$
= indicates US dollars, s/ = indicates Peruvian Nuevo Sol. The exchange rate
when we made this trip was $1 = s/2.77.
We
flew Lan Airlines from Guayaquil, Ecuador to Cusco, Peru, with a stop for
customs and to change planes in Lima, Peru. I purchased the tickets on the www.expedia-aarp.com website. We flew
out on Monday and returned on the following Tuesday for a cheaper airfare.
Booking earlier may save you more. We had a limited time window and just
focused on seeing Machu Picchu.
$816.88 roundtrip for two persons
I
made reservations in advance for three nights at Tayta Wasi hostel in Cusco,
Peru using www.hostelworld.com, so we
would have a place to stay when we arrived. Hindsight, I wish I had booked
earlier so we could have stayed at a place closer to Plaza de Armes. Tayta Wasi
was clean, good bed, heavy blankets and quilt, hot showers, ok breakfast, great
at arranging our trip to Machu Picchu as Samantha spoke English well, but it
did not have any heat so it was cold in the room and it was a bit of a walk to
Plaza de Armes especially given the altitude.
$74.65 for two persons, double room,
ensuite bath, 2 nights
On
Tuesday, 10/15, we took a city tour, booked by Samantha, from 2pm to 6pm. This
included the Cathedral, Qorikancha, Saqsayhuaman, Tamnomacha, Q’engo,
Pukapukara. We were picked up at the hostel and dropped off nearby afterwards.
*for two persons, for bus and guide.
s/20 for two persons to see Qorikancha,
extra
s/40 for two persons for tour of Cathedral,
extra
s/260
for two persons for two 10 day passes to see sights around Cusco and
the Sacred Valley, “Boleto
Turistico Del Cusco’, extra
On
Wednesday, 10/16, a taxi picked us up at the hostel, drove us to Poroy to catch
the train from Poroy to Aguas Calientes. We were on an expedition train that
left early in the morning, 7:45 am, arriving in Aguas Calientes at 10:45 am or
so. On board we were offered a muffin and something to drink for free, anything
else was extra. We were met at the train by someone from *Mosoq Inti Hostel,
where we stayed for two nights. It was clean, showers were hot, we had only one
breakfast which as so-so, quiet, TV in the room but only 3 channels. A
representative from Grupo Pedro which would provide our guide at Machu Picchu for
the next day, met us at the hostel to pick up our passports so they could
purchase our tickets to the site. Our passports, M.P. tickets and two bus
tickets were delivered to us about an hour later. They only sell 2500 tickets
per day.
*Taxi to Poroy
train station
*for two persons, one way,
Expedition class
*for
two persons, one day at Machu Picchu.
*Mosoq Inti
Hostel, two nights, double room with bath ensuite.
On
Thursday, 10/17, we had caught the 7:20 am bus up to Machu Picchu and had an
English speaking guide, *Saul with Grupo Pedro at 8:00 am. We had a 3 hour tour
of the site. We bought bus tickets for the ride back to Aguas Calientes at the
entrance to Machu Picchu.
*for two persons, bus
tickets up to Machu Picchu
*guide at Machu
Picchu
$19 for two persons, one way
back
On
Friday, 10/18, we took the afternoon train back to Poroy but this was Vistadome
class, more of a meal, plus some entertainment and a fashion show of alpaca
clothing which you could purchase on the train.
*for
two persons, one way, Vistadome class
*Taxi from Poroy train station back to Tayta
Wasi Hostel
On
Saturday, 10/19, we had an all day tour of the Sacred Valley, which included
Pisac, Ollantaytambo, Chinchero, a buffet lunch (drinks were extra), the bus
and an English speaking guide. We used our “Boleto Turistico Del Cusco’ to get
into the Inca ruin sites.
*for two persons, all day tour of the Sacred
Valley.
We
paid Samantha, $623 for the starred items above which includes: taxi to/from
Poroy train station, train to/from Aguas Calientes, 2 nights at Mosoq Inti
Hostel, entrance and guide to Machu Picchu, city tour with bus and guide,
Sacred Valley tour with bus, guide and lunch. I had guestimated $530 for taxi,
train, bus, tickets and lodging but without the guides and tours if I had done
it myself, assuming the expedition train both ways.
We
stayed 4 more nights at Tayta Wasi before returning to Guayaquil on 10/22.
$90.09
for two persons, double
room, ensuite bath, 4 nights
I
am sure it is possible to do the trip to Machu Picchu a little cheaper but this
worked out for us and Samantha took care of all of the details. October is not
high season so we were not as worried about getting tickets. 
Very interesting, Elaine. I am finding all your details very useful, as I am sitting across from you in the anchorage in Puerto Armistad sorting out our own trip.
ReplyDeleteGitte and David,
from Aros Mear