Category Archives: News

Peru’s tourism sector and National Institute of Culture clash again over visitor limits to Machu Picchu

By Rick Vecchio | Published: September 7, 2010
UNESCO and Peru’s National Institute of Culture (INC) once again find themselves at odds with Peru’s private tourism sector over how many tourists should be allowed to enter Machu Picchu. Carlos Canales, president of Peru’s National Chamber of Tourism (Canatur), is calling into question the technical basis that the INC used for setting that limit [...]
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Peru’s plan to invest upwards of $417 million to build the Moche Trail

By admin | Published: September 2, 2010
Besides Cusco and Machu Picchu, what tourist destinations do travelers clamor to visit in Peru?  What once in a lifetime vacation spots come to mind? The answer are a bevy of white sand beach towns and archaeological complexes that surround Peru’s Northern coast cities of Trujillo and Chiclayo. Peru’s Foreign Trade and Tourism Ministry, along [...]
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Where else besides Machu Picchu should Peru enlist the help of stars like Susan Sarandon?

By Rick Vecchio | Published: April 6, 2010
Susan Sarandon added a big dose of Hollywood sparkle last week to the reopening ceremony of Peru’s crown jewel, Machu Picchu. Peru would be well served to apply such Tinsel Town treatment to its other historic attractions. Against the iconic backdrop of Inca Pachacuti’s 15th century citadel, the Academy Award winning actress posed with Andean [...]
Also posted in Archaeological Sites, Ayacucho, Chachapoyas, Huaraz, Kuelap, Machu Picchu | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Timetable for road access to Piscachucho train stop for Machu Picchu-bound travelers

By admin | Published: April 6, 2010
The Cusco Regional Government determined last week that PeruRail and IncaRail may not run privately contracted bus service from Ollantaytambo to Piscacucho to deliver Machu Picchu-bound passengers to the KM 82 train stop. During the months of April and May, transportation must be arranged privately or through your travel agency. Given the conditions of the [...]
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Machu Picchu reopens to more than 1,200 visitors and one Hollywood movie star, ending two-month closure

By admin | Published: April 1, 2010
Peruvian Times Report: Peru’s famous Inca citadel Machu Picchu reopened to tourists on Thursday after closing in late January due to flooding and mudslides that washed away large portions of the rail line leading to the UNESCO World Heritage Site. According to daily La República, Edgar Miranda, the mayor of Aguas Calientes – the town [...]
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Peru’s INC says it will limit sale of Machu Picchu tickets when rail service resumes

By Rick Vecchio | Published: March 30, 2010
Peru’s National Institute of Culture (INC) said Monday it will ration the number of  entrance tickets to Peru’s most popular tourist destination to prevent the site from being swamped by visitors after it reopens on April 1, the Peruvian Times reported. News that the INC planned to limit the number of Machu Picchu entrance tickets [...]
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Limited train service to Machu Picchu set to resume today, but expect some wrinkles…

By Rick Vecchio | Published: March 29, 2010
The long-anticipated resumption of train service to Machu Picchu is set to start today— three days ahead of the official reopening of the Inca citadel after torrential rains in late January transformed the Vilcanota River into a raging torrent that ripped apart much of the rail line. Siduith and I traveled to Piscacucho on Saturday [...]
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Cajamarquilla archaeological complex equipped with interpretation center and resident researchers

By admin | Published: March 20, 2010
A new interpretation center was inaugurated last week at the Cajamarquilla ruins, one of the largest, most important and — until now — most under-appreciated pre-Hispanic archaeological complexes along Peru’s central coast. The center features an exposition room with informational panels explaining the archaeological significance of the sprawling site. Cajamarquilla was a large urban center [...]
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Train schedules announced ahead of April 1 Machu Picchu reopening

By admin | Published: March 16, 2010
Click here to read UPDATED information about train service from Piscacucho to Machu Picchu! PeruRail formally has announced its provisional train schedule from Cusco to Machu Picchu set to begin March 29 — two months after torrential rain caused widespread flooding and landslides, destroying much of the rail line when the adjacent Vilcanota River transformed [...]
Also posted in Cusco, Destinations, Machu Picchu, Travel Tips | 1 Comment

April 1 reopening of Machu Picchu could be a rough ride

By admin | Published: March 9, 2010
… expect some delays at first. According to the railway concessionaire Ferrocarril Trasandino, repairs to re-establish train access to Aguas Calientes are expected to be completed March 29. And government officials are sticking with April 1 as the reopening date for the Inca Trail and Machu Picchu. That said, getting to the citadel via train [...]
Also posted in Cusco, Machu Picchu, Travel Tips | 1 Comment