# Going to Machu Picchu? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 28, 2010, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/going-to-machu-picchu/526814 "2010-01-28T21:45:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![stpauler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@stpauler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stpauler)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2010, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/going-to-machu-picchu/526814/1 "2010-01-28T21:45:50Z")
I feel like an insensitive jerk asking this, but the flight is already booked. Our itinerary is to land in Lima, follow the coast of Peru down to Lake Titicaca, head up to Machu Picchu and head home. This was supposed to take place at the end of March through mid-April. Given the [recent events](http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2010/01/28/peru-machu-picchu.html)with flooding, I’ve got a feeling that it might be inaccessible when we get there. We have not booked any plane/train/bus/hotels for intra-country travel yet, but I’m wondering if we should give up on seeing Machu Picchu for now. Any ideas? ---
**Author:** ![luv2draw](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/46a35a/32.png) [@luv2draw](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/luv2draw)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2010, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/going-to-machu-picchu/526814/2 "2010-01-28T22:10:59Z")
I would hold off for now. I haven’t been there but a work friend went a few years ago. She did the tour where you walk up the mountain on the old Inca pathway which includes stone steps, camping out overnight instead of taking the train. I saw her pics and the terrain was quite rugged. In one area they were on a narrow pathway on the edge of the mountain with a major drop on one side. One false move… If I remember correctly, she said it took 3 or 4 days of hiking to reach the summit. It was, of course, glorious as they arrived at sunrise of New Year’s Day. According to an article I recently read a few days ago–sorry no link; I don’t remember where I saw it–that particular path has deteriorated. Same for the path the train takes. A tourist and a guide died on that mountain and people had to be evacuated by helicopter. If it were me I would err on the side of caution and make the trip another time. Reading the headlines on a Google search I just did indicates that there are people still stranded. There are only 2 ways up the mountain–the ancient path and the train. If both are out of commission, it might be quite a while before repairs are satisfactorily complete. No easy way to get equipment up there as it’s a very isolated area. ---
**Author:** ![stpauler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@stpauler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stpauler)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2010, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/going-to-machu-picchu/526814/3 "2010-01-28T22:17:57Z")
Thanks, we’d be doing the train as we’ve got younger kids with us and a 3-4 day hike in normal conditions and “are we there yet” would be quite unpleasant. ---
**Author:** ![sugar\_and\_spice](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e8c25b/32.png) [@sugar\_and\_spice](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sugar_and_spice)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2010, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/going-to-machu-picchu/526814/4 "2010-01-28T22:19:57Z")
Can I ask how old the kids are? ---
**Author:** ![DiosaBellissima](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a8b319/32.png) [@DiosaBellissima](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DiosaBellissima)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2010, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/going-to-machu-picchu/526814/5 "2010-01-28T22:23:37Z")
I went to Peru over the summer and absolutely did not do the backpacker thing, as it is not me at all. I also didn’t do any group tours, just booked various legs of travel as need be. From the cabs, buses, and trains I regularly saw the hikers backpacking their way up. Personally, I think that looks absolutely like the worst way to travel, but to each their own. Anyway, they looked miserable enough trodding along in the mud on a perfectly lovely day in August. I can’t imagine how awful that would be in flooding, eroded, rain drenched now. Hell, I fell a bunch of times crawling along the rocks at different places and that was in perfectly fine weather. Be careful. ---
**Author:** ![stpauler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@stpauler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stpauler)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2010, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/going-to-machu-picchu/526814/6 "2010-01-28T22:26:10Z")
> [@sugar\_and\_spice](#): > > Can I ask how old the kids are? Sure, 8, 10, and 16. Oh, and that is also to say that we are not backpacking/hiking the trail. ---
**Author:** ![otternell](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ecc23a/32.png) [@otternell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/otternell)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2010, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/going-to-machu-picchu/526814/7 "2010-01-28T22:39:44Z")
Lucky kiddos! I wish my parents had taken me somewhere like that. Hell my parent don’t even know what MP is! ---
**Author:** ![sugar\_and\_spice](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e8c25b/32.png) [@sugar\_and\_spice](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sugar_and_spice)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2010, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/going-to-machu-picchu/526814/8 "2010-01-28T23:21:32Z")
That’s older than I expected, but my hunch is that it will be too much hassle for a family with an 8 and 10 year old. There’s a higher chance that little things will go wrong, and it won’t be much of an adventure for the younger ones. Plus I would assume that Cuzco will not be as lively as usual, and if you’re not doing the Inca Trail then Cuzco itself will be one of your highlights. So I’d say that if you can put off plans then check the state of affairs in another month, but if it’s something that has to be decided right now then do it another time. I hate to say don’t go but I’d want your family to get the most of the trip. This is a bit of an aside, but I did the Inca Trail 10 years ago, and in general I’d recommended it to anyone with any sort of inclination toward hiking. The tour packages come in all different shapes and sizes, IIRC standard is 5 days but I’ve seen 2 day tours online. I’m not sure what an appropriate age is for a kid, but your family are regular campers or hikers then I would consider postponing until your youngest can manage one of the easier tours. /$0.02 ---
**Author:** ![luv2draw](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/46a35a/32.png) [@luv2draw](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/luv2draw)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2010, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/going-to-machu-picchu/526814/9 "2010-01-28T23:49:41Z")
> [@stpauler](#): > > Thanks, we’d be doing the train as we’ve got younger kids with us and a 3-4 day hike in normal conditions and “are we there yet” would be quite unpleasant. Here’s a recent link I just read: [http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSN2810846420100128?type=marketsNews](http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSN2810846420100128?type=marketsNews) Sounds like a mess and it’s not over yet. Over 1000 people are still trapped there. Nothing, IMHO, to be doing with kids yet. As far as the hike the young lady I know–30 years old, healthy, very active, works out seriously, eats right, etc.–said it was a rough climb. She’s glad she did it but after seeing the pics of the trial and knowing that it’s a higher altitude, the hike wouldn’t be something I would do. Ever. Oh yeah, you also have to carry your stuff. You can see from the article that the train has been suspended. That and the trail are the only routes up the mountain. Do it another time when the area isn’t stressed, normal procedures are back in place and you can enjoy it. You’re fortunate that you didn’t pay for all the local tours, etc. yet. ---
**Author:** ![Antinor01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecae2f/32.png) [@Antinor01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antinor01)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2010, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/going-to-machu-picchu/526814/10 "2010-01-29T00:56:28Z")
I know it’s not funny, but the flooding was being covered by the news while I was at the gym. The closed captioning read “macho peach you”. It took me a minute to figure out what that meant and then I laughed before I could stop myself. ---
**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2010, 6:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/going-to-machu-picchu/526814/11 "2010-01-29T06:50:32Z")
You’re flying in? Over Macho Grande? ---
**Author:** ![sugar\_and\_spice](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e8c25b/32.png) [@sugar\_and\_spice](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sugar_and_spice)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2010, 8:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/going-to-machu-picchu/526814/12 "2010-01-29T08:30:25Z")
just a follow up, if that corner of the world interests you then consider Ecuador and/or Galapagos. There was a 6 year old (approx) on our Galapagos boat tour and he seemed to have a great time. There’s no ruins to climb, just boats and cheerful animals. Ecuador itself has a lot of ecotourism-type activities, plus a colonial history and thriving indigenous culture, and IIRC much of what we did was family-friendly. ---
**Author:** ![Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2010, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/going-to-machu-picchu/526814/13 "2010-01-29T14:17:03Z")
According to [this morning’s news](http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8486496.stm), things are looking up slightly, but Machu Picchu itself will remain closed for several weeks at least. And Latin American weeks tend to be a lot longer than regular American ones 😉 ---
**Author:** ![luv2draw](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/46a35a/32.png) [@luv2draw](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/luv2draw)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2010, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/going-to-machu-picchu/526814/14 "2010-01-29T17:28:04Z")
> [@sugar\_and\_spice](#): > > just a follow up, if that corner of the world interests you then consider Ecuador and/or Galapagos. There was a 6 year old (approx) on our Galapagos boat tour and he seemed to have a great time. There’s no ruins to climb, just boats and cheerful animals. Ecuador itself has a lot of ecotourism-type activities, plus a colonial history and thriving indigenous culture, and IIRC much of what we did was family-friendly. That sounds like a WONDERFUL alternative idea for the OP! I’m a botanical/natural artist and the Galapagos is definitely on my _ **must do** _ list.😃 …just have to recover from this crazy economy first… ---
**Author:** ![DiosaBellissima](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a8b319/32.png) [@DiosaBellissima](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DiosaBellissima)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2010, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/going-to-machu-picchu/526814/15 "2010-01-29T17:43:17Z")
> [@sugar\_and\_spice](#): > > just a follow up, if that corner of the world interests you then consider Ecuador and/or Galapagos. There was a 6 year old (approx) on our Galapagos boat tour and he seemed to have a great time. There’s no ruins to climb, just boats and cheerful animals. Ecuador itself has a lot of ecotourism-type activities, plus a colonial history and thriving indigenous culture, and IIRC much of what we did was family-friendly. A great idea, but the difference in price between visiting Machu Picchu and the Galapagos is significant. My entire trip to Peru for 9 days (all travel- buses, airfare, cabs, trains, etc- food, lodging, entrance fees, and shopping) was under $1000. I’ve been looking at trips to the Galapagos and while it looks like there are some deals every so often for about $1800, the trips seem to average $2500+. ---
**Author:** ![StoutHearted](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2bfe46/32.png) [@StoutHearted](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StoutHearted)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2010, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/going-to-machu-picchu/526814/16 "2010-01-29T17:51:40Z")
> [@Rhythmdvl](#): > > You’re flying in? Over Macho Grande? I’ll never be over Macho Grande. ---
**Author:** ![stpauler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@stpauler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stpauler)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2010, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/going-to-machu-picchu/526814/17 "2010-01-30T01:45:55Z")
[Peru repair of Machu Picchu train to take 2 months](http://af.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idAFTRE60S6TW20100129) Sounds like we’re best off trying to make other plans. We had thought about doing the Galapagos prior but didn’t think we could fit it in the trip, now we’ll have to do some serious planning.