I am back from a successful MP trip. AWESOME.
I followed the itinerary that I posted above.
Flights booked:MNL-LAX via Cathay Pacific - $1,025.42. (I have a US visa)
LAX-LIM, LIM-CUZ, LPB (La Paz, Bolivia)-LIM, LIM-LAX via Lan Ailines - $1,312.64. When I did the mock booking for an RT flight na LAX-CUZ (with stopover in LIM), the flights cost $1,200. I flew out of Bolivia kaya tumaas ng conti yung cost.
Gintong train ride: Ollantaytambo to MP - $64 - 2 hours
MP to Cuzco - $ 117 - 4 hours
Entrance ticket to Machu Picchu only - S/.158 (with commission of S/.30). The website only accepted Visa cards so I had to ask my hostel to book me a ticket for a fee. I provided a copy of my passport and my preferred dates. They didn't ask for a downpayment. I didn't do Huanya Picchu nor the Montana because I wanted to focus on MP lang. I am fit, but I got scared reading about the climb in Huanya Picchu.
Hostels:Lima Backpackers in Surco,Lima - S/.36 for a bed in a 4-bed dorm with ensuite bathroom.
Hostal Iskay in Ollantaytambo - $47 for a double room for a night. I thought it was small for a double room but mag-isa lang naman ako (they had no single rooms).
Ecopackers in Machu Picchu town/Aguas Calientes - $17.50 for a dorm bed. Below average, but I only stayed here for a couple of hours before check out. I was allowed to hang-out in the common area after I went to MP.
Kamila Lodge in Cuzco - $15 a night for a double room. I got this because of the low rate in Booking.com. I won't really recommend this unless you are on a budget because the room had no heating. I requested for extra blankets which they provided.
Laundry. Do not be stingy like me. I did my own laundry and the water from the faucet felt like melted ice. Walang hot/cold yung sink faucets. Laundry is cheap enough.
Guide: Pisac Ruins. I didn't plan on hiring a guide. But I arrived at the site early, which almost no person to follow around. There were signs but the place was too huge. I went back to the entrance and hired a guide for S/.60 and I was glad I did. I think you can haggle this down to 50 soles.
Machu Pichu. I just hired a guide (named Abel) at the entrance for S/. 150 for two hours standard tour daw. But my tour lasted to 3 hours and he didn't charge me additional fee naman. I didn't haggle down anymore since yun yung standard price nila. I tested his English. It was less than what I could comprehend but because I was so early, I didn't see a lot of guides waiting at the entrance. I went with him. I was able to adjust to his accent naman after a couple of minutes. He knows the nice spots for photos and he shared a lot about the history of MP. He also kept quiet for a while so I can just enjoy the scenery. I appreciated that because I do want some quiet time, ayoko naman nung guide na kwento ng kwento lang.
Food: I had a budget of S/.70 a day for lunch, dinner, water and snacks. This is a lot for lunch and dinner. Bottled water is cheap and everywhere - Lima Backpackers and Hostal Iskay had water refillers and I had to buy a huge bottled water in the other places. The leftover, I spent on souvenirs! MP town is very touristy, as expected, and I had difficulty finding cheap food as parang standard is restaurant.
I'll post next re the things to bring and about MP.
