Hi friends, and thanks for stopping by to read Machu Picchu: The Bucket List Dream That Requires a Battle Plan. Everyone shows you the postcard. Very few people show you the planning. The photos of Machu Picchu are breathtaking. The logistics of getting there? Not so much.
If Machu Picchu is on your bucket list, you’ve probably imagined yourself standing among the ancient Inca ruins, surrounded by towering green mountains and clouds drifting across the peaks. It’s one of the most photographed places in the world – and for good reason.
But is Peru’s famous wonder really worth the planning, cost, crowds, and challenges?
Before anyone misunderstands where I’m going with this article, let me be clear. I’m not trying to talk you out of visiting Machu Picchu. Quite the opposite. I absolutely believe it’s one of the most amazing places I’ve ever visited. But unlike many bucket list destinations, this isn’t a trip where you simply book a flight and show up. Visiting Machu Picchu successfully takes planning, flexibility, patience, and a little bit of luck.
It’s an incredible destination, but it also has a lot of moving parts.
The biggest mistake: leaving no room for error
Many travellers plan Machu Picchu as the highlight of a two-week trip to Peru. They arrive in Cusco, spend a day or two adjusting to the altitude, visit Machu Picchu, and then move on.
But what happens if your flight is delayed? You get altitude sickness? The weather is terrible? You miss your entry time? There may be no easy solution because everything is booked so tightly.
I had something many visitors don’t have: time.
I spent five weeks in Cusco. Machu Picchu wasn’t a “one chance only” event squeezed into a rigid itinerary. If something went wrong, I had options. In fact, I even considered going back a second time because I wasn’t racing against the clock.
I’m certainly not suggesting everyone spend five weeks in Cusco. Most people simply don’t have that kind of time. But I do recommend building some flexibility into your itinerary whenever possible. Even an extra day or two can make a huge difference if life decides to throw you a curveball.
Don’t plan Machu Picchu as the first domino in a perfectly balanced row where one little push knocks everything over.
Flight cancelled to Lima
I read a post from someone who foolishly did not read my article about the horror of flying Air Transat and booked a flight between Toronto and Lima with the lousy Air Transat.
The flight was cancelled. I do not know why and Air Transat probably would have lied about what the reason was – whether it was mechanical, not enough passengers to make the flight costs worthwhile, or they needed to pull that plane and put it on another route.
The passenger was rescheduled onto another flight four days later. Air Transat does not offer daily service to Lima.
Her original plan was to arrive in Lima and then take a flight the same day to Cusco, stay there a night or two, and then head to Machu Picchu where she had purchased entry tickets ahead of time.
In addition to losing out on the Machu Picchu tickets – no refunds or exchanges – the four day delay meant losing out on hotel and train tickets, getting to Aguas Calientes on a different day than planned and standing in line there to buy tickets to the citadel.
First mistake: booking Air Transat. Second mistake: not leaving enough wiggle room for unexpected cancellations and delays.
Planning starts months before you leave home
One of the biggest surprises for first-time visitors is how much planning is involved.
Machu Picchu isn’t the kind of place where you decide on Tuesday that you’ll visit on Thursday.
Entrance tickets often sell out months in advance, especially during the busy season (May to September). You’ll need to decide which circuit you want to walk, choose your entry time, reserve your train tickets, coordinate transportation, and book accommodations that fit your schedule.
One delayed reservation can have a ripple effect through the rest of your itinerary as Ms. I-Fly-Air-Transat found out.
Getting there isn’t easy
For many travellers, getting to Peru is the easy part.
Depending on where you’re flying from, it may involve two or more flights before you even arrive in Cusco.
Then the journey continues.
Most visitors travel from Cusco to Ollantaytambo before boarding a train to Aguas Calientes (also called Machu Picchu Pueblo). From there, you’ll either hike or take the shuttle bus up the mountain to the entrance.
It’s not difficult, but it is a long day with several transportation connections that all have to work together.
As for me, I was staying in Cusco and took a train from the city center (San Pedro Station) to Aguas Calientes, that stopped in Poroy and Ollantaytambo to pick up more passengers.
The train ride may not be what you expect
The train journey is undeniably scenic, but don’t expect a high-speed luxury experience.
Depending on the train you book, it can be slow, noisy, and surprisingly bumpy. If you’re prone to motion sickness, it’s something to keep in mind before you travel.
And then there’s the price. Starting at around $100 US dollars for a one way ticket
For what is a relatively short journey, train tickets can be surprisingly expensive.
Unless, of course, you’re a Peruvian citizen and you can buy a return train ticket costing around USD $7. Peruvians can not buy online – that’s only for foreigners. They go to the train ticket office.
Price gouging much there?
The best views on the train were between Cusco and Ollantaytambo. We spent half an hour looking at Cusco as the train zig zagged its way up the mountain, forward and backward. I didn’t know until we finally left the city behind which direction my seat was facing. It was a backwards facing seat, so I was able to see where we’d been.
There was a second section where the train did a couple of zig zags during the descent into the Sacred Valley prior to Ollantaytambo. The Peru Rail train also stopped for a few minutes at Nevado Verónica, an area of spiritual and cultural significance to the Incas.
The train ride between Ollantaytambo and Aguas Calientes is pretty with the mountains and river, but not as dramatic as the first part of the journey. The second leg was marred by a screaming baby disrupting our peaceful enjoyment of the train ride and views. The kid stopped screaming three times and that was when he was crying. The Peru Rail staff attempted to drown him out by turning up the volume on the music, but no luck. The kid screamed louder than the music.
One more bus ride…
Just when you think you’ve arrived, there’s still one more step.
The shuttle bus from Aguas Calientes to Machu Picchu takes about 30 minutes, climbing a series of tight switchbacks up the mountain.
The views are beautiful, but if winding mountain roads make you queasy, you may want to come prepared. I packed ginger candy chews.
The cost adds up quickly
Many people budget for flights and hotels. Probably over $1,000 for the flights and hundreds of dollars more for hotels.
What they don’t always anticipate are the additional costs.
Machu Picchu entrance tickets. 160 soles, around $50 US dollars.
Train tickets. $100 and up. One way. Double that for a return trip.
Bus tickets. $24 return.
Accommodation? Depends if you’re a budget traveller or prefer luxury. Also if you’re spending one night or two or more nights.
Food. Restaurant meals $10 and up. Depends what you eat.
Guides. $30 (USD) and up, price is part of your negotiating abilities and if you’re part of a group or a private tour. Having a guide is not mandatory to enter Machu Picchu.
Transportation between cities. Assuming you hired a driver from Cusco to Ollantaytambo instead of a train all the way from Cusco – probably under $100.
By the time everything is added together, visiting Machu Picchu can become one of the most expensive parts of a trip to Peru.
For me, I purchased two different circuits into Machu Picchu, return train tickets, two nights hotel in Aguas Calientes, bus tickets up the mountain, joined a group tour on Circuit 2 (but not Circuit 1 – no guide), and meals in Aguas Calientes. Cost was around $500. And that’s doing it cheaply.
The altitude is real
Cusco sits at over 3,400 metres (11,000 feet) above sea level.
Even if you don’t develop altitude sickness, you’ll probably notice something.
Walking uphill suddenly feels much harder.
You’ll likely find yourself huffing and puffing far more than usual because there’s simply less oxygen available.
Giving yourself a few days to acclimatize before tackling Machu Picchu is time well spent.
Mother nature doesn’t always cooperate
The iconic photographs of Machu Picchu usually show blue skies and crystal-clear mountain views.
Reality can be very different.
Machu Picchu sits in a cloud forest bordering the Amazon rainforest. Rain, fog, and low clouds are all part of the experience.
Sometimes visitors arrive to discover the famous view completely hidden by clouds.
That’s simply part of visiting this remarkable place.
Clouds over Machu Picchu
Some people whine about if the weather is bad at Machu Picchu it will destroy their holiday.
Let’s see. New York City, Florida, and Maui all have more rain that this part of the world. Would these people also cancel their Hawaiian vacation just because it might rain?
There were clouds hanging over Machu Picchu with a light misty rain on the day I visited. It just added to the mystical beauty of the place.
Does it look like I’m having a bad day?
In the photo below I’m standing in front of a large rock that was carved in the shape of the mountain behind it, like a silhouette. I’ll just have to take the guide’s word for it. The mountain is behind cloud cover.
Crowds are part of the experience
If you’re picturing yourself wandering quietly through ancient ruins, you may need to adjust your expectations.
Machu Picchu is one of the world’s most popular tourist attractions.
Depending on your entry time and the season, you’ll likely be sharing the experience with hundreds of other visitors.
Your guide can make – or break – your experience
Hiring a guide can be worthwhile because you’ll learn so much more about the history of the Incas and the significance of what you’re seeing.
Unfortunately, not every guided experience is the same.
Some guides move quickly through the circuit, leaving little time to pause, take photographs, or simply absorb the atmosphere.
I ended up with a rather interesting guide. He was one of these guides that you read about that crosses circuits and does his own thing. Obviously he was well known to the guards stationed all over the citadel to make sure visitors aren’t going the wrong way. A fist bump, a joke, and he unfastened the ropes and lead us back and forth.
He was not an overly good guide, but he was decent enough, and the crossing out of Circuit 2 and into Circuit 3 and then back again, gave us a different perspective.
Some areas can feel intimidating
Not every circuit is physically demanding, but some sections can feel a little unnerving.
There are steep stone steps, uneven pathways, and places where only a knee-high rope separates you from a significant drop.
If heights make you uncomfortable, it’s something to consider when choosing your circuit.
Even careful travellers can have unexpected setbacks
Travel has a way of reminding us that we can’t control everything.
As a vegetarian, I was careful about what I ate while travelling through Peru. Even so, I ended up with food poisoning after a meal of noodles and vegetables.
I knew almost immediately something was wrong. By the time I walked back to my hotel from the restaurant, my stomach was already telling me that something wasn’t right. I have experienced this before with suspected cross-contamination, and the timing felt very familiar.
My suspicion was that my vegetarian meal had come into contact with a meat source somewhere during preparation. Of course, unless you’re standing in the kitchen watching your meal being prepared, you can never know for certain.
Thankfully, this happened about three weeks after my visit to Machu Picchu.
Had it happened before my scheduled entry, it could easily have meant missing one of the most carefully planned – and expensive – parts of my Peru adventure.
Unexpected things happen.
Flights get cancelled.
Weather changes.
People get sick.
That’s exactly why I believe building a little flexibility into your itinerary is one of the smartest decisions you can make.
So… is Machu Picchu worth it?
Absolutely.
For me, Machu Picchu lived up to every expectation.
But it’s also one of the few destinations I’ve visited where success depends on much more than simply showing up.
It requires planning, patience, and flexibility.
And yes… sometimes it requires a little luck.
Machu Picchu really is a bucket list dream.
Just make sure you bring a battle plan.
Published by Cheryl @ The Lifestyle digs on August 15, 2026.
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