Andean Explorations – 20: The road to Machu Picchu
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Machu Picchu (माचू पीचू*) is a pre-Columbian Inca site located 2,400m above MSL. It is situated on a mountain ridge above the Sacred Valley, Often referred to as “The Lost City of the Incas”, Machu Picchu probably is the most familiar symbol of the Inca Empire. In Quechua, the language of Incas, it means “Old mountain” (Wikipedia).
* ‘च‘ as pronounced in Hindi, not Marathi.
Self explanatory signboard
Visiting Machu Picchu is not cheap.
There are three primary ways to reach Machu Picchu from Cusco:
| Route | Duration | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Inca Trail | 4 days | $400-$500 one way, includes entrance fees |
| Peru Rail | 4 hours by train + 1 hour by bus | $110-160 return + $50 entrance |
| Hopping across villages | 6-8 hours | $50-$80 return + $50 entrance |
Oh, and if nothing works, you are welcome to see pictures of MP on the internet, my website for example. 
For days and weeks prior to my trip I was worried about these costs. These are too exorbitant – no wonder ordinary Peruvians cannot go to Machu Pichu. Heck, the place appears almost exclusively for rich people / people from rich countries / rich people from some countries (sorry, don’t know how to put it politically correctly, but you know what I mean!)
- Inca trail: This is a lovely way to go to Machu Picchu. A four-day trek through ancient Inca trail (Incas built many paths all over the Andes, wow) passes through a number of historic, architectural and phenomenally beautiful natural views (or so I am told). Concern about overuse leading to erosion has led the Peruvian government to place a limit on the number of people who may hike this trail per season, and to sharply limit the companies that can provide guides. As a result, advance booking is mandatory. A maximum of 500 people, including guides and porters, are permitted to begin the trail every day. As a result, the high season books out very quickly – often months in advance.
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Peru rail: I thought that the Perurail is nothing short of a complete scam to squeeze money out of you. Pretty bold statement, but when I make that comment, I am looking at staggering $150 for a 70 km, 4 hr journey. Why? Monopoly. Currently there is no other option available for majority of the visitors. I feel like writing a huge paragraph about monopolies, esp the ones like this that are government imposed. There are two types of trains: The Vistadomes (super expensive) and the Backpacker (expensive). I should clarify – I have nothing against luxury trains (example: Palace on Wheels or Deccan Odyssey in India), they have a target market for sure. The problem arises only when taking the luxury train is the only option you have, and as a backpacker on shoestring budget, I think that’s unfair.
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Village hopping: The third option is not an option really but a workaround, quite funny and smart. It requires taking a 4 hour ride in combi from Cusco to Santa Teressa, then a 20 minute taxi to Santa Maria, crossing the river to the hydroelectric station, taking a taxi again, and finally walking for 8 km to Aguas Calentes. There are several websites, blogs and guidebooks explaining the process in detail. Unfortunately due to lack of time I couldn’t do this, and with the student discounts on partial train journey it worked out almost the same cost.
Machu Picchu is in the middle of the Andes and the town at the base of the mountain is the little town Aguas Calientes (अगुअास् कालीअांतेस्). There is no approach by road to Aguas Calentes, and the only way to reach there is by train or a long trek. So people usually do the option #1 Inka trail – for which booking is required months in advance, or they have to take the option #2 – overpriced Perurail train. As a result, Aguas Calientes is outrageously expensive and touristic. There is nothing to do here and people are forced to be here only for the purpose of visiting Macchu Picchu. Afterall its the entrance to one of the new 7 wonders of the world!
Statue of the ‘First Inca’, Plaza de Armas, Aguas Calientes
There’s more. From Aguas Calentes, Machu Picchu is 500m higher. This means one has to hike or take the bus. The bus takes 20 minutes and the company has a monopoly, so no points for guessing how expensive it is. If you decide to hike but you also want to see the sunrise, then you have to start walking at 4am. Good luck.
Finally the MP site itself. Entrance ticket for Gringos (i.e. foreigners) is S/. 122 i.e. approximately $47.
Where does all this money go? The Peruvian friends I met were highly critical of this blatant money making business. They say its a government scam and the money goes to Spain and Chile (?). That is also a reason why Peruvians themselves cannot afford to go to MP! Sunday, the day I went there, is discounted by 50% for locals, so there were many domestic tourists.
Peru rail, Ollantaytambo train station
I did a partial train journey from Ollanteytambyo for $62 return. Still wayy too high, but a smaller hole in my pocket anyway. Students get discounted price – you will need a university student id or the ISIC (International Student Identity Card). Yes, all this sounds frustrating and cumbersome and it is to an extent if you are not prepared. But at the end when you reach Machu Picchu, suddenly it’s all worth it. 
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Great reading this!!!
Let the Peru government milk Machu Picchu for now. Hope some of the money is actually spent in the country.
I guess everywhere you have the same thing. Imagine the entrance to the London Eye is GBP15 pp for what is essentially a giant wheel ride without the thrills.
Was reading your posts on Israel too. Have you not posted all the posts or am I unable to access some of them.
Cheers!!!
↵Hi Mavin:
When I first read about the costs, I felt that they were apt for two reasons:
(1) Peru is a poor country and if they can make money from foreigners who can pay, do it.
(2) High cost also deters too many tourists from visiting the place.
but, I am not sure how much of the costs are actually spent in the country. Peru rail is a private company and you can imagine what their motive is. Inca trail is operated by private tourist companies and you cant go solo.
Entrance fees to Machu Picchu is totally justifyable considering the amount spent on maintenance and archeological excavations and I think that money is actually used.
My only caveat is that _everyone_ is forced to use the private monopolistic systems and that’s too much.
In India, foreigners are routinely charged more for visiting sites. But the money does not go to private companies.
As regards to my Isreal post, I have to apologise for not finishing the series. I still have 3-4 more posts and I will do them after you are done traveling thru Peru
Thanks for the patience!
↵Useful information. Fleecing foreigners is nothing new; India has mastered this to an art form.
↵Shantanu:
↵Machu Picchu is designed to fleece money from locals as well as foreigners. In India hasen’t mastered that yet. Plus the money in India goes to ASI, not private ventures!
Another great and interesting post, lol, I’m not politically correct either, love your workaround. Too bad that even if you live there you can’t see your heritage, sucks.
↵Bob:
↵Yeah, I felt very bad for the Peruvians too. Most of the people I met on the streets could only dream of going there. I felt like they were making it ridiculously expensive for me to enter the Taj Mahal or the CN Tower! (and these two are not even that great. oops!)
my dream is to do the inca trail and see macchu picchu. no matter how touristy it is or the price i have to pay, i’m gonna go! i’m jealous you went!
↵Matt:
↵Oh, touristy places are good too! But with the Inca trail you will skip Aguas Calientes as the trail enters Machu Picchu directly from the Sun Gate. Just make sure that you plan the Inka trail months in advance (unlike me)
sometime…when I …as for now, I am contended to read your posts
↵Well looks like the pics cannot be viewed and there is a bug in ur code or links r failing
on trekking i really really want to but i keep procrastinating – and i dont know why
↵We actually took the train from Cuzco for just a day trip. It’s worth noting that the train seats must be booked a few days ahead as they seem to sell out very fast (that was a few years ago though).
This is one of my best train ride memory.
↵Good information, Wish I can also go there sometimes.. maybe ..
Milking foreigners is ok as you said but yeah, need to think of locals as well.
P.S.- Once again complaining abt your website. I think there is something wrong somewhere.. your page just refuse to load at times. I keep trying every other day but..
Either your photos are heavy or some other thing, this doesn’t happen with other blogs which I visit. So, you’ll see less of me here & I am content with reading thru reader.
↵Lakshmi:
↵Someday yes you will. Then I will be the one reading
prax:
Maybe try again after few days…
↵I’ve given up trying and surrendered to fate. I think the browsers quirk now and then and the pictures should work on all browsers
Zhu:
↵Welcome to my blog, nice to see you here
Yeah the trains do get full esp in the tourist season (June-September). Thanks for the tip!
Cuckoo:
Like raining on a perfect day!
↵I’m sorry yaar. I don’t know what happens sometimes, its due to the cheap server I rented. I’m stuck here for another year, but meanwhile if I get some money, I’ll jump to another host. The problem is, unless its very expensive one, these problems will occur once in a while
Thanks so much for being patient… cheers!
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↵Priyank,
Thank for this informative post, and it will certainly be useful if I plan to go there sometime.
You’ve almost reached MP. Yay!! Can’t wait to read the next post.:)
↵Celine:
Cheers!
↵I hope the next post met your expectation
mind blowing pictures…didn’t realize there was so much left still! would be back for all of it.
↵was setting up ur URL on the google reader when it suddenly popped up! very surprised! pleased too
↵It most certainly did but I shall be satiated now only when I make a trip myself. This virtual trip with you has increased my interest in the lost City of Incas…thanks to you.:)
↵Trisha:
↵Yeah, this series was quite long. It will be concluded soon. Thanks for dropping by
Celine:
↵Thanks, that’s very encouraging !
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↵I actually did the trek a few years ago and it was worth every penny. Very few experiences beats standing at the Sun Gate at dawn and seeing this extraordinary LOst City explode below you. I have written a few posts on this at my blog too. I suppose my worry is that the govt will start making more ways of getting to MP meaning it will get more crowded and they’ll potentially do damage in building roads or more train lines or whatever to get into the place.
↵Hi Mark, I can believe that! I wish I could enter Machu Picchu thru the Sun Gate, that would have been one of the most unique experiences. As far as I know, the government is not going to make more ways (such as helicopter) to access the site. In fact, I read somewhere that they might close the site for tourists from 2011, except those who trek like you did.
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