The Best Guide On How to Get to Machu Picchu
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Picture it: the year was 1911, the country was Peru, the place was Machu Picchu. It was in this scene precisely that indigenous farmers led an archeologist named Hiram Bingham to a remarkable ancient civilization. Nestled within the Andes mountains and beyond remote villages, there was only one way to the ruins, and that way was by walking the Inca-worn trails. Today, tourists make the voyage to Machu Picchu by plane, train, bus and foot. If you want to know how to get to Machu Picchu yourself, read on for the complete how-to guide
From the US to Machu Picchu
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Like the archeologist who made public the Inca citadel in 1911, many of today’s travelers to Machu Picchu are American. Getting to Machu Picchu from the US is a common journey, and one that’s entirely worth the effort.
Unless you’re keen on a lengthy road trip from the southern United States, you’re going to end up on an airplane at some point. You can get a nonstop or single-layover flight to Lima from any major airport in the US through an American or Peruvian airline.
You can also get to Cusco with only one or two stops, but because many of these flights stop in Lima anyway, travelers often choose to stay for a couple nights in the coastal city for an added experience.
We recommend breaking up the journey to Machu Picchu and seeing sites along the way. It may suit you to book a multi-day tour that takes you to interesting villages, mountains and cities as you make your way toward the ruins. If you’re coming all the way from the US to Peru’s Machu Picchu, you might as well make the most of it.
Journeying To The Ruins From Lima[gdlr_core_space height=”30px”]
Lima’s Jorge Chavez International Airport is often the first stop for many an international traveler to Peru. If you want to know how to get to Machu Picchu from Lima, you’ll need to become privy to a couple of travel methods. Plane and bus can get you from Lima to Cusco before finally escorting you to your ultimate destination of Machu Picchu.
Get To Machu Picchu By Plane
Flying to Lima is often cheaper than flying straight to Cusco, and it also makes for a lovely stop along the way. Lima and the surrounding area harbors impressive spots like Pachacamac, Museo Larco and Iglesia de Santo Domingo. After spending some time in the Ciudad de Los Reyes (City of Kings), you may choose to catch a quick and convenient flight to Cusco. bThe airport in Cusco is called Velasco Astete International Airport. It’s big enough to offer both domestic and international flights, so it’s a nice airport to meet at should you be traveling with a worldly bunch.
Flights from Lima to Cusco depart multiple times a day from airlines like LAN, TACA, Peruvian and Star Peru. Whatever your vacation itinerary looks like, you’re bound to find a flight that fits your schedule. Once in Cusco, you can travel all the way to Machu Picchu by train, bus, foot or a combination of the three.
How To Get To Machu Picchu By Bus
If you don’t feel like paying for a flight from Lima to Cusco, you can always take an overnight bus. At about 22 hours, the ride is much slower than the hour-and-fifteen-minute flight, though it does boast the benefit of affordability.
Three separate buses depart from Lima to Cusco each day. Of the three, you have a 2 PM, 5 PM and 5:30 PM option to choose from. Cruz Del Sur and Oltursa bus companies both offer comfortable seating to allow for a bit of rest through the night. Obviously, this ride will bring less comfort and convenience than the flight alternative. However, it may make for an interesting story when the time comes for you to tell the tales of your travels.
Unfortunately, there are no trains that connect the city of Lima with Cusco or Machu Picchu. However, if you can manage to take a plane or bus to Cusco, you’ve got a number of railway options that can get you Aguas Calientes, the seat of Machu Picchu.
GettingTo Machu Picchu From Cusco
Cusco is only 75 miles from Machu Picchu. There are a number of ways to get to the ruins from this classic Peruvian city, but three primary modes of transportation take precedence: train, bus and the good old trek.
Get To Machu Picchu By Train
The rails are a popular option for getting from Cusco to Machu Picchu. It only takes 3.5 hours to get to the town at the bottom of the ruins, Aguas Calientes. So long as you book your train ticket in advance, you’re in for a scenic ride through the mountainous and rural countryside.
All trains coming from Cusco depart from the Poroy Train Station about 20 minutes outside of the city. Approximately halfway into the trip, they stop in a town called Ollantaytambo. You can either go all the way to Aguas Calientes for the Machu Picchu view or stop here for a night to see yet another enriching destination.
Knowing how to get to Machu Picchu by train means knowing which train you want to take. The Vistadome provides a panoramic Peruvian view while the Expedition boasts efficiency. The Hiram Bingham train is undeniably opulent while the IncaRail maintains affordability for budget-conscious travelers. Explore your options on the web to see which train suits your budget, style and itinerary.
How To Get To By Bus
You also have the option to take the bus to Machu Picchu from Cusco. This option will likely take you an entire day, but it costs a lot less than the train and allows you to save money for tours and other activities.
Like the train, you’ll want to book your bus in advance (things book up pretty quickly at Machu Picchu). The buses coming from Cusco leave from Terminal Santiago. Catch the one with a final destination of Quillabamba, but get off after three hours at a town called Santa Maria. Here, you’ll switch buses and head toward Santa Teresa, where you can take a taxi to the hydroelectric plant and then follow the rails the rest of the way.
Another four-wheeled option is to take a bus to Ollantaytambo before embarking on the train the rest of the way to Aguas Calientes. Here, a 25-minute shuttle will lift you all the way to Machu Picchu.
Getting By Foot
As was the way of the past, hiking is always an option when traversing to Machu Picchu from Cusco. Whichever trail you take—Inca, Salktantay, Lares and more—be sure to apply for a permit in advance. Many trails hold a strict cap on the number of permits they grant per day (for the wellbeing of the environment as well as the experience of the tourists).
The Inca Trail is by far the most popular, and can take up to five days to complete. You have to follow an official tour guide and porter along the way. The Lares trek can be done in as little as two days while Salkantay takes up to a week to complete.If you want a custom experience, work with a tour agency to craft a tailor-made itinerary that fits your needs. You can surely find a hiking option that fits snug into your holiday.
Things To Know Before You Depart
- Figuring out how to get to Machu Picchu is just one piece of the puzzle. You’ll also want to know what time of year you’re going and what you’ll do while you’re there.
- From June to August, Machu Picchu is in peak visitor season. On the contrary, rain comes down hard during the winter months. By determining whether you want to beat the crowds or savor pristine weather, you can decide what time of year works best for your vacation.
- Organized tours are a great way to see Machu Picchu and the surrounding area. Whether it be exploring the city of Cusco while you’re there, discovering the secrets of the Sacred Valley or venturing off to hot springs and waterfalls, you can fill your days with more meaning than you ever thought possible.
Live in the Present, Appreciate the Past
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Conclusion: Machu Picchu is a unique destination for a number of reasons. Not the least of which is its ties to a time long since passed. Travelers who journey here often feel a longing for yesterday through a perspective only granted by living in today. It’s drawn people in for years, and it will likely continue to do so for many years to come.
Once you know how to get to Machu Picchu, you’ll be one step closer to stepping back in time. Also absorbing all this ancient civilization has to teach us.
You can also read: 10 Things Before Your Machu Picchu Hike
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