I think Hiram Bingham had an easier time figuring out how to get into Machu Picchu that I have!
A while ago, I thought I would google some info about entering Machu Picchu.
This is the what I have finally patched together over the last few weeks of interneting.
A bazillion people go to Machu Picchu. Heck, Machu Picchu is why many people even go to Peru. But good luck getting some info on how to get in to it! Apparently, those bazillion people have become a problem. Machu Picchu lasted for centuries in the jungle because basically no one but some farmers knew it was there. Then Hiram (or some German explorers and then Hiram if you want to take sides in the debate) told the world it existed and then 118 years passed and now I want in, dammit!
In order to limit the number of tourists visiting the site, which is being trampled into nothing due to intragrammers (not me) and non-instagrammers (me) alike, Peru started limiting the number of people who could enter each day and how long they could stay in the park. Entrance times were 6am and noon and you could only stay in for four hours. And that everyone would need an official guide while in the park. This change happened in July, 2017 but from what I can tell, it wasn't fully enforced.
As I was reading about these changes I discovered that it is very important to match your train tickets (did I mention the train?) and train arrival time to coincide with your park entrance time so you don't waste your four hours with just getting to the front gate. What I had read at this point was that you should buy your train and entrance tickets up to three months in advance, particularly if you want to climb Huayna Piccu (did I mention Huayna Piccu yet?).
So, I find the Machu Picchu ticket site and discover that you can't buy tickets for 2020 until 2020! Even if we buy them on January 1st, we don't have three months! And how are we supposed to match our train tickets to our entrance tickets if we don't know when we can enter!?
This is around where I kind of lost it. Again, this comes back to my new split tourist personality. Past me would have not even researched this far ahead if at all, present me is a planner-a-header. And apparently future me may never get to see Machu Picchu. So I called Val who told me to calm the f*** down. She said it nicer than that but that was the gist of it. It will all work out, she said. So I calmed the f*** down. That was a couple of weeks ago.
Today, I tried again to see what's what. I found new info and the ticket site has been updated (a bit)
Now there are new, new rules that started in January, 2019. In 2017 there were two four hour windows, but now he entrance times are staggered every hour starting at 6am. And on top of that, there are four options for entrance: Machu Picchu only, MP + Huayna Picchu, MP + the MP mountain or MP + the museum. And if you take one of the packages with a hike, you can stay in longer. MP + Mountain is 8 hours!
And now the website is saying we can buy our 2020 tickets in mid-December. We may not buy them until we get to Peru, now that I realize Huayna Piccu involves serious climbing (there is a ladder involved!). And there are only 400 tickets a day and a 6 hour window. The MP mountain sounds a little less strenuous and there are 800 tickets a day so less competition. Plus the two bonus hours.
Oh, for bloody sake, I googled again and found this. We will practically be in Cuzco by late January!
The only way to secure the ticket to Machu Picchu 2020 is to wait until mid-December 2019, when the official website allows you to make the purchase.
After all of that, I don't have it in me to start looking at the train just yet. I did read that between January and April (rainy season, have I mentioned rainy season yet?), the train doesn't leave from Cuzco. But that freak out will have to wait for another day.
A while ago, I thought I would google some info about entering Machu Picchu.
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| By the way, if you google 'rabbit hole' and 'machu picchu' which pretty much describes my google adventures, you get this which isn't even a rabbit, it is a Viscacha |
This is the what I have finally patched together over the last few weeks of interneting.
A bazillion people go to Machu Picchu. Heck, Machu Picchu is why many people even go to Peru. But good luck getting some info on how to get in to it! Apparently, those bazillion people have become a problem. Machu Picchu lasted for centuries in the jungle because basically no one but some farmers knew it was there. Then Hiram (or some German explorers and then Hiram if you want to take sides in the debate) told the world it existed and then 118 years passed and now I want in, dammit!
In order to limit the number of tourists visiting the site, which is being trampled into nothing due to intragrammers (not me) and non-instagrammers (me) alike, Peru started limiting the number of people who could enter each day and how long they could stay in the park. Entrance times were 6am and noon and you could only stay in for four hours. And that everyone would need an official guide while in the park. This change happened in July, 2017 but from what I can tell, it wasn't fully enforced.
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| Not very inviting but I guess that is the point. |
So, I find the Machu Picchu ticket site and discover that you can't buy tickets for 2020 until 2020! Even if we buy them on January 1st, we don't have three months! And how are we supposed to match our train tickets to our entrance tickets if we don't know when we can enter!?
This is around where I kind of lost it. Again, this comes back to my new split tourist personality. Past me would have not even researched this far ahead if at all, present me is a planner-a-header. And apparently future me may never get to see Machu Picchu. So I called Val who told me to calm the f*** down. She said it nicer than that but that was the gist of it. It will all work out, she said. So I calmed the f*** down. That was a couple of weeks ago.
 |
| Here's another cute Viscacha to help you calm down. |
Today, I tried again to see what's what. I found new info and the ticket site has been updated (a bit)
Now there are new, new rules that started in January, 2019. In 2017 there were two four hour windows, but now he entrance times are staggered every hour starting at 6am. And on top of that, there are four options for entrance: Machu Picchu only, MP + Huayna Picchu, MP + the MP mountain or MP + the museum. And if you take one of the packages with a hike, you can stay in longer. MP + Mountain is 8 hours!
 |
| Huayna Picchu vs Machu Picchu Mountain |
Oh, for bloody sake, I googled again and found this. We will practically be in Cuzco by late January!
The only way to secure the ticket to Machu Picchu 2020 is to wait until mid-December 2019, when the official website allows you to make the purchase.
On many occasions, on that date only the purchase of the Machu Picchu ticket was opened for January. Visitors looking for a ticket for February, March or the coming months; They must wait until mid or late January.
STOP GOOGLING, JOANNE!After all of that, I don't have it in me to start looking at the train just yet. I did read that between January and April (rainy season, have I mentioned rainy season yet?), the train doesn't leave from Cuzco. But that freak out will have to wait for another day.
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| Viscacha watching the sun rise from Machu Picchu. That bunny has no worries. Be the bunny. |
