h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

This is to start the thread.

HungryJo, I take the point about the advantages of the Sanctuary, but according to one of the companies, you can't get _into_ the Machu Picchu ruins without a guide, and if we were to take a taxi up from Aguas first thing, we could be there well before the hordes. We could also take one down after the train trippers have left. You can take a lot of taxis for the $400 or so difference.

ATB
Ian

Hi Ian,

Apologies for not getting back to you sooner but work is a nightmare!

I do agree with you about the prohibitive cost, but I thought that they don't open the actual gates of Macchu Picchu until 9am? I can have a check on this as I think we still have the details of our trip. We were lucky (?!) enough to do the three day trek actually, which was amazing as you end up climbing up to 5000m which is the highest that I have ever climbed. The last night you camp near the Sun Gate, so that when they get you up at 5am, you can walk through the Sun Gate and see the sun rising over Macchu Picchu. All that said, the walk is incredibly hard going and as you say, you do have to have a guide the whole time.

Cheers,

Jo

Hi Jo,
Thanks VERY much for coming back. Don't worry about the delay! I've made an in principle booking, (and paid the deposit) so the company can get on with fixing the Galapagos part of the trip. The rest is far less urgent and because we've booked a bespoke holiday (sounds ever so grand) we can make minor changes for a while yet. For example, we've done rain forests already in Puerto Rico (El Yunque) and South America (Canaima and the Angel Falls), and so we have cut a day off that part, to be able to spend an extra day in Quito before coming back to the UK.

I don't know when the Sanctuary itself opens its gates, though I can easily ask. One tour company implied that whether we're in the Santuary Lodge or not, we can't get to be in the site proper without a guide, and if that's the case, then I don't really see what the advantage of the Lodge is. You walked in from a trek, so that must mean you didn't stay in the Lodge. I'm a bit confoozled!

All the Best
Ian

I really wish we had been able to go to the Galapagos but we were first year students at the time and it was a little beyond budget, sounds like you are doing it in style though, what a lovely way to spend your anniversary.

Sorry I should have been a little clearer, we didn't stay at the Lodge as we were camping, but the guide was telling us all about it, as apart from camping it is the only way of seeing the sun coming up over Macchu Picchu. However, you are totally correct in saying that without a guide you can't get in the park so having actually applied some thought to my original recommendation, you are probably right to take a taxi and save your money for the food! They have a wonderful speciality over there (especially in Peru), the name of which escapes me. It is potatoes covered in a slightly spicy, yellow mayonnaise. They have it on all the menus and I loved it. I will google it and try and find out the name.

Right, it is finally time to leave The City for the weekend, I am sure your french idyll is a lot better than grotty London at the moment.
Have a good weekend and enjoy planning your trip!

Jo