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Welcome to Mumsnet's holiday forum. Discuss all international travel here, including both shorthaul and longhaul trips. Related topics: UK holidays & day trips, skiing, camping & campervans.
Holidays
Machu Pichu with mobility issues ?
Georgyporky · 19/06/2022 18:19
Bucket list destination, we've found what looks like a good package.
However. My knees aren't good on hills or steps - OK for short distances.
How long/steep is the climb? Do the tours go all the way, & is there somewhere to rest if the full ascent is too much ?
I could ask the tour operator, but they want to sell the holiday & might not tell the whole truth.
macaronip1e · 19/06/2022 18:27
I don’t think the standard Inca Trail or other treks would be feasible - my experience was long days of walking! But if you want to see Machu Picchu itself you don’t need to trek there; there are shuttle buses from the nearby town Aguas Calientes (and you can get a train to Aguas Calientes from Cusco, which is the starting base for most treks). Once you’re off the bus, and at Machu Picchu it’s terraced, so there are ups and downs, but you can do that in you own time.
Haus1234 · 19/06/2022 18:29
Hmm I would say even if you get the bus there there are a LOT of steps etc on the site. If you’d be happy to climb around slowly then that’s most likely fine, but if you would struggle on more than a few steps I’d be less sure.
SylvanianFrenemies · 19/06/2022 18:33
The site is accessible by train/bus.
But very steep and hilly with lots of steps and uneven ground.
I would search for a local tour operator who specialises in tours for people with mobility issues and see what they say.
lakeswimmer · 19/06/2022 18:33
It's a long time since I was there but there's a train station fairly close to Macchu Pichu and most people walk up to the site from there if they haven't trekked via the Inca Trail. You can probably organise transport to the site entrance but I don't know if there's any way to get around the site without a lot of walking and this is what you would need to research. The site is very hilly and the whole area consists of steep sided mountains. I found the dramatic scenery as impressive as the site itself.
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