How to Travel to Machu Picchu !

Don’t get lost when you visit the Lost City of the Incas. T+L’s comprehensive tip sheet for traveling to Machu Picchu in Peru will help you make the most of your time at this iconic Incan archaeological site.

When to Go

Machu Picchu is open year-round. October through April is the official rainy season, but it can rain at any time. And while peak season is July and August, you should always expect crowds. Sundays can be the most crowded, because that’s when people who live in the Cusco province are allowed into the site for free, in addition to the daily quota of 5,200 paying visitors.

How To Get Acclimated

Wherever you’re coming from is probably much, much lower than Cusco (11,000 feet) or Machu Picchu (just shy of 8,000 feet). Unless you’ve booked a trip to Machu Picchu that requires an overnight stay in Cusco, we recommend immediately taking the train from Cusco to Machu Picchu Pueblo (colloquially called Aguas Calientes), the town nearest Machu Picchu (see Getting to Machu Picchu, below). Spend a night or two getting used to the relatively low altitude of Aguas Calientes, at about 6,700 feet, then explore Machu Picchu before returning to Cusco. This will help minimize the unpleasant or even dangerous effects of altitude, which commonly include headache, fatigue, and nausea. Avoid alcohol and physical exertion while acclimatizing and drink as much water or tea as you can stand to help your body slowly adjust to the thinner air.

Where to Stay in Aguas Calientes

• Hands-down, the best place to stay in Aguas Calientes is the Inkaterra Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel. It’s a sprawling resort set on the edge of town, away from the crowds and abutting the forest. Narrow stone paths cut through thick greenery and lead you past colorful birds, blooming orchids, a pool and an outdoor Jacuzzi. The spacious rooms feel very local and come with fireplaces to warm up the Andean evenings. Public spaces include cozy alcoves and a warm ambience that extends to the capable staff. The price includes a full breakfast buffet as well as a choice of several on-property excursions with the resort’s naturalists.

• For something more affordable, check out El MaPi, also an Inkaterra property but with a younger, more casual, design-driven vibe.

• You could also spend the night at the Machu Picchu gates. The appeal is obvious: to be one of the first ones in and last ones out, with no long bus lines. But to do that, you have only one option: the small Belmond Sanctuary Lodge. As you might imagine, access like that is not cheap. Room rates are in the four figures.

Where to Eat in Aguas Calientes

Aguas Calientes isn’t exactly on the cutting edge of Peruvian cuisine. But walk down Av. Pachacutec and you’ll find several decent, quaint restaurants, some serving a selection of Peru’s growing crop of craft beers. You can also eat at the Inkaterra Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel even if you’re not a guest. There are two restaurants at the hotel, including a more casual option that’s located by the train tracks, which provides dramatic entertainment when a train comes into the station during your meal.

source:
http://www.travelandleisure.com/articles/how-to-travel-to-machu-picchu