Beginner's Guide to Peru

Machu Picchu: A Two-Day Visit - Aguas Calientes

Tue, 27 Jun 2006 21:43:08 +0000

Note: Peru charges an airfare tax of $28.28 US for international flights and $5.04 US for domestic flights.

A short trip to Machu Picchu is easiest to manage from Cuzco, which can be easily reached with a flight from Lima, Peru's capital city. From Cuzco, there is a train trip of about four hours to Aguas Calientes, the town in the valley below Machu Picchu, with a twenty-minute bus ride up to the citadel from the town. (Aguas Calientes is officially called Machu Picchu Pueblo.) Tickets to Machu Picchu can be bought directly in Cuzco, either from a downtown travel agency or from the train station.

There are three options for the train, the speed, crowd, and service improving with increased cost:

Backpacker
$60 US round-trip; $42 US one-way

Vistadome
$89 US round-trip; $60 US one-way

Hiram Bingham
$417 US round-trip only, but includes 2 meals, cocktails, and a guided tour at the ruins

The following trip plan is based on a two-person economy trip.

COSTS
Round trip train ticket: $60 US
Round trip bus fare: $13 US
Entrance fee to Machu Picchu: $25 US
Private 2-hour tour guide: $15
Hotel in Aguas Calientes, double room (Gringo Bill's): $75 US
APPROXIMATE TOTAL: $175 US
(Add $3 to $15 US per person per meal.)

SCHEDULE
Day 1
6:00 a.m. – Get on train
10:00 a.m. – Get off train in Aguas Calientes
10:10 a.m. – Get on bus to Machu Picchu
(Bus rides leave the station every ten minutes.)
10:40 a.m. – Hire a tour guide.
4:30 p.m. – Return by bus to Aguas Calientes
(This is the last bus ride; if you miss it, you will have to walk the 1 to 1½ hour route back to Aguas Calientes.)
5:00 p.m. – Check into Gringo Bill's
Day 2
Morning – Explore Aguas Calientes markets and thermal baths
3:00 p.m. – Return by train to Cuzco

Machu Picchu: A Two-Day Visit - Inca Trail

Tue, 27 Jun 2006 21:43:52 +0000

Note: Peru charges an airfare tax of $28.28 US for international flights and $5.04 US for domestic flights.

A short trip to Machu Picchu is easiest to manage from Cuzco, which can be easily reached with a flight from Lima, Peru's capital city. From Cuzco, there is a train trip of about four hours to Aguas Calientes, the town in the valley below Machu Picchu, with a twenty-minute bus ride up to the citadel from the town. (Aguas Calientes is officially called Machu Picchu Pueblo.) Tickets to Machu Picchu can be bought directly in Cuzco, either from a downtown travel agency or from the train station.

There are three options for the train, the speed, crowd, and service improving with increased cost:

Backpacker
$60 US round-trip; $42 US one-way

Vistadome
$89 US round-trip; $60 US one-way

Hiram Bingham
$417 US round-trip only, but includes 2 meals, cocktails, and a guided tour at the ruins

The following trip plan is based on many of the cheapest options.

COSTS
Round trip train ticket: $60 US
Entrance fee to Machu Picchu: $25 US
Private 2-hour tour guide: $15 US
Fee for thermal baths: 5S (5 Soles; about $2 US)
APPROXIMATE TOTAL: $135 US
(Add $3 US to $15 US per person per meal.)

SCHEDULE
Day 1
6:00 a.m. – Get on train
9:00 a.m. – Get off train at kilometer 104
Hike Inca Sacred Trail (6 mi.) viewing sites along the way.
Before Machu Picchu gate – Camp
Day 2
Sunrise – Enter Machu Picchu gate
Tour the ruins
Hire a tour guide
2:00 – Hike down the mountainside into Aguas Calientes
(This will probably take about 45 minutes.)
3:00 – Return by train to Cuzco

Machu Picchu: A Three-Day Visit

Tue, 27 Jun 2006 21:44:36 +0000

Note: Peru charges an airfare tax of $28.28 US for international flights and $5.04 US for domestic flights.

A short trip to Machu Picchu is easiest to manage from Cuzco, which can be easily reached with a flight from Lima, Peru's capital city. From Cuzco, there is a train trip of about four hours to Aguas Calientes, the town in the valley below Machu Picchu, with a twenty-minute bus ride up to the citadel from the town. (Aguas Calientes is officially called Machu Picchu Pueblo.) Tickets to Machu Picchu can be bought directly in Cuzco, either from a downtown travel agency or from the train station.

There are three options for the train, the speed, crowd, and service improving with increased cost:

Backpacker
$60 US round-trip; $42 US one-way

Vistadome
$89 US round-trip; $60 US one-way

Hiram Bingham
$417 US round-trip only, but includes 2 meals, cocktails, and a guided tour at the ruins

The following trip plan is based on an economy trip for two people.

COSTS
Round trip train ticket: $60 US
Entrance fee to Machu Picchu: $25 US
Private 2-hour tour guide: $15 US
Hotel in Aguas Calientes, double room (Gringo Bill's): $75 US
Fee for thermal baths: 5S (5 Soles; about $2 US)
APPROXIMATE TOTAL: $177 US
(Add $3 to $15 US per person per meal.)

SCHEDULE
Day 1
6:00 a.m. – Get on train
9:00 a.m. – Get off train at kilometer 104
Hike Inca Sacred Trail (6 mi.) viewing sites along the way.
Before Machu Picchu gate – Camp
Day 2
Sunrise – Enter Machu Picchu gate
Tour the ruins
Hire a tour guide
4:30 p.m. – Return by bus to Aguas Calientes
(This is the last bus ride; if you miss it, you will have to walk the 1 to 1½ hour route back to Aguas Calientes.)
5:00 p.m. – Check into Gringo Bill's
Day 3
Morning – Explore Aguas Calientes markets and thermal baths
3:00 p.m. – Return by train to Cuzco

What is Machu Picchu?

Wed, 28 Jun 2006 20:54:47 +0000

Also called the "Lost City of the Incas"—which also happens to be easier to spell properly than the Inca form of "Old Mountain"—Machu Picchu has lasted the centuries atop a peak of the Andes Mountains. This is the city famous for stones fitted so precisely that nobody can fit so much as a blade of grass in-between the boulders used as bricks. The masonry is precise, immense, and mind-boggling from the thin air; how did the boulder-bricks manage to get there? Earthquakes shake but do not topple this archeological wonder.

Though referred to as a city, perhaps "town" would be more accurate for the 200 buildings that could hold an estimated 1200 people. From the design of certain buildings and the location in a mountain, it has been suspected but unproved that the city may have been the long sought-after El Dorado ("The Golden" or "The Gilded") of the Spanish. Bingham suspected a large temple-like building was Tamo-toco, a legendary temple known only by description from other Incan sites. However, the time when the temple of legend is said to have been built and the late-Incan style of the other buildings of the city do not match.

Like the age, the purpose of Machu Picchu is not known, though it was divided into a religious, a military, and a residential section separated by a central square. Historians hypothesize that it may have been a religious center or a religious retreat for the reigning family. Because of its place in the mountains, mist swirls about the city in the morning light.

There are actually two branches of Machu Picchu: Machu Picchu proper, the Inca city in ruins, and the official Machu Picchu Pueblo, literally "Machu Picchu Town," that is in the valley below. Though Machu Picchu Pueblo is the official name of the valley town, the villagers themselves generally use the former name: Aguas Calientes, "Hot Waters," possibly called such because of the humidity. Most refer to the town as Aguas Calientes.

An interesting feature of Machu Picchu proceeds from its strategic small size and location: though it offers a clear view of the valley below, it cannot be seen from the valley.

Where is Machu Picchu?

Wed, 28 Jun 2006 20:56:39 +0000

Located high in the Andes Mountains of Peru, Machu Picchu is between two peaks: Machu Picchu and Huayna Picchu ("Old Mountain" and "Young Mountain," respectively). It looks over a valley that has a small village called Aguas Calientes by the villagers though the official name is Machu Picchu Pueblo (Machu Picchu Town). Bring malaria pills, for this is a concern in the subtropical rainforest.

This city sits about 70 miles northwest of Cuzco, the capital of the Incan Empire before its fall and a tourist site in itself. Day trips can be made from Cuzco to Machu Picchu including some hours worth of travel time. Some find the ensuing press and rush of the crowds and guided tours dissatisfying. Lodging near the ruins or in Aguas Calientes allows for study of Machu Picchu on off hours and at one's leisure, but if you are not interested in the history and merely want to see the buildings, one day might be enough for you.

After a train trip to the area, a visitor can reach Machu Picchu by bus or by a narrow footpath Camino del Inca (Incan Trail) constructed by the Incas. Hiking trails vary from taking 2 to 9 days, though the 2 and 4-day trails are the most popular, and they require good physical condition to manage.

What is the history of Machu Picchu?

Wed, 28 Jun 2006 20:57:08 +0000

The known history of Machu Picchu is rather thin, as it lacks written history from about the time of its creation until its "discovery" by a Yale graduate in 1911. Therefore, most of the city's history can only be speculated.

Probably built over a century before Spanish conquistador Francisco Pizarro undermined, divided, and conquered the Incan Empire though its actual age is unknown, Machu Picchu was rediscovered just under a century ago by U.S. explorer Hiram Bingham when a local farmer showed it to him. The few previous whites who had visited it, putting it on maps or signing a rock there, did not publicize their finding. Unfortunately, the precise age of Machu Picchu cannot be trusted from carbon dating, which has produced some consistent anomalies like labeling samples from the Mt. St. Helens' eruption as millions of years old.

From the style of the buildings, one theory of Machu Picchu's origins says that Inca Pachacuti ordered it to be built as a religious retreat in the mid-1400s, which would mean it is not a city, a theory supported by its out-of-the-way location, too distant to have much use for government, economy, or military. If it was a religious retreat, that would also explain its being "lost"—only a select few related to the emperors would have known of its existence, and small pox would have made the town too expensive to maintain. One flaw with this theory is it fails to account for beliefs that Machu Picchu was a religious sanctuary, a place of pilgrimage. It also fails to explain why Manco Inca probably burned Llatapata, the origin of the trail to Machu Picchu, while retreating after his rebellion against the Spanish in 1536.

This small Incan city is termed "lost" because the conquistadors missed it during their pillage, which suggests it might have been abandoned before the conquistadors arrived. The Incans might have also consciously chosen to hide the city from the Spaniards.

Hiram Bingham dubbed Machu Picchu the "Lost City of the Incas" when he found it, a name it has carried since as scientists study and tourists visit it.

What should I know as a tourist in Peru?

Wed, 28 Jun 2006 20:57:39 +0000

Be up-to-date on your hepatitis and tetanus shots and be prepared to take malaria pills before even thinking about visiting Machu Picchu.

Heard of the Shining Path, the Communist guerillas in Peru? They are less active than they have been, and you can live in Peru for years without having any problems with them, but do heed any government warnings. Usual places of activity for the Shining Path nowadays are Ayacucho, Huancavelica, Huanuco, Junín, and San Martín. Also, if a strike or protest occurs, stay out of the streets and public places; if you must be in them, do not loiter.

Peruvians drive better than you might think from their lack of stop signs and most traffic lights and have few accidents, so don't panic. But if you don't like hearing car horns (used to alert other drivers to their cars' presences) or want to nap on your night trip into Lima from the airport, bring earplugs.

A taxi fare is calculated by distance not by the number of people ferried. Do not let natives coax the extra soles from you by misrepresenting that (often those who want to grossly overcharge you are comparatively poor drivers, anyway—flag another taxi). Remember that bartering is an expected practice in Peruvian markets. When they see a gringo—you—most automatically double or triple the prices from what they would charge a native.

If you attend church in Peru and are a female, wear long skirt, or you'll offend some natives. If you take Communion, be aware that many churches use a common cup (wiping off the rim) and actual wine.

Heard of Montezuma's Revenge? Do not drink the water or put it in your mouth. Use bottled water, and bring your own if you can, since it will taste better, and always check to make sure the seal is intact on the bottles. Do not have salads or other foods that would have been rinsed with the local water, even from hotels.

Standard water in Peru is carbonated (agua con gas); if you want uncarbonated water, ask "¿Hay agua sin gas?" (Eye ah-gwah seen gas?), "Is there uncarbonated water?" literally "Is there water without gas?"

Also, you'll see people standing on the streets in Lima asking to exchange your money… How do you think foreigners get counterfeit money? Be wary, though those standing near official buildings are probably safe.

Don't assume food similarity from menu names. Like spicy foods? Great—do not ask for salsa. Ask for picante (peek-on-tay). Salsa is a cheese sauce flavored like a salt lick. Picante for them is what we call salsa. Cuy (coo-ee) is Peru's famous guinea pig, and civiche (see-vee-chay) is the raw fish "cooked" to mild flavor by highly acidic lime juice.

If you see mariscos, shellfish, on a menu, be aware that it often refers to very rubbery seafood. Expect things like squid, manta ray, and mini octopi with their heads cut off and interestingly textured tentacles… and don't talk to a man on the street trying to sell a manta ray. He may gut it in front of you.

And the famous Inca Kola is banana flavored.

What should I know about hotels in Peru?

Wed, 28 Jun 2006 20:58:15 +0000

First, be wary of the star system. A three-star hotel in Peru can range from equaling a 5-star hotel in the United States with better food; or it might serve eggs as breakfast every day, lack hot water, and have nasty little bed bugs whose bites you have to convince the hotel workers are not due to mosquitoes (sancudos) despite the scars you might develop.

Speaking Spanish may be an advantage for your hotel stay, since not all hotels have translators or have translators that speak English too well, and be warned that you may encounter some consistently poor English (like a tour guide saying "approximater" instead of "approximately"). For their sake, resist the urge to laugh.

Also, some words translate oddly between Spanish and English. For example, lima translates lime, but it actually refers to a fruit closer to a lemon, and the reverse applies to limón. Salsa (literally sauce) refers to a salty cheese sauce; a spicy tomato sauce is picante. Be careful about assuming word equivalents from menus, and if you are squeamish about seafood, avoid mariscos (shellfish, including squid and manta ray) and civiche (raw fish "cooked" by soaking in juice from the region's highly acidic limes).

Bear in mind that Peru as a whole lacks or has trouble getting certain things we take for granted, like screens in windows, hot water, and salads and other such foods that will not give a traveler Montezuma's Revenge. Do not expect them necessarily just because of the hotel cost.

If you are staying in Peru for 60 days or less, you are exempt from the 19% government sales tax on hotel rooms upon proof from your passport.

What budget hotels are near Machu Picchu?

Wed, 28 Jun 2006 20:59:48 +0000

Note: Data is oversimplified, and prices are subject to change. Breakfast is usually included in the charge.

Gringo Bill's Hostal

Something of a Spanish joke decorates the name for this hotel: a gringo is a white person, usually a tourist who knows horrendous Spanish if he knows any. Owned by the gringo Bill from Michigan, this hotel offers authentic gringo food, with Peruvian selections available to suit your preference. American Express, Diners Cash, MasterCard, Traveler's Checks, and Visa are accepted.

BENEFITS:
Bar
Discount for 2/3+ nights
Laundry
Restaurant
Room Service

ROOMS AND RATES PER NIGHT:
Single Room: US $50
Double Room: US $75
Suite: US $60

Presidente Hostal

Cleanliness, helpfulness, great views, and hot water are nice finds for a budget hotel. Hope you like orange, though… Only cash (US dollars or Peruvian soles) is accepted.

BENEFITS:
Bar-Cafeteria
Fax service
Hot & cold water
Laundry service
Luggage rooms and porters
Restaurant
Telephones

ROOMS AND RATES PER NIGHT:
Single Room: US $55
Double Room: US $60

El Santuario Hostel

One of the cheapest hotels near Machu Picchu, the rooms here cost from $40-60 a night.

BENEFITS:
Restaurant
Room service
TV (in room)

ROOMS AND RATES PER NIGHT:
Single Room: US $41
Double Room: US $47
Triple Room: US $59
Matrimonial Room: US $47

What mid-range hotels are near Machu Picchu?

Wed, 28 Jun 2006 21:00:32 +0000

Note: Data is oversimplified, and prices are subject to change. Breakfast is usually included in the charge.

Hanaqpacha Inn

A restaurant with an inn, Hanaqpacha specializes in lunch buffet and has live Andean musical performers to entertain dinner guests. Hanaqpacha also has a souvenir shop with silver jewelry with natural stones. American Express, Diners Cash, MasterCard, Traveler's Checks, and Visa are accepted.

BENEFITS:
Ability to prepare hot drinks (like tea and mate cocoa) is included in room rate
Laundry service
Luggage storage
Medical services
Mini bar
Restaurant
Room service
Safety box
Telephone (in room)
Translation for English and French

ROOMS AND RATES PER NIGHT:
Single Room: US $77
Double Room: US $99
Superior: US $150
Triple Room: US $132
Matrimonial Room: US $150

Hostal La Cabaña

This hotel advertises constant hot water, private bathrooms, medical services, and escort translators for several languages.

BENEFITS:
Air conditioner (in room)
Laundry service
Medical services
Mini bar
Restaurant
Room service

ROOMS AND RATES PER NIGHT:
Room: US $70
Suite: US $90

What high-end hotels are near Machu Picchu?

Wed, 28 Jun 2006 21:01:05 +0000

Note: Data is oversimplified, and prices are subject to change. Breakfast is usually included in the charge.

Hatuchay Tower Hotel

With rooms costing over $100 a night, this hotel in Aguas Calientes stands on the high end of Peruvian hotels in Machu Picchu. It offers quality comfort and security. The hotel houses a generator that can completely cover its electrical needs if needs be, and it has tourist guides available. The hotel accepts American Express, cash, MasterCard, Traveler's Checks, and Visa.

Visitors to the hotel fluctuate between praising the hotel and calling it clean and having hot water or criticizing it as filthy and lacking hot water, so be aware of that when you consider this hotel for your stay in Machu Picchu.

BENEFITS:
Drugstore
Elevator
Internet (free)
Laundry service
Luggage porters
Mini bar
Restaurant
Room service
Security box (in room)
Satellite TV (in room)
Spa (in certain rooms)
Direct dial phone (in room)

ROOMS AND RATES PER NIGHT:
Standard Room: US $150
Superior Room: US $180
Junior Suite: US $200
Deluxe Suite: US $230

Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel

"Machu Picchu Pueblo," the official name of the town Aguas Calientes, has a hotel named for it. With good food, handmade and natural furnishings, and spacious rooms with modern conveniences, it costs from $350-$550 per night. All major credit cards are accepted.

If you want to see and shop in Aguas Calientes and not just view the ruins, this is probably a better choice than Machu Picchu Sanctuary Hotel.

BENEFITS:
Chapel
Gift shop
Hot water
Internet
Laundry service
Library/media room
Massage (not included in price)
Mini bar
Pool
Restaurant
Room service (6am-10pm, with 20% gratuity)
Security (lit and guarded pathways)
Spa (not included in price)
Telephone (in room)
Translation for English, French, and Italian

ROOMS AND RATES PER NIGHT: (covers breakfast, dinner, non-alcoholic beverages, and hotel activities)
Single Room: US $335
junior suite: US $390
suite: US $480
Double Room: US $374
junior suite: US $429
suite: US $519

Machu Picchu Sanctuary Lodge Hotel

Of all the hotels near Machu Picchu, Machu Picchu Sanctuary Lodge is the only hotel within the Incan citadel. Orchids and local flowers decorate the interior garden to add to the already picturesque view. Rooms start at $672 a night, and the hotel accepts American Express, Diners Cash, MasterCard, Visa, and Traveler's Checks.

Many visitors greatly enjoy the hotel, particularly for seclusion and examination of the ruins, though it is not advised if you prefer to experience Aguas Calientes.

Note: if you wish to reserve this hotel for Machu Picchu, you also must reserve the Monastery Hotel in Cuzco, a related hotel that costs a bit less.

BENEFITS:
Air conditioner (in room)
Cable TV (in room)
Frigobar
IDD telephone (in room)
Laundry facilities (in room)
Laundry service
Mini bar (in room)
Restaurant
Room service
Safe-deposit box (in room)
Self service outlet
Snack bar
Transfer to airport

ROOMS AND RATES PER NIGHT: (meals, not beverages, included)
Single Room: US $672
w/ view: US $795
Double Room: US $795
w/ view: US $917
Suite: US $1161

Peru - People and the Culture

Fri, 04 Aug 2006 17:06:27 +0000

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Peru - Major Cities and Regions

Fri, 04 Aug 2006 17:08:01 +0000

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Peru - Activities and Attractions

Fri, 04 Aug 2006 17:08:56 +0000

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Machu Picchu - Overview and History

Fri, 04 Aug 2006 17:10:18 +0000

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Beginner's Guide to Peru

Machu Picchu: A Two-Day Visit - Aguas Calientes

Machu Picchu: A Two-Day Visit - Inca Trail

Machu Picchu: A Three-Day Visit

What is Machu Picchu?

Where is Machu Picchu?

What is the history of Machu Picchu?

What should I know as a tourist in Peru?

What should I know about hotels in Peru?

What budget hotels are near Machu Picchu?

What mid-range hotels are near Machu Picchu?

What high-end hotels are near Machu Picchu?

Peru - People and the Culture

Peru - People and the Culture Overview

Languages

Culture

Peru's Population

Peru - Major Cities and Regions

Peru - Major Cities and Regions Overview

The Andes: The Highlands

The Eastern Lowlands

The Coastal Zone

Peru - Activities and Attractions

Peru - Activities and Attractions Overview

Activities

Amazon Rainforests

Lima's Beaches

Machu Picchu - Overview and History

What is Machu Picchu?

Where is Machu Picchu?

What is the history of Machu Picchu?

What should I know as a tourist in Peru?