Re: Machu Picchu, Peru - The Lesser Known Route Quote:
Originally Posted by govigov May I ask a few questions? Is one day enough for visiting this place? Can we club this trip with anything else in this near area? Any risks/scams (apart from the usual) that one needs to be aware of while on a solo trip? |
I believe one entire day is needed to appreciate Machu Picchu at a gentle pace, typically arriving at 0900 and leaving at closing time of 1700 - meaning two nights in Aguas Calientes is necessary. The ruins are poorly documented onsite - there's no labelling, minimal signs and even with guides it's not always possible to understand - the absolute opposite of the handy detailed booklet that visitors to Pompeii (Italy) are handed with their tickets.
There are two-three small towns on the Santa Maria - Cusco route (28B) that you can visit as soon as you are done with MP. There's Ollantaytambo which also has some Inca ruins and theres Huyro that has some great views of the forests. The road between Santa Maria and Cusco also includes the famous 4300m high Malaga Pass (see images 15-17 of my post) where you can stop for a day and hike the trails.
As re scams - Peru is a very safe country with no hustling, fleecing and India-type unpleasantness greeting the unwary. Taxis can be difficult to hire without preparation as to the market rates, especially from the airport. On long bus journeys, especially in Ecuador and Colombia it's a good idea to keep your belongings in your lap and fastened securely to your body/seat, and avoid aisle seats towards the front.
Forex conversion in remote areas can be at disadvantageous rates and in the touristy places everything from water to biscuits is expensive but these are not scams. A more relevant danger is miscommunication and language barriers when seeking directions or guidance. Unlike India very few people understand English and I carried an offline Eng-Esp translator app which was very helpful. South Americans love to bargain and opening prices at markets can be touristy (I enjoyed this). It's possible to get scammed as regards quality of alpaca wool if you're buying that stuff, I spent time learning how to spot high quality alpaca - it irritates the sensitive skin of the forearm - and even made friends with a couple of Peruvians to help me with purchases in Lima Quote:
Originally Posted by invidious Shame it is a pain to fly there, not to mention the tickets cost an arm and a leg. |
I know! Conversely it's very very cheap from the U.S. - my onward ticket to Lima from New York was about $170 (no check-in luggage) purchased 6 weeks in advance, return was $195 (from Ecuador). If you already are in North America its very economical to visit these countries. The tricky things are the crossborder flights within S. America which have very high taxes making them uneconomical for short distances.
My last videos for this thread
#1 A view of the inside of the ruins - there was a sudden burst of rain at this time (the biggest unavoidable risk of Machu Picchu is rain and fog).
#2 Our guide demonstrates some acoustic effects of the construction of the sacred plaza
#3 The last leg of my collectivo journey from Santa Teresa to the hydroelectrico |