Blogs from Aguas Calientes, Cusco, Peru, South America - page 3

Yesterday was a day of travel. I met my tour organizer at 6:45 to head to the train station. Due to rains and landslides, the trains are unable to run for a good portion of the trip, so we were bussed over an hour to our train. Kind of makes me glad I didn't pop for the uber expensive Hiram Bingham train. Ok, so I am actually really glad I did not. On my tour yesterday someone who had just visited Machu Picchu told me that the best scenery was on the side of the train furthest from the station. Was my assigned seat there? As if! But, I was ready to sit and enjoy the ride when someone asked to switch to the same seat on the good side of the train. Why yes, I ... read more

We took at taxi to the town of Poroy, and boarded the 0745 Peru rail train to Agua Calientes ($68). Agua Calientes (aka Machu Picchu Pueblo) is the town at the foot of the mountain below Machu Picchu. There is no road to the town because of the extreme terrain, so there are only two options to getting to Machu Picchu, hike the Inca Trail for four days, or take the train. We would have loved to hike, but the trail is closed in Feb. for maintenance, and we just did not have the time off of work for another week of travel. The train ride is about 3 ½ hours through the most breathtaking scenery I have ever seen. The Sacred Valley that runs from Cuzco to Machu Picchu is about 70 miles, and is ... read more

We got up at 4.45 and were waiting in line at the bus station by 5.25 along with many others. The bus drive up to Machu Picchu takes 30 minutes winding its way up the mountain around hairpin bends with sheer drops of 100's of feet; a bit of a roller coaster of a ride. We saw the sun rise above the mountain and enjoyed the peace and quiet with few tourists. Sat and munched a packed breakfast on one of the terraces of the inca temple just watching the llama's munching and swift's flying around having their breakfast dining on the insects. We eventually had to come down and and feeling very tired we showered and went for a walk, the hotel would deliver the bags to the train station. Lunch at El Mapi an ... read more

machu picchu... read more

Thursday 15th September All aboard Peru Rail to Aguas Calientes! We had both expected this fair weather tourist stop over for the Inca trail to be quite dirty and seedy, and I suppose where the locals live it could be considered just that. Most tourists stay in over priced hostels and hotels and blow in and blow out overnight to do the Inca trail. When we first arrived In Cusco on Sunday night we booked our tickets as a sort of package, so bus return Cusco>Olly, train return from Olly>Aguas, bus to Macchu Picchu and also our accommodation in Aguas on Thursday night at the Golden House Inn. Looked beautiful on the board at the office and the driver was picking us up and taking us there when we arrived in Aguas Calientes. We knew something ... read more