Machu Picchu, details to consider for an excellent trip
Visiting Machu Picchu is one of the activities that many tourists do in Peru. Many tourists only come to Peru for this purpose. However, there are many people who, unfortunately, do not find out well some data or information about the visit to Machu Picchu. So they tend to make several mistakes and end up disappointed with their trip to Peru. In addition, sometimes things can change drastically, especially during the change of season. That is when the rains start. All this and some other queries from clients who ask us daily, motivated us to create this blog, hoping to be of help in the different points.
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Booking tickets in advance
An important point for any trip is to have the entrance tickets to the place or site you want to visit. The abundant people who visit Machu Picchu, often makes availability drops considerably. Even this can be seen in reservations from one week to another, even having much less availability in the months of April, May and June, which are usually sold out even from the first week of March. In case you are looking to make the trip to Machu Picchu it is important to make a decision as soon as possible to start planning a safe trip.
As for ticket reservations, there are five. The ones that tend to sell out most frequently are, to begin with, the morning schedules, after that the entrance tickets from Llaqta to Machu Picchu or Machu Picchu Solo and the tickets that include the hike up to Huayna Picchu are sold out more frequently. That is, the entrance ticket Circuit 4 + Huayna Picchu. Another ticket that is also in great demand is the 4-day Inca Trail entrance ticket. This ticket allows access to the Inca Trail and the opportunity to visit several archaeological sites before reaching Machu Picchu by Inti Punku.
The entrance of the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu, is one of the options that you have to enter the enclosure or Inca llaqta. This trekking route to Machu Picchu is the only one that requires an entrance ticket to make the trek. The other trekking routes, do not require it as such, but yes, you have to have the previous reservation of the ticket and circuit you wish to visit in Machu Picchu. Normally the tour of Machu Picchu, has an average duration of 2 hours. Of course, not counting the tour of mountains and short hikes that usually include some entries. The entrance tickets to Machu Picchu are:
- Machu Picchu Llaqta (Circuit 1 or 2)
- Huayna Picchu + Machu Picchu Circuit 4.
- Machu Picchu Mountain + Machu Picchu Circuit 3.
- Huchuy Picchu + Machu Picchu Circuit 4.
- Inca Bridge + Circuit 1 or 2.
Travel seasons in Machu Picchu
Many people wonder when is the best season or during which months are the best or ideal to get to Machu Picchu without problems. For them the answer is simple, they should do it during May, June, and July. During those months there is much less chance of rain since it is within the dry season. This season will coincide with the high season of visitors. Surely, because of the excellent weather conditions for a safe trip to Machu Picchu and the views that can be seen thanks to the clear skies.
Before we continue, let’s be clear about some points. The dry season starts from the first days of April. Sometimes this can be delayed, but normally it happens this way. From April to the last days of November is the dry season. However, some afternoons in August or September a little rain may appear without warning or clear indications. These rains usually do not last long and do not have much intensity.
The rest of the months make up the rainy season. The rains are not synonymous with the impossibility of traveling or knowing Machu Picchu. On the contrary, it offers a new atmosphere and context during the tour and the trip itself from Cusco. Unfortunately, sometimes the rains are intense and cause the train tracks to suffer some damage and even major damage. This causes delays in train travel and even some cancellations. If you have arrived in January and February; months in which it rains more intensely. It will be important that before making the trip, check the condition of the train tracks or similar. Try to make sure that your trip to Machu Picchu by train or trekking will take place.
It is important to know that
Trips to Machu Picchu in both seasons are possible. The dry season is safer and allows a trip without complications and unforeseen events. However, a trip in the rainy season is also possible. Of course, to do so, it will be important to make the necessary consultations and verifications to guarantee a good trip. If you have arrived in Cusco during the rainy season, see it as a new travel experience. If you find out enough, you can have an excellent vacation even in the rainy season.
Bring identity documents
Identity documents and even your passport will be of great importance and value during your trip to Machu Picchu. Especially at the time of entry to any enclosure or service. It is normal that at the checkpoints you will be asked for your reservation ticket along with the presence of a document that validates your identification. This is to avoid usurpation or fraudulent reservation sales. It is also important the present identification documents to access other reserved services. In other words, the same identification mechanism will be applied to the train trip and the trip on the ecological buses.
Surely you will also need it for your hotel reservations for any other service you wish to purchase. In the case of extra services such as transportation and other activities, you must make your reservations well in advance. In case, you are a student, you can also show your university card to access some discounts on the Machu Picchu tour. Likewise, do not forget to have cash on hand to buy some snacks or drinks at the different stations or mandatory stops during the trip to Machu Picchu.
Finding a good lodging
Fortunately, you will find many hotels in Cusco and Machu Picchu Pueblo or Aguas Calientes. The hotels that can be found have different audiences. That is to say, you can even find luxury hotels, 5-star hotels, and, in addition, some lodgings to spend the night with shared rooms.
That’s not all in case you get to Machu Picchu Pueblo you can look for the camping area in charge of the Municipality of the place. Ideal to have an extra saving, before making the trip to Machu Picchu. An ideal place to spend the night will depend on each one, the options are varied and best of all is that you can access most of these services by making virtual reservations.
How to dress for my visit to Machu Picchu?
Regarding clothing to visit Machu Picchu, it is important to keep in mind that it is a semi-tropical geography. Hence the rains in high season intensify and also generate fog that often obstruct the panoramic views of the place. That’s not all, in case it is not raining, it is likely to be sunny with great intensity. In this sense, it is important that tourists wear loose-fitting clothing.
It is also recommended to wear long pants and not shorts, because in Machu Picchu there is a large presence of mosquitoes and they have no mercy when they see an uncovered leg. Likewise, you can wear a polo shirt or shirt with long sleeves to have the same protective function.
When small or short clothing is worn, even if mosquito repellent is applied, defense is unlikely to occur. Sometimes repellents are washed away by perspiration and few people apply repellents constantly to avoid this problem. Likewise, sweat can act as a kind of solvent for the repellent and with bare arms or legs, mosquitoes often have a great feast, leaving more than one tourist sore.
What to bring in my backpack?
The things you should bring to Machu Picchu will depend on the number of days you plan to stay in Machu Picchu. We mention this because it is possible to make the visit in only one day. For them, it is advisable to have a small backpack where you can carry some important documents, also some extra clothes if you know that you sweat a lot or think it may rain. If you are going to stay longer, it is essential to bring a change of clothes according to the number of days you will stay in Machu Picchu Pueblo. In general, let’s consider this small list as the indispensable things that should be in a backpack for a single day trip to Machu Picchu.
- Repellent against mosquitoes or mosquitoes.
- Sunscreen, sunglasses and a hat or cap.
- Bring a change of clothes, in case you feel you will need it.
- A camera.
- Battery charger for cell phone or others.
- A waterproof poncho. It does not matter the season in which you make the trip.
- You can use any footwear that is safe and comfortable.
- It is advisable to bring some snacks and drinks.
- Bring a small bottle of water or a soft drink.
- Have cash for any unforeseen events or for the purchase of souvenirs.
- Do not carry too much weight, especially if you know you will be making the trip in only one day.
- You can have a small jacket or similar, for the cold you will feel when you return to Cusco.
- Some people recommend carrying printed reservations, but you can also show the QR or validation code on your cell phone screen.
- Finally, bring a lot of optimism for the tour of Machu Picchu.