Before you go

I always thought that Machu Picchu was only for young fit people. That you had to trek in and walk up a mountain to get there. Not true. Even old less than fit people can easily visit. You don’t have to sign up for an expensive tour either, it’s easy to do on your own as an independent traveller. A cab or Uber from Cusco to Poroy (US$8), a train from Poroy to Machu Picchu Pueblo (US$70 p/p), a comfortable bus to the site itself (US$12 p/p), and leisurely walking around the site (US$50 p/p). All prices are one-way.

Cusco

Cusco is a beautiful World Heritage city. We decided we’d spend some time here on our way from Lima to La Paz. Besides being the gateway to Machu Picchu, it’s the former capital of the Inca empire and arguably the cultural capital of Peru. We stayed for nearly a week not doing much because it’s also at 3400 meters above sea level (over 11,000 feet) and it’s quite hilly. We visited the pre-columbian art museum (artifacts from Larco Museum in Lima) and the natural history museum.