15 octubre, 2006

MachuPicchu by yourself

This text is destinated to all the people who is travelling to Machupicchu wothout having a reservation in an agency for the Inca Trail, or as me, they dont want at all to do it in this conventional and expensive way. This Inca Trail means, to do a reservation 3 months before, and paying 200 bucks per person, being 4 or 5 days and 3 or 4 nights everything included, with this instructions, you can do it by yourself for 40 bucks everything included too.
The first step is trying to have your ticket in Cuzco, at the INC, National Institute of Culture, everyone in Cuzco knows where is, just two streets from main tourist office, thats better later on to skip the queue at the Machupicchu door, and they give you three correlative days to go in depending your prevision.
To start your trip, first go to Terminal de Santiago in Cuzco, from there you should take a bus to Quillabamba, there are only at 8.00 and 13.00, and they are 11 to 15 soles depending your spanish. It takes 8 hours until Santa Maria, from there you should take a private Van to go to Santa Teresa, it is 6 soles, but unfortunately they only leaves at 4.00am, it means you should sleep there for 5 soles (if its tuesday or friday, you can continue by bus to quillabamba and this days is supossed there will be more Vans than from Sta Maria, and also to come back from Santa Teresa, but please, notify, only this two days!!). Second day, satrting at 4.00 from there you arrive at Sta Teresa at 6.00, there they will tell you to wait for a camión at 8.00 but sometimes it never arrives, its better to start walking as soon as possible, from there walking to Hidroelectric is 1.30h or 2h, and the way is just amazing!!, the Hidro is after some waterfalls and there is a green iron bridge, after crossing it go left until the small town you will see there, and from there strats the railway, just walk in his way, and on the fourth or fifth title of: VIA DE ESCAPE, and just in front a white guard house, take the stairs up, its 5 min and you will go to the main railway. Continue in the same direction for next 2 hours, meanwhile looking to the top after 1.30 you could also see some ruins around, you are getting closer!!. Finally there is a train station, and at your right 2 bridges, going down to them there will be a Welcome title of machupicchu, its a good idea to have a rest there, after 4 hours walking or more.
Then is your last step, 1 hour os disgusting steps of 60cms, until the door of the National Park, up there you will see a locker for 4 soles, just go on, dont leave anything there, after 100m there will be a free one!!! The queue will be there but you have already your ticket, doing it you will be sure as me about your student discount, if you want it, its 59soles with it, double without. Then you are in... depending the season try to be fast to go up Waynapicchu, in June to Setember and January, its full, and its only allowed for the first 400 people, and they go from 7 to 13. Machupicchu is opened from 6 to 17. In there, remember to carry enough water is 5 soles in!! and also your repelent, its full of mosquitos at least in October!! To go back by same way to Aguas Calientes is 25min if you are sportive, from bridges to city is 20min more, and there you can find hostels for 10 soles night and have a nice dinner for 5 soles menu in Restaurante Coricancha, everyone knows!!
Next day you have to wake up soon to arrive to Sta Teresa for bus at 11h, its three hours trip back or more, there you have the chance to have termal baths but they are awfully long......continuara

1 comentario:

dziga vertov dijo...

If you need further information, write an email in english, spanish, portuguese or italian to: mochiladearquitecto@gmail.com, enjoy your trip!!