Do you wanna demolish your fitness goals by walking 30 KM?!! Do you want to hike to the top of one of the 7 wonders for only $10?? If you had a hesitant maybe to ANY of these question then this guide is for you!
Sitting atop the settlement
A few disclaimers:
1) Machu Picchu IS a tourist trap. There are a lot of people, its ridiculously expensive, and it's frankly a little underwhelming(I get into this more on my Why I hate traveling post) but this guide will let you avoid all that and have a more "original" experience.
2) Its VERY remote. If you are as unlucky as I was to get a life threatening bacterial infection AND have a strike shut down all the local pharmacies it is a conservative 3 hour walk and 7 hour car ride to the nearest hospital.
3) This route goes along an active train line, however, they are easy to avoid and quite loud.
Logistics:
6-8hr walk, 17miles/30km
$10 USD for colectivo busses paid in Peruvian Soles
Pack snacks and water(can be bought in Olly at the market, opens early)
Step 1
Get to Cusco, take a plane, bike, walk- whatever you prefer and arrive at the charming city of Cusco, Peru.
Step 2
Take a colectivo (small mini bus) from the town square to Ollantaymbo. There are a few options for this and finding it can be tricky but check out this spot. If you can't find it, ask around for buses going to Urubamba or Ollantaytambo. You should pay about 20 soles/person($5 USD) depending on your negotiation skills.
Colectivo bus stop: Puente Grau
Step 3
Get comfy, its about 4 hours to get to Olly but pretty easy to navigate when you arrive. I recommend spending a night or two in there as it will give you a chance to explore. There's a really awesome Incan ruin, Pumamarca, about 2 hours hike away and they have a surprise furry friends (hint: not a llama)!
Step 4
Go to the town square bright and early, buses for Kilometro 82 leave at 7AM. Should be about 7 soles for the trip and you will be taking the same colectivos you took last time
An early start to an adventure of a lifetime
Step 5
In just under an hour you will be dropped off at the KM 82, the glorious start point of your adventure. Now you need to pay attention to avoid the guards! Here is your route
When you step out you will be in a parking lot with two directions- one downhill towards the tracks and one up. Go through the gate at the parking lot, you'll start going up hill and past an electrical pole. Follow the grass path as close as you can to the ledge that overlooks the tracks, this lets you dodge the track guard while not missing the semi-camouflaged stairs that let you descend to the train tracks.
Once you find the stairs head down, and you should see two wooden bridges and a windy dirt road. Cross the bridge and hop into the rocky/dried up stream area and take that down to the tracks. Congratulations you have arrived at KM 82.
Step 6
Begin the walk. It's about 17 miles or 30KM in total of flat but rocky terrain along the tracks. As you walk you should see the number slowly tick up on these black and white markers. 112 is the goal!
A mark of accomplishment
Step 7
Don't be afraid of the trains, you can hear them a mile away and easily step to the side of the tracks. The walk was honestly the best part of the trip- it's mostly quiet except for the occasionally train honk telling you to move and theres tons of chickens, one of my favorite animals. Not to mention that you are literally walking along the side of the mountain and can see many less frequented Incan ruins along the way.
KM 100, maybe?
Step 8
After a couple snack breaks and a few good miles the seemingly endless rails and gravel will quickly turn into the bustling city of Aguas Calientes, congrats you've made to the base of the mountain!
Machu Picchu Pueblo
Step 9
Once you arrive stock up on snacks and water. Most people leave the following day around 5 am, its about 2 hours up the mountain and you can catch the sunrise.
Tips:
Eat at "Menus" along the way, they are small local restaurants that sell foods from a set menu for cheap. They are often not touristy and have some delicious options, like trucha a la parrilla and traditional lomo saltado
Learn some Spanish! It is immeasurably helpful to ask for directions and lets you interact with the culture and people in a unique and awesome way. Puedes hacerlo!
Get good hiking shoes. For the trek to Pumamarca and the 17 miles along the tracks your feet will thank you. Every person has a brand that fits the best so make sure you get some and try them on well before the trip(they are very expensive and hard to find in all the cities).
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