The peak of Huayna Picchu dominating the citadel of Machu Picchu
Today we have been informed that as from the 15th of July , in order to climb Huayna Picchu (the big sugar loaf mountain behind Machu Picchu) the following new rules (in blue) are now in place, not only limiting the number but also adding a surcharge for those wishing to attempt this climb:
1: Entrance times are:
Group 1 (G1): 0700 – 0800
Group 2 (G2): 1000 – 1100
2: The max capacity per group is 200 people
3: Permits to climb Huayna Picchu can only be made through www.machupicchu.gob.pe or in the Cusco office of the Direction Regional of Cusco.
They cannot be purchased on arrival in Machu Picchu nor in Aguas Calientes. Once sold out, that’s it. You can find availability at the website above.
4: The prices for entrances to Huayna Picchu are different to the standard entrance tickets to Machu Picchu whose price remains the same. It is not possible to swap standard entrance tickets to include Huayna Picchu.
5: Prices for Machu Picchu – Huayna Picchu – Moon Temple which come into effect as of 15th July (includes entrance to Machu Picchu) are
Adults S/150 which equals around us$55.
Students with Valid ISIC cards only S/75
In future any clients wishing to climb Huayna Picchu, we will need to know as far in advance as possible, and will then purchase the permits on their behalf and will have to surcharge as below:
For those just doing a day trip, with enough warning, we can add Huayna Picchu to their standard day trip price for £10 extra
For those coming in on the Inca Trail (Km 104 or longer) we will have to pre -purchase a complete new entrance at £38
For this year we will do this at cost price when available, but note we need the maximum warning possible to be able to confirm these permits – The system has only just gone live and already permits are selling out fast – We anticipate it being similar to the Inca Trail permits shortly.
It is worth mentioning there are still some great hikes to do in and around Machu Picchu that are not yet restricted: climb Machu Picchu Mountain for a truly impressive view of Machu Picchu as the condors see it, hike back along the Inca Trail to the Sun gate to see Machu Picchu as those on the Inca Trail see it, hike out to the Inca Bridge for more amazing views.
Find out more about our group holidays to Peru.
Ceviche - served in the classic Peruvian style
Every country has it’s national dish. In Peru it is undoubtedly ceviche. It is a dish of fish marinated in lime juice, the acid from which actually ,’cooks’ the fish. It is mixed with finely sliced red onions and chilli, served on a plate with lettuce, corn on the cob and sweet potato. Try it with an ice-cold Inca Cola for the truly Peruvian immersion experience!
When I first arrived in Peru, from Ecuador, I arrived in the northern town of Chiclayo. The first thing that struck me was the amount of people out, wandering the streets until late in the evening. This didn’t happen much in Quito or Cuenca, where the streets were often deserted after dark.
For the first week I spent my evenings wandering and enjoying what I thought was the national dish of Peru: spit-roasted chicken, served with chips and salad. I blame it on the sheer volume of “Pollerias”, (restaurants dedicated to serving chicken). I hope that I have now been forgiven by the people of northern Peru for thinking such a thing!
The first time that I tried ceviche in Peru, was in the city of Trujillo. For me, it was love at first bite! Myself and my travelling companion were recommended a “Cevicheria”, by the owner of the hostel where we were staying. We took him up on his recommendation.
Ceviche must be prepared using very fresh fish and Peruvians are very keen on cleanliness, especially when it comes to serving food. The freshness of the fish means it takes on the flavour of the lemon and the heat of the chili. Upon closer inspection, it was apparent that the fish was cooked all of the way through! The acid in the limes had cured the fish. Each mouthful of the mix contained a variety of flavours and the ice-cold Inca Cola was a perfect compliment to it.
I was left in no doubt that ceviche is Peru’s national dish on a separate visit to Trujillo, when I was staying in the coastal town of Huanchaco. After a shopping trip in the morning, returning to our hotel, the streets of this small town were deserted. This was quite strange for an early afternoon. On the corners of some of the streets, were plain-clothed police, carrying guns.
It transpired that the president of Peru had just decided to pop-in to his favourite cevicheria for lunch. Apparently, he had flown up from Lima in his helicopter especally. After lunch, he was whisked away, presumably back to Lima to continue with his working day.
I have travelled extensively throughout Peru. When I meet people and speak of my times in this fascinating country, I will always mention ceviche when asked about the cuisine. Peru’s cuisine is quite unique in all of South America and ceviche is the signature dish. It sometimes raises a look of bemusement with first timers, but it is perfectly safe to eat and highly recommended for anybody who is a fan of seafood.
Find out more about our Peru holidays or read our guide to Peru.
Arriving...
I was watching Mark Beaumont with my wife the other evening.
In case you don’t know, he’s the guy who recently cycled the length of the Americas solo and, incidentally, climbing both McKinlay and Aconcagua in the same trip.
This was the third and final installment which covered his cycle through South America (the others being north and central America). Watching his progress on television you really could see that 2,000km of strong headwind and open desert nearly broke his spirit.
It was fairly harsh viewing at times because it really did seem that he was losing his mind.
Then he reached central Chile and climbed the highest mountain outside of Asia, in a bit of a rush. Then he got on his bike and cycled the last 2000km or so to the end of the continent. And there he was at the end of the Americas, alone, dabbing his hands in the cold water, bike propped up on the shore, tears streaming down his face.
My wife watched, head in hands, saying “Why would you do that?”
And that set me thinking. It didn’t seem odd to me at all, it seemed like he had set himself an incredibly tough challenge but the fundamental ‘why?’ was obvious to me. It’s the arrival.
A true adventure is unpleasant, until it’s over. The arrival is the sweetest moment. It wipes the slate, takes away the negative.
History can be summarised as the study of continuity and change over time. I picture it as a spiral. Our normal, day to day lives are formed primarly by continuity with just a dash of change so the spiral is formed by wide, sweeping circles, slow to rise. A pure adventure is all about change and little to do with continuity. The circles tighten and the spiral shoots up rapidly until you arrive and your spiral regains some continuity.
Mark Beaumont is someone who has done something so hard, so extreme, so far out of the ordinary that he will have emerged from his adventure at a completely different altitude. That moment of arrival is the moment when he lets continuity, the ‘ordinary’, back into his life.
For the more sound of mind, we can indulge ourselves with an active holiday in stunning surroundings. I think it does the same thing, albeit on a much smaller scale. It’s about surrendering yourself to a period of less continuity and more change. That’s why you come back home from holiday feeling so good – I think you re-enter your life at a slightly different altitude.
That’s all. Have a look at our active holidays if you fancy tipping the balance for a while.