Traveling is one of life’s great pleasures; to travel is to expand the mind and the soul. These days the world is accessible to all with international travel easy to most people. Most people dream of traveling to the naturally beautiful South America. However, while in South America you must not miss the spectacular Machu Picchu, located high in the Peruvian Andes. You may have your trip booked and all the accommodation taken care of, but how do you get to the Inca citadel? You may ask, in this article we will go through all the ways to get to Machu Picchu.
After spending a few days in the Inca, city of Cusco and you have acclimatized to the altitude and know the many things to do in Machu Picchu so now you will be ready to see Machu Picchu. There are several ways to get to Machu Picchu and the first and most popular for those of you who are time poor, is the train from Cusco. There are two companies that do the trip to Machu Picchu, the first one is Peru Rail and this company has three services to Machu Picchu, the first is the Expedition Train, the most economical of the three, and this very comfortable train features really nice seats and large picture windows. The next train is the Vistadome train, more luxurious than the Expedition; the Vistadome features a show, large windows and a glass ceiling.
The next train that Peru Rail features is the most luxurious of the fleet, The Belmond Hiram Bingham; if you have the money and really love train take this train. The train is decorated in the 1920´s style complete with wood paneling and art deco styling. You will receive a very tasty lunch, complete with cocktails and snack. Arrive at Aguas Calientes relaxed and ready to visit Machu Picchu. Visiting Machu Picchu on the Hiram Bingham train you will also receive a guided tour of the ruins as part of your ticket price. After the tour at the ruins, enjoy a free afternoon tea at the wonderful Belmond Sanctuary Hotel located at the gates of Machu Picchu.
The other company to make the journey from Cusco to Machu Picchu is called Inka Rail, which also features three different trains. The first is the Voyager a comfortable tourist train that is the most economical of the Inka Rail fleet. Next is the 360 train with impressive windows that you will able to see the incredible views. The First Class train is without a doubt the most luxurious of the Inca Rail trains. Featuring luxury seats and first class service the train is for train lovers and non-train lovers alike.
The other alternative to reach Machu Picchu is to hike; this way to get to Machu Picchu is very popular with the young and the not so young. There are different hikes to get to Machu Picchu but the most popular it the Inka Trail, 4 days of hiking where you finish on the last day at the Inca citadel. This trek is no by any means easy, you will have to walk up high passes and back down to valleys but the rewards are many. Pass through cloud forests, explore ruins and hear the history of the trail from your Inka Trail guide. The sense of personal achievement at reaching the ruins after such a hard few days will be the best of feelings.
There are two seasons at Machu Picchu both wet and dry and if you plan to do the Inka Trail then the dry season is likely to be best for you. People often ask what is the best month to hike Machu Picchu, this depends on you, and do you prefer the dry weather? Can you handle some rain? Well the dry season is from May to September and the wet season is from October to March, so you will need to decide when is best for you.
There is another way to get to Machu Picchu, which is by road, this will take you the best part of a day on not very safe roads, and you will arrive below Machu Picchu and have to walk for nearly a whole day to get to the site. You will need to be very fit and not mind the uncomfortable ride. This alternative is for the more budget conscience.
As you can see, there are many ways to get to Machu Picchu on any budget, from the luxury train journeys to the not so luxurious car rides. Whatever way you choose, a visit to Machu Picchu will be an experience of a lifetime, something that will live with you forever.
Do some online research; take the time to discover what you want to see in Peru and South America this will make booking your holiday easier. What are you waiting for book a trip to Machu Picchu today.
Peru has many wonders waiting for you to be discovered. Here in Cusco Peru Travel, our speciality is to make your trip an outstanding experience, fill-in this form and let your tailor-made luxury Peru vacation begin.
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