Machu Picchu

May 31 (Day 13)

Boom, boom, boom!  There's a party in my room!  

Unfortuantely, there isn't. 

It's just before midnight and we wake up to what sounds like a marching band right next door.  But it's the middle of the night.  It must be some idiot downstairs blaring his stereo.  I get up and look out the window and sure enough, it's a bloody parade complete with a marching band and dancing women!  I must be dreaming.  I pinch myself, rub my eyes, look out the window again, and still see a parade circling the main plaza square just feet away from our hostel!

Don't these people know that the only reason people stay overnight in Aguas Calientes is to wake up extra early the next morning to catch the sunrise atop Machu Picchu?  Welcome to Aguas Calientes, where they parade day and night.

Back to bed as we're waking up at 4am to get in line for the bus to Machu Picchu. Yes, that's right. 4am!  We talked to quite a few people the day before, and there was consensus that if you wanted to catch one of the first set of buses to Machu Picchu, you'd have to get in line by 4:30am to have a chance.  

We purchased our bus tickets the day earlier at the kiosk, and good thing we did, because I don't think the wicket was open that early in the morning. If you're budgeting for your trip, here are the bus ticket prices to get you to the Machu Picchu Sanctuary entrance from Aguas Calientes (Machu Picchu Village).

So we waited in line until around 5:30am when they started loading up the buses, and it was then up the winding road to Machu Picchu.

Considering we didn't have a chance to hike the Inca Trail, I really wanted to climb Huayna Picchu (Wayna Picchu), which is the mountain rising over Machu Picchu.

In none of the literature I read about Machu Picchu was it clear where we could pick up tickets to climb Huayna Picchu.  All I knew was that they were available somewhere at the Sanctuary. It ended up not being an issue as we just lined up like everyone else at the Sanctuary's entrance and two officials just walked down the line and asked if we wanted to be part of the 7am or 10am group. There apparently is a larger demand for the seven o'clock admission but since we had the choice of either time slot, we chose the ten o'clock slot as there would be fewer tourists at Machu Picchu in the four hours leading up to 10am, than after returning from the summit.  The number of daily visitors allowed to enter Huayna Picchu is restricted to 400 so we considered ourselves lucky (and smart) to have received these coveted tickets without any difficulties besides having to wake up extra early.

After the gates to Machu Picchu opened at 6:00 am, we walked up the pathway and were greeted to the following spectacular view...

The moment had finally come.. we actually made it to Machu Picchu!  The sun was shining and it was neither too hot or too cold. Just perfect! You can read about the history of Machu Picchu elsewhere so I'll just post some photos for your viewing pleasure...

And the Inca Bridge...

To be quite honest, Machu Picchu seemed to be slightly smaller than what I was expecting.  That being said, it was still a magnificent sight to see and appreciate this historical site withstanding the test of time and in such great condition, despite all the earthquakes and torrential downpours it has encountered.  It's amazing how they used to build things to last with what is considered "primitive" technology.

Ten o'clock was quickly approaching so it was time to head to the gateway to Huayna Picchu, and make our way up the steep stairs hugging the edge of the mountain. Climbing the mountain was a test of determination and endurance as the altitude was showing its effects on people we passed on our way up.  This trail is definitely one you don't want to rush as the scenery is simply spectacular and the limited number of hand railings (in the form of steel cables bolted to the bedrock) makes climbing the narrow and steep stairs a bit dangerous as one wrong step or slip could result in a nasty fall.  Irregardless, the hike was definitely worth it and was undeniably, the highlight of the day as the hike and view of Machu Picchu and the surrounding mountains, canyons, and river below provided a surreal and an unforgettable experience.

The climb down the mountain was actually more difficult than the climb up as the steps are not only steep but also very small. They were barely the width of my foot so I had to walk sideways down a majority of the steps on the upper portion of the mountain or else I would have certainly fallen.

Now for some tips regarding your visit of Machu Picchu:

• Bring a small daypack to carry your water bottle, snacks, camera, batteries, sun block, shorts, and extra t-shirt. 
• Wear hiking shoes with good threads if you plan on hiking Huayna Picchu.
• A guide isn't necessary.  Stick around a spot long enough, and you'll hear guides talk about it in several different languages. The funny thing is that the guides sometimes contradict one another in their explanations.
• Get there early.  The tour groups arrive later in the day and they are pretty big.
• Don't be afraid to ask the Sanctuary's employees for assistance in taking photos or getting directions. They're really friendly and helpful..
• Don't be in a rush. You've come a long way to see this. Enjoy your surroundings!

So to conclude, there's a lot of hype surrounding Machu Picchu but based on my experiences, it's definitely warranted.  A trip to Peru would not be complete without a visit to this amazing archeological discovery.

Hostal Varayoc Review

After reading reviews of some of the hostels in Aguas Calientes (Machu Picchu Village), it sounded like most of them are of similar quality and if you wanted something better, you immediately go to the other extreme and shell out hundred of dollars.

Wanting to conserve our money for something just a little more special than one night in a hotel in Aguas Calientes, we pretty much closed our eyes and reserved a triple room at Hostal Varayoc, or should I say, I picked the spot (as Renée and Steph place all the blame on me for this selection, or quite frankly, anything that went wrong).

First off, they want your money up front.  Ok, I can see that.  Most people stay in Aguas Calientes so they can get off to a very early start to Macchu Pichu the next morning, and they probably had a few people leave without paying up.  And, oh yeah, there's a surcharge if you want to pay with your credit card.

Next, the staircase.  Each step is a different height so you have to watch each and every one of your steps to avoid an embarrassing fall, and at the same time, watch your head.  The ceiling is pretty low in some sections.  Judging from the rooms we saw on our way upstairs, we all agreed we were lucky to get the "penthouse" suite... LOL... as the rooms on the lower floors had open windows looking directly into the neighbouring slums. We were lucky enough to get a room above the slums, with a great view of the main plaza not too far away.

Speaking of our room, it was overdosed with perfume to probably hide the odours.  I can't stand the smell of perfume on a beautiful woman, let alone a hotel room, so when I first entered the room, I thought I was about to have a Mr. Bean moment...

The perfume smell was so strong that opening the windows didn't help at all. And just so you don't think it was just me, I don't think the girls appreciated it much either.

The beds appeared clean and were ok... there's nothing memorable about the beds so they must not have been overly comfortable or awful. Sorry folks.... No photos of the bedroom this time around.  I must have forgotten.  Our private washroom was also clean so when it comes to basic amenities, Hostal Varayoc gets a passing grade, or does it?

Now come more negatives about Hostal Varayoc:

1. In their confirmation e-mail, they offered to pick us up from the train station upon arrival if we provided them the train details.  I provided the requested info several days in advance but there was no response and no one met us at the station.  This wasn't too surprising based on other reviews I read but it wasn't really necessary as the town is relatively small, and we eventually found the place after asking a few people. That being said, if you offer to do something, you should do it or don't even offer it all!
   
2. Speaking of offers, upon checking in, the staff member, without us even asking, offered to give us a wake-up call at 4am.  We graciously accepted but there was no call or even any staff members visibly present in the hostel in the morning.
   
3. She also told us that breakfast would be served starting at 4am.  If that breakfast consisted of an unopened bag of small buns on a table at the back of a room that I had to tear open in the dark, then I guess we had breakfast.
   
4. And why was I opening a bag of buns in the dark?  Because there was no electricity anywhere in the hostel!  That's right, they turned off all the power!  They never offered to keep the electricity on but they never mentioned that it would be turned off either.  We woke up, got ready with our headlamps turned on, headed down the odd staircase, left our luggage in the 'secure' room, snuck some buns into our pockets, and left the hostel, all in the dark.
   
5. And the secure luggage room... well, let's just say it was the breakfast room that was wide open when we left our backpacks in the back corner under a table, and slightly hidden behind some chairs. When we returned later in the day to pick them up, the staff member didn't acknowledge us entering the lobby or the secure room, or even question us or check that those were our packs.  Not the peace of mind you're looking for when you leave your belongings behind in the dark!

So, would I recommend Hostal Varayoc?  Hmm, let me think about it...  if you just want a decent bed and washroom at a perfumy hostel with a short walk to the morning bus stop and don't expect people to keep their word, then sure, go ahead and book a room, but otherwise, NO!  While I doubt any of the other places in town in that price range are any better, the service can't be much worse.

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All Aboard to Aguas Calientes

May 30 (Day 12)



The day begins with an early taxi ride to the train station.  There were some concerns earlier in the week when we came across another train station in Cusco named the Machu Picchu station but we were informed that station was closed so we had faith in the instructions on the PeruRail web site, and headed to the Ollantaytambo station.


We arrived at the station at the recommended time but this was not warranted.  That being said, we boarded our little bus much earlier than the posted departure time and as soon as the bus filled up, we were on our way to Ollantaytambo.  Now you might be wondering why we got on a bus at the train station, or if you are a little more familiar with Peru, why weren't we taking the train? Well, the answer is simple.  After the floods and subsequent landslides in early 2010, portions of the railway to Aguas Calientes (now known as Machu Picchu Village) were completely damaged so PeruRail offered a bus+train option to get its passengers from Cusco to Aguas Calientes until the railway was completely repaired (which is supposedly now the case).  


After we climbed the mountainside to get out of Cusco, we encountered incredible farming landscapes, exciting winding roads (on which drivers insisted on passing the bus on blinding curves instead of the straightaways), and head-to-head showdowns between buses on the narrow village streets.  After about two and a half hours, we arrived at the temporary station at Ollantaytambo, where we waited until boarding time for the train alongside the Urubamba River.

On their website, PeruRail made a big deal about the luggage restrictions but we did not see anyone get pulled aside and harassed about an oversized backpack.  That being said, we did wonder how it worked for people returning to Cusco after hiking the Inca Trail.  Surely, some special considerations are in place for those people as a small daypack would not suffice for a four-day trek.  


Since you're probably curious about the interior of the PeruRail "New Backpacker" class train to and from Machu Picchu, here's a photo to satisfy your curiosity:

And since a nearby couple were fancied by the wagon's washroom and deemed it better than any washroom they saw in any European train, here are a couple of photos for your viewing pleasure:

The wagon's skylights were great for appreciating the mountainous surroundings and seeing some ruins along the way, but they also let the warm sunshine in, so our wagon soon felt like a greenhouse but I'm not complaining.  The train ride was very enjoyable nonetheless and could definitely have been a lot worse so I just mention it just in case you plan on wearing your jacket onboard.


Most of the train's journey follows the river as it slowly crawls its way through the mountainous terrain and tunnels to Aguas Calientes.  

On several occasions, I saw old rails sticking out of the river. They surely were remnants from the recent landslides.


Upon arriving in Aguas Calientes, you quickly realize that it is pretty much a tourist town with nothing really more than businesses catered to tourists: read hostels, restaurants, bars, Internet cafes, and a souvenir marketplace. 

There also is the Aguas Calientes Hot Springs (Yes, that's probably why they named the village that way) but the reviews we read about them weren't too appealing, and the photos at the ticket office weren't anymore pleasing so we decided to pass on the springs considering we couldn't see its actual sanitary conditions without paying, and instead, enjoyed the afternoon on a restaurant's patio before taking a walk down by the river.  

Some interesting side notes to share: 

1. As you approach the entrance to the hot springs, there are a number of businesses geared towards bathing suit rentals.  Yes, you read that correctly. Rent, not buy!
2. The city dump is located a very, very short walk from what appears to be the fanciest hotel in the village.  It appears as though all garbage is placed in special red garbage bags but it still smells.  I wouldn't want to be out on my hotel room's balcony when the wind is blowing just right (if I were staying there).

Nevertheless, the riverside path is landscaped with flowers including huge poinsettias.  Our walk along the river was very pleasant as we followed the water as it meandered its way swiftly through the rapids in the canyon. 

As you can see, the town's setting is magnificent and it is unfortunate that local entrepreneurs have been short-sighted in their attempts to make money, as with a little more effort, Aguas Calientes could easily become a 'go-to' destination of its own, especially if it geared its efforts towards the eco-tourism crowd.


In the evening,  I walked across one of the bridges to check out where the locals live and also checked out the grocery store where I purchased some food for the next day.  Food and drinks are reportedly very expensive at the Machu Picchu site due to the cafeteria's monopoly so I wasn't going to take that chance.  Aguas Calientes definitely is a tale of two different cities: one geared towards tourists while the other towards the locals, just separated by a little river.  In my opinion, the locals' side is a lot more interesting but in either case, regardless of its name, Aguas Calientes or its new 'world-recognized' name of Machu Picchu Village, it's a town you want to be in and out of as quickly as possible, especially when you are on a time-limited trip, with the rest of South America calling your name.

Buying Machu Picchu Tickets

May 29 (Day 11)

There appears to be quite a bit of misleading, incorrect, or perhaps, just outdated information on the Internet regarding admission into the Machu Picchu Sanctuary, and the Peruvian floods of early 2010 definitely did not help in our search for accurate and up-to-date information.  For one thing, everyone wants to sell you a packaged tour (whether or not you are interested in the Inca Trail) and they'll promise you the world to get you to give them a non-refundable deposit. Secondly, finding official information on Machu Picchu in English is impossible, and to top things off, it seemed as though the status of the roads and railways leading up to Machu Picchu were changing on a weekly (if not daily) basis in the months leading up to our trip.  Even PeruRail, the railway operator to Machu Picchu) did not seem to know what it was trying to say as there was obvious conflicting information on its web site.  In fact, it was only after my second e-mail to the company that they corrected their information online.


Looking at our options for the Inca Trail trek was also discouraging as no one would provide a refundable deposit if the trek couldn't go ahead due to the Trail being closed.  The more I looked into our trekking options, the more disappointed I became as to how sketchy everything seemed to be.  Tour operators say they'll purchase your Trail permit upon receipt of your deposit, yet they won't send you a copy of that permit so you're left in the dark until it's time to show your permit to the authorities.  Combine that with their fine print stating that they have the right to alter the itinerary to their liking, and you're left with the feeling that you're just handing over your hard-earned money with absolutely no assurances that you'll get what you're expecting.  Heck, from what I could gather, the authorities were still offering hiking permits even after news broke that the Inca Trail was supposedly closed indefinitely to fix damage from the landslides, and the tour operators were definitely still more than willing to accept reservations (and deposits) even if they had no idea when Machu Picchu would re-open, let alone the Inca Trail.  Considering all of these uncertainties, we decided that it would be best to play it safe and skip the Inca Trail until we learned of its reopening and hope that there were still three of those limited number of trail permits available for us on dates that would fit our schedule.  And if they weren't, so be it.  It wouldn't be the end of the world.  


Surely enough, once news hit that the Inca Trail and Machu Picchu would re-open prior to our trip, those permits had already sold out. Our trip was a week too early.  But no worries, we were still heading to Machu Picchu and we didn't have 4 days of hiking on the Inca Trail ahead of us.

Admission tickets to Machu Picchu are apparently only good for three days (starting the day you purchase them) and according to PeruRail, tickets were limited and only available in Cusco.  We were informed by the hostel staff that the ticket office was only open from 7am to 1pm on Saturdays so off I went to buy the tickets.  So there I was at the Instituto Nacional de Cultura (INC) office just before 7am and noticed that the door was open so I asked the official working there if this is where I buy the Machu Picchu tickets.  He said yes but also asked me to leave the building as it wasn't open yet.  The ticket office opens at 8am, he said.  So with an hour to spare, I walked around the tourist district and checked out the market again, where I noticed that there were a lot more meat stalls today.  Perhaps, Peruvians eat more meat on Saturdays.


Anyways, I ran out of things to see and do (and photograph) as the city was just waking up so I headed back to the office and waited there until 8:00am.  There was no activity, which seemed odd, so I decided to wait a few minutes since nothing seemed to start on time in Peru but I quickly grew impatient, and walked into the office and found an employee.  She informed me that the office did not sell tickets, and the actual ticket office was down the street in another INC office.  She was unable to recall the street number of the building so I was on my own in figuring that out.  This leads to another point regarding South America.  Each block seems to have a different street name even though it's the same street.  Once you hit an intersection, the street usually changes names.  If you're lucky enough, there's a tiny little street sign, 10-12 feet above street level, on the side of the corner building.  I was evidently on the right street (yet different name) at an office of the same department as the one where tickets to Machu Picchu are sold.  Nevertheless, I managed to find the right office, one block down the street, but to my surprise, there were no signs indicating that this was indeed the location of the Machu Picchu ticket office, nor any directions once inside to indicate which room it could be found.

Since I could never find the actual ticket prices to Machu Picchu in any of my online research, I thought I'd share it with those you who somehow managed to find this post.  So here they are, straight from the ticket office, for those of you interested in such things:

Note that PeruRail's information regarding the closure of the Aguas Calientes' ticket office was incorrect. It was in fact open and offered the same ticket prices as the Cusco office. PeruRail's statement that only a limited number of Machu Picchu entrance tickets are available was also incorrect. Luckily, I went to the bank machine beforehand as the ticket office only accepted Peruvian cash.  It should also be noted that the above prices are solely for admission to the site and do not include the train tickets, bus tickets (from Aguas Calientes to the site), and Inca Trail permits (if so one chooses to hike the trail) involved in a visit to Machu Picchu.


With tickets in hand, it was back to the hostel for breakfast before enjoying our last full day in Cusco.

---

2011 UPDATE:

Something to keep in mind before you book your trip to Machu Picchu...


According to a July 27, 2011 Associated Press article:

"Hundreds of unticketed tourists have been turned away from Machu Picchu this week as Peru's famed Inca ruins reached capacity. Angry tourists blocked a bridge for two hours Monday in the town of Aguas Calientes at the entrance to the ruins. That impeded buses that ferry visitors to the hilltop archaeological site. Juan Julio Garcia is the regional tourism director in nearby Cuzco. He says some travel agencies have failed to inform visitors that they should get tickets in advance because of the daily load limit of 2,500 people. Authorities established the limit for Peru's main tourist attraction in 2005 as a conservation measure. In January, tickets became obtainable online. The site, http://www.machupicchu.gob.pe, can be slow to access."



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