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Machu Picchu

TRAVELLING TO Machu Picchu

Why visit? Machu Picchu truly is the gem of Peru. Cradled in the heart of the Andes, the area was once the heart of the Incan Empire and today an array of remnants remain, telling the complex story of the history of the Incas.

Descendants of the Incas reside here till today, many still practicing traditional rituals.

For today’s traveller, a trip to Machu Picchu does not have to involve blood, sweat and tears with a variety of options available to all types of travellers wanting to explore this fascinating site.

You could head out of Cusco on the Orient Express for a day trip, including a Machu Picchu tour with your historian guide, hike to Machu Picchu on the less travelled Salkantay route staying in Lodges every night or take in the offbeat Lares region offering a combination of Andean hiking and cultural encounters within Quechua communities.

However, if you really want to feel nature under your feet, the traditional Inca trail still wins hands down.

There are many ways to explore Machu Picchu whether you want adventure, culture, luxury or a combination of those.

How to get there? Generally, the easiest way for New Zealanders to get to Machu Picchu is to fly to Lima on LATAM via Santiago or, a slightly longer option, with Air New Zealand via Buenos Aires. From there, you take a connecting flight to Cusco, starting point for any Machu Picchu tours.

More information: Below we have shown you just a fraction of the options available for Machu Picchu and multi-country travel. Browse to get an idea of where you want to travel.

Still wondering? Contact us: You are definitely better off giving us a call or dropping us a line and letting us do the hard work for you.

#Livefortoday and book your Machu Picchu tour with us today. Chimu Adventures can put together an itinerary to suit you.

[ Continue Reading ]

Why visit? Machu Picchu truly is the gem of Peru. Cradled in the heart of the Andes, the area was once the heart of the Incan Empire and today an array of remnants remain, telling the complex story of the history of the Incas.

Descendants of the Incas reside here till today, many still practicing traditional rituals.

For today’s traveller, a trip to Machu Picchu does not have to involve blood, sweat and tears with a variety of options available to all types of travellers wanting to explore this fascinating site.

You could head out of Cusco on the Orient Express for a day trip, including a Machu Picchu tour with your historian guide, hike to Machu Picchu on the less travelled Salkantay route staying in Lodges every night or take in the offbeat Lares region offering a combination of Andean hiking and cultural encounters within Quechua communities.

However, if you really want to feel nature under your feet, the traditional Inca trail still wins hands down.

There are many ways to explore Machu Picchu whether you want adventure, culture, luxury or a combination of those.

How to get there? Generally, the easiest way for New Zealanders to get to Machu Picchu is to fly to Lima on LATAM via Santiago or, a slightly longer option, with Air New Zealand via Buenos Aires. From there, you take a connecting flight to Cusco, starting point for any Machu Picchu tours.

More information: Below we have shown you just a fraction of the options available for Machu Picchu and multi-country travel. Browse to get an idea of where you want to travel.

Still wondering? Contact us: You are definitely better off giving us a call or dropping us a line and letting us do the hard work for you.

#Livefortoday and book your Machu Picchu tour with us today. Chimu Adventures can put together an itinerary to suit you.

[ Read Less ]

WHY TRAVEL WITH CHIMU ADVENTURES

  • We offer you flexible travel options in Latin America at an affordable price.

  • You can choose from over 400 suggested itineraries or pick and choose elements to build your own unique experience; cover the areas you want to explore at a pace to suit you.

  • We know each Latin American country by heart and will work with you to determine which activities and accommodations are best suited to your needs.

  • From your initial enquiry until your trip ends, you will be assigned a personal Destination Specialist who will offer a full service for your travel needs: we can book flights, insurance and any ancillary travel required to complete your journey.

  • We have offices across South America so you can be assured that ground staff are close at hand to assist whilst you are travelling.

FEATURED Machu Picchu TRIPS & DEALS

Machu Picchu TOURS

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11 Days

Signature Peru with Lares Inca Trail

Lima, Cusco and Machu Picchu

START: Lima, Peru

FINISH: Cusco, Peru

Departure Date

  • Daily 

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21 Days

Signature South America Circle

Chile, Argentina, Brazil, Peru, Machu Picchu

START: Santiago, Chile

FINISH: Santiago, Chile

Departure Date

  • Daily

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9 Days

Signature Peru

Lima, Cusco and Machu Picchu

START: Lima, Peru

FINISH: Cusco, Peru

Departure Date

  • Daily 

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12 Days

Signature Peru Hike, Bike & Foodie Delights

Lima, Cusco, Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu

START: Lima, Peru

FINISH: Cusco, Peru

Departure Date

  • Daily 

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BLACK FRIDAY: SAVE UP TO 25%
6 Days

Mountain Lodges of Peru - Lares 6 Day

Peru, Machu Picchu

START: Cusco, Peru

FINISH: Cusco, Peru

Departure Date

  •  Daily March To December

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BLACK FRIDAY: SAVE UP TO 25%
8 Days

Mountain Lodges of Peru - Lares 8 Day

Peru, Machu Picchu

START: Cusco, Peru

FINISH: Cusco, Peru

Departure Date

  •  Daily March To December

Machu Picchu REVIEWS

All Chimu Adventures' clients are given the opportunity to review their trip once they return home. These reviews are administered by a third party and as such are unfiltered by Chimu Adventures.

BLOGS ON Machu Picchu

Whether you are looking for advice on visas and vaccinations,when to travel, best markets or beaches to visit, wildlife guides or the top restaurants in a city, Chimu blogs are likely to have it covered. The range of topics is vast, with new and fascinating blogs being added regularly. There are airport guides, Galapagos Island guides, what to pack and what not to pack, and even a blog on the most romantic locations to propose in Latin America!

Guide to Machu Picchu: Mysterious Beginnings and Modern-Day Treasure

For over a century, Machu Picchu has captivated adventurous explorers the world over.

READ NOW

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

A pre-arranged visa is not required to enter Peru for citizens of the following countries:

• Australia

• United Kingdom

• The United States

• Ireland

• Canada

• New Zealand

• European Union

• South Africa

For other nationalities please visit the website of the relevant consulate.

Again this depends on how you plan to visit Machu Picchu. It is possible to visit Machu Picchu in a day by train from Cusco, or an overnight trip can be organised with accommodation in Aguas Calientes or even closer to Machu Picchu. If you plan to trek in, there are a range of treks available from 4 days to 7 days.

There is an entry fee for anyone wanting to trek up Huayna Picchu and permits need to be secured in advance. The number of daily visitors allowed to enter Huayna Picchu is restricted to 400 and permits are on a first come first served basis. Please ensure that you advise us at the time of making your Peru booking if you would like to hike this mountain. 

Machu Picchu is located at 2,430m. The highest point of the Inca Trail is 4,215m at the top of Dead Woman’s Pass; the highest point on the Salkantay Trek is at 4,600m and on the Lares Trek it is 4,550m.

Machu Picchu is one of Peru’s must-see highlights. The unit of currency in Peru is the Peruvian Nuevo Sol (PEN). The US Dollar is widely accepted throughout the country and prices are often given in both US dollars and Soles. Please check websites such as www.oanda.com or www.xe.com for up to date exchange rates prior to your departure.

Generally transport, entrance fees and guides will already be included in your tour price and so you will only need a small amount of money to cover meals, tips to guides and souvenirs.

Spanish is the official language of Peru, spoken by more than 80% of the population. There are also many indigenous languages including Quechua and Aymara. In recent years an increased effort has been made to promote all of the indigenous languages.

Although no specific vaccinations are required for Peru travel and no proof of any vaccination is required to enter Peru, we recommend that you visit your doctor or a traveller’s medical centre for current information specific to those places that you will be travelling through. As a general guide we recommend the following:

• Yellow Fever - Especially for jungle areas

• Hepatitis - Both A and B (twinrix)

• Typhoid

• Diphtheria

• Cholera

• Rabies

• Tetanus 

The level of fitness needed will depend on how you are planning to visit Machu Picchu. If you are travelling to Machu Picchu by train, then you do not need to be fit. Machu Picchu is at a lower altitude than Cusco, so you will be well acclimatised before you embark on your train journey.

If you are planning to trek to Machu Picchu, then a reasonable level of fitness is advised and the fitter you are the easier you will find the trek, and the more you will probably enjoy it. It is also recommended that you spend at least 2 days acclimatising in Cusco before your trek to try to prevent altitude sickness whilst on the trail. This is especially important if you have arrived from sea level, for example from Lima. Cusco lies at 3,400m and the highest point of the Inca Trail is at 4,200m.

This will depend on whether you are travelling to Machu Picchu by train or trekking along the Inca Trail or one of the other trails. If travelling by train you will need only a day pack with items such as camera, water bottle, sunscreen, sun hat and sunglasses, change of clothes if staying overnight, rain jacket and fleece jacket, passport and small amount of money.

 

If you are trekking, then you will need to pack accordingly and be prepared for extremes of climate from freezing to hot. We recommend the following:

• Daypack & rain cover

• A soft trek bag

• Sleeping bag (-5°C) (if not provided)

• Rain jacket & waterproof trousers

• Walking boots

• Complete change of clothing

• Socks/underwear/thermal underwear

• Trekking trousers or zip-off shorts

• After trekking trousers/shirt/sandals

• Warm layers (e.g. fleeces and/or lined jacket)

• Gloves, scarf and wool/fleece hat

• Water bottle and sterilising tablets

• Flashlight/torch & spare batteries

• Broad-brim or peaked cap

• Sun block & lip balm

• Sunglasses

• Insect repellent

• Toiletries, toilet paper & small towel

• Selection of small snacks such as chocolates, dried fruit, biscuits, etc.

• Camera (in plastic bag or dry-sack) with spare memory cards, batteries

• Cash (for minor purchases on trek, tips, souvenirs, lunch in Aguas Calientes etc.)

• Passport

• Money belt

• Trekking poles (optional) – must be rubber tipped

• Personal First Aid Kit to include painkillers, plasters (Band-Aids), moleskin, antiseptic cream, after-bite, anti-diarrhoea tablets, throat lozenges, re-hydration salts & personal medication

In general it is safe to travel to Machu Picchu and there are not the same issues as might be found in larger cities, where you need to be much more vigilant. Train stations can be crowded so be aware of pickpockets. As with travel throughout Peru we recommend the following to minimise security risks:

• do not show any outward signs of wealth or wear expensive jewellery

• keep your valuables in your hotel in safety deposit boxes

• keep any valuables that you must carry with you hidden, as pickpockets can be present in crowded areas and around tourist areas

• use only registered taxis with official identification

• avoid going on your own to remote areas/ruins where tourists would not be expected to go

• always keep your day pack and camera close to you and never leave them unattended.

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