Machu Picchu for Muchachas

Take an excursion to this mystical city, or do it yourself

by Ande Wanderer (adapted and updated from the version published in Girlfriends)

More than five hundred years ago, it was a retreat where the ‘Chosen Women’ were worshipped and mummified after death. Today, Machu Picchu is an over-visited but still mystical destination for a fit couple or a group of girlfriends seeking more from a vacation than a beach chair in the sun.

The Lost City of Incas wasn’t discovered by explorers until 1911. High in the Andes, it is possible to get to the ruins by rail and road, but many choose to go the hard and rewarding way: by hiking on one of the many trails over breathtaking passes. The most popular route is the exhilarating Camino Inca (Inca Trail). The beginning part of the trail is reminiscent of a fairy tale: fields of wild flowers, ancient stone dwellings, birdsongs that you never heard before. It¹s not until you start going over the high mountain passes that your workout truly begins.       

The best time of year to go is during the dry season from May to December, though June and August are the busiest tourist months. If you go in the off season, you¹ll get to explore the ruins with less of a crowd, but you will get wet.

Mariah Wilderness Expeditions (800-462-7424) offers two-week tours specifically for women for under $3,000. Footprints Travel (416-962-8111), a Canadian travel agency, offers two-week whirlwind tours for men and woman that go through La Paz, Bolivia, Lake Titticaca, Cuzco, and Machu Picchu. ‘Transformational’ tour company, Spirit Journeys (800-754-1875/828-258-8880) has a metaphysical slant and skips the Inca Trail trek but transports travelers directly to the ruins.  

Do it yourself

Experienced backpackers looking to do a trek with less crowds and without a guide -- which are now required on the Inca Trail -- may want to consider one of the other trails in the Sacred Valley that lead to the ruins. Among the options are the Salcantay to Machu Pichu trek which, with its entrance fee of $100 -- half the price as the Inca Trail. Another highly recommended trek is the longer Choquequirao to Machu Picchu trek.

Most travelers acclimate themselves and get prepared in the fascinating Andean capital of Cuzco at 11,000 ft. above sea level. After figuring out your route you’ll most likely need to catch the Machu Piccu-bound train to reach the beginning of your trailhead. Just ask locals where to get off. To boost tourism revenues and conserve the trails, most now require registration and a fee for trekking.

Bring a water purifier or, if you can tolerate the taste, water purifying tablets. You will need enough food for the duration of your trip, although you may come across tiny stores with items like crackers, outrageously priced for hungry tourists. Gifts like pens, writing paper, small toys and of course, coca leaves will break the ice with sometimes shy, hard-working locals who live near the trails. 

If the trails are harder than you thought, it is possible to hire a local as porter on the way to accompany you. Though the locals who live along the trails speak Quechua as their first language, most can speak a little Spanish, so it helps to have someone in your party who does too. The various treks in the region can take anywhere from three to fourteen days. If you’re on the Inca trail, you¹ll know you’re close to your goal when you reach the sun gate, Intipunka. Try to arrive at the ruins at sunrise to enjoy them without the crowds. After exploring the labyrinth of the ancient ruins, a great reward awaits you in the nearby Machu Pichu pueblo, often called, Agua Calientes, after it’s natural hot springs where locals and weary hikers come to soak their bones.