The whole concept of Machu Picchu is so epic for me that I don't think I could cover it in one blog post. I have so many pictures that it would be overwhelming for us all if I tried to organize and post them all, so I think I'll take it in chunks. At least that will be the idea as I start.

Getting There

Machu Picchu (MP) is not a last minute tourist visit. Many people plan this several months to a year in advance. There are several options to get to MP. You can take the Inca Trail hike which entails four days and nights of hiking and camping. There are two other trails (Salkantay and Choquequirao) that vary in complexity and views and there's even a high altitude trek. If you don't want to hike and camp for consecutive days you can take the train. There are two places to pick up the train-Poroy (about eight kilometers from Cusco) and Ollantaytambo. They will take you to Aguas Calientes (meaning hot water for local thermal springs) where you can get the 20 minute bus to the entrance of MP. The other way to get to Aguas Calientes is to walk along the train tracks. This is dangerous, but it seems people will do it to avoid the rather steep train prices. From Poroy the train will take two and a half hours. It's an hour less from Ollantaytambo. If you want to get to MP for sunrise and avoid early crowds you can stay in Aguas Calientes the night before. Buses begin the route up at about 5:30 a.m. You can hike up as well and that will be a good hour of stairs, but keep in mind you will be also hiking once you get there.

Sites

You need to decide what type of experience you want at MP. Are you going to hike Huayna Picchu as well, hike the Montaña or visit the museum? Of course all of these are extras at a cost. And there are rules. They only let in 2,500 people in daily. Only 400 can hike Huana Picchu and they must go at 7 or 10 a.m. Only 400 people can hike the Montaña but you must enter by 11 a.m. With so many rules and regulations you better make sure you have your tickets in advance.

Cost

Ahh, what would you pay to see one of the man made wonders of the world? You'd be surprised. There is actually a hotel at MP where people will pay over $1,500 a night for a basic room. It amazes me that it fills up regularly. The train to MP is the most expensive in the world for the distance. The train can cost over $300 one way if you want the deluxe train. A family of five that we stayed with paid over $900 for their train ride there and back. There are two rail companies: Peru Rail and Inca Rail. Inca Rail is new to tourism and they are cheaper. We booked with them for the times we wanted and paid just over $300 for the return trip from Ollantaytambo for the four of us. That was $100 less than Peru Rail wanted. Crazy for 3 hours on a train with drink service. There are more deluxe trains with meal service and live music too. Sometimes you don't have a choice if you want to get there or back at a certain time.

Tickets into MP cost less than the train. Apparently getting your own tickets online is problematic. Many people do better with the Spanish website or you can probably pay more and book the whole thing through a tour agency. You can't purchase discounted children's tickets online. We had Bill purchase ours and even with his fee we saved $60 by having him get them in Peru. We paid $150 for the four of us and that was with the additional cost of the Montaña hike.

So once you arrange your trip to Aguas Calientes and have your tickets, you have to pay for the bus up. That is another $18 per person with return. So the whole experience can be quite costly.

We were there just past the busy summer tourist season, so I wouldn't recommend waiting until two weeks before to purchase your tickets. They do have a live feed on their website that tells you how many tickets are left for the day and you can't purchase them there.

Here are a few pics of us along the way on the train.