Traveling Well » Machu Picchu

Tour Video: Peru, Ancient Land of Mysteries

John Geysen — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 03:49:40 +0000

Lima, the Sacred Valley, Cuzco… this tour has many cool elements but for me it’s got to be Machu Picchu, the “Lost City of the Incas.”

Learn more!

Traveling through time

John Geysen — Wed, 05 May 2010 13:17:49 +0000

Astrophysicist Stephen Hawking (often referred to as the smartest person in the world) has made a lot of news lately. This Fox News article discusses his intriguing theories on time travel.

Maybe we can’t actually travel through time (yet) but it got me thinking. As a copywriter at Collette, one of my stock (and probably overused) phrases is “step back in time.” Those four words succinctly capture the spirit of traveling to places like the Pyramids of Giza, the stone city of Petra and into the jungle to visit Maya ruins.

Many Collette tours feature some historic element. Whether it’s the legendary “lost city” Machu Picchu or a historic home like Jefferson’s Monticello, connecting to the past plays an important role in our packages.

I’m a history buff so sign me up for a historic train ride, a National Park or any of the Smithsonian museums in Washington D.C. – I am always up for some time travel. And who knows, if Mr. Hawking is right, someday a “historic” tour might mean something totally different.

Machu Picchu update from Collette Vacations

John Geysen — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 16:41:59 +0000

Good news. The train to Machu Picchu is expected to resume operation by April 1st. PeruRail has done a tremendous job repairing the tracks, and most importantly, Mother Nature has been cooperating.

However, because of the existing damage in some railway segments between the Sacred Valley (Ollantaytambo) and Machu Picchu, access to the site will now require a 50 minute bus ride from the Sacred Valley (Ollantaytambo station) up to Piscacucho, followed by an 80 minute train ride to Machu Picchu train station (Aguas Calientes). This bus-train combined service will be provided by PeruRail.

Collette travelers will still have the full experience aboard the famous Vistadome train to Machu Picchu. Time spent on the train is only about 15 minutes shorter than when groups could take the train direct from Ollantaytambo. Passengers returning on trains from Machu Picchu back to Ollantaytambo or Cusco will also have to transfer by bus from Piscacucho.

And thanks to the amazing engineering talents of the ancient Incas, the ruins at Machu Picchu were not damaged by the recent floods. The terraces cut into the side of the mountain hundreds of years ago are still doing their job, supporting the lost city and dispersing rain water.

At Collette, the safety and security of our passengers and employees remains our number one priority. Our crack staff continues to closely monitor the situation. We’ll keep you posted on any changes.