La daabacay: 23.03.2022
There were many ways to get to the ruins, some easy and some difficult. For example, the all-inclusive package could be booked through travel agencies for around 130 to 190 euros.
Machu Picchu could only be reached from the small town of Aguas Calientes. However, this village was cut off from the road network in a narrow valley, into which only a private train ran. The journey from Cusco took about three to four hours and cost between 25 and 70 euros. Buses then drove up and down the mountain to Machu Picchu, for 11 euros each way. Finally, the entrance fee was 37 euros. In addition, there were possible costs for a tour guide. That was the basic calculation. Extra tours to the surrounding mountains, guided multi-day treks in the footsteps of the Incas, or individual tours could be added for hard cash.
Of all the World Heritage Sites I had visited so far, the pricing around Machu Picchu was by far the most dizzying.The price included fantastic impressions on a mountain pass with endless switchbacks, which took us from 2,000 to over 4,000 meters above sea level and back down. The two-hour hike with luggage also gave me the feeling of earning my way to Machu Picchu. On and off the railway tracks, I followed the Rio Urubamba upstream. However, the romantic idea of walking on the tracks did not hold up to the reality of the gravel that strained my joints and soles of my feet. Nevertheless, the landscape and nature had their own charm.
I was particularly impressed by the climate and vegetation phenomenon of the 'cloud forest'. Cool temperatures, high humidity, and a high density of trees led to moist fog that constantly covered and revealed the Andean landscape.