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Photo Credit: Trek Hound

It’s one of the most coveted spiritual destinations and indigenous heritage sites in the world. Don’t you want to get the most out of it while you’re there?

Let’s face it. Machu Picchu is not only expensive, it’s incredibly difficult to get to. Once you do, a couple of rookie mistakes could seriously cut into your time there. What’s a traveler to do?

Don’t make the whole trip in one day.

Seriously, I mean it. Most people start in Cuzco, regardless. From there, it’s a several hour train ride to Aguas Calientes where you still have to meet your guide, wait for the bus up the mountain, stand in line, fight the crowds . . . see where I’m going with this? If you don’t even make it through the entrance before one o’clock and have to be out by five, that’s not much time to experience what for many is a once in a lifetime spiritual and cultural event.

Rest up.

Not used to being at high altitude? Neither was I. And quite frankly, it’s a long enough day to get up at the crack of dawn to leave from Cuzco. Add in at least another day if you’re coming straight from Lima, multiplying your exhaustion level by about 25 due to altitude adjustment, and you will (believe me) be more than ready to rest a bit and spend the night at the base of the mountain.

There are plenty of little shops, restaurants, hotels and massage opportunities. Take a break, gather your energies and prepare for the next day.

Make the most of your entry ticket.

When my husband and I were there, every entry pass was good for only one time, they cost around forty dollars each, and once you were in, you were in. There was no coming in and out of the site to go to the restroom. In retrospect, we should have gone to Aguas Calientes the day before, spent the night, and taken the earliest bus up to the site the next morning.  That way, we would have had the entire day to explore, meditate, photograph, etc.

Obviously, bathroom issues are a bit trickier this way. Suggestion? Take steps to clear your system the night before. Take only trail mix and fruit to the top, and maybe snag an egg for protein before you leave your hotel. Lightly sip water throughout the day rather than gulping. This should help keep things under control.

Photo Credit: Trek Hound

If money’s not a huge issue, consider staying at the top.

There’s one hotel at the very top of the mountain, just outside the entrance gate to the ancient city. In short, it isn’t cheap. Several hundred dollars a night, in fact. However, in addition to being a higher-end, full service eco-hotel, it offers another major perk. Guests of the establishment are the only people allowed into the ancient city prior to the arrival of the first tourist bus each day and after the last bus leaves at night.

Also, my understanding (although things may have changed) from the local guides and tour books was that these hotel guests weren’t required to have an additional entry pass either. Nothing like having a world heritage site all to yourself, coming and going as you please. Particularly this world heritage site.

Bring a tote.

In addition to whatever day pack and camera gear you’ll be lugging, bring along a bag to carry any trash you generate throughout the day. In an attempt to keep things as pristine and authentic as possible, no trash cans are available inside the city.

Move ahead one train station.

Just outside of Cuzco is another station where busses and drivers can drop you off and pick you up. Bonus? You get to skip the uber-tedious track shifting and save significant time and frustration off your day trip to the spiritual city.

In my opinion, this is one of the most incredible travel experience you will ever have. And unless you’re independently wealthy, you’ll only have a certain level of funds to spend on your journey there. While we were there, we had a fantastic time, if a short one.  We plan to go there again in the next year or two. When we do, we’ll be using some of these tricks we wish we’d known about the first time.

Do you have a Machu Picchu travel tale? Let us know about it!

 

Posted on May 26th, 2008 by Myscha Theriault
Filed under: Tips and Hacks