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Taking a moto to Agua Calientes.... Taking a moto to Agua Calientes....
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Photo by Ellen Delis, Lagunas Ojos del Campo, Antofalla, Catamarca

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Photo by Ellen Delis,
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Antofalla, Catamarca



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  #1  
Old 9 May 2009
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Taking a moto to Agua Calientes....
I am heading back to Cusco to to take my Falcon for a ride. I am wondering about taking my bike up to Agua Calientes.

If I take the ride to the power station (outlined here Macchu Picchu - not paying the train - The HUBB ), can I take the railroad tracks the rest of the way to town or would I be thwarted by the old footbridge? If so, I'd be more inclined to try to arrange fair for me and my bike on the train, if possible.

My idea is this. I'd like to do an fairly intensive photo study of the ruins. I am theorizing that if I had my bike in Agua C, then I could get a room arise early and ride my bike up to photograph the ruins before other tourists arrive. I also get the impression that if I wait until after 2:00 pm, I will have the ruins to myself & could simply ride down to AC after dark & spend the night, allowing for evening golden light. I thought I might spend about 3 or 4 days in this endeavor.

Does this scheme seem plausible? Would my photo ops be significantly enhanced by doing it this way? All opinions appreciated.
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Last edited by glasswave; 9 May 2009 at 07:23.
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  #2  
Old 9 May 2009
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Last summer we rented a motorcycle in Cusco and drove to the Hydro-elektrika trainstation. From there we walked to Aguas Calientes... But the whole time I was asking myself "Could it be done by motorcycle?".
First of all you got to make sure there is absolutely no train passing. And you can't be 100% sure. So that's a bit tricky...
Most of the track can be done with a motorcycle without any problems. But as i remember there are a few harder parts. There are 2 or 3 bridges and sometimes the wood underneath the rails was gone. And this makes quite big holes with only the river underneath.
I guess it can be done, but it is risky! Imagine being stuck on the bridge and there's a train coming... Maybe you could ask the locals at the station.
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Old 9 May 2009
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Gert84 View Post
"Could it be done by motorcycle?".

...but as i remember there are a few harder parts. There are 2 or 3 bridges and sometimes the wood underneath the rails was gone. And this makes quite big holes with only the river underneath.

I guess it can be done, but it is risky!


Eeek! Bridges with exposure doesn't sound like my cup of tea. I was hoping I could just ride along on the sides of the tracks.


I'd probably try to make arrangements to put it on the train, but now I have heard that perhaps the park would probably close & kick me out after most the other tourists left. I am also beginning to wonder if I would be allowed to ride up the Bingham Highway w/my moto.
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Old 10 May 2009
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I would do what girt did, it's only a small-medium hike from hydroelectrica and there's security there that could watch your bikes. I have no doubt you could ride your motorcycle along the tracks, most of the time there is grass on either side but I'm not sure they would let you take your bikes in there. Even if you took them into Aguas calientes there's only one road I think (to Maccu Picchu) so they would be locked up on the edge of town which would be much worse than with security in hydroelectrica.

The train is only $8 btw
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Old 23 May 2009
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Definitely not a smart idea to to try riding up the tracks. I rode up to Hydroelectrica and parked my bike on a concrete pad behind the small police station where no one could see it. Hydroelectrica is remote enough that you would have to be extremely unlucky to have your bike stolen.

It is kind of confusing about where to go after you cross the big steel bridge that leads to Hydroelectrica. The road ends abruptly after the bridge. Make sure you keep driving straight passing the first set of railroad tracks and go up the large hill to where the second set of tracks is. It is a good idea to walk up that large hill first and plan your route because it was a fairly challenging bit to get to the police station.
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Old 23 May 2009
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Quote:
Originally Posted by gatogato View Post
Definitely not a smart idea to to try riding up the tracks. I rode up to Hydroelectrica and parked my bike on a concrete pad behind the small police station where no one could see it. Hydroelectrica is remote enough that you would have to be extremely unlucky to have your bike stolen.

It is kind of confusing about where to go after you cross the big steel bridge that leads to Hydroelectrica. The road ends abruptly after the bridge. Make sure you keep driving straight passing the first set of railroad tracks and go up the large hill to where the second set of tracks is. It is a good idea to walk up that large hill first and plan your route because it was a fairly challenging bit to get to the police station.
Thx Gato,

Did you ride your bike to agua calientes? Could one ride all the way into town? If one got their bike to town, could you then ride up to Machu Pichu? I would want to spend several days, riding up each morning.
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Old 23 May 2009
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Originally Posted by glasswave View Post
Thx Gato,

Did you ride your bike to agua calientes? Could one ride all the way into town? If one got their bike to town, could you then ride up to Machu Pichu? I would want to spend several days, riding up each morning.
No, I did not ride my bike to Agua Calientes. That is what everyone here has been advising you against doing. The reason why the govenment does not allow tourist vehicles to drive up the road to Agua Calientes is that they want to protect the area around Machu Pichu.

It is only a 2 hour walk along the train tracks to get to Aguas Calientes and then you can take a bus up to Machu Pichu for on $2. (The bus is worth it, I walked the trail)
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Old 24 May 2009
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Quote:
Originally Posted by gatogato View Post
The reason why the govenment does not allow tourist vehicles to drive up the road to Agua Calientes is that they want to protect the area around Machu Pichu.

It is only a 2 hour walk along the train tracks to get to Aguas Calientes and then you can take a bus up to Machu Pichu for on $2. (The bus is worth it, I walked the trail)
I outlined my reasons for wanting to have my moto in AC in my original post (to assist in an intensive photo study). I I am stuck within the operating times of the bus, the ruins will be filled with people. If I cannot ride to AC, then I will go to AC on the train. I will check with my connections in Cuzco about alternate plans.

Right now it seems as though I may be able to go to AC on the train, backpack a short ways down the inca trail & establish a camp close to the ruins from there I could make sunrise/sunset photo reconnaissance trips.
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Old 25 May 2009
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I don't think it is possible to go to Maccu Picchu without it being full of people, you have to queue up whilst the gates open and there will be more than 400 people waiting so the best you could possibly do is be the first in the queue. Also the bus leaves at 5am so you will still catch the sunset there.
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