Nearly 1,000 Machu Picchu tourists found themselves stranded this week after protests in Peru shut down rail service to the world-famous Inca site. Demonstrators blocked train lines in Aguas Calientes, the gateway town to the citadel, after a contract dispute over which bus company would transport visitors to the ruins.
The unrest began nearly two weeks ago, when the contract for Consettur—the company that had long provided buses from Aguas Calientes to Machu Picchu—expired. Protesters argued that the process of bringing in a replacement company lacked transparency and fairness. Reuters reported that demonstrators placed rocks of “various sizes” on the railway to stop transport.
Tourism Minister Desilu Leon said that while 1,400 tourists were evacuated on Monday, about 900 people remained stuck in Aguas Calientes. Peru’s government turned to land and rail routes when possible, but the disruptions left hundreds in limbo.
The U.S. Embassy in Peru warned Americans to stay away from protests. “Peruvian authorities have been evacuating tourists from Machu Picchu Pueblo/Aguas Calientes using land and rail routes, when possible,” the embassy stated. The embassy also cautioned that “transportation, access to the site, and access to other services may be further limited without prior notice.”
Rail service resumed two days after being suspended, but the protests exposed how fragile access to the iconic UNESCO World Heritage Site can be. Machu Picchu, perched 7,970 feet above sea level and named one of the “New 7 Wonders of the World,” remains one of South America’s top attractions.
