Machu Picchu
Machu Picchu	"I suddenly found myself in a maze of beautiful granite houses! They were covered with trees and mosse and the growth of centuries, but in the dense shadow, hiding in bamboo thickets and tangled vines, could be seen, here and there, walls of white granite ashlars most carefully cut and exquisitely fitted together." Hiram Bingham, upon his discovery of Machu Picchu, 24 July 1911

Practical Information for Machu Picchu:

Machu Picchu is Peru's main tourist destination and it is magnificent. It is never a disappontment. It is definitely one of the world's great sights. As it will be the climax of your journey around Peru, careful planning is important in order to make the most of your visit, since Machu Picchu is very busy especially in peak tourist season (July & August).

Here are three important tips: walk if you can, overnight if you can, and stay in the only hotel by the ruins if you can afford it. Oh! And if you don't walk, and you can afford it, take the new Hiram Bingham Luxury Train service.

To get to Machu Picchu, your starting point is the City of Cuzco. There are flights to Cuzco from Lima and other cities in Peru. Once in Cuzco there are different options: you can either drive for a couple of hours and trek the Inca Trail (5d/4n), take the train part of the way and trek the One-day Inca Trail (5 hour walk) or take the train all the way (4 hours).

You may also want to consider spending a few nights in the Urubamba Valley (also called Sacred Valley), the staggeringly beautiful Valley that lies north of Cuzco on the way to Machu Picchu. For more details on what to do and see in the Urubamba Valley, please click here. From the Urubamba Valley, specifically in Ollantaytambo, you can take the train to Machu Picchu or start your drive to the start-off point of the Inca Trail as mentioned above. Click here for a detailed map of the area.

You can go to Machu Picchu for the day, but we don't recommend it. It tends to get very busy during the 4-hour time slot between incoming and outgoing trains in the middle of the day, and the crowds detract from the magic of the experience.

Once in Machu Picchu, if you can afford it, you should stay right at the only hotel by the ruins: the Machu Picchu Sanctuary Lodge, and it is expensive!!! There is more affordable accommodation in Aguas Calientes. Click here for our recommendations. Aguas Calientes, (where the train station is located) is 30 minutes away from the ruins by minibus on a winding road uphill. It is not a very pretty place and there is really nothing to see. It is merely an overnight spot.