Santuario Historico de Machu Picchu, Cusco Region, Peru

5unpunctual 5:00 PM Jun 4, 2021

One Of The Most Impressive Sightseeing Excursions
The views are breathtaking. Seeing the pictures online represent Machu Picchu as a spectacular place; actually being there puts you in a state of awe on so many levels. The architecture, the scenery, the history, everything you learn about the Incas and the massive Andes surrounding you make this sightseeing excursion one of the most impressive. Truly a wonder of the world. Some things we learned during our trip: We were told that entrance tickets to Machu Picchu and the train to get to Aguas Calientes can sell out, so make sure to purchase your tickets ahead of time. We purchased our bus tickets to Machu Picchu in Aguas Caliente the day before doing the tour. The buses get extremely busy, so we went earlier in the morning and took one of the earlier rides back to help avoid some of the crowds. Much of the info online says you are required to have a guide to tour the grounds, however, we found that this was not a requirement at the time that we visited. This is a topic that seems to have the possibility of changing in the future though so doing your research before you head to Peru is a good idea. Our group split up throughout the day, so we ended up hiring two different private guides upon arrival at Machu Pichu. Each guide cost about $100 including tip for a tour that was 2 hours in length. It was a pleasant and informative experience, although while reminiscing about each of our tour experiences later that night, we realized that there were some inconsistencies in the information provided. This is another reason why doing your research on the various tour offerings ahead of time is a good idea. We visited in October and the weather was perfect for us, it was warm but not too hot. We had heard that the sand flies can be annoying, so we wore long pants as well as brought bug spray and essential oils to help keep them at bay and did not have any issue. In one area of Machu Picchu, we came across llamas and alpacas – they were wildly entertaining for our group and a fun surprise for everyone. This experience was well worth the travel it took to get there and is definitely one to have on the bucket list!

5pjj89511 5:00 PM May 19, 2022

As Good As Expected
We did this as part of a day trip out of Cusco on the train. It makes for a long day, but so worth it for the views and the history. We'd booked our entrance ticket and train in advance. Once we got off the train, we bought our tickets for the bus and got in line the bus line (it takes you up a series of switchbacks to the ruins and much better than walking). While in line, we found and booked an English speaking guide to go with us on the bus and take us through the ruins. Having that guide made all the difference. I can see that it would be quite confusing on your own so highly recommend finding a guide. She charged $60 (USD) for 4 of us and was extremely knowledgeable.