If you want to see the Inca citadel not only on photos on the Internet, but to sit on one of the agricultural terraces there and let the energy of this ancient site captivate every cell of your body, then you should start planning an adventure now!
FROM EUROPE TO LIMA
There are two options from Europe I was able to find while looking for the most affordable tickets to Lima – from Amsterdam and from Madrid.
Travel from Madrid : The carrier offering good prices from Madrid is Iberia A return ticket is priced at EUR 650-700.
Travel from Amsterdam: If you decide to go with the Amsterdam option, then you need to check the tickets KLM offers to Lima.
FROM LIMA TO CUSCO
Cusco is a common starting point from which to head for the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu. There are several carriers offering domestic flights from Lima to Cusco:
StarPeru (We used their services as they are among the cheapest airline companies flying Lima-Cusco)
If you want you can also travel by bus, but this will be a long journey (more than 20h) which I would avoid.
HOW TO GET TO MACHU PICCHU FROM CUSCO
Trek – there are numerous travel agencies offering 2,3 or 5-day treks to the peak. Here is the website of the travel agency offering different tours in the valley.
Train – Aguas Calientes also known as Machu Picchu pueblo is the closest access point to the historical site of Machu Picchu. To get there you can take a train from Cusco or Ollantaytambo. The tickets for it might be quite expensive if you don’t buy them in advance. You can buy your tickets with PeruRail or IncaRail with the latter offering transportation only from Ollantaytambo to Aguas Calientes.
Van to Hidroelectrica – You can get a ride from Cusco or Ollantaytambo to Hidroelectrica and then walk for 1-2 hours to Aguas Calientes. While exploring the streets of Cusco you will find many offers for transportation in shops and offices of tourist companies.
FROM AGUAS CALIENTES TO MACHU PICCHU
You can either take a bus to the summit or climb the peak. Although climbing up the hill can be tiresome, it is totally worth it as you are almost alone with no other tourists around you and you can notice how the nature changes as you gain altitude and enjoy the serene views. You have to be fit to choose this way, otherwise you risk ruining it all as you will get exhausted before you even reach the entrance to Machu Picchu. For those who want to save their energy for climbing Huaynapicchu for instance, it will be better to take the bus and then use the stairs on your way down to the stairs. One way ticket for the bus costs EUR 10.
HOW TO GET TO PERU FROM BULGARIA
Travel from Sofia to Madrid to Lima
You can fly from Sofia to Madrid with Wizzair (there are flights only on Tuesday and Saturday).
Travel from Sofia to Amsterdam to Lima
From Sofia you can fly with Wizzair to Eindhoven and from there take a bus/train/shared taxi to Amsterdam. Keep in mind that the transportation from Eindhoven to Amsterdam and back to Eindhoven will cost you another 50 Euros.
Bulgarian citizens do not need a visa for Peru. There are also no requirements for specific vaccinations.
BUDGET (for one person roughly):
Ticket from Amsterdam/Madrid to Lima – EUR 650-700
If you are travelling from Bulgaria then you will need another EUR 200 for flight tickets to either Amsterdam or Madrid.
Ticket from Lima to Cusco – approximately EUR 100
Minibus from Cusco to Hidroelectrica – a return ticket is priced at about EUR 25
Entrance ticket for Machu Picchu – about EUR 40
Accommodation – EUR 15-30 per night
Food – EUR 10-20 per day
More information on our Machu Picchu experience you can find in my post here.
So start planning!
