Some trips are born twice - Peru April - May 2025 (page 8 of 13)

VF probably doesn’t want me to go to Peru because I’m not receiving notifications from your travel journal or Guillaume’s

I’m having the same issue—there are regular bugs on the forum.

I appreciate your photos even more because I know I’ll never take such a trip, given my physical condition, the cold, and the altitude. Clever.

You can avoid the cold by traveling in spring or autumn, and if you’re not doing mountain treks. We were often in T-shirts or light sweaters during the day. Plus, you don’t *have* to do treks—there’s plenty to see that doesn’t require a lot of physical effort. Altitude *can* be an issue, but with good acclimatization and not climbing too fast, it usually goes pretty well. There are tons of tourists in Peru who aren’t exactly athletes or used to altitude. That said, you never know—altitude ruined Isabelle’s trip.😢

You can avoid the cold by traveling in spring or autumn, and if you don’t do mountain treks. We were still often in T-shirts or light sweaters during the day. Plus, you don’t *have* to do treks—there’s plenty to visit that doesn’t require a lot of physical effort.

Totally agree. We were there in April/May, and apart from a day hike around 5,000m in the Cordillera Blanca (Carhuaz), we were pretty much always in T-shirts during the day...

Apparently, this whole MAM thing is really hit-or-miss... until you try it, you just can't know 😕

Apparently, this MAM thing is really hit-or-miss... until you try it, you just can’t know :/

Yeah, tell me about it! It’s basically a lottery. There are hyperbaric chamber stays you can do, but I haven’t tried them. Personally, I’m gonna steer clear of high-altitude countries, even though Bolivia and Chile are *so* tempting.

Hi Carmen,

Here’s a gorgeous travel journal that brings back some distant memories for me at certain stops and makes me want to buy a Paris-Lima ticket right away! ;)

Not to follow in your footsteps, though—the hiking level is way too tough for us. 🤪

Hi Agnès,

Thanks so much for your kind message.

Sunday, May 4

This morning, we visit the ruins of Ollantaytambo, with their beautiful green terraces, ceremonial fountains, and the Temple of the Sun. With its strategic location in the Sacred Valley, this site was designed for military, religious, and political purposes.

Despite a few clouds over the mountain peaks, the site is bathed in sunlight, and there are very few people around. We enjoy ideal conditions for exploring.

We climb up to the Inkawatana site, where we get a great view of the village and the archaeological site of Pinkuylluna. The trail leading to the Intihuatana is in poor condition, overgrown with tall grass—it looks like no one has taken it in a long time.





The Temple of the Sun







You can see the archaeological site of Pinkuylluna on the mountain across.

Leaving the site, we cross the village and climb up the other side to the granaries of Pinkuylluna. This site is free and very quiet. The view of Ollantaytambo and its ruins is stunning. On the way back, we take a small detour to discover a second archaeological site.

The granaries of Pinkuylluna Gorgeous view of the Ollantaytambo archaeological site from the granaries of Pinkuylluna

Back in the village, we eat at the Apu Veronica restaurant. The meat on slate and sides are delicious. Then, we head to the station because our train to Aguas Calientes leaves at 3:37 PM. To our surprise, we run into the Parisian couple, Catherine and Alain, whom we’d met in Arequipa and Yanque, and decide to have dinner together tonight.

The train leaves Ollantaytambo on time. The hour-and-a-half journey flies by as we follow the raging river through lush vegetation. Upon arrival, we have to cross a covered market to exit the station. The very touristy vibe of the destination is impossible to miss.

We buy our bus tickets for the next morning. We’d wanted to hike up and down, but several people advised against it since the trek doesn’t offer any views.

Then we head to Panorama Bed & Breakfast. The room is spacious, the bed is comfortable, the water is hot, and we have a balcony with a view of the Urubamba River.

We meet up with Catherine and Alain at the Indio Feliz restaurant. Our pasta dishes are good, and the atmosphere is pleasant and friendly.

You can read the rest of the travel journal here: https://voyageforum.com/v.f?post=11467919;a=11467919

Sunday, May 4th. This morning, we visit the ruins of Ollantaytambo, ... .... Then, we head to the station because our train to Aguas Calientes leaves at 3:37 PM. ...

I took this train 603 on May 25, 2014, for $58. For May 25-26, 2026, the listed price is $89.

Hi Luc,

We paid $220 for both trips for two people. Prices vary a lot from one day to the next and from one schedule to another. But in the end, the daytime train wasn’t much more expensive than the evening one.

- 04/05: PERURAIL train Ollantaytambo-Aguas Calientes (3:37 PM/5:02 PM), $120. - 05/05: PERURAIL train Aguas Calientes-Ollantaytambo (6:20 PM/8:05 PM), $100.

I forgot to mention that we got a discount on our train trips through Laurent.

In the end, we only paid $2 more than you in 2014.🙂

Hi Carmen, That view from Inkawatana is really amazing!! I didn’t know you could go even higher. What a shame 😕

Hi there,

For our part, we paid for June 2026: YOUR TRAINS:

- 19/06: PERURAIL train Ollantaytambo-Aguas Calientes (3:37 PM >> 5:02 PM), $148.

- 20/06: PERURAIL train Aguas Calientes-Ollantaytambo (3:20 PM >> 5:08 PM), $165.

That’s 272 € at today’s exchange rate.

How was the Panorama hotel?

Unbelievable, it costs more than a flight ticket for such a short distance! Back in 1984, I didn’t have to pay a dollar! And visiting Machu Picchu was free! The train was more rustic back then too😏

Thanks Carmen for all this detailed info. The colors at Vinicunca are absolutely stunning! Jacques

Hello,

For our part, we paid for June 2026:

- 19/06: PERURAIL train Ollantaytambo-Aguas Calientes (3:37 PM >> 5:02 PM), $148.

- 20/06: PERURAIL train Aguas Calientes-Ollantaytambo (3:20 PM >> 5:08 PM), $165.

It’s still a lot more expensive than for us. But maybe June is already part of the high season.

How was the Panorama hotel?

Our room was spacious, the mattress very comfortable, and the breakfast hearty. There was hot water, which isn’t always the case in Peru. That was actually one of my criteria when I was researching. If I had to do it again, I’d go back without hesitation, even though the price is still quite high.

Incredible, it costs more than a flight ticket for such a short distance! In 1984, I didn’t have to pay a dollar! And the visit to Machu Picchu was free! The train was more rustic too

You were really lucky to have visited this amazing site before it became too touristy! For our part, we were expecting worse, but we were pleasantly surprised in the end.

The train from Ollantaytambo to Aguas Calientes is indeed expensive, but no more so than some mountain trains in Europe.

Yeah, the view was nice.

It seems you can also go higher up from Pinkuylluna, but we wouldn’t have had the time. Unless we skipped the Apu Veronica restaurant, which would’ve been a real shame. 😏

The train from Ollantaytambo to Aguas Calientes is indeed expensive, but no more so than some mountain trains in Europe.

There used to be trains for locals, which were off-limits to tourists. The prices were ridiculously low.

I see that today, Peruvians get a half-price fare.

Swiss trains to places like the Jungfrau are also really pricey, but I don’t think any are reserved just for locals, or that just being Swiss gets you a discount?

The train to Aguas Calientes was already very expensive 20 years ago. I paid something like $100 for a round trip from Cusco in a train that wasn’t even heated and had basic comfort. I think it’s even more expensive now compared to train prices in France, which have become totally unreasonable.

The train from Ollantaytambo to Aguas Calientes is indeed expensive, but no more so than some mountain trains in Europe.

The distance is about 45 km, and if you calculate the price per kilometer, apart from some Swiss trains, there’s no equivalent in Europe! At least not in France. One question: Why not take the bus? My son was there last April and paid the equivalent of 14 € for the trip. But according to him, the Machu Picchu visit was sectioned off—he could only explore part of it! 🙁

A question: Why not take the bus?

Simply because there’s no bus route between Ollantaytambo and Aguas Calientes, unless you go via Hidroeléctrica and walk two hours along the railway tracks. Your son must’ve paid 14 € to get from Aguas Calientes to Machu Picchu. Or he had to endure the 2-hour walk