The train from Ollantaytambo to Aguas Calientes and the Consettur bus up from Aguas Calientes to the citadel are themselves two of the best scenic transfers in the Americas. The train follows the Urubamba downstream for 1h30 through a deepening gorge; the bus climbs 400 metres on 13 switchbacks in 25 minutes.
The anticipation builds through both legs. The valley narrows, the elevation drops, the vegetation shifts from altiplano scrub to cloud-forest orchids and bromeliads. By the time you reach the citadel at 2,430 m, the setting makes sense.
Peruways books train, Consettur bus and timed Machu Picchu entry together — one booking reference, Ollantaytambo to citadel without the three-operator shuffle. See the current options at Peruways. Dry-season dates sell out six to eight weeks ahead.
