The Best Trip to Machu Picchu in South America

Machu Picchu on your own and cheap

1: Visa for Peru

Usually, you will not need it if you are Latin American, North American, or European. In exceptional cases, you will need a valid passport and a visa from a non-Mercosur country.

You will need to spend time with your parents if you are underage. If you are a parent and travel with your children, you will need a marriage certificate and the child’s birth certificate.

2 Vaccines?:

No vaccine is mandatory, but the Peruvian Ministry of Health “recommends” vaccination against Yellow Fever in certain jungle regions. Usually, nobody does it, so it’s up to you whether it’s worth the risk. In several countries, this vaccine is free; when it costs, it is not expensive.

3 Lodging and camping.

We do not suggest carrying tents. In this place, you will practically not need it. Peru is one of the cheapest countries in South America to get rooms at meager prices.

4 Climate and atmosphere in Cusco

Always wear a coat. You typically feel the heat in places with sun and areas of hard shade. The sun is radiant, and the site’s climate can damage your skin. Take sunscreen or buy cocoa paste pills at the pharmacies, which are very cheap and helpful.

5 Altitude Sickness

You may have never experienced a lack of oxygen. Your digestion will be slower, and your sleep will be dense and deep. The idea is to stay calm on the first day to acclimatize. It is very typical for all pharmacies to sell pills for altitude sickness.

 6 Inca Trail

Making the “Inca Trail” is not mandatory for Machu Picchu. There is trekking for two and four days, and it is indispensable to have excellent physical condition.

7 Alternatives to Machu Picchu.

All the roads are excellent, full of incredible nature, and have almost the same landscapes. Cusco is full of routes of the authentic road that formed the Inca Red Road.

1. By train from Cusco City or Ollantaytambo (closer) through Inca Rail or Peru Rail
2. By bus to Ollantaytambo (15 soles) and then another bus that leaves you at Km 83 of the train tracks, walk the remaining kilometers to Machu Picchu Pueblo (Aguas Calientes).
3. Route Cusco, Teresa, and Aguas Calientes is perhaps the preferred route for backpackers who want to save on the cost of the train.

8 Health and safety

Avoid walking alone in the night markets or too far from the center with value and tourist aspects. Stay tuned to your pockets at trade shows or areas where you are very close to people. In one of the most touristy cities globally, it is predictable that there are petty thefts and scams. Do not leave your valuables alone or trust in free things to avoid this. Do not rely on the excesses of unwarranted kindness from strangers who always want something from you.

Hygiene is crucial to maintaining health. It is common for tourists to get sick in the stomach from trying everything. To be prudent, avoid foods sold on buses and by street vendors, especially cakes and handmade cheeses, which can carry dangerous bacteria. Long walks on stony ground can make you easy prey for dislocations or similar injuries.

9 Discounts

If you are a student, you should take out the ISIC (International Student Identity Card) card to discount some tours.

10 In Machu Picchu

From Machu Picchu Pueblo (Aguas Calientes), you can climb to the ruins of Machu Picchu. Two ways:

1. By foot: Not recommended for people who want to reserve energy to climb Huayna Picchu.
2. By bus: Some buses go up and down people all the time.

Must-Do: Take a hike.

If you came by train, indeed, you have not passed by. If you came on foot from Ollantaytambo, you would come from Santa Teresa via the Salkantay trek or Choquequirao hike; these are good alternative trekking options to consider.