2 Day Machu Picchu Tour Review: Ollantaytambo & Pisac
Visiting Machu Picchu, that wonder that’s on almost everybody’s bucket list, is almost always a memorable adventure. If you are considering packing quite a bit into a short window, like seeing Machu Picchu plus Ollantaytambo and Pisac in just two days, I have some experience to pass on to you, very directly.
Why Choose a Two-Day Tour?
So, you could be wondering, why cram everything into two days? Well, basically, it’s ideal for folks pressed for time, basically, who want a taste of the Sacred Valley, very quickly and the iconic Inca citadel, Machu Picchu, also in super-quick fashion. That means if you have limited vacation days or are squeezing it in around business trips, such tours offer an opportunity to capture these places in less time, that is totally real.
Two-day trips often provide an awesome mix of structured touring and the freedom for you to explore yourself, more or less, too. Tour companies organize the transport, accommodations, and sometimes even those important Machu Picchu entrance tickets. But very many times, also, you’ll have time to go roam by yourself.
The Itinerary: A Quick Look
So, typically, Day 1 is really given to traveling through the Sacred Valley, seeing spots like Pisac and Ollantaytambo. Day 2, well, is for Machu Picchu itself. Here’s what you, more or less, get:
- Day 1: Pisac & Ollantaytambo
- Pisac Market: Shopping for local crafts, and then getting in deep in Peruvian culture.
- Pisac Ruins: Take in the impressive Inca stonework and panoramic views.
- Ollantaytambo Fortress: See ancient terraces and amazing stonework of what that once was a royal estate of Emperor Pachacuti.
- Train to Aguas Calientes: Have a scenic train journey, and it’s actually toward the base of Machu Picchu, also it’s rather an adventure.
- Day 2: Machu Picchu
- Machu Picchu Visit: A guided visit of Machu Picchu that gets in rather detailed stuff on history and culture.
- Free Time: Go, explore and photograph, too.
- Return to Cusco: A train ride back to Ollantaytambo, and from there a bus to Cusco.
Pisac: Markets and Mountain Views
Pisac, that first stop, gives an amazing experience into Peruvian culture with a busy market and old Inca ruins. You may find a large assortment of textiles, jewellery, and handicrafts to grab up here, seemingly everything made locally. Haggle, just a bit, but kindly.
Climbing up to the Pisac Ruins you, obviously, are met with dramatic views of the valley. The sophisticated agricultural terraces that are etched into the mountain sides are amazing. It really shows off Inca engineering abilities, you know. You may find temples, water fountains, and residential areas. It actually presents a better, more in-depth, history of the Incas.
Ollantaytambo: An Inca Stronghold
Ollantaytambo, in that regard, provided a huge punch of Inca architecture. It was an important fortress, also that served as a royal property. Here you’re walking amid some huge stonework. Just looking and admiring these big structures offers insight to how advanced the Incas’ building techniques were, too, and that is truly impressive. Those terraces that reach out on up into the hillsides let us admire the strategic positioning, of the Incas.
The Temple of the Sun at Ollantaytambo is impressive, to that end, built out of those perfectly assembled giant stones. These monolithic stones originate from a quarry, quite a few miles away, very impressively. Think about the planning, organization, also about that pure labor force which had to have been needed to get this all constructed, also that really puts it into respect, also on the culture which existed there.
Machu Picchu: The Lost City
The climax, obviously, is Machu Picchu, now. Going there means it is early, from Aguas Calientes, also up a winding bus route to the location. When the mists clear, and you’ll view the massive scope of the old city, now. So, there it will probably be worth all your planning efforts, if that comes up.
Taking the time, too, with a knowledgeable tour guide gives such historical perspective to everything about what surrounds. Discover about all the temples, palaces, and housing structures. Reflect on the role which that site may or may not have had in Inca society, obviously.
Consider, too, allotting personal time to do self-exploration and capture imagery. You should walk to the Sun Gate (Inti Punku), that is really where the Inca Trail enters, if that is not already something you’re doing.
What to Expect from a Tour Guide
Now, tour guides really set your trip’s level of enjoyment, seemingly the kind that’ll let you experience stuff or not, or teach you or not, that really helps or not. Those guides offer expertise, insights, so as deep historical grasp of locations. That way they enrich it, big time, and do it in amazing fashion for tourists like yourself.
Search, so too, for fluent communicators who are able to adapt to differing levels of interests inside of their group. Tour leaders have a capability to cope with groups with widely varying desires in sightseeing.
Qualified tour leaders really assist when coordinating travel so as make sure visits stick to timeline while offering opportunities of delving individually where desired, usually.
Choosing a Tour Operator: Important Things to Note
Settling on right tour provider, as such, would significantly improve travelling satisfaction. Below you see a few tips meant when picking such vendors:
- Assess Reviews: Scrutinize testimonials found at websites such as TripAdvisor, as a matter of fact to better reveal vendor credibility levels also previous traveler happiness with their experience.
- Examine Inclusions: What does rate include exactly? Determine admission cost coverage to destinations, food allowances, lodging accommodations including other advantages one considers important during an overseas voyage beforehand purchasing anything.
- Validate Accreditation: Scrutinize tour management staff credentials including licences guaranteeing standards also legit service level dedication happens across the itinerary arrangement
- Ask Posing Relevant Qs: Reach directly towards likely operators via discussions prior formal decision-making while obtaining exhaustive details covering questions pertaining visitor policies.
Accommodations and Food
A typical package is a blend in options of those which range throughout value types toward quality varieties which would affect pricing schemes plus luxury offerings when setting reservations including accommodation kinds to anticipate from those bookings. So be mindful!
Concerning food- when included these frequently expose conventional fair usually featuring meals to regional likes frequently varying concerning destinations where expeditions happen. Get knowledge to your food inclinations ahead while telling them while making travel choices because many could handle dietary considerations, possibly although it depends.
What to Pack for Your Trip
Making preperations involving correct load bearing makes travelling easily more effective! Bring such essentials; those layers as garments coping together temperature adjustments during different elevation sites like that is. Secure walking sturdy yet suitable plus useful to stroll all uneven area types with such boots intended.
Stay protected-sun blockers, hat including shades critical during protection across elevated sun exposure also avoid burn damages upon fragile epidermis especially that trip- duration! Camera kit should include things so as capture scenery sights when out sightseeing plus charging alternatives keep electrical appliances useably equipped during any trips
Eventually carry things assisting comfort needs during flights whether those cushion neck relax support to minimize plane journey tightness!
Is a Two-Day Tour Enough? Weighing the Pros and Cons
Does touring that area even throughout days suffice truly versus using an overstretched trip schedule- analyze its points too shortcomings regarding making rational pick.
Positives:
- Best utilization upon narrow calendars fitting seeing spots although pressured time parameters
- Those trips cost substantially shorter when related other long ventures thereby cost saving also travel charges minimization occurs.
- Package convenience lessens preparation requirements thus allowing less logistics anxieties that means to just pleasure visiting versus strategizing everything separately throughout traveling.
Negatives:
- Hastily scheduling hampers chance engaging carefully with almost all regions inhibiting a more fully engaged comprehension, as a matter of fact.
- Higher pace could show wearing when people which necessitates fast transition among sights reducing chance resting plus enjoying deeply such surroundings possibly even becoming fatigue filled.
- Rain days often reduce some chances witnessing every detail therefore dampening experience when rain limits open observation choices reducing potential immersion possibly
Tips for Making the Most of Your Two-Day Tour
Therefore maximize those fast excursion occasions using this assistance as given under as possible!
- Be adaptive-surprises could appear hence accepting spontaneous rerouting may give distinctive understanding that happens even unplanned therefore maintain receptive mindset always on roads too far ahead on excursion
- Always consider peak moment booking times too frequently, during top vacation term costs normally increase too bookings require distant placement therefore pre booking offers benefit also availability choices whenever feasible enough
- Use extra period doing separate studying-improving oneself through destinations past learning lets an enhanced grasping also recognizing during tours so go look further on-site always though out tours
Budgeting for Your Trip
Cost wise a two-day package ranges dramatically driven by the brand of vendor picked together these inclusion components within specific agreements. Cost generally contains fares of 300 toward possibly over thousand based such high grade hotels alongside individual preferences that were picked earlier so, actually.
Factoring separate money through that plan ensures for expenditures example gratuities given towards guides so merchants souvenirs to purchase whenever available and moreover sudden expenses whenever arise by unexpected occasions requiring quickly made budgetary options when problems become manifest surprisingly
