Waking up at 5am we had our last breakfast by the crackling fire in Urubamba before taking the one hour drive to Ollantaytambo where we would catch the train, the only way to reach Aguas Calientes, the town below Machu Picchu.
The train company, Perurail, really disappointed me when they would NOT give us our tickets that we had paid for in advance because we didn’t have the numbers of the credit card used by our travel agent to purchase the tickets. I was completely appalled that they wouldn’t give us our official tickets even with all the correct information on our E-tickets and matching passport numbers. Despite this awful experience with Perurail, and having to buy tickets TWICE, the train ride itself and views were a real wonder.
The train has great big windows, even in the ceiling so you can soak up the views during the one hour ride.
With the rushing river sparkling on the left and the rocky mountainside snug to your right you can almost feel the wind as the train goes zipping by.
We arrived in Aguas Callientes and were greeted by a man from Inkaterra Machu Picchu Puerblo Hotel who carried our hybrid backpack/suitcases and led us the short distance to their incredible hotel. To reach the entrance of the hotel you must first cross a wooden bridge that is suspended over a lively river flowing over stones while coming down through the thick jungle foliage. As soon as you cross the bridge, you enter into a magical jungle resort that nearly makes you forget the World Wonder you’ve come to see.
The property is abundantly green and lush, glistening canals running down either side of the stone steps that meander through the fauna and flora of the properties amazing 12.3 acres of mountainside refuge in the lush Andean Cloud Forest. Made from local materials of stone, stucco and eucalyptus beams it is given a rustic Andean village theme. The resort has more than 5 km of ecological paths, including a walk specifically dedicated to their orchids, which they have 372 species of, as well as 180 bird and 111 butterfly species, the occasional fountain and waterfall add to the wonder. Like I said, this resort is a holiday destination in itself, and as an incredible bonus, just happens to be located at the foot of Machu Picchu Mountain.
In their gorgeous, old library we were welcomed with a delicious ice tea from their very own tea plantation.
Luckily, we were given an informative run down of the hotel and all it has to offer because it is quite the property to take in. I instantly realized, our stay would be far too short.
Our room was spacious with a lounge area and fireplace at the foot of our luxurious king sized bed.
The shower is hot with a beautiful sunroof, making sure you’re always connected with the nature around you.
If you look at the floor plan of some of the suites you will be blown away!
We wandered the property and found the personal tea plantation. There are hummingbirds everywhere indulging in the feeders hanging in the trees.
The natural hot spring pool and the sauna hut are the coolest I’ve ever seen. I wish we could’ve stayed a week here.
A stay at Inkaterra includes breakfast, dinner, a welcome pisco sour as well as different trail walks and activities. They even have their very own BEAR! All day long there is tea, coffee and cakes available for your enjoyment by the natural hot spring pool.
At night we got to enjoy the romantic setting of wood burning fires and citronella candles all throughout the hotel. The staff wear suits and make you feel like royalty as they greet and serve you. The food prepared at their restaurant is delicious, and Kees is still (4 weeks later) talking about and drooling over the dishes we ate there. The prices for meals outside of the hotel aren’t that much less, so if you aren’t staying at the hotel, it is at least worth going for dinner there one night.
When we went back to our room after dinner they had cleaned it (again!) and gave us hot water bladders for bed. A more than gracious treat to cuddle up with on those cold, high altitude nights. I have never been so well taken care of at a hotel before.
It was like staying in the jungle book, with first class service and gourmet food. The problem with staying at an amazing hotel like this is you need to stay a few days extra just to enjoy the activities and luxuries it has to offer. If you have the money to splurge on this hotel, I can confidently say it is by far the best there is at Machu Picchu.
Savannah
Here is a video of our train ride, Inkaterra and a sneak peek of our Machu Picchu hike (Full post and photos to come). Don’t forget to subscribe to our Sticky Visuals channel and give a like! You can now find Kees on Twitter @stickyvisuals.
Tips:
If you’re taking Perurail, I can’t stress enough how anal they are about the credit card info, so make sure you have that with you. The couple in front of us in the line at Perurail also had a hard time with their service, and took ages to sort their problem. Either don’t take that Perurail, or be extra on top of having all of your info and ticket etc. OH and they will ONLY accept credit card, another thing that almost kept us from reaching Machu Picchu. My credit card was blocked recently from using the wrong password (how can people remember all the passwords required to live in 2015?!) so I nearly had a panic attack…thank GOSH for Mom’s card which I brought as a backup.
– Inkaterra Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel is pricey, but if you can afford to splurge, it truly is a magical retreat.