Magic Kingdom (Machu Picchu) - day 8

Flights from Lima to Cusco and back: $392
Cusco hotel room: $100
Food & drink: $200
Train from Cusco to Aguas Calientes: $136
10 minute bus ride up mountain: $24
Admission to Machu Picchu: $80
Total cost of going to MP: $932

Knowing that we shouldn't have gone would have been priceless.

The setting of Machu Picchu is undoubtedly stunning. The Incas definitely chose a great site. What really bugged us about MP (other than cost and Disney World feel) was the fact that so much of the archaeological site had been botched up by explorer Hiram Bingham and his cronies back in the day. Much of the site is a reconstruction, and it is estimated that Bingham and his group removed 70% of the stones, without properly documenting their location. It seemed clear that many of the rebuilt walls were in the wrong place. We felt that MP couldn't really be called an archaeological site anymore. That said, it is a breathtaking spot and we saw some cool things.

Practical information for other independent travelers:

If you do decide to go, take note of the following.

The only way to get to MP is via the train, now run by PeruRail (a hotel chain). As far as we can tell, they have not done much to improve the originally government run train to Aguas Calientes. The station in Cusco is only open from 5am to 7am for ticket purchases. Be prepared to wait on line for at least 1 hour (not because the line is long, but because each person has to receive an assigned seat, give their passport number, etc.). The train is COLD. Bring long underwear, gloves and hat.


The train ride is an agonizingly slow and rather dull affair, taking approximately 4 hours. Taking photos is nearly impossible due to the bad condition of the tracks (bumpy ride).

Upon arriving in Aguas Calientes, apply insect repellent to ward off the blood-sucking gnats, ford your way through the booths selling tourist junk, over the river to the bus ticket booth. The bus up to MP costs $12 RT per person, in dollars. Note that there is a BCP bank in Aguas Calientes that spits out both dollars and soles. You will need both.

The admission ticket to MP costs 118 soles. They will not accept any other currency. If you find yourself stuck up there with only dollars (as we did), the concession stand will change your money at a terrible exchange rate. If you choose to buy your entrance ticket at the site, they may threaten to not sell you a ticket. We think this is an attempt to scare people into buying tickets in advance in Cusco (we are not even sure where that ticket office is). If you wait 10 minutes they will eventually sell you a ticket.

Check your bill closely if you eat or drink at Aguas Calientes (we also do not recommend doing this). Our bill was slightly padded.

On the way back to Cusco, you can catch a bus at Poroy for s/5 that takes about 15 minutes to get to the Plaza de Armas, rather than the train which takes nearly an hour to make the same journey. We did this and highly recommend it.