The most famous thing in Peru is definitely the Machu Picchu ruins near the city of Cusco. Basically it is one of the biggest and most well-preserved Inca ruins in the world, and is a must-see if you travel through Peru. The Peruvian government is currently limiting the amount of people who can go to the ruins, and will properly be more and more restrictive about the ruins, so go see them while you can.

There is different ways to go there, and one of the very popular ways for travelers is doing the Inca Trail, a 4-day trekking route that takes you through amazing scenery, beautiful spots and gets you to the Machu Picchu in the morning, when there is a lot less tourists on the site. But since this is such a big tourist attraction, it is also very expensive. If you do the Inca trail, you have to be prepared to pay at least $250-350 (US dollars). Some people book ahead, other just arrange it as they get there – I honestly don’t know what to recommend, because I heard of people paying around $360 by arranging it before going to Cusco, while I met people in Cusco paying as little as $200 by just arranging it when they got to Cusco. Of course you have to be a bit more flexible on the days of the trek if you arrange it in Cusco, and expect to spend a couple of days in Cusco before going on the trek.

I did not do the Inca trail myself, because I felt it was a bit too much for my budget paying $250-350 for trekking, so instead I just went to Machu Picchu in one day. There is a train with Perurail going there from Cusco, and you can get to Machu Picchu and back to Cusco with the train in just one day. The train is kind of pricy though, and a one-way ticket to Machu Picchu (not including the bus ticket from the town of Machu Picchu to the actual ruins) costs about $41 US dollars. I would recommend going to the town of Ollantaytambo the day before visiting the ruins (maximum 10 soles, about $3 US dollars with a shared cab or collectivo), and then taking the train from Ollantaytambo to Machu Picchu and go back that way. It’s a good money-saver, and you can get to Machu Picchu earlier in the morning if you spend a night in Ollantaytambo.

Even though Machu Picchu is very touristic, it is absolutely worth doing. While you are there, make sure you make the walk up to Wayna Picchu, where there is some more ruins and the most amazing view over Machu Picchu and the mountains around. When you finally get to the top (after about a million steps on the stairs leading there) you literally feel like sitting in the clouds on top of the mountain – and the view of Machu Picchu could not get better. You have to go up there before one o’clock in the afternoon and preferable a bit earlier, since they only let 100 people go up there every day.

Tips for going to Machu Picchu

• Go spend a night in Ollantaytambo and spend a night there before going to Machu Picchu, and make sure you go back via Ollantaytambo too – the buses from there are faster than the train and way cheaper.
• Try to get there as early in the morning as you can, as there are less tourists and easier to get to Wayna Picchu.
• Make sure you go all the way to the top of Wayna Picchu, the view is absolute worth the struggle getting up the steep stairs.
• If you go on the Inca trail, make sure you stay a few days in Cusco before to arrange your trip and talk to different companies. This can both get you a cheaper and better trip, though it might be hard during the high season.