PONCHOTJ

I will like to visit Machu Pichu on my own, not on a tour/package deal. Any suggestions on where to stay, transportation from Lima airport to Cuzco and Cuzco to Machu Pichu....thanks in advance for your suggestions.

anat1

WE got to Machu Pichu from Aguas Caleintes. We stayed one night in Aguas Calientes and took the early morning train to Machu Pichu. We took a train from Cuzco to Aguas Calientes which took about 4-5 hours. Not sure how you feel about camping but another option to do the Inka Trail and then you are one of the first to enter the park.

Have fun,
Anat

Eva100

You can catch a train to Aguas Calientes and from there either walk or take a bus to MP. If you want to walk the inka trail, these days you have to walk with a guide as they no longer allow individual travellers to walk alone. This most of the time would mean you'd book with a tour company in Cuzco - there are many to chose from - but I guess you could also hire a guide on your own.

TioGringo

I'm also thinking of hoofing it on my own. I've heard that you can't always get to Machu Pichu during the rainy season (like in now through about April).

Any truth to that?

Also, how easy is it to catch the buses from Aguas Calientes?

Mark

Eva100

Mark
It's very easy to catch a bus from Aguas Calientes. They leave from MP every 30 minutes or so and I would imagine they would go the other way that often as well. It's only a short trip 30-40 minutes.

I think there are trekking tours all year around. Check with SAS travel which is the company I went with in the end of November this year. They were one of the more expensive groups but VERY well worth it. I was very lucky and ended up in a great group of another 15 people. Wouldn't have wanted to get to Macchu Picchu any other way but via the inka trail.

TioGringo

How much do the trains to Aguas Calientes really cost? I was looking on one web site that showed prices of $50-80. That seems awfully high -- is it right? Could those prices have been in sols and not dollars??

Mark

anat1

We took the backpacker train and if I remember correctly it cost us $17. It is a bit slower than the other train but about 1/2 as much in price. You can check their schedule at this site http://www.fiestatoursperu.com/train...cchu_cusco.htm

Anat

Doke2

Is it true that you can no longer do the Inca Trail on your own? I heard you must be with a tour group or organization.

Jeff_Costa_Rica

It's easy to get to Machu Picchu on your own, but if you're going the Inca Trail route, you have to go with an organized group. There are treks all year round, but this is the rainy season, so the trail conditions can get wet and muddy this time of year. (January and February are the wettest months.) The upside is that there's plenty of space available in the low season.

There was the incident in October with rains and mudsldes on the tracks between Cusco and Aguas Calientes that stranded passengers for a few days. That extreme is pretty rare.

As for transportation between Lima and Cusco, I'd say fly. It's a very long trip by bus.

The train tickets are pretty expensive. Peru Rail has a monopoly on the service. Their website gives the prices:

www.perurail.com

Cusco to Machu Picchu on the Backpacker train is $65 round trip. Even Ollantaytambo to Machu Picchu on the Backpacker service is $51 round trip.