Machu picchu

I may or may not have report for you. We head to Machu Picchu on Tuesday - back in three weeks. It is my understanding that only 2500 permitted per day. I thought you had to have a guide at all times. Will let you know about that one.

Thanks Frank it will be great to hear about your adventure.

According to a May 5, 2017, article in Peruvian Times, a guide is required effective July 1, 2017. In addition to the amazing structures at Machu Picchu, there's much to offer in and around Cusco. All in all, we thought it was very worthwhile trip and we did so as part of a small group with a licensed guide. Have a great trip.

I've often wondered about the seasonality of Machu Picchu...when is it best to go/not go, in terms of crowding and weather?
Any tips/experience? Thanks.

The temperatures are fairly constant throughout the year per a quick glance at some climate data. The busiest months are around the drier months...which correspond generally to our summer months. The worst month seems to be February with much rain and the Inca Trail being closed. So, it's a trade-off between popular/drier months and wetter/less crowded months. The tour company we used offers trips in many months of the year. I don't recall which month we visited, but no rain fell on us. A truly exceptional experience to be at Machu Picchu at sunrise and later to climb Huayna Picchu. Cusco was exceptional.

Hi all

I’m reading that the morning or afternoon entries are enforced and that you are herded along not being able to backtracks? And that once you enter cann you renter within your time frame?

Go in the morning if at all possible. Aquas Calientes is just beds/bars/meals/souvenirs (at least in Dec. 2010), so no need to stay out late at night. Machu Picchu offers amazing morning light & shadows & clouds, far fewer people, far more quiet & evocative space. We went in the afternoon & at 7am next day (guided both times, but we also rambled on our own). Buses back to AguasC in 2010 ran every 15 minutes mid-day, 30" ride. Wear good ankle support if you want to do any of the trails, & schlep a rain jacket.

the ticket to MP covers a full day, if you skip the morning you just wasted half of your ticket. also, vina pichu (the mountain behind the ruin) only allows certain number of visitors per day, it's usually closed by noon. The bus line gets longer when you get people coming in by train on the same day, but it's not terrible. I suggest you overnight at agus - it's actually a nice little town, and get up early to see the full day of MP. You can take a late train out of Agus. When I went it didn't require a guide, but maybe it does now. I thought the guide is pretty good, not expensive anyways. Always bring rain gear with you - the weather is not predictable.

On site for the past two days. Lot of miss information above but it is because things are changing. We had a guide for a pm and and am entry. A guide is not required. The govt is trying to find some way to limit traffic but not all is working. The 2500 per day limit has been dropped in favor of an am or pm entry. You can re-enter one time during your time period. No attempt (at this time) is made to clear am entry. Probably impossible to do so anyway. . I think it would be possible to enter with an am ticket and stay all day. You do need your passport for entry with your ticket. Crowds were very large, lines very long for AM entry. PM much less so. Lines long for buses from train station. And nearly impossible long lines for late pm departures from the top. Buses at the top were nearly continuous. As fast as they loaded one, the next one pulled in and sometimes they were loading two at a time. We stayed in the hotel at the entrance so we observed a lot of the action. It was worth it.

Vina Picchu is limited to 200 per entry and requires an advance reservation. There are a lot of one way passages but you can circle back. The guards try to keep the line moving at great points for photo and where people bunch up.

Good luck. Local transportation is not easy.

Wow Frank thanks for the info. The lines for the bus up and down sound like the biggest hassle. I am booking an am and pm entry on different days. Both with a guide. We will stay in AC so will need to go up and down.

Too bad about the crowds. How badly did they interfere with your experience of being there? Any gems of wisdom?

Crowds didn't interfere any more than any other crowded site - Disneyworld for example. Just lots of people and hard to take photos without someone you don't know in the picture. You are not shuffling along in a line or anything like that but there are just a lot of people around. We could see things that we want to see at our own speed but you are definitely not alone.

Staying at the hotel at the entrance is expensive but it saves a lot of hassle getting to and from the site via bus. Some commented on the bus ride up and down as being a bit scary. Rough riding and no guard rails. A bit of a challenge when two buses met but no evidence that any bus ever went over the side.

Be sure to bring at least one hiking/walking stick. I could see a small problem if raining or recently rained and wear substantial hiking/walking shoes. Not a place for flip flops or lightweight sneakers. Lots of uneven, slippery rocks. You don't need hiking boots but a good hiking oxford/shoe is recommended. There are no restrooms or trash cans inside the site so plan accordingly. We had heard that plastic water bottles were prohibited but saw no evidence of them checking for that. We carried a plastic water bottle in an open sling over the shoulder with no questions asked. It is a magnificent site that is almost overwhelming in size. We spent a full day inside but another day would have been nice just to circle back on some areas. Since we live at 6500 feet, altitude was not a problem for us but for some people it was.

It was much hotter than we anticipated. At that altitude and early Spring (early Nov.) we thought it would be much cooler but it was warm and with all the climbing you get pretty hot. Very little shade anywhere so if the sun is out it will be hot.

We were very lucky. Just as we hit the train station late in the PM of the second day, it rained hard. If it was raining that hard on top it would have been miserable. Bring an extra SD card for your camera - you will need it. Every step is a "Kodak Moment." Good luck.

PS -- Use a good bug spray. Got a couple of nasty bites before we applied it.

I was there in 2009 but with a tour. We stayed right at the Sanctuary Lodge at Macchu Picchu so we had no lines at all. While we did have our NatGeo guide, I don’t believe one is required. Something to check into you may not have thought about (assuming it hasn’t changed); twice a day, morning and afternoon, a limited number of people are allowed to climb Huaynapicchu/Waynapicchu (that tall peak one sees in the background of all the photos.) it is well worth the wait in line to get that opportunity and the view is amazing. Again, since we were lodging right there, we didn’t need to come up from the town. Just watch your step.

Regarding Frank's advice to include a walking stick or pole (or whatever the preferred term is these days) when walking about Machu Picchu....my recollection is that staff were very concerned about the impact of hard tips and required soft tips. A quick check of the current status of that rule indicates elderly and handicapped folks are the only ones allowed to use these devices, with soft tips. An incredible visit!