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“It’s an armpit.”
This was how Aguas Calientes was described to me by one of my friends.
Everyone has a different expectation of experiences, places and activities. My years of travel has taught me this time and again. Many places I have adored, others were not so excited about and vice versa.
When I asked a friend to tell me about her visit to Machu Picchu as I began to plan our trip, she wasn’t thrilled about her night in Aguas Calientes. In fact, she advised me to take the train there early in the morning and return to Cusco that evening. That seemed like a lot of travel for one day and I was certain I would be in no mood for that much exertion.
Checking out other travelers posts, I was intrigued by the little town that is dubbed, The Gateway to Machu Picchu. I didn’t want us to miss out on an experience that might be unique, so I planned to stay for one night.
There was a wide range of options to choose from when I was checking out hotels…hostels, budget, mid-range and luxury…but I wanted more of a local experience. The one I chose was mid-range and unique indeed.
After we arrived in Aguas Calientes, we made our way through the maze that was the market place and into the town square. Not really knowing where our hotel was located, we stopped a local worker and we were directed to a nearby alleyway. Our hotel, Gringo Bill’s, was deep into the small passage and as we checked in at the front desk in the small lobby, we were told to return in an hour.
Heading back to the main square, we found a top-floor restaurant where we could sit near the windows and watch the comings and goings of both tourists and locals. As we enjoyed our burgers, the main attractions were the countless tourists posing with the Machu Picchu sign and a parade of small children from the local school playing instruments, marching behind their music teacher.
Once we checked back with our hotel, we were led through the maze of stairways and hallways leading up to our room on one of the top floors at the rear of the property. Dark wood and white plaster walls were complimented with brightly, woven fabrics. The place was neat and clean and we had a small balcony to sit and enjoy the surrounding mountain walls.
After settling in, we set out to see the town. Consisting of a main square, Plaza Manco Capac, and small passageways set into the mountainside, a railway line cuts through the western part of the town, running northwest to south, most important to the town’s viability. As we walked along the tracks, we watched the town in action, loading and unloading supplies brought in from larger Peruvian cities. Occasionally, the Explorer and Vistadome trains rumbled through and once, we even saw the Hiram Bingham glide by with its 1920’s-style carriages, finished with polished wood and brass. Inside, we could see tables set with white table cloths and fine china and the Observation Car where fortunate travelers can watch the Peruvian countryside with no barrier between them and the fresh air. It was nice to see, as with the prices charged for that type of adventure, it was as close as we were going to get!
We took a walk along Avenida Hermanos Ayar to see where the buses would pick us up in the morning for our trek to Machu Picchu. Buses of weary tourists were arriving from that day’s mountain adventure and it was exciting to think that in a little more than twelve hours, we were going to be setting out from this spot for our adventure of a lifetime.
The Urubamba River rushed alongside the mostly unpaved road and we noted the waterline on the steep mountain walls on the opposite side of the river, letting us know that the river was currently at a low point.
The town was filled with restaurants, shops, hotels and small plazas. I enjoyed the beautiful carvings etched into large boulders and rock walls throughout the town. There were many statues scattered throughout, colorful architecture and narrow pedestrian bridges crossing the Rio Aguas Calientes.
The community church, Iglesia Virgin del Carmen, situated on the main square, was open so we ventured in to take a look. A large, one-room structure, its white ceiling was lined with dark beams and its white walls interspersed with high, windows, stained blue and yellow. The main focus, the altar, was a grandiose, gold piece with statues situated in the alcoves. I loved that many of the locals seemed to gather on the steps to visit and sometimes have a bite to eat. The children played here together spinning their tops, laughing and enjoying each others company. It truly seemed to be the center of the community.
Next, we made our way up the steep hill toward the hot springs. Although we had brought swimsuits, we decided on the advice of a friend, to skip this adventure. She said that the best time to visit is in the morning when the waters are fresher and not contaminated by the sweaty hikers who have descended from Machu Picchu and the Inca Trail. We checked out the entrance and the shops that rent swimsuits, sandals and towels. Reading up on the attraction later, we found reviews not so favorable, ranging from complaints of urine smells, mold and scum floating on the surface, so we were extremely glad that we had decided against a visit.
Finally, out last stop was the Mercado Artesanal. A vast labyrinth of stalls filled with t-shirts, jewelry, alpaca sweaters, bags, hats and other trinkets, it was confusing yet amusing to peruse this market and we picked up a few things for our children and ourselves.
Though our stay in Aguas Calientes was a short one, I thought the town to be quite charming and glad that we had given ourselves enough time to enjoy it. Once I had posted pictures taken during our stay, another friend confided to me that they had done one of the tours of the Sacred Valley, which had them arriving in Aguas Calientes after dark, departing for Machu Picchu early in the morning and returning to town, only to catch the train and return to Cusco. She loved my pictures and felt like she had been short-changed, wishing that she had had some time to wander around the small town. That being said, we also spoke with another couple who had decided to stay in Aguas Calientes for two nights. With so little to do other than Machu Picchu, they considered two nights to be a bit much.
With such a long journey to reach Machu Picchu, take the time to enjoy Aguas Calientes for what it is. Although a small place, it definitely has its charm and you should take a bit of time to explore what it has to offer.
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Gringo Bill’s Hotel
- https://www.gringobills.com/en-us
- Address: Jiron Collaraymi N° 104, Aguas Calientes, Peru
- Nightly Rates: From about $50 US
Having opted to catch the train from the nearby Poroy Station, we set out early in the morning by taxi. As we neared the station, our cab driver attempted to communicate with us and with his limited Spanish, we were concerned that he was lost. Finally, as we pulled into the station parking lot, we learned that he wanted to know our return time the next night so he could pick us up. As I negotiated the price, I felt some relief knowing that upon our arrival, we would not have to hope for transportation back to our hotel.
Almost four hours from the start of our journey in Poroy, we felt the train slowing once again as we pulled into the station at Aguas Calientes, Machu Picchy Station. So excited to begin our exploration of a new part of Peru, we grabbed our bags and headed out, eager to see what this small town had to offer.
For the past few years, I have enviously swiped through my friend’s Facebook posts about their sojourns to Machu Picchu. Spying them perched on the mountainside with the picturesque citadel spread out below them…and the occasional llama or two…I envisioned myself there one day.
LATAM? Avianca? Star Peru? Peruvian? LC Peru? Viva Air Peru?
Second order of business…getting to Aguas Calientes. The Peru Rail website was pretty straightforward and we decided that we would travel from Cusco Poroy station to Aguas Calientes, instead of from Ollantaytambo, which required a lengthy taxi or bus ride. Pricing wasn’t much different and we would leave early, arriving around 11:00 am. After selecting our options, the website made a reservation and charged my credit card, however, it did not generate tickets. I knew something was off but not sure what the problem was. After two phone calls to Peru, I finally found someone at Peru Rail who could help. Six hours later, many emails back and forth, plus the submittal of information requested, we finally had tickets. A refund for the first charges was processed about a week later.
Next, we needed a hotel room in Aguas Calientes. There are many options from hostels to high-end spas. After perusing different choices on Agoda, I decided that with so little time at the hotel, it was not prudent to spend a great deal for one night. Deciding on a mid-grade room, this was booked and paid for.
Figuring out what to pack was much tougher than I expected and I spent many days, shopping and then returning items that I ultimately decided were not what the trip required. The weather seemed to change on a dime and everyone uttered those words I hate, “bring layers”. The weather forecast even gave the type of temperatures that I hate, “60s”! 60 in the sun, can be totally different than 60 in the shade!