Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel Aguas Calientes

We awoke early and I still had my sore throat and unpopped ear, and I'd taken a benadryl before going to bed so I was totally out of it. I got ready as quickly as possible and we checked out of the hotel and grabbed a cab ($1) to the Peru Rail train station. We got there about 10 minutes before the train left and loaded our bags and grabbed our seats. The train is pretty cool, typical nostalgic/romantic train cars with big domed windows above so that you can take everything in. We started the...

So, it was our final night in the Lodges. I really don't think Lodge properly describes the overnight accommodations, it was truly first class. After hiking all day, nothing beats a shower, the hot tub, and a good meal. Anyway, we spent the last night playing cards and drinking wine. We did have a spirited political discussion which resulted in Ian waving the white flag and bringing us back to earth. Nothing like gun control, the economy, and legalizing marijuana to fire up the crowd. Cards w...

Well i did it. I woke up at 4 am, it was pouring like crazy, and hiked my bum all the way up to Machu Picchu.....well about half way. Then I ran into this man from La Pampa, Argentina. He was in his 60īs. I was very impressed with the man. He had a broken heel and was limping his way up the road. He was quite an amiable man, and we hit it off right a way. His name was Luis, and he owns a trucking company in Argentine. As we walked up the road he told me all about his life, after all it was a ...

We are actually back in Cuzco. Got back late last night....watched a bit of the all-star game and went to bed. What can I say about Machu Picchu......WOW. The 3 1/2 train ride was quite pretty. Had a tour on Monday and stayed for a couple of hours that day. In the afternoon, the sun in so intense in the tropics that we called in a day a bit early. There are six bears that live on the hotels property (Inkaterra El Pueblo) so we thought we would go on a bear tour in the afternnon, but the desk ...

We had to search for our hotel, the Machu Picchu Pueblo back down in Aguas Calientes. It's the nicest place to stay in town, and it's well hidden. We asked several people in how to get there, and none of them had any idea. But we finally found it, after talking to another tourist who had a town guide (not a map). It said the hotel was 1.1km up the railroad tracks. So we struck off in that direction.

We spent a leisurely morning here in the Machu Picchu Pueblo hotel. We had breakfast, and then went on a nature walk around the hotel property, which is in the jungle just on the edge of town. Then we spent some time in the central market, buying gifts and such, before we caught our train back to Cusco this afternoon.

On Monday morning, May 15, we woke up bright and early, around 5:00, to meet our ride to take us to the train station for our 6:00 train to Machu Picchu. There are two trains from Cusco to MP, one is a 'Vistadome' service with glass in the roof and breakfast service, that leaves at 6, and one is a 'Backpacker' service that has no glass, no breakfast, and leaves at 7. There is a minor price difference between the two, but our chosen tour operator, Inkaterra, books only Vistadome service for it...

This is a journey of life-changing experiences.

There are many levels to an experience such as this. This trip had several meanings for me:

I felt a connection with the mountains and the landscape. Its beauty, strength and timelessness got under my skin.

Inspiration can come from many places. From the giant boulders along the trek and the exquisite stonework at Machu Picchu, to the size of the Andean mountains the message imprinted in me is to keep perspective. Don't tak...

This is a journey to Machu Picchu.

A great trek in combination with a great destination. Our first view of Machu Picchu was from a distance as it came into view between tree branches as we looked over to a distant mountain. A short time later, we had lunch with Machu Picchu and its surrounding snow capped mountains in clear view. But nothing can really prepare you for seeing Machu Picchu close up - in person. Even after seeing all the iconic photos, I was still not prepared. There is s...

Today is the big Machu Picchu day! Couldn't wait! The only real way to get from Cuzco to Machu Picchu is by train. PeruRail has the monopoly on the route and charges $100 roundtrip for the Vistadome train (big windows and overhead windows) or $50 for the Backpacker train (hard seats). We took the Vistadome train which left Cuzco at 6am!!! Thank goodness our hotel started breakfast at 5am! Machu Picchu is 76 miles from Cuzco. The train moves slowly the entire way, taking 4 hours. To get out o...