I listened to the audio-book Turn Right at Machu Picchu - Rediscovering the Lost City One Step at a Time by author Mark Adams. It was a good listen, especially since it was narrated by the author. I then bought the book so I could research some of the places and people - it's kind of hard to get the correct spelling of an Inca city from my car audio. The book is a three-way narrative on the origins of Machu Picchu, the efforts of explorer Hiram Bingham to find it, and the author's quest to follow Bingham's path through the Peruvian mountains and jungles. Some reviewers don't like the format but I found it to be easy to follow. If you want to learn more about Machu Picchu or Peruvian history, I can offer my hearty endorsement.
Anyways...the idea of visiting Machu Picchu has been on my bucket list for a long time. You can fly into the city of Cusco, Peru (11,152') and take organized trips to the site that utilize vans, trains and buses with very little hiking. Or you can skip the train ride from Cusco to the base of Machu Picchu and hike the Inca Trail. There are however a few important details with the hiking option:
Total distance is around 27.4 miles over four days. The last day is a short 3.7 miles so that you can be at the Sun Gate for sunrise and see the grandeur of the site as it is illuminated by the morning sun. At the end of the day, buses transport visitors down to the village of Aguas Calientes (Hot Springs) and the trains back to Cusco.
Daily tickets are only good for four hours, so many people book a hotel in the Aguas Calientes and return for a 2nd day. There's even a luxury hotel (at elevation) just ouside the gates to Machu Picchu. Tour the park, check-in, shower, have a gourmet dinner and a few drinks, sleep, have a hot breakfast then walk back into the park without having to wait for a bus up the mountain from Aguas Calientes. There are both budget and luxury train options to get back to Cusco.
There are tour companies that offer a plethora of different options to get from Cusco to Machu Picchu. The dry season is May - November - expect higher prices and more sold-out dates during this time. Delta has direct flight to Lima Peru from Atlanta and the local flight from Lima to Cusco is only ~1.5 hours.
Let the planning begin!
Anyways...the idea of visiting Machu Picchu has been on my bucket list for a long time. You can fly into the city of Cusco, Peru (11,152') and take organized trips to the site that utilize vans, trains and buses with very little hiking. Or you can skip the train ride from Cusco to the base of Machu Picchu and hike the Inca Trail. There are however a few important details with the hiking option:
- You have to be on a guided hike with set stopping points and firm schedules. There are no free hiking options.
- Porters have a weight limit of 15 pounds for hiker's sleeping bag and clothing. They also carry all tents, food and cooking gear.
- Each hiker is responsible for carrying their own lunch, snacks and layers / raingear.
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner are provided daily by the expedition chef.
- Boiled water is supplied at breakfast, lunch and dinner. Hikers have to carry their own water between meals.
Total distance is around 27.4 miles over four days. The last day is a short 3.7 miles so that you can be at the Sun Gate for sunrise and see the grandeur of the site as it is illuminated by the morning sun. At the end of the day, buses transport visitors down to the village of Aguas Calientes (Hot Springs) and the trains back to Cusco.
Daily tickets are only good for four hours, so many people book a hotel in the Aguas Calientes and return for a 2nd day. There's even a luxury hotel (at elevation) just ouside the gates to Machu Picchu. Tour the park, check-in, shower, have a gourmet dinner and a few drinks, sleep, have a hot breakfast then walk back into the park without having to wait for a bus up the mountain from Aguas Calientes. There are both budget and luxury train options to get back to Cusco.
There are tour companies that offer a plethora of different options to get from Cusco to Machu Picchu. The dry season is May - November - expect higher prices and more sold-out dates during this time. Delta has direct flight to Lima Peru from Atlanta and the local flight from Lima to Cusco is only ~1.5 hours.
Let the planning begin!
Trudgin' along the AT since 2003. Completed Sections: Springer Mountain to Clingmans Dome and Max Patch NC to Gorham NH
"The days I keep my gratitude higher than my expectations...those are pretty good days." Ray Wylie Hubbard
"The days I keep my gratitude higher than my expectations...those are pretty good days." Ray Wylie Hubbard
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