From Cuzco, it takes about 4 hours to reach Aguas Calientes by train. Some people prefer to do the Inca Trail hike, which takes about 4-5 days. You have to get permits in advance though, since only 500 people are allowed to walk on the trail each day. Since my trip to Peru was kinda last minute there were no more slots available. I couldn’t spare 5 days anyway… plus doing the Inca trail hike costs about 600 USD, so scrap that lol.  There’s an option for a 2 day hike which starts at Km 104, but i already purchased train tickets by the time i found out about it. The trains aren’t exactly cheap. From Poroy it costs about 80 USD one way. From Ollantaytambo, the cheapest tickets cost about 60 USD. Really expensive for a backpacker, but since setting foot in Machu Picchu is a once in a lifetime opportunity, I just tried not to think about the expenses heh. There are cheaper options which consist of several transfers via buses and shared vans, but I figured that would take too much trouble. And yeah, taking the train ride costs way less than doing the Inca Trail hike, and with much less effort. In my opinion, although you’ll get to see magnificent views along the trail, paying that much is tantamount to highway robbery. There are other trails that start from Cuzco that offer magnificent views as well. I’d recommend taking those instead.

Take note that tickets to Machu Picchu cannot be purchased at the site itself. The easiest way to purchase would be online. You can try to purchase tickets at the buggy  Ministry of Culture website. I wasn’t able to purchase tickets this way since the site just wouldn’t accept my credit card, but I’ve known a few people who were able to purchase tickets. 2,500 people area allowed inside Machu Picchu per day, so unless you’re going during peak season, there’s no reason to purchase tickets months in advance. You can buy tickets at the Ministerio De Cultura in Cuzco or at the Direccion Regional de Cultura Aguas Calientes Office in Aguas Calientes. Passports are needed to purchase tickets. i bought my ticket only a day before my visit to Machu Picchu and there were about 800 remaining slots. If you’re planning to hike Huaynapicchu or Montaña as well as visiting Machu Picchu, you have no choice but to purchase online way in advance. This is because only 400 people are allowed to hike up Huayna Picchu per day, and only 800 are allowed to climb Montaña. I bought tickets on the second week of May, and tickets to Huayna Picchu and Montaña were sold out until August. If you can’t purchase tickets via the Ministry of Culture website, there are lots of legitimate agencies selling tickets online. They charge hefty fees though, and tickets are way more expensive. A ticket to Machu Picchu (without Huayna and Montaña) only costs 128 soles for visitors. These agencies are known to charge at least double.

I took an early Peru Rail train from Poroy to Aguas Calientes and i arrived at noon. It’s easy to get lost in the town since it was constructed in a haphazard manner. It mainly existed as a gateway to Machu Picchu and it shows. Though it’s not too crowded, the whole town exemplifies lack of urban planning. And man, everything is so expensive! This is to be expected since they have to import almost everything from outside. And it’s a tourist town, of course nothing would be cheap. Thank God for set meals for tourists, always ask for them in any restaurant. And here’s a tip: all places near the town square and near the train tracks are very expensive. For instance, set meals usually cost about 30 soles near these areas. Walk far from those and you’ll see set means from 12-15 soles.

There’s nothing much to do in this town so most people just spend one night. Some even don’t spend the night there at all, they take the last train out back to Poroy or Ollantaytambo. It’s a quaint little town so for me spending at least one night is recommended. Plus you don’t have to rush as you explore Machu Picchu. Spending two nights though is already excessive IMO. There’s not much to do, and the prices of commodities would not warrant an extensive stay. Upon checking in at the hostel, the woman manning the front desk was recommending two things to do. The first one was a hike to a nearby waterfall, and the next one was relaxing at the nearby hot springs— so that’s why the town is called Aguas Calientes. After seeing Victoria Falls I am no longer impressed by small waterfalls so i chose to do the latter. It was quite a long walk from the hostel, it took me about 30 minutes. Since it was on the mountains I expected a natural spring. Turns out it was a commercialized one lol. The place was packed. Looks like almost all tourists visit the place since there’s not much to do in town. It’s not for everyone since the smell of Sulfur can be overwhelming. I’ve heard some people even say it smelled like piss. I liked it though. it soothed my nerves and i felt good after taking an extended dip. I was feeling a bit under the weather after all those drunken nights in Cuzco coupled with the altitude sickness. I felt more like myself after 2 hours in the hot springs.

 

There are two ways to reach Machu Picchu from Aguas Calientes. There’s a steep trail from town, and it takes about 1-2 hours to reach the entrance to the site. For the lazy ones (like me lol) and for those with money to spare, a round trip bus ride costs about 24 USD (12 bucks one way). You can pay in US dollars, but make sure the bill is free from any tear or markings. Heck, make sure the bill is close to perfection otherwise they won’t accept it— not even if there’s only one microscopic tear. Believe me, I’ve tried.  The bus ride only takes about 20 minutes. So many people ride the buses though. I got to the bus stop at 6 AM and the line already stretched to God knows how far. i waited in line for almost two hours before I was able to hop on to a bus. This is because people say the best time to visit Machu Picchu is early morning so a lot of people wake up real early to catch the first bus rides. Those planning to hike up wake up as early as 3 or 4 am so they can catch the sunrise at Machu Picchu. One lady told me that there’s no line in the afternoon, so that could be an option for those who are going to spend the night in Aguas Calientes anyway. I heard the view when the sun is about it set is also fantastic.

I was immediately awestruck as soon as I saw Machu Picchu. No wonder it’s one of the top tourist attractions in the world. The sight was familiar since I’ve seen so many pictures, but seeing in it person was totally surreal. Man, I couldn’t believe it was right there in front of me. And make no mistake— It looks quite small in pictures, but the entire place is massive. I took me more than 2 hours to explore every nook and cranny, and my pacing was already a bit rushed. The place was packed with tourists which was completely expected. Everyone I saw had grins on their faces and I could totally relate. We were in Machu F*ckin’ Picchu!!!!

Looking back, I realized I could have saved a lot of money if I did treks instead of bus rides, and if I rode other means of transport instead of taking the train. I was able to cross one thing off my bucket list though, and setting foot in Machu Picchu itself was such a surreal experience. It’s an experience I would remember for the rest of my life, and that makes everything worth it.

On to the next wonder of the world. 🙂