721. Peru Trip | Visiting Machu Picchu!

Machu Picchu is without a doubt the most iconic image of Peru and the Inca civilization. Nestled high up in the Andes mountains, it was constructed in 1450 and abandoned just under a century later due to Spanish conquest. It is now one of the 7 Wonders of the World. It was one of the (many) highlights of our trip. With Cusco as a base, we travelled there and back in the span of a day.

To get to Machu Picchu from Cusco, you have to take a train lasting roughly 4 hours to Aguas Calientes. From there the only way to get up to the ruins, other than walking, is a crowded bus of roughly 45 minutes. I LOVED the train journey over. It was just as enjoyable (maybe more) than the actual destination. I loved passing by all the local villages and observing daily life in the Peruvian countrysides. The four hours just flew by. The second part of the train ride was a lot of beautiful scenery. Here we were starting out, with a view over Cusco:



Passing by little towns


We booked a Vistadome train which we thought would be nice with the glass ceilings. But it actually made parts of the ride annoyingly hot with the sun shining through. & it didn't make a huge difference in terms of the view anyway as the windows are large. The train ride overall was very nice and comfortable though.




Arriving in Aguas Calientes! So we ran into a bit of a stressful situation here. Machu Picchu is an extremely popular attraction and requires advance timed tickets to be booked. We booked our tickets for a 12pm entrance I believe.

We hadn't thought to purchase the bus tickets as well, as we were under the impression that the train brought us straight to the ruins..or at least close enough to walk there. After getting off the train, we had lunch then started heading over when it was nearly 12pm/our entrance time. Then we saw a HUUUUUUGE line to get on a bus to go to the ruins. The longest line I've ever seen in my life. It also hit us that we needed to purchase bus tickets which there was also a long line for. I think we waited half an hour in the line to purchase the bus tickets. The line to get on a bus, if we were to wait, looked like it would be at least 3 hours. Walking up would have been the last resort but it is a strenuous mountain hike that would last a couple hours. Taxis and other cars are forbidden to drive up there so the only option is the bus.

We got super lucky in the end. We spoke with the bus company explaining our situation and showing that we were already past our entrance time to enter Machu Picchu. So they let us skip the entire line and go on the next bus! We were sooo relieved. We otherwise wouldn't have made it and probably would've had to spend the night at Aguas Caliente..since we only had a few hours' window before we had to take the train back to Cusco.

Anyway the whole transportation system to get to Machu Picchu from Aguas Calientes is quite a mess and you really have to be fully prepared and allocate hours of waiting around. We took the 7am departure train from Cusco which we thought was early enough. I would highly recommend going at an off-peak time but I'm not sure when that would be. I wish I took a photo of the long never-ending line, but I was so stressed out at that point I didn't even think of it lol.




The weather was so perfect that day. Apparently it rains a lot there. I'm glad it didn't for us..of course it's best to come here when it's nice and sunny but I think the rain would have made the bus situation 100x worse lol.








I'm not sure what was going on here lol.






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*Cuba: What to Know before You Go*

Although Cuba is a popular travel destination for Canadians (especially in the winter), I still have yet to visit. For those of you who are planning to travel there for the first time, here is a short guide of what you need to know before you go. Of course I wouldn't be the right person to write this as I haven't even been myself, so this post is sponsored and written by Cuba Holidays, a UK-based travel agency with solid knowledge on everything Cuba-related!

Cuba is one of the most vibrant, fun and colourful countries in the entire world. It is also a country with a fascinating history and somewhere that not too many travel to, making it the perfect destination for a unique holiday. In order to make the most of your trip, there are a few important things to know about this northern Caribbean island, which has a fascinating history of Spanish colonialism, revolution and communism.

Entry/Exit Requirements: Cuban entry requirements will depend on your nationality, so be sure to check this well in advance of your trip.

Language: The official language of Cuba is Spanish, so you may want to learn a few key phrases before setting off. However, in Havana and a few other areas, it is relatively easy to get by in English.

Climate: Cuba has a tropical climate moderated by trade winds, which can make it gorgeous and sunny if you visit at the right time of year. The dry season runs from November to April, whilst the rainy season lasts May to October.

Money: There are two forms of currency used in Cuba; Convertibles and Pesos. Whilst this may sound complicated, non-Cubans deal almost exclusively in Convertibles and this will be the only form you need. Be sure to tip regularly for hotels, musicians, restaurants and taxis (1 Convertible is typically a good amount).


Havana: Cuba’s fascinating history can be seen and felt everywhere, but most notably in the vibrant capital city of Havana. Here, you will find crumbling Art Deco and Spanish colonial architecture, with old American vintage cars navigating the streets. Timeworn yet charming; first timers should spend the majority of their time in the capital as there is so much to see and do. A guided tour of the city in a vintage car is a magnificent way to get an overview of Havana whilst also getting your bearings, but also be sure to visit a rum factory and enjoy the many lively bars.

Outside of Havana: Outside of Havana, you can see Cuba’s stunning mountainous regions, vast countryside and beautiful white-sand beaches. There are many all-inclusive resorts, which are ideal for heading to after spending the majority of your holiday soaking up the unique atmosphere of Havana. Holiday organizers, including Cuba Holidays, can book thrilling experiences for you to enjoy everything that the island has to offer.

These are the key factors that you need to know before setting off for a Cuban adventure. A unique, timeworn, vibrant and colourful country; there is nowhere else quite like Cuba in the entire world.


*Images courtesy of: Shutterstock, International Traveller Magazine, "yakubovich" on Flickr*

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