Sacred Valley: En Route to Machu Picchu

At about 8,000 feet above sea level, most people feel the symptoms of altitude sickness, dizziness, headache and shortness of breath, within a few hours. The city of Cusco is 11,200ft (3,400 metres) above sea level, so it hit immediately. As soon as we landed it felt as if there was a void in my stomach that gave me a constant feeling of nausea. The pills helped curb the feeling significantly for me, but Ryan, having slept through most of the flight, woke up certain he would puke before we made it to baggage claim. 

Fortunately, the airport anticipated this and littered the terminals with baskets of free cocoa leaves. Chewing the raw dried leaves provides instant, albeit short-term, relief. While this is the same plant that produces the notorious psychoactive drug, cocaine, chewing the leaves does not produce a high or create any chemical of dependence. Ryan stuffed his cheeks (and his pockets) with these bitter little leaves, which he later used for a tasty tea, however I opted to purchase more pills from the local pharmacy. 

Ollantaytambo

While the Alejandro Velasco Astete Airport is the closest entrypoint to Machu Picchu (at least until that god awful Chinchero International Airport is built in 2023), we opted not to stay in the nearby city of Cusco. Instead, we decided to continue towards the mountain and spend a night in the town of Ollantaytambo. Sitting at the slightly lower elevation of 9,160 ft. (2,800 meters) and chocked full of welcoming hostels and restaurants, it was the perfect city to rest and adjust to the altitude.

We arrived in Ollantaytambo late at night, but even on a weekday the town was alive. Walking down the criss crossing cobblestone streets you’ll find dozens of vendors selling warm hand-dyed alpaca textiles and beautifully crafted silver jewelry. We were fortunate enough to stumble upon a rooftop cafe (the Inka’s Tower) where we could see the entire town while relaxing with an ice cold pisco sour. After eating some delicious alpaca steaks, we were graced by musicians playing traditional Andes Folklórico.

Hostels and hotels are plentiful in the town and we found a budget-friendly quaint locally owned lodge with breakfast, wifi, and a tiny, private balcony. When we awoke we were shocked to see the massive Pinkuylluna and Ollantaytambo ruins, overshadowing the town. We ate a light breakfast and sipped coca leaf tea, in awe of the ancient Inca temple and fortress, before walking half a mile to the train station.

Trains and Taxi Cabs

Throughout our trip we met countless travelers planning to take the scenic route through the valley along one of the most famous trails in South America, the Inca Trail. We weren’t prepared to make the 4-day, 26-mile hike from Cusco to Machu Picchu (although we one day hope to), so instead we opted to use local transportation.

Taxi Cabs are fairly easy to secure in Cusco, an army of cabbies always seems to be waiting just outside the airport. After haggling for a fair price, we loaded up for the two-hour taxi ride to Ollantaytambo where we sped past miles of rolling green pastures surrounded on all sides by towering snow capped mountains piercing the clouds. Every few minutes, we begged the driver to pull over to take photos of breathtaking vistas, llamas/alpacas, and women in traditional outfits with children wrapped tightly to their backs. We took as many photos as we could, but few do the place any real justice.

When it came time to take the train from Ollantaytambo to Aguas Calientes, there were a number of options available. From private luxury trains that serve champagne in dedicated lounge cars, to 360 degree observatory decks, there really is no limit to the comfort and extravagance available to high end travelers. Nevertheless, we chose to take the economical Inca Rail Voyager train. At $115 per person roundtrip, it was a modern and comfortable experience with wide windows, leather reclining chairs, and great customer service. 

We personally wouldn’t recommend spending much more for such a short trip, especially when the real beauty is right outside your window. The train tracks run parallel to the Urumba river, giving you gorgeous views of rushing white water rapids as they carve through the valley. Two hours later we had arrived at the foot of the mountain in the town of Aguas Calientes.

Aguas Calientes

As the staging site for almost every Machu Picchu tour, the village of Aguas Calientes has a well earned reputation as a backpackers haven. It really is a convenient place to eat, rest and get a massage, which is exactly what you’ll want before and after visiting Machu Picchu. However, if you look past the tourist fodder, you can find a beautiful town dripping with history and culture. 

First a small, Spanish-style Plaza complete with a Church dedicated to Virgen Del Carmen, a statue dedicated to Pachacuti Inca Yupanqui (the ninth Sapa Inca of the Kingdom of Cusco), and a small picturesque schoolhouse where classes were still in session. Then walking further north, up  Avenida Pachacutec, towards the town’s namesake hot springs the merchants and crowds began to thin out. 

Suddenly, we were confronted by the enormous stone face of Wiracocha, the Incan creator God and giver of all life. This statue is one of dozens of gigantic granite statues littered throughout the village which retell the history and legends of the Incan people and brought their incredible pantheon of Gods to life. Listening to the peaceful yet captivating sound of the rushing Urumba river while strolling through the sculpture park, after a few Piscos, makes for a beautiful date night.

Preparing for the Hike

At its heart however, Aguas Calietes is a town funded mostly by tourists traveling to Machu Picchu. Hotels, hostels and restaurants crowd line most of the streets making it a convenient place to party and prepare. 

If you’re looking to reach Machu Picchu you’ll need to buy a coach bus ticket ($24 per adult) up the long winding mountain road at least one day in advance. We bought our tickets in person, and even during off season (Spring, Winter and Fall), there is usually a long line to purchase tickets. However even if we bought our tickets in advance online, the queues are inescapable, as you’ll still have to wait in an impossibly long line to board the bus the day of your trip.  

We knew going into this excursion we would be exhausted by the end, so we decided to splurge a little. We stayed at a nice hotel with a big comfortable bed and bathroom. Within a half a mile radius of our room we found a craft brewery, fine dining restaurant and tons of cheap foot massage parlors, all of which we planned to take advantage of after a full day of hiking.