Machu Picchu Travel Forum

Hi There!

I am going on holidays to Peru in June with some friends. I've read in several articles that Machu Picchu in June can get really crowded...

So, do i need to make a booking to go there or something like that...? I will be travelling through the country to different locations and i was planning to go there in one of the days. Do i have to decide previously when exactly i will go there? Do i need any booking, ticket or reservation...?
Also, can i go by my own or do i have to book it with a local travel agency...?

Thanks a lot for your help!

Hi.
I went to Peru in August. And yes, it was pretty crowded. But at the beginning, all we had was first few nights’ hotel reservation in Lima. We arranged other flights, hotel, etc as we went on our trip. It wasn’t difficult to do it, but I definitely recommend having some ideas of where to go next and what date. And book everything you need for next destination as soon as you can.
We did everything on our own. (We had Spanish speaker with us, so that made it easier also.) We had to stand in line for long time to get train tickets, etc.., but it was kind of fun to do it on our own. I think when we booked a flight from Lima to Cusco, we had to go back to the travel agency several hours later to pick up the tickets, so I’d recommend giving enough time to arrange everything.

Hi there,
It depends on what you want to do. MP only lets a certain number of patrons in per day, and many times the best option is to book a 1-4 day tour with a local company. Try googling SAS Peru.

The Inca trail (hiking to MP) is indeed limited but entry to the ruins of MP is not-yet-limited.
As June is very high season I would recommend that you make reservations in advance, eg accomodation and the train Cusco-MP.

You may want to have a look at my Peru (transportation) pages for more info.

Hi!
If you plan to do the Inca Trail you will need a travel agency, however, if you plan to visit Machu Picchu in one day, you can do it by yourself.

SANDRO