Access to Ollantaytambo takes place from Cusco. Therefore, participants should travel from their cities/countries, when this is the case, to the airport of Lima, Peru, and from there to Cusco.
Transportation Cusco Airport/Central Square of Ollantaytambo/Cusco Airport
We are collecting information regarding the transportation of participants from Cusco Airport to Ollantaytambo and we will inform the occupation lists of the buses. The reception to the participants will be carried out by members of the Local Organizing Committee carrying small posters with the inscription IWARA2018. Upon leaving the small exit door of the interior of the airport, the traveler is faced with a grid on the outside that separates those who arrive from those who receive them. There you will find the reception committee that will direct you to your bus.
1st Option
For foreign participants. We intend to offer transportation between the airport of Cusco to Ollantaytambo, towards the central square of the city, on September 8. From the central square of Ollantaytambo we recommend that the participants use the so-called mototaxis, https://www.tripsavvy.com/mototaxis-in-peru-1619752 a very common way of transportation in Peru, for their own transportation to their hotel. This type of vehicle can carry three people and is very practical in view of their small dimensions to scroll through the narrow streets of Ollantaytambo. We recommend that participants have, at their disposal, when they arrive in Ollantaytambo, the necessary information regarding the location of their hotel. The transportation price through moto-taxis is of the order of 1.5 US dollars. On the return from Ollantaytambo, we will offer transportation to the airport of Cusco on September 15, just after the closing of the meeting, leaving the central square of Ollantaytambo.
For Peruvian participants.Transportation for students, researchers and teachers of the Peruvian Universities will be organized separately by Profs. Sayri Tupac Garcia Roca – UNSAAC; Carlos Javier Solano Salinas, Orlando Pereyra Ravinez, Rosendo Ochoa Jimenez – UNI; Augusto Saba Effio – UNPRG.
2nd Option. Those who wish can organize their own transportation between Cusco and Ollantaytambo with Mr. Jhosept Arroyo Condori (perutravelplatinum@live.com). The total cost for round trip is $90 USD in a private car with up to four passengers.
3rd Option. Participants can board a local small bus to Ollantaytambo on Calle Pavitos in Cusco; it will cost 15 Soles ($4 USD) and will arrive on Plaza Principal de Ollantaytambo (Main Square of Ollantaytambo), with an intermediate stop in the Town of Urubamba. The trip takes approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes to 2 hours.
Altitude. Cusco is 3,400 meters (11,150 feet) above sea level, while Machu Picchu is about 2,400 meters (7,900 feet). Altitude sickness generally starts affecting people at 8,000 feet. Ollantaytambo is 2.792 meters (9.160 feet), so this city is better for adjusting to the high altitude than Cusco.
Electricity in Peru. In Peru the power sockets are of type A and C. The standard voltage is 220 V and the standard frequency is 60 Hz.
Visa and vaccines. Consult the appropriate local agencies of your city, country or region if you have questions about the need for a visa and for some type of vaccine to enter Peru.
Currency in Peru. The currency in Peru is the Nuevo Sol. And as in most countries, Peru uses the system of one hundred cents for every Sol. In many establishments, the US dollar is accepted for commercial transactions, as in restaurants, coffee shops, etc., with exchange value according to the exchange value of the day (around 3.3 Soles for each US dollar).
Potable water. Water in Peru is of good quality, but as is the case in many Latin American countries, water purification may not be suitable for people from Europe or the USA. For this reason, it is recommended to take mineral water even for brushing the teeth.
Some tips when visiting Machu Picchu. Pack a sweater and/or rain jacket. The weather can change quickly. You can get your passport stamped at the tourist office once you arrive at Machu Picchu. Do not underestimate altitude sickness. Take it easy, do not overexert yourself. Follow the trails with care and follow the instructions of the local attendants. We had promised participants to offer them a lunch bag, but we were told that visitors cannot take drinks or food into the site. For this reason, it would be advisable to eat a big breakfast or have lunch at the Tinkuy Buffet Restaurant at Sanctuary Lodge, in front of the main entrance of Machu Picchu. Lunch reservations can be made on-site before entering the archaeological site. The price of lunch is 45 USD. After lunch you can enter once more at the site of Machu Picchu. Those who so wish can return by bus to Aguas Calientes, the town of Machu Picchu, may have lunch there and wait for the train that will take them to Ollantaytambo in the late afternoon (4:12 pm – departure towards Ollantaytambo). For many people, around three hours is enough to visit the whole site.
Please find below the itinerary of the visit to Machu Picchu and of the visit to Maras and Moray:
