Taking the Train to Machu Picchu
For those who do not embark on the Machu Picchu trek that leads you directly to the site by foot, the train is part of the final journey to this ancient Inca citadel, 2430m above sea level.
A train is also a great option for those who do not wish to trek, or who cannot fit time for a trek into their Peru itinerary. It means everyone gets a chance to view Peru’s most renowned pilgrimage site, which still to this day remains a mystery as to why it was built.
The Peru Rail train to Machu Picchu
The Peru Rail trains depart from either Porary or Ollantaytambo station, located in the Sacred Valley. It’s an incredibly scenic three hours and 50 or one hour and 50-minute journey to the station of Aguas Calientes. From here, you then catch a bus up the winding valley to the Machu Picchu site entrance. It is advised to book your bus ticket in advance to avoid the long queues.
The train routes to Machu Picchu © Peru Rail
Permits are only needed for the Inca Trail, and not for the entrance to Machu Picchu. However, your entrance tickets need to be booked in advance, alongside your train ticket. You must bring your passport – it is checked both at the Machu Picchu entrance and when you board the train. Tours of Machu Picchu with a registered guide are highly recommended for those want detailed insight into each aspect of its design and the history of the Inca people.
One of the most beautiful train journeys you can take
Peru Rail Ticket to Aguas Calientes (one way): $50 – $70+
Book Here direct at Peru Rail
Bus Ticket: $12 one way / $24 return
Book Here via the Machu Picchu ticket service or order a pre-booked round-trip bus ticket here.
Machu Picchu entrance ticket: €38 / $46 (152 Peruvian Soles)
Trekking in Peru
Aside from the Machu Picchu treks, Peru has a variety of stunning trekking options tempting the explorer, whether that’s day trips from Cusco, canyons in the south or more technical lagoon hikes in the north.
Laguna 69 Trek
This super scenic trek is located in Huascaran National Park – a two-hour bus journey from Huaraz (nine hours northeast of Lima) which travellers use as a base for this expedition. Forest tracks, snow-capped mountains and steep rocky pathways lead to the magnificent turquoise mountain lagoon at 4500m. This can be completed in one day but more adventurous souls choose multi-day trekking routes to cover more ground in the region.
Trekking to Rainbow Mountain and Red Valley
Rainbow Mountain has become a very popular trek in recent years after the site was discovered when snow on the mountains melted to reveal the incredible lines of colour, giving the Vinicunca mountain (also called Montaña de Siete Colores – Mountain of seven colours), its name. A hard day trek, which peaks at 5,000 metres above sea level, the struggle of the altitude is worth it for the unique view at the end. Get yourself on a Rainbow Mountain trek with a very early start to avoid the crowds (we left Cusco at 3 am), and look for a trek that takes in the Red Valley on the way back.
And don’t believe those who say it’s a secret they wish they kept! Over 1,000 people from the local community are now employed, including over 200 people renting the horses. That’s a lot of community regeneration, and a community thanking us over and over for sharing this wonderful site.
Trek in Colca Canyon
Trekking in Colca Canyon is no easy feat, yet it is just as much an accolade as it is a chance to be embedded in some of the most incredible scenery in Peru. Why? It’s the second biggest and second deepest canyon in the world. I chose the two-day trekking option to get more immersed in the landscape of the canyon and national park, located four hours drive from Arequipa.
The start of the two-day Colca Canyon trek
This trekking route also included short stops at the best scenic viewpoints located throughout the canyon, before and after the trek, which included long winds down and a VERY steep (and relatively painful) three-hour climb out on the last morning starting at 5 am.