These are my thoughts (not in any particular order):

1.If you have not already done so, read thru the pertinent sections of The South American Handbook (After like 75 years in business, I think they recently went thru a name change and may now be called The Footprint Guide) and the Lonely Planet books.

2.If you have never been to these altitudes
before, then it's impossible to predict whether you will suffer from altitude sickness and if so, to what degree. You could be in tip-top physical shape and still get very sick, even to the point of having to be hospitalized (unlikely, but could happen). I recommend that you talk with your doctor about getting a prescription for Diamox or some other medication to prevent altitude sickness. My trip to Cuzco and Machu Picchu was almost ruined by it, but I took Diamox on the trip to La Paz (which is even higher) and had no problems whatsoever.

3.From La Paz to Puno, we took a combination
bus/ferry that I would not recommend. It involved getting on an ancient, creaky ferry (without a life jacket in sight) to cross the lake. If the hydrofoil that the other poster suggested is available, take it.

4.Unless they have recently upgraded the helicopter they use for Cuzco to Machu Picchu, it is a very old Soviet era Russian helicopter (the kind that looks like they started in 1948 with a boxcar and just kept
adding bigger and bigger engines and rotors until it would finally fly). I am sure that the views would be spectacular, but I, personally, would not get on the thing.

5.If you decide that the helicopter is out,
other than hiking to Machu Picchu on the Inca trail (which it sounds like you won't have enough time to do), I think that the train is your only option. If at all possible, try to make it a 2 day trip and spend the night there (either at the hotel next to the ruins or one of the hotels in the town below, Aguas Calientes). This way you can experience Machu Picchu either before the train arrives in the morning or after it departs in the afternoon, when it will be much less crowded. Plus, it's such a spectacular site, you hate to just arrive, spend 4 hours and then have to head back to Cuzco.

Good luck and have a great trip.




[This message has been edited by dogcanyon (edited 06-01-2003).]