The beautiful handcrafted Uros of Lake Titicaca.

Today the lake is visited not only for its legend but also for its beautiful and unique scenery. The vast deep turquoise waters with a mountain backdrop are stunning, but the lake’s out of the ordinary decoration, Uros, are the true sight. Uros are floating islands made of woven totora reeds which are home to the Pre-Incan people, and are scattered across the waters of Lake Titicaca. The perfect way to explore the waters and reed islands is with a Lake Titicaca tour.

Both Puno and Copacabana are great spots to depart for your Lake Titicaca adventure, but also both provide a chance to indulge in the culture and history of their region. A trip to Lake Titicaca can include both Bolivia and Peru, allowing you to discover multiple destinations during your South America vacation. From La Paz to the Copacabana through Lake Titicaca on to Puno and Cusco, you can explore the beautiful landscapes of both Peru and Bolivia while visiting the magnificent lake.

Copacabana:

The shores of Copacabana, Bolivia

The quaint town of Copacabana is easily accessed by bus from La Paz. Take the short four hour ride from Bolivia’s busy capital to the relaxing shores of the Copacabana on your Bolivia vacation. The city is situated on the shores of Lake Titicaca and is typically used as a jump off point to explore the lake. The charm of Copacabana has been retained over its years of rapid growth, due to the lake’s growing popularity, making it a relaxing place to stay during your Lake Titicaca tour. Copacabana is more than just a connecting point for the lake; you can also explore the culture and history of the city. Make a visit to the city’s cathedral home to the Virgen de Candelaria or the Dark Virgin of the Lake. The city also is home to some of the best festivals, especially the Fiesta de la Candelaria in early February which is the third largest festival in all of South America.

Puno:

A beautiful sunset over Lake Titicaca

Located in Peru’s altiplano off the shores of Lake Titicaca, the city of Puno is the ideal place to start your visit to the magical Lake Titicaca. With close proximity to the Cusco region it is also a great complement to your Cusco and Machu Picchu travel. Though the main draw for Puno is to visit the lake, the city itself is also a great place to indulge in Peruvian folklore. Over 300 ethnic dances can be seen in Puno and a variety of handmade goods and crafts make exploring the streets, markets, and shops of Puno a perfect way to get a feel for the city and its people.

During your travel to Lake Titicaca explore the beauty of both Peru and Bolivia, sure to be an unforgettable South America vacation. Start planning your adventure today by contacting one of our expert travel advisors who will help you to see the wonders of Lake Titicaca and many other great South America destinations.

Patallacta (Llactapata)

Only a few hours of hiking on your first day will lead you to the first superb Inca site.  Patallacta (also called Llactapata) sits on the far left bank of the Cusicancha River, a tributary of the river Urubamba. This archaeological complex was first noticed by the Western world in 1912 when famous Yale University archeologist Hiram Bingham – noted for rediscovering Machu Picchu the year before – stumbled upon it.

Llactapata means “high town” or “town on the hill” in Quechua, which is the Incan language still spoken in some parts of the Andes today. The complex sits at an altitude of 9,318 feet (2,840 meters) and contains massive terraces and hundreds of housing structures. It is believed this was a common stopping point for Incas traveling from Cusco to Machu Picchu. From your vantage point across the valley, you’ll be able to fully appreciate the site’s beauty and expanse.

Runkurakay

On the morning of the third day on your Inca Trail trek, you’ll huff and puff your way up the Runkurakay Pass. At the top, this pass is 13,000 feet (3,950 meters) above sea level. About halfway up you will come across the Runkurakay ruins.

These ruins are a small circular complex, a design not common in Inca architecture. Experts believe this site was a tambo, which means it likely served as an inn. It is probable that Runkurakay was primarily a resting, refueling, and relay station for messengers. Refueling stations like this were vital for maintaining communication across the Inca Empire. Chasqui messengers were specialized runners who dashed along Inca roads, carrying important messages—such as the encroachment of the Spaniards.

Sayacmarca

Later on, you will reach Sayacmarca, another impressive site. To enter these ruins, you’ll climb up 98 stone steps carved into the side of the mountain. Also called the “Inaccessible Town,” this site is barricaded on three sides by steep drop-offs. No one is sure how the Incas used this site, but it was originally built by the Colla civilization.

Sayacmarca sits on the edge of a cliff, giving visitors a panoramic view of the scenic Aobamba Valley. The site is divided into two main parts: the Sun Temple and the residential part, consisting of a labyrinth of narrow corridors. The Incas improved upon the Colla construction by building an elaborate water canal to supply the temple and houses with water.

Phuyupatamarca

The sites just keep coming! After Sayacmarca, you’ll journey through an inclined stone tunnel to reach the third and final mountain pass of your third day on the Inca Trail. Enjoy the spectacular view from the top before descending a steep set of stairs to reach Phuyupatamarca, which means “town in the clouds” in Quechua.

These ruins cling to a ravine overlooking the Urubamba Valley, and are surrounded by large and lush terraces. The site is often half covered in a mist that rises from the forests below, creating the impression that it is floating on top of the clouds. This mystical place is full of ceremonial baths, plaza, buildings, and bridges.

Machu Picchu

Let’s hope you haven’t tired of ruins, because the most impressive site of all awaits. On your fourth and final day on the Inca Trail you will finally reach the magnificent Machu Picchu citadel. Words are not sufficient to express the extreme beauty of this site, so you’ll just have to experience it for yourself!

For more information about trekking in Peru and the sites you’ll see, contact one of our expert travel advisors.

The UNESCO World Heritage Site - Machu Picchu

In preparation for the centennial, the Peruvian government and other officials are planning a number of celebratory events in Cusco and Lima, popular destinations for a Peru vacation. While the exact details remain a mystery, there are rumors of international superstars performing a concert in the ruins, and speculation that Nobel Prize winner Mario Vargas Llosa and the grandchildren of Hiram Bingham will attend the events. Whatever takes place, it is sure to be a grand occasion.

One of the most anticipated aspects of the centennial is the arrival and display of thousands of artifacts that have been in Yale University’s possession since Bingham excavated them from Machu Picchu in 1912. After years of battling with Yale, Peru will finally see the return of the artifacts which include ceramics and bones from both humans and animals. Once the ancient artifacts arrive, they will be displayed for approximately one week in the government palace in Lima before traveling to Cusco where they will displayed at Casa Concha.

Inca Vase

The Universidad Nacional de San Antonio Abad del Cusco also plans to open a research center for Yale and Peruvian researchers to continue to study the artifacts; it will be called the Yale International Center for the Study of Machu Picchu and Inca Culture (UNSAAC).

Also released for the centennial of Machu Picchu, is a new luxury service from Inca Rail, one of the train companies that carries travelers to Aguas Calientes, the town at the base of Machu Picchu. Named the Inca Princess, this new eight person train car will feature privacy, elegance, and comfort.

The elite service will provide lucky passengers a finely decorated room with a private bar on board. Passengers will sip on cocktails and enjoy food from a spectacular buffet of both hot and cold dishes. Expected to begin operations in April, the service will join Inca Rail’s current travel offerings: The Executive Service and First Class Service. Perhaps Machu Picchu’s expected famous visitors will take the first ride to the stunning archeological wonder.

For more information about how to incorporate the centennial celebrations into your Machu Picchu vacation, please contact one of our expert Travel Advisors who can help you customize your Peru travel plans.

The bright blue backpacker train making its way to Machu Picchu. Photo courtesy of Challen Clarke.

It was still early, around 8am, when the blue train pulled away from the Cusco station and began heading toward the Sacred Valley. Through the large windows that line the roof and both sides of the train I watched the scenery crawl past.  Lush, green fields appeared first, followed by expansive lilac fields, and then small patches of corn.

The snakelike Urubamba River cut across the landscape, making hair pin turns around the slender trunks of Eucalyptus and willow trees that crowd its banks.  Every few minutes, the train rocked past a small settlement where women in fedoras tended to grazing cattle and sheep, or hung laundry outside their small clay homes made from the rich soil of the fertile river bed.

The lush green fields of the Sacred Valley. Photo courtesy of Challen Clarke.

After half an hour or so the valley gave way to red faced mountain peaks, towering over the now seemingly small train slowly making its way through the deep crevasses between the mountains. Bright green moss clung to the steep cliffs, shocking against the various shades of burnt orange and sienna that streaked across the exposed faces of the mountains.

The conductor maneuvered the train through two switchbacks before continuing on the path to Ollantaytambo, a small town in the Sacred Valley halfway to Machu Picchu, famous for its Inca fortress and granaries that dot the hillsides above the town.

After a short stop in Ollantaytambo, where more eager passengers climbed aboard for the additional hour and a half ride, the train lurched on. Just when I thought the scenery couldn’t possibly get any more spectacular it did. The once sinewy Urubamba turned into a roaring river resembling a stream of hot chocolate, a reddish brown flow of gigantic proportions frothing foam as it tore past gigantic granite boulders. The larger the swollen river, the greener and more lush the scenery became until suddenly we had left the mountains behind and were in the high jungle.

Passengers could sense that Machu Picchu was close, and the train became filled with a frenetic excitement.  Sleepers woke up, silent seat partners became engaged in conversations, and camcorders were pulled from the recesses of day packs and aimed out windows into the cloud forest. Long gone were the clay mountains dotted with green streaks and in their place stood lush, but harsh, jagged peaks bursting up into the sky. Oohs and ahhs could be heard as we passed the first Inca terraces and let passengers off not once, not twice, but three times to hike variations of the Inca Trail from the full four-day trek to the day-hike.

The mysterious ruins of Machu Picchu. Photo courtesy of Challen Clarke.

Soon we arrived in the town of Aguas Calientes and stepped off the train and essentially into a large covered handicraft market. Passengers who went through tour companies already had their Machu Picchu entrance and transportation tickets and beelined it for the buses, whereas the passengers who didn’t hurried through the handicraft market and scrambled through the small town looking for Plaza de Armas, the main square.

This is where you must buy your ticket for Machu Picchu if you don’t go through an agency, but be warned that a line forms very quickly in front of the ticket office and it can be a long wait in high season. Luckily the day after Christmas falls into the rainy, and therefore, slow season, so the line only took us about ten minutes.  From the Plaza de Armas we zipped over to the bus platform to wait in another long line for the bus tickets that carry travelers from Aguas Calientes to the Citadel of Machu Picchu.

Once the bus was full, we began the somewhat harrowing ascent to Machu Picchu.  Despite being brand new, the bus struggled to make it up the steep inclines and the winding one-lane road led to close head-on encounters with buses heading in the opposite direction. At one point, a passenger in the front let out a scream when faced with an oncoming bus, and then quickly laughed and apologized to the other, now terrified, passengers.

The bus crawled to dizzying, impossibly high heights, allowing for quick glimpses of Inca terraces and ruins tucked into the mountains. After about 20 minutes on the winding path, we arrived to the gates of Machu Picchu and began the hike to the stone city in ruins named one of the new Seven Wonders of the World.

For help planning a Machu Picchu tour, or to arrange transportation and entrance tickets to Machu Picchu by train, please contact one of our Travel Advisors who can help you plan your Peru vacation.

The Inca Trail Cuzco to Machu Picchu is one of the most well-known, and well-trod, paths in the world.

The Inca Trail once ran from Cuzco to the exclusive religious citadel of Machu Picchu, roughly 100 kilometers of well-preserved trail that the mighty Incas Empire used centuries ago.

Lush greenery is a common sight along the Inca Trail Cuzco to Machu Picchu

Now, the Inca Trail Trek from Cuzco is rarely walked completely. The vast majority of trekkers start at Piscacucho, KM82 on the train line from Ollantaytambo to Machu Picchu, nearly half-way  through the Sacred Valley.

Inca Trail trekkers sign up in Cuzco with a tour agency, which then organizes bus transport to Piscacucho. It is manadory that you go with an INC registered tour group.

It is also mandatory that you obtain an Inca Trail permit. These permits sell out months in advance, especially for the high-season months June-August, so it is advised to book well in advance. The Inca Trail permit is necessary for both The Two Day Inca Trail and The Four Day Inca Trail treks. The numbers allowed on the Inca Trail is now limited to only 500 people per day.

What is today known as “The Inca Trail” is actually only one of many Inca trails that spans the Andean Inca Empire, which was at its height in the 15^th century when the Spanish conquistadors landed.

The Incas’s advanced and well-maintained road system was one of the reasons that the Tupac Inca Empire was able to spread out from Cusco as far north as Ecuador, and as far south as Chile and Argentina. The Inca trail network expedited goods and correspondence, and rest stops and guard posts were placed strategically along the way.

The Spanish also used the network extensively. The Inca outposts, towns, and cities within direct access of the Inca Trail were the ones most easily conquered. In a sense, the extensive network leading to the key Inca outposts of the Empire was part of its downfall.

However, Machu Picchu, the spectacular citadel high atop the Andes, was spared Spanish colonialization.

Walking the Inca Trail is one of the best experiences you can have in Peru. You arrive at the spectacular Sun Gate, the entrance to the mind-blowing Machu Picchu, at 5:30am, before all the crowds and just as the sun rises.

Until my first visit I always thought Machu Picchu was over-rated, but there is something special about the place. It’s calmness and setting are unique. It´s incredible to think that a civilization that did not even use the wheel was able to build such a city in a place that modern man still struggles to reach.

One top of the mountain, you feel separated from the world below and you are surrounded by great peaks that shoot up from he valley’s ground, with snow capped mountains peaking through in the distance.

I have visited the pyramids and tombs of Egypt and this place compares without any doubt as one of the great wonders of the world.

If you are interested in an Inca Trail Trek or a Cusco to Machu Picchu tour, check out this popular tour, Peru Packages: Heart of the Inca.

Machu Picchu, one of the few Inca architectural masterpieces to escape the razing of Spanish conquistadors, is now the number one Peru travel destination. If you are planning to travel to Machu Picchu, make sure to book your hotel reservation in advance, as hotel availability can be limited, especially during the high season from June to September.

Whether you are traveling to Machu Picchu via train, taking a tour such as the Special 1: Heart of the Inca , or you are walking in the footsteps of the Inca on the classic 4 Day Inca Trail to Machu Picchu, you will most likely want to spend one or two nights in Aguas Calientes, the town at the foot of Machu Picchu.

Inkaterra's Machu Picchu Peru hotels, especially Inkaterra El Pueblo, has been named one of the world's best hotels by Travel & Leisure.

Sandwiched between the Urubamba River and the mountains, Aguas Calientes has grown up over the years to accommodate the nearly one million visitors who make the pilgrimage to Machu Picchu each year. The town is named after the hot springs on its outskirts, where, for only a few soles, visitors can enjoy a relaxing bath in the row of naturally-heated pools.

The train PeruRail runs directly from Cusco to Aguas Calientes/Machu Picchu. Many visitors take the train to Aguas Calientes, spend the night, and wake up early the next morning to get to the Machu Picchu entrance before the crowds. If you get to Machu Picchu early enough, you can also catch the spectacular sunrise.

If you are traveling to Machu Picchu along the Inca Trail trek, you will camp in the beautiful Sacred Valley. But after your trek, you most likely will want to rest and spend a night in Aguas Calientes before taking the train back to Cusco.

There are numerous Machu Picchu Peru Hotels in town, from luxury resorts to budget hostels.

A Bungalow overlooking the orchid gardens at Inkaterra Machu Picchu Peru Hotels El Pueblo.

The most luxurious hotels are those in the Inkaterra hotel chain. Inkaterra has two Machu Picchu Peru hotels, the Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel and the El Mapi Hotel, plus one in Cusco called La Casona Hotel , and an Amazon lodge, Inkaterra Reserva Amazonica, in the Puerto Maldonado Amazon Rainforest.

These Inkaterra hotels, especially the Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel , have consistently been named one of the world’s finest hotels by Travel&Leisure. The exquisite five-star Spanish colonial-style Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel is perched in the cloud forest on the edge of town.

Hand-crafted wood beams, hand-cut stones, and white-washed adobe walls give this luxury lodge a rustic edge perfectly situated among green palms and tropical foliage. Guests can relax on private red-tile verandas overlooking the cloud forest gardens or take a guided tour of the gardens filled with orchids, medicinal plants, butterflies, and tropical birds.

In each of El Pueblo’s 86 bungalows, gorgeous cast iron bed frames draped in hand-woven duvets make each room a destination in itself. After your Inca Trail hike, relaxing in the luxury spa or at the side of the hot tub nestled in the jungle is the perfect way to cap off your Machu Picchu vacation.

Visitors to El Pueblo Hotel can enjoy a cocktail in the Hiram Bingham Bar, try seasonal and organic dishes in the Café Inkaterra, dine or breakfast in the glass house restaurant, relax in the library, take a refreshing dip in the pool fed by a pure mountain spring, or get pampered in the luxury spa.

The chic bar at El Mapi, one of Inkaterra's Machu Picchu Peru Hotels

Inkaterra’s other specialty hotel, the El Mapi Hotel, is located in the center of Aguas Calientes and is only a stone’s throw away from the bus and train station. Recently renovated with completely recycled wood, this four-star hotel has focused on offering a trendy environmentally-friendly hotel that blends seamlessly into its natural surroundings.

Besides flat screen TVs and mini-bars, each of El Mapi’s 48 rooms comes equipped with hypoallergenic pillows, natural herbal amenities, and energy-saving reading lights. The rooms boast terrific views of the immaculately landscaped gardens built into the lush cloud forest surrounding Aguas Calientes.

You can also enjoy a coffee and a sandwich in the El Mapi café, grab a Pisco sour from the bar, or sit down for a meal in the restaurant that serves Peruvian specialties along with international favorites.

Normal services, trains running direct from Cusco Poroy Station to Machu Picchu Pueblo Station in Aguas Calientes, will be implemented 1 July.

The new direct services will replace temporary buses that operated between Cusco, Ollantaytambo and Pisacucho, operated by Peru Rail. The completion of the tracks means services from Ollantaytambo to Aguas Calientes are also direct.

A temporary speed restriction will be in place though until the new tracks fully settle.

Customers with pre-existing bookings can enquire with Peru Rail about switching to a direct train route.

Services return to normality to Machu Picchu, the citadel in the sky.

Peru Rail also launched a new class of seats. Replacing the Backpacker class, the new Expedition Class trains offer the comforts and views of the Vistadome trains, but without the complimentary snacks provided to Vistadome customers.

Three services a day will depart from Cusco’s Poroy station, direct to Machu Picchu, with three services returning back to Cusco’s station. The time of the departure depends on your travel class. More services will continue to operate from Ollantaytambo.

There are three travel classes offered by Peru Rail from Cusco:

Haram Bingham: This is the luxury services that offers passengers a glimpse of luxury rail travel in the 1920′s, with full food and drink service. This service departs Cusco at 9.10am, arriving at 13.09pm and returns at 18.07pm arriving at 21.59.

Vistadome: This service offers guests panoramic views along the route as well as complementary snacks. This service departs Cusco at 6.53am, arriving at 10.38am to Machu Picchu. It returns direct to Cusco at 3.20pm arriving at 18.50pm.

Expedition: This service is similar to the Vistadome service, but does not offer complementary snacks and drinks. It departs Cusco at 6.53am, arriving at 10.38am. It returns from Machu Picchu at 17.03pm arriving at Cusco Poroy station at 9.01pm.

There are limited services direct from Cusco, with more services available from Ollantaytambo in the Sacred Valley. Train times and costs are more flexible between Ollytaytombo station.

If you are planning a Sacred Valley tour, book a night in the Sacred Valley. There are several Sacred Valley hotels. Staying in Ollytaytambo or Pisac saves you time on your trip between Cusco and Machu Picchu.

It is also much quicker to take a bus from Cusco to Ollytaytambo, as the train service from Cusco to Ollantaytambo is slow. You could then take the Ollytaytambo train to Machu Picchu.

Based on feedback from returning clients, Peru For Less has compiled the following list of Machu Picchu Travel Alternatives.

Machu Picchu travel alternatives, from Peru For Less

Tipon-Piquillajta-Andahuaylillas Day Tour

This series of lesser-known and under visited ruins just west of Cusco offer a fascinating insight into the size and strength of the Inca Empire, as well as features and a history that aren’t to be found at the more famous citadel of Machu Picchu.

The ruins of Tipon are thought to be an ancient Inca palace and are home to elaborately engineered waterways, baths and fountains, plus a functioning irrigation system that reveals the ingenuity of the Inca’s engineers.

From here it’s a short journey to Piquillajta, which was originally a pre-Inca ruin from the Wari civilization and was probably conquered and re-settled by the Inca as their empire expanded. A tour of Piquillajta gives an interesting history of the growth of the empire, and how the Inca were able to incorporate previously independent civilizations into their own.

Eventually your tour brings you to a Colonial-era archeological gem, known as the
“Andean Sistine Chapel,” the 17^th century church at Andahuaylillas is famous for its beautiful decorations and unique interior design. The church’s intriguing décor, complete with graphical depictions of the routes to heaven and hell, glittering golden gilding and a blend of Christian and indigenous iconography all reflect early attempts by the Spanish to convert the locals to Christianity.

Peru Adventure Trek to Choquequirao

The Inca Trail is closed for routine maintenance every February and may remain closed into March this year, but that doesn’t mean that lovers of the great outdoors cannot enjoy the Cusco region’s unrivaled trekking opportunities.

Machu Picchu travel alternatives: the ruins of Choquequirao

One of the most dramatic (and least visited) alternative Inca Trail treks is the four day hike to Choquequirao, a challenging route that is rewarded with a visit to the magnificent ruins of Choquequirao; a huge and deeply impressive site that receives a fraction of Machu Picchu’s annual visitor numbers.

The trek crosses a range of environments, beginning in the rolling fields and small farming settlements of the sierra before entering the savage Apurimac valley with the river thundering several thousand feet below. The trail drops almost 5,000 feet to river level and the following day climbs immediately back up an equivalent distance back up the steep valley walls.

Eventually entering Choquequirao itself is well worth the challenge, especially since yours may well be the only group in the entire site. It takes at least a full day to explore the ruins in their entirety, and of particular note are the enormous complexes of agricultural terraces, some of which were decorated with unique patterns and designs that are not found in any other Andean site.

The route back from Choquequirao follows a different trail, entering the more humid semi-tropical environment of the high-jungle, where parakeets and tarantulas are a common sight and the trees drip with tropical fruits such as mangoes and avocados. After spending the third night on the grounds of an old Colonial hacienda, the trail re-enters the rolling landscapes of the first day before rejoining road transport for the journey back to Cusco.

Sacred Valley Day Tour

The beautiful Sacred Valley that runs away from the city of Cusco along the line of the Urubamba river (and past Machu Picchu, eventually) is home to a huge number of ancient settlements and towns, ruins and glorious landscapes.

Ruins of Ollantaytambo in the Sacred Valley

It is possible to take a day tour of the Sacred Valley’s highlights, starting from and returning to Cusco. Tours start early and descend through unchanged landscapes into the Valley itself before reaching the town of Ollantaytambo.

Olltantaytambo is one of the oldest continually inhabited towns in the Andes and people have been living here since at least the 13^th century.  The town is characterized by ancient stone houses built in the trademark style of the Inca, winding cobbled streets bisected by atmospheric flowing rivers and of course the hillside fortress ruins that look over the entire settlement.

The ruins are not particularly large but they have a fascinating history, as the location of a great Inca victory over the Spanish conquistadores, which almost caused the invasion to fail.

After touring the town and the ruins, it’s a short journey to the next destination, the buzzing town of Pisac. It is well worth timing your tour to coincide with market day on Sunday when the entire town comes alive with campesinos descending from the surrounding hills to sell their wares and stock up on provisions. You’ll see everything on sale, from live chickens to coca leaves, as well as a large selection of handicrafts which make ideal souvenirs.

You also have the option to visit Pisac ruins, much larger than at Ollantaytambo and dominating a breathtaking location on the hilltops above the town. The trail around the site runs above steep hillsides and deep ravines, allowing stunning views of the entire valley. A visit to the ruins is available on request.

From Pisac, it’s just a short drive through yet more stunning scenery back to the city of Cusco.

Other sites and excursions in the Sacred Valley

There are a huge number of other tours and excursions available in the Cusco and Sacred Valley region:

A tour of the ruins at Moras & Moray: known as the research laboratories of the Inca, the circular agricultural terraces at Moray were used to examine the full range of growing conditions and environments across the Inca Empire, ensuring that food was never scarce and the entire empire was well fed.

A rafting trip down the Urubamba River is guaranteed to excite and is ideal for beginner rafters with no previous experience. Trips last around 2 hours and range from class 2 and 3 rapids.

The countryside surrounding Cusco is perfect for horseback riding tours, exploring a beautiful landscape which is dotted with villages and settlements where life has changed little over the centuries.

For further information on any of these tours and more, contact a Peru For Less travel advisor at any time, on travel@peruforless.com or 1-817-230-4971.