How To Get To Machu Picchu in Peru

Seeing the Inca citadel of Machu Picchu is a dream for adventure travelers worldwide. If you’re wondering how to get to Machu Picchu in Peru, you’re in the right place.

I’ve been fortunate enough to travel to Machu Picchu on three occasions: the Salktany trek as a budget-conscious backpacker, on an all-inclusive group tour, and booking everything independently.

This article focuses on the last approach, the steps required to organize a trip to Machu Picchu independently.

Planning Your Trip

Once you’ve decided to visit Machu Picchu in South America, you’ll need to figure out what kind of experience you want and how much time and money you’ve got.

Let’s assume you’re going on a one-week vacation (as I did on my most recent visit with Kel).

One-Week Itinerary

Here’s a brief overview of the logistics involved:

1. Book a roundtrip flight from your home city to Lima, Peru.
2. Make a hotel reservation for Lima.
3. Book a roundtrip flight from Lima to the city of Cusco.
4. Arrange a private transfer from the Cusco airport to Ollantaytambo train station.
5. Buy train tickets to the town of Aguas Calientes and back to Cusco.
6. Reserve a hotel for one night in Aguas Calientes.
7. Buy a Machu Picchu ticket (timed entry). Choose your circuit wisely.
8. Hire a tour guide (required to enter Machu Picchu).
9. Buy a roundtrip shuttle bus ticket from Aguas Calientes to the main entrance of Machu Picchu (or you can spend one hour hiking up the mountain for free, as I did the first time).
10. Arrange for a private transfer from the Cusco train station to your hotel.
11. Fly from Cusco back to Lima.
12. Depart Lima for home.

That’s a lot to wrap your head around, and arranging it yourself is time-intensive. It wasn’t until my third trip to Machu Picchu in Peru that I realized how complicated it is to get there.

Independent Trip vs. Group Tour

My first two visits were run by tour operators, one a trek with a local agency and the other a G Adventures tour I won in a drawing.

As I began designing the third trip, my girlfriend saw the work involved. She said she would’ve booked a group tour had I not embraced the planning required.

I want that effort to be of service to you, too. But if you get to the end and realize you’d rather pay for a group tour to make life easier, I wouldn’t blame you!

There’s no best way to see Machu Picchu. Do what will work best for you and any travel…