Getting to Machu Picchu by our own means (our two legs) by the Salkantay trek was a dream that we long had in mind. To undertake this fantastic trip, Clement (Marion´s brother) and his girlfriend Marlene joined us.
Red tape:
- Salkantay Trek is free. Totally. No official or informal fee station.
- Entrance to Machu Picchu is another story. Given we went there during the Fiestas Patrias, we booked ahead our tickets at the office in Cuzco. It cost 128 soles for the entrance, and 12 soles more to climb La Montana (more on that later). We initially tried to book online, but the website interface was a real nightmare. We spent an unsuccesful two hours trying to go through the procedure. Good thing because booking at the office made us spare the hefty fees to pay online.
Here are the updates we want to make from the well-documented adventure:
SALKANTAY TREK:
- Getting to Mollepata from Cuzco. There is NO bus anymore. We asked around, and no less than 10 people agreed. We took a colectivo from the north-bound colectivo stand on Ave. Arcopata, 15 soles each after negociation, 2.5 hours.
- There is the possibility to take a colectivo up to Sorayapampa. One guy did it for 70 soles.
- I would rate Salkantay trek as moderate. Doing it in five days from Mollepata to Hidroelectico makes pretty long days. Most of the difficulty comes from these long hours. The last part of the climb up the Pass is (relatively) serious business in rocks and boulders. After that, it is a long walk down, with the exception of the short climb (850m+) up to the last crest. Views on the last day over Machu Picchu are truly AMAZING. If you can, do not skip the last part by taking a colectivo to Santa Teresa but walk up and down to Hidroelectrico.
- At Hidroelectrico, there is a check point. Name, passport number. This is straightforward, no trick there. No need to lie. Yes, you will walk along the railroad, like millions others. It is perfectly LEGAL.
GETTING TO AND FROM MACHU PICCHU:
- From Hidroelectrico to Aguas Calientes, two options: option 1: train. One-way ticket (that you can buy at Hidroelectrico) cost 26 USD. Yes, 26 ! The most expensive 45-minute ride I know. We got at the station around 3, there was a train leaving at 3, another at 4.30pm. It seems that foreign tourists cannot take any train. Clement and Marlene took the 4.30pm train. Option 2: walk. 12 kilometers, rather flat. It took us about 3 hours to AC, 2h45 back. Contrary to what we thought, it is by no means a rough die-hard choice. You do not have to hide. There are large, obvious signs; just follow them. On the tracks, you will find families, teenage girls in flip-flops, elderlies... well, a large cosmopolitan selection of people of all kind from every part of the world. Tracks run through very nice humid forest and along Rio Urubamba. It is a very pleasant extension to the trek. Tip: if you do no feel for walking under the two (small) tunnels, do this: at the Puente Ruinas station, leave the railroad tracks, take the stairs (on your right) down and walk along the road.
- Beware! Aguas Calientes is a nightmarish city for hungry backpackers getting there by 6pm. Accomodation IS expensive, most of hostels are full, restaurants are severely overpriced... Good luck! Keep some energy for the struggle in town. There are (at least) two small supermarkets in town.
- The trail from Punte Ruinas (1.6km from Aguas Calientes down river, just follow the busses) to the acheological site of Machu Picchu is easy, very well-marked (yellow arrows). There again, a whole selection of people from young kids to elderlies. Almost everyone can undertake it!
- Finally, how to get back from Aguas Calientes. The train? Forget it! 26USD to Hidroelectrico, 75USD to Ollantaytambo, 92USD (for the cheapest option!!) to Cuzco. Really crazy! Our option: walk back to Hidroelectrico (12km, free), take a colectivo to Santa Maria (1.5h, 15 soles) from there. In Santa Maria, there are regular buses (20 soles, 5-8 hours as I heard) or colectivos to Cuzco (our choice, 30 soles, pretty bad negociation I think, 5h). All in all, a bit less than 20 bucks to get back to Cuzco on time to catch a long-distance night bus to Arequipa! The trip back was fairly straightforward, albeit long (left ACalientes at 7.30am, got to north-bound colectivo stand in Cuzco at 6.30pm).