Peru Travel Report 11: From Cusco to Machu Picchu

From Cusco to Machu Picchu

You knew this post would come. Of course you did. Even as a notorious off the beaten track traveller I could not omit one of the New Seven Wonders of the World.

What's also sure: After this final post about my travel through Peru you will definitely have seen enough pictures from Machu Picchu for a considerable time...

There is a ridiculously overpriced train that runs from Cusco to Machu Picchu. And which I didn't take of course. Another option would have been an organized tour, as it is offered at each and every corner in Cusco. Not my cup of tea, either.

As I prefer to travel at my own speed and leisure, I opted for the DIY version, that is:

• Travel by bus from Cusco to Quillabamba and get off at Santa María
• Take a shared taxi from Santa María to Santa Teresa
• Follow the train rails from Santa Teresa to Aguas Calientes (you could also get in the train here, but guess who decided for the super-shoestringing option)
• Hike one hour from Aguas Calientes up to Machu Picchu (again, there is a bus shuttle service, but who cares...)

Yet, two flaws: Already on the first hop from Cusco to Santa María, our bus rammed an oncomming truck. Well, at least I had time to take some nice pictures of the stunning landscape:

I was also kind of lucky, because I had not put my backpack in the stowage space at the bottom of the bus, so now I could rapidly get it out with me and start my hitchhiking adventure.

Together with an Italian girl and two guys from Spain and Argentina who I had met on the bus, I was able to flag down an approaching van. It turned out that it was a private tour booked by an Argentinian family. They were kind enough to give us a ride and so we were lucky enough to enjoy a mountain trip with a private tour guide.

Highest peak of the route

We stopped at several landmark spots, for example the highest point of the journey (see above), or the entrance to the Amazon, where local indigenous population had put flowers to honour mother nature (see below).

Entrance to the Amazon

We also stopped at an archeological site, where we took part in a little meditation excercise to fill up with the local spirit and energy.

"Meditation" excercise

Although these stops didn't necessarily help to reach Santa María quickly, it certainly was better than a plain bus ride and much better than being stuck in the mountains with a broken bus. It was surprising that none of the Peruvian bus passengers had tried to get on another car, but just waited outside for something to happen... Seems to be a pretty fatalistic mindset in Peru...

Having lunch in Santa María before going on - Italy, Argentina, Spain, Germany.

Nevertheless, the end of the trip was a bit disillusioning. The two tour guides made a clever move, navigating the Argentinian family into the restaurant they had reserved for them and then, as soon as they were gone, charging us for the trip. The fact that hitchhiking normally is free doesn't seem to be common knowledge in Peru. But while my travel companions were a bit upset because of this, I was just very lucky to have reached our temporary destination, including a nice private tour.

But perhaps the guys were just hungry, because after the meal they were in a good mood again. Ah food, oh so mighty!

Wait - didn't I say there were two flaws? So, after the buses' breakdown, what was the second? Ah ya, the second was kind of my own fault:

While everybody else apparently had left the big backpack in some place, I was "clever" enough to carry all my belongings with me. In the broiling jungle. At a two-hour hike.

Best. Idea. Ever.

Nice route - but with a 25kg backpack?!

Well, at least it was a proper workout... In fact, I had thought about leaving my backpack in the hostel in Cusco, as well. But as I wasn't sure if I would come back to Cusco or directly travel on, I preferred to take everything with me...

Definitely not TÜV approved... Scary sounds when passing the rail bridge.

I had planned to get up at 4am the next morning to reach Machu Picchu as early as possible. Yet, my new travel companions were not so keen on this plan and so we slept until eightish, starting around nine in the morning. The advantage: The hike up to the site offered beautiful views like in the photo above.

And then - we finally reached Machu Picchu. Get ready for a flood of very stereotypical photos...

Machu Picchu!

Can it get more clichéd?

Ah ya, of course: Putting my face in front

Probably not exactly the proper photo to take in a sacred place...

And a bit more Machu Picchu...

Just to make sure that you get it: I was there. Look!

I don't want to bore you - so some more exciting pictures from a slightly different angle... Crazy, right...

Ok, enough pictures from Machu Picchu. I was worried to be turned off by the tourist crowds. Yet, as it was totally clear that there would be loads of other people, I was prepared enough to really enjoy my stay. Of course I had seen many photos from Machu Picchu.

But still, it was incredibly impressive. Because there is something you cannot capture in photos: The combination of the stunning construction and the surrounding mountains. Turning around and having this unique 360 degree view is priceless. It might sound clichéd, but in fact my visit to Machu Picchu was one of the most impressive moments during my trip. Highly recommended!

And as the whole place is not as open as Chitchen Itza (another New Wonder of the World), I felt it to be less crowded than said pyramid in Mexico.

Back in Aguas Calientes, I had once again lunch with my mates and then said good bye. They still wanted to stay in Aguas Calientes in order to relax after the "exertions", but as you cannot do anything there, I decided to leave straightly.

The way back was a breeze, because this time I had daylight all the time and so even the tunnels were passable without stumbling over rocks (the afternoon before we arrived after sunset, without flashlight).

And then, after some more days in the Sacred Valley (see my previous post), I finally took the plane back to Lima. Initially, I had planned to take the bus. But not only does this take around 20 hours. I also found lots of recent news online about assaults on busses, lethal traffic accidents, etc. Better fly and enjoy a bit more the capital's culinary delicacies.

Moreover, I had probably never taken off from such a high airport. Still being just over the ground and already breaking through the clouds - wow!

Ground and clouds - both near. Obviously starting from an airport of high altitude.

Conclusion: Peru is awesome. Highly recommended!

My final trip