Jenni_P

We are planning on staying in Cuzco for 3 days and 1 day in MP. I had planned on taking the train to MP, spending the night, seeing the sunrise the next day, then somehow getting a ride back to Cuzco for a 2:25pm flight. Is there anyway to do this? None of the books have much on transportation. If I am reliant on the trains, they dont leave late until the evening. Is there a bus or a taxi we could get?

RBCal

There are no roads into Aguas Caliente. Thus the only way to get there is the train (or to hike the Inca trail).

Jenni_P

Is it worth spending the night in MP?

SharonNRayMc

Jenni_P, My answer is a resounding yes... it is well worth spending the night in order to visit MP late in the afternoon and early in the day before the crouds hit the ruins. Never before in my life have I seen something man-made so compellingly beautiful --- the setting is simply magnificent and the play of light against the ruins is best early in the morning and late afternoon.

Then again, I am the sort who likes to linger so everything has time to soak in... you might be a different kind of traveller.

Where are you heading after Cusco? maybe you can adjust things on that end of the trip.

Sharon

quimbymoy

i would definitely spend the night in aguas caliente or if you can afford to, at the sanctuary near the ruins. MP is huge and if you go with a guide, it will take you a good part of the day to see most of it. and besides, i think it was worth staying overnight & taking the 1st bus up from AC (1st bus leaves at 6:30) just to beat the crowds that start coming in with the 1st train arrival at 9:30A.

Jenni_P

So now what I am thinking:

Sat: Cuzco (arrive that morning)
Sun: Pisac & market, maybe some ruins
Mon: MP - train there and spend night
Tues: sunrise at MP, train back to Sacred Valley (Ollantaytambo - be there at 10:05), spend day in Sacred Valley & spend night
Wed: Taxi or bus back to Cuzco for 2:25pm flight to Arequipa.

Does this look do-able? Any recommendations?

Jeff_Costa_Rica

Well, unless you are staying at the Machu Picchu Sanctuary Lodge right outside the entrance to the ruins, you can't make it up there in time to catch the sunrise. The first bus heads up from town at 6:30 and gets you up there about 6:50. The sun will have risen even before you board the bus.

Then if you take that morning train to Ollantaytambo, you need to board 30 minutes before departure. By my calculations, that gives you about a half-hour to spend at the ruins that second day and still get down the mountain in time to catch the train. Is such a short time worth it to you? Remember, a second day means buying a second admission ticket.

If you were taking the afternoon train from Aguas Calientes, I'd say do it. There's much to be said for enjoying MP in the early morning, even if it's after sunrise. It's cooler and the day trip crowds don't begin to arrive from Cusco until mid-morning.

Jenni_P

Jeff, thank you so much for your valuable information. This has really helped me a lot.

One more question. How easy is it to get around in the Sacred Valley area? Since we will be limited on time, do you think we need a guide (mainly for the transportation aspect) - and to get to places more quickly - or is it easy to hop on a bus or catch a taxi?

Elainee

A guide and car or organized bus tour..public transportation...I don't think so. The hotel in the MP grounds is very well worth while. We stayed there before the big renovation and it was still very good. Being there at night is special. Arequipe was one of the most interesting places we have ever been. Not over-run with tourists or has a real feel.

lifelist

I remember taking the 6 a.m. bus up to Machu Picchu from Aguas Caliente, and it wasn't the first bus to leave. So, I believe you can make it up there by sunrise.

With regards to touring the Sacred Valley, if you're against a guided bus tour, you can always simply hire a taxi for the day - around $60US. If you want an actual private guide, it'll cost more. The guided bus tours are around $20. Also, there should be taxi drivers around at each of the sites if you want to do it on the fly. At worst, simply make it known that you're looking for a taxi, and you'll be swarmed. Just be sure to negotiate the fare up front.

SharonNRayMc

Hi again, Jenni -

Perhaps this will help you sort out the sunrise question. A good part of the answer might be what time of year you will be going.

Machu Picchu is at latitude 13º9' South and longitude 72º35'West

Now, if you go to http://www.adventist.org/sun/ to enter the latitude and longitude and the date you will be visiting MP, you will get an exact answer for sunrise and sunset times.

I was there during the Peruvian winter and took one of the first buses up... (I was there for winter solstice...) and made it to the Temple of the Sun in order to place myself to observe the archeo-astronomy alignment at this temple. Then, I went to the Temple of the Condor do check the alignment... This was a neat experience to see first-hand. And, I made it to my position before sunrise. It can be done!

As far as your itinerary:

Is there a reason you are breaking up your time in the Sacred Valley? I would suggest staying in Ollantaytambo and taking the train to MP from there. This puts you at a much lower altitude than Cusco and will help you acclimate better. Cusco is at about 11,500' And, the Sacred Valley is much lower... something like 9,100'.

You could do Pisac - market and ruins and see Ollantaytambo, which is very special as the whole city is built around pre-Columbian urban planning. The city is quite interesting and there are some nice shops -- the buildings, streets and courtyards are all well kept, preserved... Inca walls and fabulous ruins. For another visual treat you could place yourself at Ollantaytambo's Temple of Viracocha for sunset... the colors are magnificent golden!

You might want to consider adding Chincheros to your Sunday excursion list... for Sunday morning so you can enter the Colonial church ... the murals are fabulous and it is neat to attend the Catholic mass and hear the beautiful singing done in Quechua.

Next, visit MP. From MP, take to train Cusco and spend a day there before leaving for Arequipa.

Sharon

Jenni_P

Thanks everyone. This has been extremely helpful. I am getting very excited for this trip!!

vmcb

I agree w/ Sharon's suggestion to head to the SV after arriving in Cusco. Will help w/ the altitude adjustment. You could tour the SV that first day, ending and staying in Ollantaytambo---try the Pakaritambo. It's charming and a 5 minute walk to train station next morn and hotel takes your luggage. Take train to MP, stay nite, and back to Cusco next day. Train ride very interesting. I have previously posted the name of a very reasonable guide who could help w/ touring the SV, and other arrangements as needed. Vikki

vmcb

Just noticed you were arriving Cusco on a Saturday. If you were to head to the SV that day, it is not one of the Pisac market days (Sunday is), so you would miss out on that, if that were of particular interest.

536547869

Cuzco and Machu Pichu was a must. In our world travels we enjoyed it a lot and rank it as one of the top spots we have seen in historical sites. It was great!

Don't think seeing sunrise and sunset is very easily done. Crowds were not a concern except around noon - but site is large and you can work around groups in areas. Sometimes it helps becasue you can hear a tour guide twll about an area.

Take the train from Cuzco to Machu Pichu in the arly morning. The train switchbacks out of the city backwards. As it backs up from the city to the top of the mountain you get the view of Cuzco. It and is quite different. The only fault with the train was that the windows are dark shaded with a sunscreen - so you cannot see as much as I like. Otherwise it was great.

The trip to Machu Pichu can be done in a day with the train leaving in the morning and returning that night. About 4 or 5 hours are all you will need at the site. You will have from 10am until around 4pm so it will work out well.

Make sure to go on the Inca Trail and walk a half hour+ each way until you get to the area that has hundreds of steps down into a canyon. At that point look over what you can and turn around. This is also a world class hike. The trail is fascinating!

There are a few ways to spend more time at Machu Pichu but that requires strenous hiking to the north end needle/peak and that is a lot of work/. Most don't do it because it is a lot of steps up and down and very strenuous. Also if heights bother you this is out.

To see the main complex would take on hours - not days.... Unless you walk extremely slow and dwadle.

RBCal

I disagree that a day trip is advisable. In June through early September the ruins are swarmed with tourists. The site is much more enjoyable when the day trippers from Cusco are gone.

Jeff_Costa_Rica

If the day trip is all you have time for, that's fine, but it makes for a very long day (6+ hours on a train plus about 4 hours walking around the ruins). If you do the day trip, you'd need to head back down the mountain about 2-2:30, depending on your train's departure time to give you sufficient time to get back to town, have your train ticket checked and to board the train.

I agree with RBCal that if you can work your schedule out to do the overnight, so much the better.

waynehazle

Another vote for the overnight. My wife and I did the day trip and it was a loooooong day. The only downside is my wife isn't as "into ruins" as meso after about an hour of walking she was done with MP.

I could have stayed there for days. Check out the photos, especially my black and whites:
http://waynehazle.com/chileperu/gall...kon/index.html

and don't forget to buy some Inca corn from the locals as you ride the train:
http://waynehazle.com/chileperu/gall...23_31_R15.html

lorikeet

You need to stay overnight! And in the town, not up at MP. Wonderful.