Cheap way to see Machu Picchu
 

We are 2 adventuroous travellers with little cash. We are spending 7 weeks in Peru. Machu Picchu is a must, but we can't really afford it (SAS 450$ each for the 4 day hike.)Is it possible to find a registered guide on arival in Cusco without advance notice? We really want to do the 4 day hike but would settle for a cheaper alternative. We will be arriving in Lima on oct. 3 and will be doing the Gringo trail.

Thanks

Alex

I hope someone with first hand knowledge helps you here. I think you MUST have a guide and they book mostly in advance. I have been to Machu Picchu but did not hike in - came by train. If you cannot afford what you really want, maybe you can get to the town at the base (forgot the name) and find some help there. Even one day at Machu Picchu is worth the effort. There are several trails right there in the park area to hike.

For the classic Inca trail you have to have a registered guide. Hiring a private guide to trek would be more expensive than going in a group.

It's possible to hike along the train tracks from Ollantaytambo to Aguas Calientes without a guide but this is not the same experience.

There are alternative treks that you don't need to reserve in advance see the andeantravel web in the second link.

Availability
http://www.inca-trail.com.pe/dispo/index.php?lg=en

Description
http://www.andeantravelweb.com/peru/...gulations.html

I found andean Travel Web very helpful in planning our trip to Peru. The site also shows the number of permits available for the Inca Trail in real time: http://www.andeantravelweb.com/peru/index.html
Unfortunately, there are none available for the month of October, but spots are still open in November. Good luck.

If you want to do the traditional Inca Trail, then you must book far in advance (3-4 months) and you must go with a registered guide. My friend just got back from Peru, and she had tried to book an Inca Trail trek 3 months ahead, and everything was booked. She did an "alternative" trek instead, which is basically a different route that ends up at Machu Picchu. It was more of a rural trek without the ruins you'll see on the Inca Trail, but she said the scenery was good.

Some operators offer 2-day treks which is a cheaper alternative. If you're looking at October, it's probably already too late to schedule a trek on the traditional route.