| Machu Picchu has become a very popular destination | | | | Lima to Cusco |
| recent years. May be you know this site had been | | | | You can stay one night at Lima and move to Cusco |
| declared as one of the new 7 wonders of the worl | | | | city. To reach Machu Picchu you have to reach first |
| this year. About eight hundred thousands tourists | | | | Cusco by air or road. Then from Cusco you can |
| have been visited Machu Picchu this year. And it is | | | | travel to Machu Picchu by train. You can reach Cusco |
| expected that around one million travelers will visit | | | | from Lima by plane, which is less than a hour journey |
| this fabulous city on year 2008. | | | | (50 minutes- to be precise). You can reach Cusco by |
| Certainly it is an awesome place to visit. But can you | | | | Bus too. But it will take around 24 hours (!). |
| visit on your own? Or do you have to take help of | | | | There are mainly 4 companies operating domestic |
| tour operators? Lots of people asked me this | | | | flights between Lima and Cuzco. They are Lanperu, |
| question. I will try to answer to this question in this | | | | TACA, Aero Condor and Star Peru. Lanperu and |
| article. | | | | TACA are more reliable. You can buy tickets from |
| Well, some of you need tour operators, some of you | | | | website of Lanperu. But remember Lanperu and |
| do not. If you are planning to visit Machu Picchu, stay | | | | TACA are expensive. Aero condor is comparatively |
| in Aguas Calientes ( I wrote down about Aguas | | | | much cheaper. |
| Calientes in detail below) one or two nights, you do | | | | There are two companies ( if you like bus journeys)- |
| not need a tour operators. But if you are planning to | | | | Cruz del Sur and Ormeno. With first one you may |
| hike Inca trail, then you need a tour operator. As per | | | | buy tickets online. Ormeno has a website too, but in |
| new law, only licensed tour operators can operate in | | | | Spanish only. |
| Inca trail. There is exception for those who want to | | | | Staying at Cusco |
| go independently, but they have to carry their own | | | | In Cusco you may have to stay at least one night, |
| equipment, luggage, food and tents, so it is not | | | | because train to Machu Picchu starts early in the |
| practical to go to hike Inca trail without tour | | | | morning and they come back from Machu Picchu at |
| operators. Also if you are planning to visit Machu | | | | evening. You may check websites for hotel. Stay |
| Picchu in one day and want to come back on the | | | | around Plaza de Armas which is at the center of the |
| same day, and you have kids, then you may need to | | | | city. Buy the train tickets one day before your |
| take help of tour operators. | | | | departure. You can get the help on tickets from your |
| So if you are not in hurry (and not going to hike Inca | | | | hotel desk too. |
| trail), then you do not need any tour operators. You | | | | Cusco to Machu Picchu |
| can save money and spend it other ways. Also it is | | | | Check the train schedule of Lan Peru in their website, |
| like a challenge, know new things and make them | | | | and choose a journey. Peru rail is offering three train |
| work. You will like it. Just get ideas from website, | | | | services from Cuzco to Machu Picchu. Right now Peru |
| note the important information, and start. | | | | Rail is the only operator. So you have to choose |
| Reaching Peru | | | | from one of these three. These three train services |
| To reach Peru first factor is Visa, but good thing is | | | | are -1. Hiram Bingham 2.Vistadome 3. Backpacker |
| that you do not need visa if you are a citizen of one | | | | Of these three services Hiram Bingham is very |
| of the following countries - EU countries, Australia, | | | | luxurious one. It is very expensive too. Vistadome |
| Canada, USA and Japan and Andorra, Antigua & | | | | has windows at both side and at roof. So when the |
| Barbuda, Argentina, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bolivia, | | | | train passes through mountains and through ups and |
| Brazil, Brunei, Chile, Colombia, Cook Islands, Costa | | | | downs, you can enjoy the scenery of surroundings. |
| Rica, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El | | | | Backpacker is the cheapest one. Still the service is |
| Salvador, Fiji, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, | | | | good. |
| Honduras, Hong Kong, Iceland, Indonesia, Israel, | | | | There is a alternative road service. There is no direct |
| Jamaica, Kiribati, Korea (Rep. of), Liechtenstein, | | | | road service between Cuzco and Machu Picchu. But |
| Malaysia, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mexico, Micronesia | | | | you can take a combination of bus/taxi between |
| (FS), Monaco, Nauru, New Zealand, Nicaragua, | | | | Cusco and Ollantaytambo and then train between |
| Norway, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, | | | | Ollantaytambo and Machu Picchu. |
| Paraguay, Philippines, St Kitts & Nevis, St Lucia, | | | | Aguas Calientes |
| St Vincent & the Grenadines, Samoa, San | | | | Train from Cusco stops at a small town, Aguas |
| Marino, Singapore, Solomon Islands, South Africa, | | | | Calientes. From here you can take bus ride to Machu |
| Surinam, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, Tonga, | | | | Picchu, which is only few kilometers away. You need |
| Trinidad & Tobago, Tuvalu, Uruguay, Vanuatu, | | | | to pay entrance fee to enter the citadel of Machu |
| Vatican City and Venezuela. | | | | Picchu. Buy this ticket from Aguas Calientes. Ask |
| If you are not from one of the above countries still | | | | anybody and they will show you from where you |
| you can get visa, but you have to apply, and | | | | have to buy the ticket. If you want to stay at |
| processing time is 24 hours. | | | | Machu Picchu one or more nights, you can stay either |
| Entering Lima city | | | | in Machu Picchu or in Aguas Calientes. Actually Machu |
| If you come from outside Peru you will certainly land | | | | Picchu is not a town, it is just the ruins. There is only |
| at Jorge Chavez International Airport at Lima. This | | | | one hotels just before the entrance of Machu Picchu, |
| airport is very close to the busy city area. You may | | | | Machu Picchu Sanctuary lodge. This hotel is of very |
| reach center of the city within half an hour from | | | | high standard hence very expensive, more than |
| there. Also you can reach most of the cheap hotels | | | | 600.00$ a night. But you can stay at Aguas Calientes |
| in half an hour from the airport. If you are reaching | | | | (like most of the tourists do). At Aguas Calientes you |
| Peru by road, you will enter Peru via Tumbes in | | | | will get hotels of all standard. You can choose a hotel |
| Ecuador, Puno in Bolivia or Tacna in Chile. If you | | | | from 10.00$ to 300.00$ a night. In Aguas Calientes |
| decide to travel by car and you want to drive | | | | you will find plenty of restaurants to have your lunch |
| yourself, then you should know that traffic jam is | | | | or dinner. They have some hot springs at Aguas |
| very common in Lima and also driving is very tough | | | | Calientes, you may visit there. One more thing, do |
| there. | | | | not forget to buy your train ticket from Aguas |
| Staying Peru is cheap. With $ 25.00 a day you can | | | | Calientes to Cusco once you reach Aguas Calientes. |
| easily pass your days in Peru and still you may get | | | | Try to buy the ticket as early as possible, or may |
| good food and comfortable hotels. Check websites | | | | not come back at your desired time. |
| for hotel. Stay around either Plaza de Armas or in | | | | So you see it is not difficult to tour Machu Picchu on |
| Miraflores. Plaza de Armas is like Central Square or | | | | your own. You may visit some websites and just get |
| Central plaza. Miraflores is the downtown of this city, | | | | enough information and make you plan. I hope you |
| which is at southwest of Lima. Miraflores is the | | | | will enjoy. |
| business area of Lima. | | | | |