Traveling to Machu Picchu without a tour and on your own is easier than you think. You just have to book your ticket online for the day you want. You should also get the train and bus tickets to the Wonder of the World.
Hiring a guide for Machu Picchu is one of the best ways to enjoy this famous Inca site. In Machu Picchu, it is mandatory to have a guide due to the rules established by the Peruvian government. These rules help protect the site and ensure that visitors respect its history and surroundings.
Machu Picchu: Complete Guide to Traveling Without a Tour
Machu Picchu is one of the most visited tourist destinations on the planet. It is famous for its formidable Andean landscape, as well as its historic stone constructions. Many tourists wonder how to visit the wonder of the Incas. And, more specifically, how to go on my own without purchasing an all-inclusive tour package. In this complete guide you will learn how to travel to Machu Picchu on your own, step by step and without complications.
The most important thing!: the entrance to Machu Picchu
To travel to Machu Picchu without a tour, the most important thing, without a doubt, is to buy the entrance to Machu Picchu online one or more months in advance. This is because Machu Picchu, being a historical place of great importance, is protected by the Peruvian State and UNESCO. Thus, the number of visitors each day is restricted. Tickets have limited availability. In conclusion, these must be purchased one or more months in advance.
To buy the entrance to Machu Picchu you must access the official sales page: www.machupicchu.gob.pe. There are different types of tickets. Most must be purchased one or two months in advance. The ‘Machupicchu + Huaynapicchu’ ticket must be purchased 3 or 4 months in advance. Learn more about the tickets below!
Start traveling from abroad to the city of Cusco
In principle, the vast majority of countries do not require a Visa to enter Peru. All South American countries, the European Union and almost all North American countries can travel to Peru without problems.
From anywhere abroad you must take an international flight to Jorge Chavez Airport in Lima, the capital of Peru.
From there you take the flight that in just 1 hour will take you to the city of Cusco, at an altitude of 3,399 meters above sea level.
Flights from Lima to Cusco: purchase of tickets
From the city of Lima there are 1,108 kilometers by road to the city of Cusco, in the heart of the Andes Mountains.
From the Lima airport there are daily departures to the city of Cusco, the preferred destination for visitors to Peru.
You can buy your plane tickets at the airport itself. However, to get a better price it is recommended to do so online in advance.
Some of the airlines that fly from Lima to Cusco and vice versa are: jetsmart, sky and latam.
The trip to Machu Picchu: the train ticket to Machu Picchu
The trip to Machu Picchu begins in the city of Cusco.
Cusco is approximately 100 kilometers by road and rail to the Inca citadel of Machu Picchu.
The route most tourists choose is:
a) From Cusco to Ollantaytambo by bus
b) From Ollantaytambo to Aguas Calientes by train and
c) From Aguas Calientes to Machu Picchu by bus.
Bus trips can be easily obtained in the city of Cusco itself. However, the train trip must be purchased online at least three weeks in advance.
Peru Rail services are: local train (only for Peruvians), Expedition tourist train, Vistadome tourist train and Hiram Bingham tourist train (luxury service).
Inca Rail services are: The Voyager tourist train, 360 tourist train, First Class tourist train and The Private tourist train (luxury service).
You can buy the train ticket on the website of Peru Rail (www.perurail.com) or Inca Rail (www.incarail.com). When booking, you must choose a time. Choose the one that best suits your time of visit to Machu Picchu.
The bus trip to Machu Picchu
Aguas Calientes is also called Machu Picchu town because of its proximity to the Inca citadel: it is only 10 kilometers away.
The vast majority of tourists travel those 10 kilometers on a tourist bus trip. The reason is that the road is uphill along the slopes of high mountains. In this way, tourists arrive with all the energy to continue the tour of the archaeological site.
The bus trip is a comfortable and safe tourist service. All tourists travel in their respective seats. The bus is ecological because it does not harm the environment.
Buses leave from 5.30am in the town of Aguas Calientes (Machu Picchu opens at 6am and the bus ride takes 30 minutes). Tickets can be purchased without any problems on the same day at the ticket offices in town or outside Machu Picchu (for both outbound and return journeys).
Buses leave from 5:30 am in the town of Aguas Calientes (Machu Picchu opens at 6 am and the bus ride takes 30 minutes). Tickets can be purchased on the same day at the ticket offices in town or outside Machu Picchu (both for round trips).
However, they can also be purchased online through the official website (www.comprar.consettur.com) or through a travel agency. The estimated price is 24 dollars per foreign tourist (round trip).
