Spending a night in AC so we can go up to Huayna Picchu first thing in the morning. Do you think we'd be able to go up to HP and return in time for the 13:30 Vistadome? Or is that cutting it too close?

Thanks!

Aristokat,

I can tell you it is possible.

As long as you are on the first bus up to MP in the morning; once inside MP - beeline for the sacred rock area & get in line for an early entry number for HP; then you just have the actual climb, time at the top & descent time (3-4 hours); before heading back to line up for the bus back to AC.

I had breakfast & check-ed out of my AC hotel by 5 AM, in queue for bus by 5:10AM; at MP entrance for opening; climbed HP and taking my time was back in MP by 11 AM -ish; I took the 13:25 train.

Be sure to have your hotel bring your luggage over to the train station for you.

It is worth the effort & enjoy the view!

go up as early as you can like 5:30AM bus up

to sign up go all the way to the back of the park right away

it usually closes out before 7AM

21/2 hours up back so easily doable

if you get a spot to climb...

The "Big Four" hotels (Sanctuary Lodge, Inkaterra, Sumaq and Hatuchay Tower) deliver bags to the station. The others generally do not. The advice about having your hotel deliver bags to the station depends on where you stay.

Does anyone know if there is a lower age limit for this climb? One person told me 14 but I have not actually read that. We have an almost 12 year old who would like to go up with us later this month (with parents and two teens).
thanks

Thank you everyone! There is big gap timewise between the vistadomes that 13:25 would be the option that we're shooting for.

One more question...we actually will only have daypacks with us that we are bringing on our Inca Trail hike. If they are pretty small backpacks, we can put them in lockers up at Macchu Picchu, right?

Yes, when I finished the Inca Trail hike I checked my backpack and hiking poles at MP.

Here's the other thing, any maybe it's just me. I'm glad I did Huayna Picchu once, but it was tiring and hot. There is no shade up there, remember. When I got back down, my legs felt like rubber. All I wanted to do was go back to my hotel, take a nice, long shower, take a nap, treat myself to a nice dinner and then go to bed. I would never have been able to face a train ride, although if you're looking at the 13:25 train, I take it you're only going as far as Ollantaytambo? That's not like going all the way back to Cusco.

Jeff - Yes we're taking the train back to Ollant and then heading to Cusco from there...I see your point. Hmmm...I'll definitely have to talk this over with my husband. We only have a day and a half in Cusco so I was trying to cram everything in at once. Good point!

I don't want to tell you not to make the climb, aristokat. I was just describing how I felt when I was done. If this is your schedule, then so be it. When I was done and was leaving, I also looked up there and patted myself on the back for having done it. If it's something you want to do, then do it. You'll sleep very well that night when you get back to Cusco.

It was a working trip for me and so I took a small briefcase along when I was making the trek up there. I must have looked like an idiot.