Machu Picchu Travel Forum

I am taking my mum on a short 2.5 weeks to south america from australia and have decided on 5 nights in argentina,2 nights in lima and then have 6 nights to work out what i am going to do.She is 70 yrs old so hiking and biking is out of the question but she would love to go to machu picchu.If you were bringing your mum of that age what do you suggest in terms of 7 days cusco/machu picchu...A day trip there just seems too short by reading all the forums!!!!

Does anybody travelled from Santiago de Chile to Machu Picchu ?
What route and how would you recommend there ? What route would you recommend in my back from Machu Piccu. Generally I have not got too much time. Maybe it is worth to go via plane from Santiago to any local airport near Machu Picchu ?

hi i'll be off to Peru next week wasn't able to research about
souvenirs to buy there? any suggestions?

something unique? :)

thanks in advance!

I'll be visiting this month Cusco, MP and Lima. Is it common for foreigners as well as locals to wear shorts or will I be tagged as a turista?

Hi,
Has anybody made train reservations via perurail.com and did not provide passport number ? is this truly a requirement, ie, will they not give me the ticket when i get there if there is no passport number in my reservation ? I am kinda hesitant to put in my passport number (and 2 other friends') ...
any ideas ? or is it pretty safe ? i know it's not like it's my SSN or credit card number, but it's just that i don't put in info if it's not absolutely necessary ..

Thanks
Maria

Hi,Will a good pair of running shoes work or should I really have light hiking boots?

I am planning to hike huayna pichu by the way :)

Thanks :)

I was wondering if anyone knows how busy is in the end of may. I will be doing the Inca trail and will be arriving to MP on May 25th. If I get there around 7eish am, will I be able to climb huayna picchu?. The company that I am doing the Inca trail with,is saying I might not be able.

Thank you

Hello all,
Just wondering if someone could tell me what the weather is like in MP at the end of May? I want to pack as light as possible. Can anyone give me advice on how I might be best covered?

Thanks!
Andrea

I am doing the Inca Trail and will be arriving to MP on May 25th but I might not be able to climb Huayna Picchu. So I decided to spend the extra night at Aguas Calientes so I can climb HP. My only problem is that I already bought my airfare ticket back to Lima on the 26th at 15:45 and not sure if I will be able to get back to Cuzco on time to catch my plane. Also, do trains leave on time from Aguas Calientes to Ollantaytambo?

Could somebody help me?

Hi everyone,
I've been trying to read up on the situation with food and water. My boyfriend and I will not be staying at a 5 star, all inclusive hotel so I was wondering if anyone has any advice as to what foods to eat, foods to avoid? Also, I've heard that if you buy bottled water you are pretty much good to go, but do you think it's worth it for me to bring a water purifier? I'd assume you can't use tap water to brush your teeth or anything like that either.
We are not going to be in Peru for long at all, so I want to do all that I do to avoid getting sick. We'll be flying from Lima to Cuzco and then almost immediately down to Augas Caliente. We'll be staying there for 3 nights and visiting the surrounding area and of course Machu Picchu. Everyone seems to say that Cuzco is the place to worry about altitude sickness. The most time we will spend there is a half a day until we catch a flight back to Lima and then back to the States. Any advice about altitude sickness in this short amount of time or the best way to avoid it?? Thanks!!

Andrea

planning on goin in the end of august...my travel companions want to book from Gap Adventures, but if i can go cheaper i would for sure like to do it that way...now ive read on here that there is a 4-5 month waiting time to get a permit to hike the inca???is this true? if not how long in advance should book an inca tour and through which company.
thanks so much for your help
marc

Im told that there is about 7 hours of hiking per day. Is that including lunch stops? about how long is that? Just trying to get a better feel for what I will be in for. "Reasonably fit" im sure means different things to different people.

My girlfriend and I are going to Machu Picchu in three weeks, flying to from Denver to Lima then Cusco. Our plan is to stay in Cusco for one day; any suggestions for lodging, food, things to do? We're going to be in the area 5 days during the last week of March.
I'd like to know if it's possible to hike without a guide from Aqua Calientes to Machu Picchu as well as Huayna Picchu and Picachu (last one is a joke)? What are the logistics involved: entrance fee , reservation, and other fees?

I will be traveling to Cusco in April with my kids ages 10 and 12. I want to know about the weather during the first week of April and most important, Should I be concern for any altittude sickness for them?

Hi. Going to Machu Picchu for a day on the Hiram Bingham Express. We will be there third week in Feb. and it seems we must expect rain. We are both over 65 and moderately fit for our age I suppose. We thought we would walk to Iti Punka for a view. So questions are... will this be possible weather permitting, and how bad is the rain we can expect. Thanks folks

How do you get up to the top of Machu Picchu? I know we will arrive by train in Agua Calientes. But she will not be able to hike up the mountain. How do you get to top of mountain?

Hi
We're looking to hike the Inca Trail in April. Trying to decide on a tour company. We've looked at: Llama Path, All Trek, Indiana Expeditions. They seem to offer good prices and a tour that fits our schedule.
Has anyone used these groups? Or suggest another?
We have 9 days total. We want to hike up and train down.
One more question: how long does it usually take to acclimatize to the elevation?
Any advice or tips would be great!
Thanks!

Some friends and I are headed to Peru in a few weeks (mid-January) and want to hike to Machu Pichu via the Salkantay Trail. Various people have said we should have booked a guided trip months ago (i.e. 3-8 months in advance), but others have suggested we just roll into a hostel when we get to Peru and book a trip there.

Just curious if anyone has had any luck booking MP trips while in Peru or if we should have scheduled something long ago... Noting that with the rainy season there will be less tourists and I also hear there is less demand for the Salkantay Trail.

Thanks!

Is perurail on strike?
does train running to agua caliente(to visit M.P.)?
I am visiting M.P. in January and wonder if this will be affected.

Hi!

I am going to Peru in march, and I will also visit Machu Picchu. I am not panning to go the incha trail, I will just take the train/buss up there. I just wonder if anybody knows what kind of clothes I should bring? Is it cold? How long time do I need there? Is it enough with a daytrip, and then take the buss/train back to Cusco? Or do I need to spend the night?

Thanks!

Is Machu Picchu open for tourists on December 31, 2008 and January 1, 2009? If open, is there any restriction of time or where you can visit?

Thank you.

Hi

How long is long enough to spend in Machu Picchu to see the ruins etc? I am getting the train from Cusco, is 2 days ok?

Thanks

We will be in peru in February ... Machu Picchu, Sacred Valley, Cusco, and also Puno (Lake Titicaca) amd Lima for a few days before and after. I'm trying to figure out how to pack for the various climate conditions ... generally I am a carry-on-bag person - have traveled for weeks in Europe with just a small bag, but I am not sure how to handle it for this trip.

We're not hiking the actual trail, but I am imagining MC will be a bit muddy and possibly slippery, so I have already figured to bring along just light hiking boots (Keen Targhee), but not sure about clothing. I think maybe layers? Thermals?

Any ideas or suggestions will be welcome!

Hi,

My fiance and I want to get married at Machu Picchu. We will also do a civil ceremony in the US so we don't care about the legal side of it all. We just want something special. I have found 2 hotels which offer a wedding near Machu, but both are at least $2000 and include all kinds of extras we do not need. Do you think it is possible to find a shaman when there? Does anyone know of a way to set this up before we go? We are also open to a ceremony in Cusco or other ruins in the area. Will it be easy to arrange this once in Peru? We will only be in Cusco for 1 day and then Machu Picchu for 2 before we head to another area. Please let me know if you have any ideas!

Thanks!

We will be visiting the end of Oct throught he beginning of Nov and then going to Galapogos. We are only allowed 44 lbs. Can someone tell me about the weather then and suggest best items to pack for that time of year.
Thanks, Phyllis

I will be visiting Peru for the first time (and probably only time) in Jan 2009. There will be 3 of us, and we will be there for about 11 days. We will be stationed in Lima, but want to take a bus tour to Cuzco/Machu Picchu. I realize this will take 3-4 days to accomplish, but I have no idea where to start looking to purchase this 'tour'. We would like to take a bus from Lima to Arequipa, stay one night there, then go on to Cuzco/Machu Picchu. We're not sure about the return trip to Lima - whether there's another route/overnight stop to consider or just to take a non-stop back. Anyway, do you have any suggestions/recommendations as to who we can contact to help book this part of our vacation? While we cannot afford anything first class, we do want to ensure everything we do is safe. Thank you for your time and consideration!

I am finally going to realize a long intended plan to visit Machu Picchu end of November but am so confused because I only have a limited no of days in Peru yet I don’t want to miss all the sights and sceneries at MP and Cusco. I would really appreciate some feedback from those who have been there.

1. Is the last week of Nov a good time to go, weather wise? I have read about April, May , Sep being the best time, but I only have this period available before I return to Asia. Will the temperature be unbearable till I cant enjoy the trip? I am not too fond of the cold weather , so anything below 0’C may be cause for concern.

2. I have max 8 days for the trip (Houston-Lima-Cusco/MP-Lima-Houston). Will be possible to do the Inca Trail and also see the sights around Cusco within this time frame? I read there are 4 days , 3 days and 2 days hiking trails to MP. I guess the 4 day hike is the most popular but not sure if time will be on my side. Is there a big difference between these trails in terms of the beauty of scenery and landscape? I am not really a hiking type person but priority is to see all things beautiful and captivating. Is the additional time, money and lethargy worth the difference in the sights and sounds absorbed?

4. Is there a big difference between hiking trail and the visit by train in terms of scenery and ruins observed? Can I see the some of the ruins seen on the trail if take the train with the relevant stops (ie Ollantaytambo etc).

5. Is it worthwhile to spend the night in MP or is it better to spend the day (sunrise-sunset) at MP and return to Cusco on the last train? Anything else to see at MP?

Thanks a lot in advance. Been reading quite a bit but still cant seem to get the answers, and time is running short and I need to book the flights and guides (if hiking) asap.

Hi there,

We will have a free day in MP, during which we're thinking of hiking near the ruins, for example to the Sun Gate. I'm wondering if we have to purchase an entrance ticket to MP in order to do that? Thanks for answering!

ba

Does anyone have any information about Apu Kuntur Travel. They are some local travel agents. Seems to be good. Any information about them will be helpful. They dont have a website though.

Thanks,
Namy

Hi, I am walking the Inca Trail (4 days) mid September and am very confused about appropriate footwear. All my research indicates a preference for hiking boots as oppopsed to runners and I wondered if any readers could recommend a good pair that I can purchase in Australia. With the best of intentions I purchased a pair in June and have been wearing them constantly. To cut a long story short, the boots started to pinch a nerve in my left foot (too tight I think!) and I have had to return them. I now have less than 3 weeks to wear in a new pair, so would appreciate some advice re boot to buy quickly. Thanks. J