Best Train In the World? | Wild Bucket List Train to Machu Picchu!
The Hiram Bingham Luxury Train is a bucket list experience. It travels from Cusco, Peru to Machu Picchu and it's been ranked as one of the best train rides in the world. Join Alex and Marko, the Vagabrothers, as they experience one of the best train rides in the world.
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Machu Picchu Day Trip from Cusco, Peru
On a day trip from Cusco, Peru, you can visit a wonder of the world, Machu Picchu.
Take an unforgettable day trip from Cusco to Machu Picchu—one of the seven wonders of the world. Start your journey with a 2-hour train ride, surrounded by stunning mountain views. Once you arrive at Aguas Calientes, take a bus up to Machu Picchu. There, visit the world-famous Incan ruins and learn all about the site’s history from your knowledgeable guide. This is a perfect tour for first-time visitors, families, and solo travelers!
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Train Ride from Cusco to Machu Picchu, Peru
Visitors to Machu Picchu in Peru can get there one of two ways - by hiking for either four or seven days, or on a train that can be boarded at either Cusco or Ollantaytambo. I took Peru Rail's Vistadome, which provides large side windows and overhead skylights that give the best possible views of this incredible journey through the Sacred Valley and the cloud forest that is home to the ancient Inca ruins. The video shows the train and the services it provides, including the zig zag tracks that allow it to descend the steep grade into the river valley, where spectacled bears roam the banks and orchids carpet the trees. The price for the 3.5 hour, 57 mile trip was approximately $75 USD each way. To read more about my round-the-world travels, visit my blog,
Peru Vlog #3 - Andean Explorer Train to Cusco
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The most beautiful train journey in Peru - Peru Rail - Cusco to Puno
Ten and a half hours of luxury train travel crammed into six minutes! This is a taste of our amazing journey from Cusco to Puno, taking in some of the best views that Peru offers!
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Cusco to Machu Picchu by train (Peru)
Taking the narrow gauge train from Cusco to Aguas Calientes for a visit to Machu Picchu in Peru. A magnificent journey with switchbacks then following the river.
Part of a trip organised by Ffestiniog Travel. See my relayed Peru videos.
Cusco Travel Guide | The Ancient Inca Capital of Peru
Some say Cusco is the Rome of the Americas and to be honest...we'd have to agree. Join Alex and Marko, the Vagabrothers, and explore the ancient Inca capital in the Andes. Cusco is one of the coolest cities in South America and it's time to travel!
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How to Get to Machu Picchu from Cusco: Sacred Valley, Peru
If you think you can fly into Cusco and then easily get to Machu Picchu from there, you’re wrong. You have to take a bus and then a train to a small village at the base of Machu Picchu. This video shows you the journey from Cusco to Aguas Calientes, through the Sacred Valley to the basecamp for all visits to Machu Picchu.
**What's going on?**
I'm on a business trip with some friends from school. We're visiting a lot of companies and learning about business in Peru and all of Latin America. Between business visits, we're exploring and eating all the food. :)
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**How to get from Cusco to Machu Picchu**
For even more details, read our blog post:
No matter how you go, you will travel through the Sacred Valley. It is gorgeous, so I highly recommend traveling during daylight hours so you can appreciate the beauty.
Option 1: Train only. $75-$115 USD, 3.5-4.5 hours
There is a train straight from Cusco to Aguas Calientes (Machu Picchu), but it’s usually more expensive than the bus/train combo and less flexible, and the main train station they depart from is Poroy, a 30-minute taxi/uber ride from Cusco. Try to book a train from San Pedro station, which is only 8-minutes from Cusco.
Book your train ticket in advance:
Option 2: Bus from Cusco to Ollantaytambo, train to Aguas Calientes (Machu Picchu). $5 USD bus + $65 USD Train
Walk 10 minutes south from Plaza de Armas in Cusco to Pavitos street. On Google Maps, look for the “Estacion de colectivos.” It’s a yellow building that says “Real Inka” on it. The colectivos are minibuses and they leave as soon as they’re filled, which can be anywhere from 20-40 minutes between buses. Buses leave from 2:30am to 7pm and they’ll bring you straight to the train station in Ollantaytambo.
We recommend booking your train in advance and then planning backwards for when to get on the minibus in Cusco. The bus is always the same price, but the train tickets vary wildly, from $65 USD to $195 USD. Trains depart Ollantaytambo for Machu Picchu from 5:30am to 10pm.
Real Inka buses:
PeruRail:
Option 3: Private bus from Cusco to Ollantaytambo, train to Aguas Calientes (Machu Picchu). $140 USD (for 14 pax) for the bus + $65 USD train
This is what we did because we had a large group and we needed to stop at a few places to make the trip educational (hence the textile “factory” and the salt mines. You can book a private tour through Real Inka or any number of other tour companies.
Here are some time stamps:
Bus Trip (Cusco to Ollantaytambo)
0:23 – Chinchero textile stop
1:46 - Maras Salt Mines (Salineras de Maras)
3:08 - Ollantaytambo
Train (Ollantaytambo to Aguas Calientes – Machu Picchu)
4:01 – Train through Sacred Valley
Aguas Calientes
4:55 – Arrival and room tour
5:17 – Exploring Aguas Calientes
5:48 – Plaza de Armas, Virgen del Carmen church
6:38 – Market
Thanks for watching! If you have any questions about the trip from Cusco to Machu Picchu through the Sacred Valley, feel free to ask in the comments.
-Brian
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Retro” by Wayne Jones
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Filmed on January 17, 2019 on a Canon G7X Mark II.
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How is Train Travel in PERU? The Journey to Machu Picchu
My journey traveling by train from Machu Picchu back to Ollantaytambo and Cusco.
NOTE: To watch the 5-Part video series about my trip to Machu Picchu, CLICK HERE:
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Video created by Gabriel Morris, who is the owner of all video or photo content. Filmed using an Olympus SP-810UZ and/or a GoProHero Plus LCD. See more below.
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Gabriel Morris is a world traveler and travel writer who has been adventuring around the world off and on since his first trip to Europe in the summer of 1990. He is author of Following My Thumb, a collection of 26 exciting and hilarious autobiographical travel stories from his worldly wanderings during the 1990s; and of several other books. Visit for lots more info about his travel writing, photography, videos, budget travel tips and much more.
Thanks a lot for watching, and safe journeys!
How is Train Travel in PERU? The Journey to Machu Picchu
Peru Trip | Travel to Cuzco | Hiram Bingham Luxury Train to Machu Picchu
Peru Tour | Travel to Peru | Peru trip | Peru vacations | Peru vacation | Peru Holiday | Cusco Tour | Cuzco Tour | Cusco Travel | Cuzco Travel | Travel to Cusco | Machu Picchu | Machu Picchu Tour | Travel Machu Picchu | Trip Machu Picchu | Machu Picchu ruins
PERU RAIL ANDEAN EXPLORER Cusco → Puno (Deck-Car Viewing)
Peru Rail / Andean Explorer / Full version of this all-route 10:19:30
This is normal video, x10 speed version →
Estacion / Stations
Cusco / Estacion Wanchaq (Wanchaq Station) / Altitude of 3,354 meter
La Raya / Altitude of 4,319 meter 4:44:15
Juliaca / Altitude of 3,825 meter 8:56:25
Puno / Estacion Puno (Puno Station) / Altitude of 3,828 meter, located on the shore of Lake Titicaca.
Old Ferrocarril del Sur (Peru Southern Railway)
Mar. 1, 2017
Best things to do in Cusco, Peru for 4 days
Here are the best things to do in Cusco for 4 days. Also feel free to check out my Blog guide:
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Magical Peru #23: From Cusco to Aguas Calientes by Train
Magical Peru:
Today we depart from Cusco by train to Aguas Calientes, the town which gives access to Machu Pichu!
Aguas Calientes, cuyo verdadero nombre es Machu Picchu pueblo, tiene un origen que se remonta al año 1901. Por su localización geográfica, a escasos 30 minutos en autobús de Machu Picchu, es el lugar a donde llegan los turistas que visitan la ciudad sagrada indígena de Machu Picchu. Aguas Calientes es la última estación del tren que sale desde el Cusco. El pueblo ha desarrollado una infraestructura turística y hotelera a todo nivel. Entre los atractivos turísticos más importantes de Aguas Calientes se encuentran los baños termales situados a 800 m del pueblo.
Cusco (often spelled Cuzco) is in southeastern Peru, near the Urubamba Valley of the Andes mountain range. It is the capital of the Cusco Region as well as the Cuzco Province. In 2007, the city had a population of 358,935. Located on the eastern end of the Knot of Cuzco, its elevation is around 3,400 m (11,200 ft). Cusco was the site of the historic capital of the Inca Empire and was declared a World Heritage Site in 1983 by UNESCO. It is a major tourist destination and receives almost 2 million visitors a year. It is designated as the Historical Capital of Peru by the Constitution of Peru.
When we first arrived in Peru, we spent a couple of weeks studying Spanish in Lima (please watch the vlog Living in Lima) then we headed to the North of Peru and visited Trujillo, Chiclayo and some archaeological sites, such as tombs, pyramids and ancient cities. On the South of Peru, our first stop was in Arequipa, and then we headed to Chivay and its thermal pools (La Calera hot springs) and the Colca Canyon, to do a canyon tour. Now, we go to the country side: Puno, Lake Titicaca, Cusco, Machu Pichu and so on...
-- Brasileiro no Peru --
Após passar algumas semanas apenas em Lima estudando espanhol e conhecendo o que a capital peruana tem a oferecer, nós partimos para explorar o país. Começando pela região Norte, fomos até Trujillo, Chiclayo, Huanchaco, Huacas del Sol e de la Luna, Chan Chan e o sítio arqueológico da Tumba do Lorde Sipán. Depois, descemos pelo Sul do Perú, em lugares como Arequipa, Chivay, Cânion de Colca, Puno e Lago Titicaca, e terminamos nossa jornada no interior, em Cusco, no Vale Sagrado e em Machu Pichu.
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15 Things to do in Cusco Travel Guide
Many travelers to Cusco use the city as a launching pad to hike the Inca trail, visit Machu Picchu and/or explore the Sacred Valley. With so many travel options just outside of the city it is easy to forget that Cuzco has a lot to offer in and of itself. The following Cusco travel guide is our attempt to showcase what the city has to offer in terms of attractions, things to do, shopping, dining, museums and nightlife. In our opinion, you'll want to budget several days to take it all in and acclimatize to the higher altitude if you're thinking of going on hiking excursions afterwards.
Our visit Cusco travel guide covers some of the top attractions including the best in arts, entertainment, museums, nightlife and restaurants. We also cover off-the-beaten-path activities that you won't find in your typical tourism brochure or Cusco city guide.
1) Cusco Cathedral (Viracocha) - Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption of the Virgin (Iglesia de la Compania de Jesus)
2) Inca Wall
3) Traditional Peruvian Folk Dance at Centro Qosqo
4) Barrio de San Blas Neighborhood
5) Artisan Market on Ave del Sol
6) Cusco Food (Alpaca meat skewers - alpaca a la parrilla
7) Pisco Museum (Museo del Pisco)
8) Plaza de Armas (Square of the warrior)
9) Inca Museum (Museo Inka)
10) Chocolate Museum (ChocoMuseo)
11) Temple of the Sun (Qurikancha)
12) Templo de la Compañía de Jesús (Jesuit Church)
13) Cuy - eating Guinea pig for dinner
14) El Templo de la Merced del Cusco
15) Nightlife in Cusco - drinking a pisco sour
Alternate Cuzco/Cusco spelling: (Quechua: Qusqu or Qosqo)
15 Things to do in Cusco, Peru | Top Attractions Travel Guide:
If you're planning to walk the Inca Trail or visit Machu Picchu, you'll likely end up spending at least a few days in Cuzco. With it's lively square, quirky museums, artisans markets and traditional performances, this is exactly the type of destination you'll want to linger in...plus let's not forget, it's also a good place to adjust to the altitude! The following video will showcase 15 things to do in Cuzco:
Cuzco Cathedral is a place you shouldn't miss. The cathedral sits on the site of Viracocha Inca’s palace, and it was also built using blocks from the nearby Inca site of Sacsaywamán. Inside you'll find impressive works of art done in the cuzqueña style.
In the evenings, you can go watch a traditional dance performance at Centro Qosqo.
San Blas
San Blas is one of the oldest neighbourhoods in Cuzco and it is a great area to explore on foot. The neighbourhood is known for its bright blue doors and window shutters, and it has a nice little square with a church and a water fountain. The neighbourhood has some really cool lookout points with great panoramic views of Cuzco, so you'll want to bring your camera.
Plaza de Armas is the beating heart of Cuzco. The square is flanked by a Jesuit church and cathedral, and there are also plenty of bars, restaurants, and tour agencies around the perimeter. During the day you'll find locals and tourists hanging out in the square, and if you get lucky, you might just encounter a performance followed by a demonstration like we did.
The Inca Museum is one of the main museums in town and it has rooms dedicated to different periods of Inca and Spanish history. You can also see women weaving rugs and tapestries by hand in the central courtyard.
Qurikancha was an Inca temple built to the Sun God, Inti, and it is believed that the walls of this temple were once covered in sheets of gold. If the temple looks like it has various layers of construction, that's because when the Spaniards arrived, they demolished the original temple and used the foundations to build the Church of Santo Domingo on the site.
The Church of the Society of Jesus is a historic Jesuit church. It's worth a quick visit if you're in the area.
Templo de la Merced is another church located one block from Plaza de Armas, and it contains the tomb of two famous conquistadors.
And that's a wrap for Cuzco! We hope you enjoyed this video and that it showed you a few of the places you can visit while you're in the city. We recommend spending at least 3 days here, or perhaps a few more if you also want to tour the Sacred Valley. As always, if you have any other suggestions of things to do in Cuzco, feel free to share those in the comments below.
This is part of our Travel in Peru series. We're making a series of videos showcasing Peruvian culture, Peruvian arts, Peruvian foods, Peruvian religion, Peruvian cuisine and Peruvian people. All things Peruano. The best of Comida Peruana and Cocina Peruana.
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All photos and video taken by Samuel Jeffery (Nomadic Samuel) and Audrey Bergner (That Backpacker).
Music in this video courtesy of Audio Network
Machu Picchu :: How to Get from Cusco to Machu Picchu Mountain
We arrived in Cusco, Peru without having arranged an excursion to Machu Picchu. The first day after arriving, we went to Enjoy Cusco Peru, a local travel agency, where Juan Sixto arranged everything for us to go from Cusco to Machu Picchu (the next day).
We went by bus from Cusco to Ollantaytambo and by train to Aguas Calientes (train to Machu Picchu). We spent the night in a basic hotel and that night and went to the Aguas Calientes hot springs.
After a good night sleep and breakfast, we met up with our tour guide, who rode up with us to Machu Picchu.
Wow! Machu Picchu with kids was amazing. We were stunned by the grandeur and reverence of the old Inca Empire city.
Follow two hours at the ruins, we started our machu picchu mountain hike. We started the machu picchu mountain climb on the inca trail 20 minutes late; we only had 90 minutes to complete the 120 minute route.
La Montana Machu Picchu is steep, awesome, exhausting, and thrilling. Mike and Renatha and all three kids completed Machu Picchu mountain trek. We almost could believe we all did.
Going to machu Picchu Peru is worth every bit!
As a globetrotting family, we have discovered that travel with kids helps them enjoy actively witnessing history in the world more than trying to absorb it from a book in a classroom.
We shot this week's footage on an iPhone X. The family travel vlog was created and edited in iMovie and Canva. TubeBuddy was used for technical YouTube guidance.
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INCA RAIL TRAIN TO MACHU PICCHU | Day 4
THIS ADVENTURE MADE POSSIBLE BY: /// DAY 4 of our tour from Cusco to Machu Picchu with Mountain Lodges of Peru! We started the day exploring the town of Ollantaytambo which is built on Incan ruins, and people still live there! Then we took the Inca Rail into the mountains to the town of Aguas Calientes. Our lodge is amazing, and we ended the day in the natural hot tub!
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***TRAVEL VLOG 354***
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second song - “Between The Lines (Ahlstrom Remix) (Instrumental Version)” by Epidemic Sound
third song - “Salamander” by Epidemic Sound (
Originally from Nashville, Tennessee, we got married June 2013 and quickly caught the travel bug! We started traveling full-time January 10, 2016. While daily vlogging was not the original plan, we were having way too many cool experiences not to share every single day! Now travel vlogging is our full-time gig and we feel like we have the greatest job in the world! We are incredibly thankful to do something we love every day. :)
We’ve pulled inspiration from several of our favorite travel vloggers on YouTube, such as: +CaseyNeistat +FunForLouis +Jon Olsson +Mr Ben Brown , and any other talented travel vloggers that YouTube’s algorithm will hopefully connect us with ;)
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Sacred Valley, Pisac and Ollantaytambo tour from Cusco, Peru
Visit Sacred Valley, Pisac and Ollantaytambo on a day tour from Cusco, Peru.
Visit the most popular sights in Peru’s Sacred Valley with this full-day tour from Cusco. Check out the world-famous Pisac market and explore the ruins of Ollantaytambo. Learn more about the ancient Incan culture and traditions and enjoy the beautiful vistas of the Sacred Valley.
Featuring travel vlogger, Ryan Van Duzer.
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Andean Explorer luxury train from Puno to Cusco, Peru
For anyone who has followed my blog or has seen my previous journey by rail for the Ultimate Train Challenge, you will know that I am a massive fan of trains, and a trip on this particular railway was one that I couldn't turn down. The train took me from the city of Puno which is on the shores of Lake Titicaca up to the ancient capital of the country, Cusco, and explored a variety of beautiful scenery. The journey takes you from the lakeside city up to the historic majesty of Cusco, and the highland mountain scenery along the journey is truly spectacular, and I hope a little of that is conveyed in the video.
One of the most interesting aspects that I enjoyed about this particular train journey was that there was such a diversity in terms of the people on the train, and a few of those kindly shared their thoughts about the train and the trip with me. This trip to Peru was organized by the luxury tour company Cox and Kings, and this train certainly lived up to the luxury tag, with beautifully decorated carriages. Another great aspect of the train journey was the food, and I am always amazed how the chefs on this type of train are able to produce such tasty and well presented dishes while on the move.
A favorite scene of mine from the video is when we were traveling through the city area, and the way that the city just seemed to separate for the train, and then closed back over the tracks once the train had passed through. This is definitely one of the great rail routes of the world, and is well worth a trip if you get the chance. From a personal point of view, this trip also helped to complete the set for me as I have now taken a train journey on every continent available, which is no mean feat as South America does have relatively few railways remaining.
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Andean Explorer Train Full Journey from Puno to Cusco
The Fifth day of my South America Trip.
This spectacular rail journey begins in the beautiful city of Puno, on the shores of Lake Titicaca and travels North to historic Cuzco (Cusco)
On the journey, the train makes a gentle climb to higher, and cooler, altitudes. The first half of the journey is dominated by the magnificent Andean mountains which towers over the deep valleys of the meandering Huatanay River. It then reaches the gentler, rolling Andean Plains, where vicuña and alpaca can be seen. If travelling aboard the Andean Explorer, the glass-walled observation car provides the perfect opportunity to view the beautiful scenery.
The journey is broken by a scenic stop at La Raya, which is also the highest point on the route.
Train journey between Cuzco (Cusco) and Lake Titicaca (or vice versa), three-course lunch. In additional to the complimentary lunch a Breakfast Menu, along with various snacks and a continuous Restaurant and Bar service is available at an additional cost.
JOURNEY
Juliaca is the first stop on this journey through Andean highland culture after departing Puno (3,855 meters), an expanding, low-roofed university town spread around an austere cathedral, which, since its foundation in 1668, has strengthened its tenuous grip on the shores of Lake Titicaca by gradually scaling the surrounding hills.
281 Km from Cusco - the train reaches Juliaca, a commercial railway-junction town of around 150,000 inhabitants, whose rampant buying and selling seems at times to virtually spill onto the tracks and force the train to pick its way through their stalls.
186 Km from Cusco - at Marangani, where an English-style manor house built in the last century is still home to the descendents of the wool barons who established the regions only textile factory there more than one hundred years ago, Cuzco's fertile hills give way to the high plain known as the Altiplano.
The train continues to climb for another 27 Km, past the thermal baths at Aguas Calientes to La Raya, 210 Km from Puno. At 4,321 meters above sea level this is the highest point on the journey, a cold, remote place whose surrounding snow-draped peaks are often shrouded by mist or fine rain, and whose eerie silence is at least partly attributable to eardrums blocked by the dizzying altitude. Crossing this great watershed, the train travels across a sea of seemingly-endless coarse grassland through villages lost to time for all but the Coca Cola company and local breweries.
120 Km from Cusco - at Raqchi, just before the San Pedro railway station, the remains of the great temple of Viracocha, the creator god, can just be seen to the left of the train. Raqchi has been described by John Hemming as probably the largest roofed building ever built by the Incas. Seventeen km beyond San Pedro, the train stops at Sicuani, a bustling island of commerce amid a barren landscape. Aymara women ferry their goods around this important market town on nimbly-chauffeured taxi-tricycles, or sit impassively before their wares awaiting a buyer.
80 Km from Cusco - the two villages of Cusipata and Checacupe (at 99 km) hide unexpected treasures of both pre-Columbian and colonial origin, from fine Inca and pre-Inca remains, to yet another ornately-decorated 17th century church.
59 Km from Cusco - at Urcos lies the lake which gives the village its name. Urcos is both a popular spot for weekenders from Cuzco (Cusco) and as local legend suggests, the repository of Inca gold hidden there forever by local chieftains, anxious to prevent the Spanish from melting down their sacred objects.
45 Km from Cusco - the church at Andahuaylillas is one of the jewels in Cuzco's colonial crown and boasts a magnificent series of murals and superb colonial-era paintings, all on diverse religious themes.
40 Km from Cusco - at Rumicolca, we are close to the great stone gateway of the same name which, for the Incas, silently guarded the southern approach to Cuzco (Cusco). For the much earlier Wari culture it served as an aqueduct, channeling water from the picturesque Laguna de Lucre to their walled city at Pikillacta.
32 Km from Cusco - before reaching Lake Muina, the train turns to the left, crossing the valley road, to join the Vilcanota River at Huambutio as it plunges sharply into its gorge before widening into the great Urubamba canyon.
25 Km from Cusco - the train passes through Oropesa, an early-rising community whose forty-seven bakeries have provided Cuzco (Cusco) with its daily bread for generations.
Cusco
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Peru - Andean Explorer train from Cusco to Puno
The train trip with the Andean Explorer from Cusco to Puno at the Lake Titicaca or in the opposite direction is one of the most beautiful train journeys in the world. The train is in the style of the 20s and offer an unreal luxury for these altitudes. 10 hours takes the journey for the 390-kilometer route.
The starting point is Cusco at 3,300 meters above sea level and the first part is along the river Hutanay.
After 210 kilometers, the train reaches the highest point of the trip. At 4,320 meters altitude, the train makes a short break in La Raya. Dazed by the height you can buy typical souvenirs from Peru.
At km 281 the train reaches the dusty city of Juliaca with 150,000 inhabitants. The railway line goes right through the bustling market street in the center of the city. Behind the train, the market floods the railway tracks until they get invisible.
In the end, the destination is reached. The city of Puno on the shores of Lake Titicaca at 3,850 meters above sea level.