Machu Picchu is probably one of those places many of us have on our bucket list. It certainly was for me and it was an absolutely magical experience to see the famous Inca ruins.
It’s expensive to visit Machu Picchu. There are costs for: site entrance; train from Ollantaytambo to Machu Picchu Pueblo (Aguas Calientes); bus transfer from Machu Picchu Pueblo to Machu Picchu (you can walk), and costs to climb Huayna (Wayna) Picchu or the Mountain (if you choose to do so). Walking the Machu Picchu trail also comes at a cost and needs to be booked well in advance.
I recommend you visit early in the morning – from 6am. Arrive at the bus stop in Machu Picchu Pueblo early to avoid lengthy queues (or walk to the site but it’s at least an hour from the Pueblo). Visits are limited to 3 time slots per day. We booked in advance through the official booking site – Ticket Machu Picchu and purchased the combi ticket of Machu Picchu and Huayna Picchu. Trekking Wayna Picchu was incredible but you do need to be steady on your feet and take your time, the steps are steep.
Nowadays the number of visitors is curbed to 2500 per day to protect this UNESCO World Heritage Site but is this enough? Plastic rubbish, food waste, pollution, trampling of paths and structural damage to the site are but a few of the problems the area has to deal with.
Check out this video and let me have your thoughts.