Thinking about Peru tours that include Machu Picchu, You must be excited at the prospect of seeing one of the Seven Wonders of the World and a trip to Peru. However, before you leave home there are some things you need to know before visiting Machu Picchu.
In years gone by, you were able to arrive at the sight and stay at the ruin all day, but since 2017, the Peruvian government has changed the regulations and now there are two entrance times to the Inca Citadel. You can choose from the morning or afternoon times depending on what suits. You will also need to enter with a licensed guide and will have your ticket stamped at the gate.
Next, this one should be obvious but needs to be mentioned, you are not under any circumstances allowed to walk on any part of the ruin, there are signs indicating this and the security guards are very strict. If you are seen walking on any part of the site you will be asked to leave so you must stick to the walkways.
There are two main ways to get to the Inca ruin, the first being by train. There are different styles of train to choose, from the tourist train that is comfortable and clean to the ultimate in luxury, which will blow the budget, the luxury train experience is for the train lovers among you and is considered one of the great train journeys in the world and you can book with Machu Travel Peru.
The second way and is very popular is to trek to Machu Picchu, there are several different treks on offer but without a doubt the most popular is the Inka Trail. This trek is four days of hard work but you pass through cloud forests, see ancient Inca ruins, and marvel at magnificent Andes Mountain before arriving on the fourth day to Machu Picchu. If you have the time and the energy it is worth looking into a trek to Machu Picchu, but be warned, they are not for the faint of heart.
Any time of year you travel to Machu Picchu, there will be queues to enter the site and to catch the bus to and from Machu Picchu. This is unavoidable and a part of the adventure, so be prepared to wait like everybody else. The reward at the end of the wait is worth the time-spent waiting.
The town of Aguas Calientes is where you will arrive on the train; the small town features many hotels of different quality to spend the night and some great restaurants to dine. Many people do a day tour to Machu Picchu and miss the Aguas Calientes experience, if your itinerary allows it, spend the night at Aguas Calientes and explore this town. Spending the night also gives you more time at Machu Picchu as you can go early before all the day-trippers arrive.
Another feature of Aguas Calientes is the hot springs located just outside of town. Take a couple of hours and soak away your aches and pains. The scenery surrounding the springs are also photo worthy.
So on your tour to Machu Picchu take your camera, sense of humor and adventure and take in all the mystery that the site has to offer.