Peru Travel Logistics
 

People recommend starting at Machu Picchu and then ending in Cuzco to adjust better to the altitude. If I were to do that, what would my travel day look like? I would fly into Lima, connect to Cuzco and then take the train? (Estimated number of hours this would take?)Wouldn't you feel altitude sickness upon arriving, or does immediately leaving on a train eliminate the risk? Also, is there any site or statistic on how many people have altitude sickness or if you know if you are more at risk, etc.

Thanks fo much!

It would be very difficult, if not impossible, to fly from Lima to Cusco and then get a train to AC. The trains leave in the mornings and the flights from Lima can sometimes be late. What many people do is fly into Cusco and then immediately transfer to the Sacred Valley for several days of acclimation before taking the train to AC and seeing Machu Picchu. There are many great little places to stay in the Sacred Valley that make a great base for exploring the region.

In terms of stats on altitude sickness, I know of none. What I do know is that there really is no rhyme or reason as to who gets it and who remains immune. My elite athlete husband was sick for a day whereas I was okay and I am not in his class physically at all. There does not appear to be any correlation between altitude sickness and physical fitness, body type, etc.

Have a fun trip.
taitai

It's impossible to make the connection you describe. The trains from Cusco leave around 6-7 a.m. Even if you caught the earliest flight from Lima, you'd never get to Cusco in time to catch the train.

Taitai's suggestion about immediately heading to the Sacred Valley is a good one.

Thank you! Can you recommend a great place to stay in the Sacred Valley?

We stayed at Hotel Pakaritampu in Ollantaytambo. It was a nice hotel that cost about $90 a night for 2 people. It was a 5 minute walk to the train station where you can catch the train to AC. The train ride is a little over an hour to AC. Its about 5-10 minutes to walk to the center of town from the hotel. Ollantaytambo is a great little village and has some nice ruins.

My advice is not to miss Ollantaytambo and Pisac. You shouldn't just hang out in Cusco and go to MP -- be sure to spend plenty of time in the Sacred Valley. The ruins at Ollantaytambo are very cool and are certainly less touristy than MP -- take the hike from the top of the ruins to the top of the mountain for a great view of the valley.

I agree with the previous posters. We stayed in Ollantaytambo for two nights before catching the train (a 10-min walk from our hotel) to Agua Caliente. We had arranged a guide in advance who picked us up at the airport in Cusco and transferred us to Ollantaytambo (with a stop at the Sunday market in Chinchero on the way). Next day, he took us to Pisac, Moray (Inca terraces), and the salt mines, all in the Sacred Valley. We then took the train on our own to Agua Caliente, spent one night there, and returned to Ollanta where our guide picked us up and took us back to Cusco (where we spent 2 nights before heading to Lake Titicaca). It worked out very well for us. Don't miss out on the Sacred Valley - beautiful scenery and fascinating towns (esp Pisac and Ollantaytambo).