How to get from Cusco to Machu Picchu
Before beginning to describe each of the alternatives, the first thing you should know is that they all start in the city of Cusco.
Your first stop if or if it should be the navel of the world ... Cusco, the Inca capital.
Aguas Calientes
Most of the roads that we are going to name end in Aguas Calientes, also known as Machu Picchu Pueblo.
This town is at the foot of the Machu Picchu mountain where the Sanctuary is located.
From Aguas Calientes you can climb to the citadel walking or by bus.
From Cusco to Machu Picchu by train
This is the option most used by travelers.
If you wonder how to go to Machu Picchu, the traditional option to get to Machu Picchu is by train, either from the center of Cusco or from Ollantaytambo, a town near the city.
There are 2 companies that make this journey by train:
- PeruRail
- IncaRail
From Cusco to Machu Picchu by the Inca Trail
The second most popular option.
The classic tour is the one that lasts 4 days and 3 nights. The great advantage of the Inca Trail Tours 2021, although this advantage is a bit folkloric, is that Machu Picchu is accessed through the Puerta del Sol, the original entrance to the citadel, and not the one currently used in the rest of the options, the tourist door to put it somehow. In case you want to book this route, you must do it several months in advance, about 6. Since the demand is high and only 500 people are allowed per day.
Also, there is a short route for people who don´t want to hike a lot: the Inca Trail 2 Day. And, the Machu Picchu 3 Day Hike is also a simply option.
From Cusco to Machu Picchu by the Salkantay Trek
It is a 5 day and 4 night road. One of the main advantages that I see is that it reaches a higher altitude than the Inca Trail, up to 4,500 meters above sea level and the snowfalls that are seen are impressive. The Salkantay Trek ends in Santa Teresa, and from there you will walk along the train tracks to Aguas Calientes.
From Cusco to Machu Picchu by the Kilometer 82
The train that goes from Cusco to Aguas Calientes stops at Ollantaytambo and another at kilometer 82.
There are others who are not going to make the road, but anyway they descend on that kilometer and from there they hike along the train tracks to Aguas Calientes.
From Cusco to Machu Picchu by the Lares Trek
This road starts from the town of Lares, near Cusco. Walk several points of the Sacred Valley in 4 days and 3 nights. It ends in the town of Ollantaytambo, from where the train is approached to continue towards Aguas Calientes.
From Cusco to Machu Picchu by the Choquequirao Trail
Choquequirao is a city similar to Machu Picchu that was discovered some years ago. But yes, this path is not for anyone. It is the most difficult of all and in the world of trekking it is cataloged with Difficult Level.
That is, it requires a lot of physical demand, you have to prepare very very well. Also, the Choquequirao Trek 4 Days requires good physical conditions.
From Cusco to Machu Picchu by the Inca Jungle
This is another fairly recent alternative with a lot of adventure.
The road begins in Ollantaytambo, and from there are 4 days Jungle Trek to Machu Picchu full of adventures.
Other ways to get to Machu Picchu with agencies:
I have tried to summarize the main options so you can visit Machu Picchu to your liking, but just in case, here I leave some more agency possibility, which also includes the guided tour of Cusco, the Sacred Valley of the Incas and the salt marshes of Mara and Moray:
Duration: 2 days
Price: USD 360 per person
Duration: 4 days
Price: USD 600 per person.
Is it necessary to buy the ticket to visit Machu Picchu in advance?
Yes, especially in high season. Ideally, book the entrance to Machu Picchu as soon as you have your plane ticket to Peru and decide dates. Since 2017 it is mandatory to do the guided tour and the tickets are divided into time shifts.
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