The back way to Machu Picchu in 2009: bikes, jungle and railway

I did not walk the classic Inca Trail to Machu Picchu. In late June 2009 I took a longer, scruffier route with a small group: a minibus up to a high pass, a long bike descent towards Santa Teresa, days of trekking through jungle, and finally a walk along the railway towards Aguas Calientes. My diary entry about it is dated 22 June 2009. The trip summary dates are approximate, so I have treated the whole visit as late June 2009 rather than a day-by-day calendar.

This is a retelling of that journey for 2026. It is one trip, from one year. Routes, permits and ticketing at Machu Picchu have changed a great deal since; the last section points to what to check now.

The route, as I recorded it

My trip summary lists the Peru leg as Lima, Nazca, Cusco and Huacachina, then, around late June, Santa Teresa, Aguas Calientes, Machu Picchu, Ollantaytambo and back to Cusco. In short:

Minibus from Cusco up to a high summit, several thousand feet above the valleys.
A long downhill cycle on the mountain road towards Santa Teresa.
Trekking days through jungle, some of them about eight hours.
A final day walking along the railway line.
Machu Picchu.

The bike descent

The day began badly. I had a hangover, I had lost my camera the night before, and my friend had a stomach bug. We were dropped at the summit, where we were quietly proud not to feel the altitude, and then rode down for several hours.

It was a road, not a trail, and the main hazard was traffic. Lorries would horn their way past on the way down. We stopped at viewpoints, ate a packed lunch of juice and biscuits, and I found, again, that I was a better rider than I expected. Another group on the same road were not so lucky: three of them came off their bikes during a much longer ride. Nobody I saw was badly hurt, but it was a reminder that a mountain descent with traffic deserves respect. A few weeks later I would ride Bolivia's Death Road.

Into the jungle

The journey to Machu Picchu turned out to be as memorable as the site. My diary lists the bits I wanted to remember: late-night football with local kids on concrete, being whistled off by a local police officer, monkeys in the trees, long trekking days in the jungle and the indignities of having no toilets.

Our small group included a family travelling together, and getting to know them was one of the real pleasures of the trip. I wrote that I had become "a better listener than I am a conversationalist", which, given how much I wrote on that blog, surprised some of my readers.

The railway walk

The penultimate day was more walking, this time along the railway. I had stomach trouble and spent much of it looking for the next bathroom. I connected it, in the diary, to the marathon I had "diabolically chosen to run in October": a long, uncomfortable day as a test of mental strength. That is the first time the Chicago race appears in my travel writing. The rest of that thread is in training for my first marathon while backpacking.

Planning a non-Inca Trail route in 2026

A lot has changed since 2009. Before you plan anything like this:

Machu Picchu tickets. Entry is timed and controlled, with circuit-based tickets. Buy through official channels well in advance.
Treks and operators. Alternative routes are typically sold as multi-day tours. Choose reputable operators, ask about safety, and read recent reviews.
Cycling sections. Ask about bikes, brakes, helmets and support vehicles. Mountain roads carry traffic.
Altitude and health. Allow time to acclimatise in Cusco and get travel-health advice.
Railway safety. Walking along railway lines may be restricted or unsafe; follow local guidance.
Travel advice. Read current government advice, such as the UK Foreign Office page for Peru.

Where it fits

A few weeks before Peru I was on Isabela in the Galápagos, riding and hiking to Sierra Negra. After Peru came Bolivia and La Senda Verde. All of it is on adventure travel.

Questions readers ask

Did you hike the Inca Trail?

No. I took an alternative route via a bike descent towards Santa Teresa, jungle trekking and a railway walk in June 2009.

How long did the route take?

Several days, including trekking days of around eight hours, by my diary.

Is the route the same today?

Not necessarily. Check current tickets, operators and access before planning.

Sources and notes

My camera was lost the night before this trip, so the cover is the only photo used. Names of fellow travellers are omitted for their privacy.

Written in October 2026 from my own contemporaneous records.