The ride from Aguas Calientes up to Machu Picchu — the 20-minute Consettur shuttle — is a steep set of 14 switchbacks on a one-lane dirt road, and it’s a legitimate part of the trip. The road climbs 400 meters through cloud forest, with the Urubamba shrinking below you and ferns brushing the window on the inside shoulder.
The anticipation does half the work. Each hairpin opens a new angle on the gorge and the terraces hanging off the far wall. For history-minded travelers, nature photographers, or anyone just there to see what the fuss is about, Machu Picchu lands.
Peruways bundles the Consettur shuttle with your citadel entry and the train from Cusco or Ollantaytambo so you don’t end up stuck in the Aguas Calientes ticket line at 5 a.m. Book the whole trip at Peruways.
