan a lot once you are there and if you have friends that live there they would have very accurate input.

One word of advice. If you are planning on going to Machu Pichu, buy your tickets well in advance. They limit the amount of visitors per day, and it is going to get more difficult as they have discovered all the tourists are hurting the site and plan to allow fewer visitors.

Yes, Peru was not cheap, think US prices, but I loved my time there. I hadn't gone because I wanted to see Machu Pichu, but because there was cheap airfare! So, it was all done off the cuff so to speak. I booked 3 nights in Ollay, took the day train up to machu, and visitedd Machu, doing the basic visit. That was enough for me. 5 hours. The train from Ollay was great, they even came through and offered snacks. It was pretty easy. Once you get off the train, you walk over a bridge into town, take another bus ($25 USD) that takes you to the park. Don't even think of walking! Very steep drive!

From Ollay, I did a day trip with a local; arranged when I was there; that took me to the 3 sites which were fantastic. I spent 2 days in Urubamba. I loved the visit to lake Titicaca, one of the most beautiful lakes I have ever seen!

I can't remember all the names of the places I visited, but they are all pretty popular. I really enjoyed my stay in Cuzco (3 nights). You will have a great time, but don't plan on this being cheap. It is like going to California.

Oh, just a reminder, DRINK PLENTY OF WATER!!! that will help with altitude sickness. You never know if you are the one who will get it, one symptom is a headache. If you are getting a headache, you need more water.

We are looking at visiting Machu Picchu in late March. I understand that the rainy season ends at the end of February. Is that correct? Is late March a good time to visit?

Machu Picchu is one of the greatest places in terms of World Heritage sites. The weather changes every 5 minutes, so you can enjoy variety of faces.