HOW TO GET TO MACHU PICCHU WITHOUT TAKING THE TRAIN?
Don't forget to activate the English subtitles.😁
There are several solutions to get to Machu Picchu from Cuzco.
If you don't have much time, you will probably get there by train. Around 120 € round trip.
If you are not in a particular hurry and your budget is tight, then I advise you to make the detour to Santa Maria and Santa Teresa.
========================
SUBSCRIBE: To continue traveling, thanks to my videos, subscribe to the channel by clicking on the following link bit.ly/2Q8CXXO
It's free of course!
========================
Below is the summary for the cheaper route:
Getting to Machu Picchu without taking the train:
- First in Cusco you have to go to the Santiago bus terminal (that's the name of the neighborhood).
15 minute walk south to Plaza Del Armas.
Buy a ticket Cusco - Santa Maria, 20 Soles.
Cusco - Santa Maria: 5h30 by bus.
The first one leaves at 8am, I was in the 9am one, so I arrived in Santa Maria at 2:30 pm.
- Then you have to do Santa Maria - Santa Teresa.
In Santa Maria, a very small town, you will certainly be approached as soon as you get off the bus, and you will be offered a vehicle directly to Santa Teresa.
When I arrived there, a car with 3 locals on board, wait for a 4th passenger. It was me.
Price, 10 Soles. Time 50 minutes!
Very pretty landscape, with a road that looks a bit like the road of death in Bolivia, but wider.
Arrived in Santa Teresa at 3:20 p.m.
I spend the night in Santa Teresa in accommodation for 15 Soles.
Small quiet town, I take this opportunity to find the path I should follow the next day, to do the 3rd part of the journey:
Santa Teresa - Hydroelectrica.
You can do this part the same day, you just take the small risk of walking at night.
The second day:
It is possible to do Santa Teresa - Hydroelectrica on foot, but it is at least 3 hours of walking.
Having all my bags and knowing that after Hydroelectrica there was mandatory walking, I preferred to get up early and thus have my chances of being caught by a car.
It did not fail at 6.30 am I left the hotel, start taking the path and at 6.45 am a car stops and takes me to Hydroelectrica for 5 Soles.
30 minutes later we arrive at our destination.
From there, no more vehicle, it is necessary to walk. Or the train if you are in a real rush.
Because in fact it is at this hydroelectric station that the railway that leaves Cusco and goes to Agua Caliente ends.
The 4th point of the route is therefore, Hydroelectrica - Agua Caliente, which is done by following the rails.
Allow a maximum of 3 hours of walking, in the middle of a superb landscape, by the river, with trains passing from time to time.
This walk there was really great, being in a beautiful place and going to Machu Picchu, I felt like an adventurer.
Yeah, so what ?!
In addition, we do not meet many people. It’s on top!
I arrived a little after 10 am, which would have left me time to go visit Machu Picchu in the same day, but I preferred to spend a night there and get up very early the next day to be up for the Sunrise (which I have not seen elsewhere!)
TO GO:
(Cusco - Aguas Caliente in 2 days for me, but doable in 1 day).
• Cusco - Santa Maria:
20 Soles (€ 6.20). 5h30 by bus.
• Santa Maria - Santa Teresa:
10 Soles (€ 3.10). 50 minutes by car.
• Santa Teresa accommodation:
15 Soles (€ 4.65).
• Santa Teresa - Hydroelectrica:
5 Soles (€ 1.55). 30 minutes by car.
• Hydroelectrica - Aguas Caliente: 3 hours of walking, taking the time.
RETURN:
(Aguas Caliente - Cusco in the same day)
• Aguas Caliente - Hydroelectrica: 2h15 walk.
• Hydroelectrica - Santa Maria:
15 Soles (€ 4.65). 1h15 of cars.
• Santa Maria - Cusco:
20 Soles (€ 6.20). 5h30 by bus.
One way: 50 Soles = 15 €
Return: 35 Soles = 10 €
TOTAL: 25 €!
By train: 120 €!