Aguas Calientes - Machu Picchu - Cusco
Good morning! Or good night?… It’s 5:00 am and we’re up and running. Well, slowly walking to be more exact. After a super early breakfast, we’ve met with the rest of the group and headed towards the busses that will take us to Machu Picchu.
The whole Salkantay trek seems like candy compared to the logistical challenge of visiting the most famous Inca city. Although we came damn early, there were already a lot of people waiting for the busses. The busses would just go non-stop from 5:30 am, several at the time and still, it was quite a wait. Soooo many people.
Once we got on the bus, it would zig-zag up the mountain for 35-40 mins. If you’re scared of heights, I suggest not looking through the window. Those drivers know what they’re doing, but the road is simply crazy!
At the entrance, our guides gathered us like a group of chickens to present all the docs to go through. Machu Picchu is heavily regulated and you cannot buy a ticket at the entrance. That’s something to be done well in advance. For independent travelers, maaaaany websites are explaining how to get the tickets, just google “Machu Picchu tickets”.
As we hiked with a tour group, they arranged the tickets for us. The entrance ticket is personal, so besides the ticket, you need to show your passport. This also means that you cannot resell or exchange it.
It is also compulsory to have a guide. You cannot easily walk around the ruins, there are specific trails designed for sightseeing and I guess the guides are there to enforce sticking to them. At the entrance, several freelance guides will offer their services for those who come without a tour group.
Given all these restrictions, the entrance section was crazy busy with several different groups getting through, shouting, and pushing everywhere. I started to feel overwhelmed by this whole frenzy. What am I doing here? Is Machu Picchu worth this?…
Once we made it through the entrance, a steep stair climb awaited us. I bet Incas were no taller than me, so what’s up with the big stairs?? I guess there’s a good reason for that.
After ~20min we reached the top and bam! Machu Picchu in front of us. So was it worth it? You bet. From the millions of pictures online we all know how Machu Picchu looks like, right? Viewing it with your own eyes is another level though. It is truly a magnificent sight. We all went speechless and just looked at this breathtaking city spreading around the mountain.
If you ask me what makes it so special, I have difficulty putting it in words. Just imagine the landscape is already awesome – towering green mountains everywhere you look. Then the city itself is soooo big. Layers and layers of buildings, stairs, and other constructions are neatly arranged according to the shape of the mountain.
The architecture is just impressive. This location is riddled by earthquakes, but the city still stands due to genius constructions and techniques of fitting the stones. For those curious about Machu Picchu architecture and history, I found an interesting article with more pictures and stories. Our guide shared similar facts during the tour.
Besides visiting the ruins, you can also climb to Huaynapicchu or Machu Picchu mountain for even higher views. We decided not to go as we didn’t feel like paying extra and we knew that even on the ruins there will be a few great viewpoints.
After the tour, we said goodbye to our hiking group and left for the bus back to Aguas Calientes. From there we took the train to Ollantaytambo, where we were picked up by the Alpaca Expeditions staff and brought back to Cusco.
Machu Picchu is a busy and touristic place. But it’s probably one of the few tourist places that are truly worth visiting.
Day 5 tips
- Hardcore hiking purists can still hike all the way to the famous Inca city instead of taking the bus. That way you have walked all the way to Machu Picchu.
- On your way out, don't forget to get a Machu Picchu stamp on your passport!
Hi Simona,
I love your blogg and I especially love your daily journal.
I will be travelling to Cusco in August with my daughter to hike to Machu Picchu, although I would love to do the INCA Trek I have seen vidoes of the narrow ledges and shear drops and fear I would have a dizzy spell/anxiety attack and fall. Therfore I am looking at the Salkantay Trek and after reading your blogg am very excited about doing it.
However I must ask you are there any ledges to walk on with shear drops?
Thank you Simona and I look forward to hearing from you
Deborah
Hi Deborah,
Thanks a lot for your kind words and how exciting that you’re going to see Machu Picchu 🙂 As for the Salkantay trek, in general, it’s a very doable trek. From what I recall, the first day is the highest and most physically tiring, with no steep walks alongside the ridges. On the second day, once we descended the mountains, the rest of the walk was on the side of a mountain. There the path was narrow and sometimes a bit loose. That’s the only part that you may find uncomfortable. Some of the other hikers skipped this section (not for terrain reasons, they simply were tired), and they rejoined us at the sleeping location. The rest of the days were fine, I don’t recall anything special terrain-wise.
I think you can definitely do this trek and if you go for an organized trip, I’m sure the trekking company will accommodate your needs. The guides of the group are ready to help you. The biggest challenge is the altitude, so make sure you take some time to get used to it. It is a very diverse hike with a great final destination 🙂 good luck!
Simona