Sunrise at Machu Pichu

kraggy

Question for a friend.

She'd like to see the sunrise over Machu Pichu but doesn't want to do the 4 day trek.

Anyone know if there are any companies/agencies that bring people up from say Aqua Caliente to see it?

Thanks

K.

humanji

You don't have to do the trek. There's loads of day trips up there and you can get the bus down at anytime (I think there's one every half hour or so).

kraggy

Thanks Humanji.

I was up there myself a couple of months ago and know that you can go up for the day on the bus.

But as far as I know, them buses don't run at 5a.m when the sun would be rising.

I stand to be corrected though..

bringitdown

FYI: there is a small trek to the Sun-Gate regardless but not very taxing.

Just be aware that sunrise as you (I would guess) imagine it is often a non-event due to clouds / smoke / etc.

Still completely worth getting up there early anyway!

kraggy

Thanks BID.

How long is the trek? Just that morning like?

Aura

Buses do run from 5am but she’ll have to start queuing for it early. I went to get the 5am but had to queue for about half an hour so sun was just rising when I got there.

Would love to be heading off again myself!!

kraggy

ok thanks

bringitdown

Just that morning to the Sun-Gate about 30/40 minutes would easily cover it I am guessing (in the dark!) ... you don't have to go to the Sun-Gate but that is the 'traditional' spot for sun-rise viewing ... expect many smelly trekkers there as well... !

kraggy

Thanks very much folks!

humanji

Well, when I went, there were older people in my tour group who decided to take the bus up (lazy sods) and they got there for sunrise. Ask the tour operators and they'll help you. I don't see the point in trekking up to the sungate. It's a facy sunrise (if you get the weather for it) but it's nothing special. The real spectacle comes when you stand in Machu Picchu and see the sun rising up through the sungate. Think this happens around 10am in early august (although, again check with a tour operator).

Meathlass

Aura wrote: »

Buses do run from 5am but she’ll have to start queuing for it early. I went to get the 5am but had to queue for about half an hour so sun was just rising when I got there.

Would love to be heading off again myself!!

When I was there a year ago, the buses didn't start running until 8am. Friends did the trek and they saw absolutely nothing, it was misty and very foggy. I could never understand the obession to see famous places at sunrise, guess I'm not just a romantic enough person. Personally I could think of nothing worse than standing at the sun gate waiting for sunrise with several hundred other people who are tired and probably wet.

How Strange

I did the 4 day trek and seeing the mist roll off and reveal Machu Picchu at sunrise still is one of the highlights of all my travelling.

From what I could see, the tourists get to city quicker than the trekkers but they miss the views. I didn't see any day trippers at the sun gate.

gandalf

If you are taking photos sunrise is the best time, the light is coming from an angle and softer. Makes for more interesting photographs. When I do get to go here I too would be going up early in the morning to get the shots.

damoz

I dont see the point of showing up on a Bus to tick another world heritage site off your list. As one of the "smelly trekers" as someone mentioned earlier, i recommed the only way to see the sunrise is to trek for 4 days. Its a just reward after 4 days on foot - and a highlight of my travels thus far.

bringitdown

damoz, trekking for Machu Picchu doesn't appeal to everyone for many different reasons and that does not make them any less entitled to see it nor does it mean they are just ticking something off 'their list'. If fact you could apply your list logic to the trek too.

I agree that the trek is extremely rewarding, I did it, and I made the smelly comment, because I was for a fact very smelly after 4 days with just 1 (freezing) wash.

Meathlass

bringitdown wrote: »

damoz, trekking for Machu Picchu doesn't appeal to everyone for many different reasons and that does not make them any less entitled to see it nor does it mean they are just ticking something off 'their list'. If fact you could apply your list logic to the trek too.

I agree that the trek is extremely rewarding, I did it, and I made the smelly comment, because I was for a fact very smelly after 4 days with just 1 (freezing) wash.

I personally didn't do the trek because I suffer from altitude sickness ( a whole month in Boliva feeling sick) I'm glad I didn't do it as I think for me that it would have ruined my experience of MP if I was tired and sick when I got there. I overheard plenty of people who had done the trek say they just wanted to get to Agua Calientes and have a shower and some food. Most were gone by 10am. I stayed for the whole day, was one of the last people to leave. As an archaeologist I had probably more of an obsessive interest than most people but I think it's disingenous to suggest that people are just ticking it off the list becuase they don't do the trek ie. they're not 'real' travellers.

Ninja_scrotum

I hate that "real traveller" BS. Anyone who packs a bag and goes to another country is on holidays. Simple as that.

To the people who did the trek or just went straight to Pichu, how cold was it up there? I know, random question.

shrapnel222

Ninja_scrotum wrote: »

I hate that "real traveller" BS. Anyone who packs a bag and goes to another country is on holidays. Simple as that.

To the people who did the trek or just went straight to Pichu, how cold was it up there? I know, random question.

random answer: when?

macchu picchu is not very high up. it's only at 2400 metres so once you are acclimatised in cuzco, macchu picchu is a doddle as it's much lower. it can get fresh during the night, but a fleece was all we ever needed. during the day it was lovely and warm, t shirt weather. this was in august

for more info

http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/world/city_guides/results.shtml?tt=TT001930

Meathlass

Ninja_scrotum wrote: »

I hate that "real traveller" BS. Anyone who packs a bag and goes to another country is on holidays. Simple as that.

To the people who did the trek or just went straight to Pichu, how cold was it up there? I know, random question.

I was there in mid November and it was around 25oC. Cover your arms though as I had hundreds of very itchy bites from little insects. Didn't use repellent as knew their would be no mossies. I think they're called sandflies.

Black Jack

no you dont have to do the 4 day trek or any trek, just dont book it here, wait until your there thats what i did

and you get it for **** all, the solo is poor to the euro, itll cost little to you

If u have some spanish then your laughing, go to Cusco and from there you can arrange with any local travel agency to go to Machu Pichu with a overnight stay in Agua Calientes, you get a guided tour in either spanish or english and a free day pass , so u can come and go as u please

you get to MP from Cusco by train, this is slightly uncomfortable and takes about 4-6 hours , but its some Michael Palin action, beautifull scenary and a experience , wow, old school train jumping between the carriages, dangerous but fun,

Well thats what i did, and i have no spanish, when i go to Cusco, i stayed in a Hostel and the hostel had a travel agency , cause in Cusco its very very touristy compared to the rest of Peru such as Lima which is a ****hole, they wont rip u off either, they will arrange for a driver to pick u up from the hostel take u to the train station and off u go, bus's and all taken care off

just wait until your in cusco and arrange it from there