Are you a foreigner and want to travel to Machu Picchu on a budget? This is the option for you
Guide 2023
This is an option that I always recommend for foreign travelers (without residence) who want to visit Machu Picchu, but have little budget, because you do not always have to pay dearly, go by tourist train, rent a vehicle or book a trekking to get to one of the seven wonders of the Modern World: Machu Picchu in Peru.
Here is the information:
First Option: The fastest and most direct
From the city of Cusco, hire a bus through a tourist agency to take you directly to the Hydroelectric station, the trip takes about 6 hours and the price ranges from S/. 60 to 100 soles ( USD 17 to 27 dollars) per person. You can also hire a bus back to the city of Cusco from the Hydroelectric Station with the same tourist agency.
Suggestion: take this route in the dry season (from April to October) because, as part of this road is not paved, travel it in the rainy season (November to March) would be a bit risky because the rain removes the soil and you can get stuck or have accidents.
Note: the land route ends at the Hydroelectric station, there is no way to get by bus or car to Machu Picchu Pueblo or Aguas Calientes.
To find out how to get from the Hydroelectric station to Aguas Calientes (Machu Picchu Pueblo) click here.
Second Option: Passing through Santa Teresa
From the Plaza de Armas of Cusco arrive by cab, public transport or walking to Avenida Antonio Lorena ( 10 minutes from the Plaza de Armas of Cusco) to take a bus to Santa Teresa, a small town located northwest of Cusco (about 203 km), the bus will reach the village in about 4 hours and the cost of the trip is between S/. 30 to 50 soles (USD 8 to 11 dollars) per person.
Suggestion: take this route in the dry season (from April to October) since part of the route is not paved and rains can cause accidents or stagnation of buses and cars on the road.
Upon arriving at the town of Santa Teresa, you can decide to spend the night there and enjoy its hot springs of Cocalmayo, its gastronomy, its adventure sports. This is a good option if you arrive late to Santa Teresa to catch the bus that will take you to the Hydroelectric station or, if you want to get to know the town of Santa Teresa, since there you can find hotels, lodging, restaurants, bars and much more.
To get to the Hydroelectric station, from the town of Santa Teresa you will have to take another bus, the trip takes approximately 1 hour ( 11 Km) and the cost of the trip is between S/.10 to 20 soles (S/. 6 to 10 dollars) per person.
To know how to get from the Hydroelectric station to Aguas Calientes (Machu Picchu Pueblo) click here.
