Machu Picchu Travel Forum

I would like to visit Machu Picchu next April - June, when is the best time? Also I have heard that you can travel the trail and arrive before the majority of the tourists on the buses that come to Machu Picchu mid-morning, what is the best way to do this? Does anyone recommend the 3, 4, or 5 day trails? If we are a group that is ready for more strenuous hikes can we cover more ground than a typical 4 day tour for beginners? Basically I need help figuring out what to do and where to go? Thanks!!

I'm not sure if you're aware but you can only do the Inca Trail with a registered touring group that you must pre-book in advance as they get filled up fast. You have only 3 options a) take the train from Cusco to Agua Calientes and then a bus to Machu Picchu b) 2 day trek which starts 104kms with touring company c) 4 day trek with touring company. There are going to be tourist there no matter when you go - the time of day you arrive depends on how fast you and your group walk.

I was there in April and the weather was good.

The above reply is correct, you need to go through a registered agency to do the Inca Trail. June-August is high season, so you need to book like now for next year if you want to do the traditional Inca Trail. You can do 4 days, 3, 2, and I think even 1. If however you want something a bit different and more of an intermediate level, then you can hike the Salkantay (sp?) trek (5 days I think) which I hear is beautiful (rainforest and Andeas all in one). We just did a trek through the sacred Lares Valley - it was incredible, and we didnīt see another living soul which was awesome because the inca trail is packed in July. Both Salkantay and Lares end in Aguas Calientes, you spend the night there then get the first bus to MP at 6am when it opens. It was great to see the sun coming over the mountains, and there were relatively fewer people there, it was packed by 10am. Salkantay is more challenging than Lares, but at this altitude anything is bloody challenging. We consider ourselves young, fit and healthy, and the altitude made us feel so weak, so donīt overestimate yourselves.

SAS is the big tour company in Cusco. Treks are well run and professional, but expensive and have groups of 16 people (yuk). We went with WaykiTrek, about the same price, but groups no bigger than 8, and everyone in ours pulled out at the last minute, but they took the two of us on the agreed date anyway, it was good service I thought. PeruTrek is also apparently good.

Anymore questions just let me know. Enjoy yourselves, Peru is great!

Weather in April and June is generally good, although a little less chance of rain in June.

Thanks, we would like to do something in May or June and the Lares Valley was one we were already checking into. I've heard the Inca trail is crowded by amazing from some people, and others say not to bother and do an alternative trail...I'll check out the links you sent as well! Thanks for your help!

I went in April with GAP a canadian company. Our guide Ceasar Arenas was a genius! Loved him. It was an average 15 person, 3 day trek. Nothing special but on of the best things I have ever done!!! (partly because of Ceasar) There's a gate that they lock at night a few miles before macchu picchu on the opposite side to the train. You can see the sun rise through the sun gate from that side and then walk down hill to Macchu Picchu. There's a beautiful view from up there. We got up at 4 in the morning on the last night so we could be the first at the gate. Then you have to try to run the rest of the way before the sun rises and all the tourists arrive on the train. I didn't make it, very hungover, but that wasn't really important to me. It really was an amazing experience... have fun!

If you opt to take the train from the Valley there is an early train that arrives around 8am and a later train that arrives around 10 am. The early train can be booked through a tour group. We tried to book through the peru rail site but they informed us it was sold out due to the tour companies buying all the tickets. Anyway, if you take the early train in by the time you have a tour around MP and are ready to go the later train has arrived and MP is suddenly full of people. The earlier train seats only 100 people. When you arrive to MP by the early train there will still be people at MP, the trekkers and the ones staying in AC but it will not compare to how many people will be there once the later train comes in. Hope this helps.

i highly recommend booking the salcantay trail with united mice. it's 4 days hiking (up to 4500 m) and visit of MP on day 5. everything was perfect and we hardly saw any people. we were a group of 5 hikers plus guides and helpers. compared to hundreds to would see on the inka trail.
on day 5 we also took a bus from aguas calientes up to MP, i think it was 5.30 a.m. and we were bus no. 8 or so - so go *really* early!
let me know if you want to hear more.
stef