Aguas Calientes - Machupicchu Travel Forum

hi I was wondering if anyone can tell me about the distance from a/c to the gate to machu pichu I notice that the pueblo hotel is very costly and says it is across the river from a/c is it closer? and also I see a large price diference for some of the other places to stay I will be there August 22 or 23 2005 should I book ahead? Is it possible to get up early and walk from a/c to the gate or do the busses run before the train arrives? any help anyone can give me would be greatly appreciated
thanks

One hour walking, Peruan says 45 minutes, but is very loong stair, one hour of steps.

Everything in Aguas Calientes is close together - the Pueblo Hotel is on the same side of the Urubamba as everything else, just on the far side of A.C. from the Machu Picchu road and across the "feeder" stream that empties into the Urubamba and cuts through Aguas Calientes. Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel is the first building you see from the train in, and so probably technically the farthest from MP. But any hotel is A.C. is about equidistant from the ruins as the long walk is once you leave town, not getting around town itself.

Although it seems like you should be able to get a room for cheap, there are limited rooms and the area is isolated, so spending $100 or so isn't outrageous here. We unfortunately got what we paid for and wished we'd spent more on a better hotel.

Every hotel in Aguas Calientes is basically about a hundred meters from every other hotel. There is one hotel, the Sanctuary, which is actually right in the Machu Picchu park but it is incredibly expensive and not at all worth the price.

You CAN walk up from AC to the gate of Machu Picchu, but it is a very long and very steep hill. The buses run from something like 6 AM, well before the train arrives, so if you stay in AC you can easily get up to MP before the crowds. You can also stay later than the crowds--the train back to Cusco leaves around 3 PM, but MP is open and the buses still run for several more hours.