Skift Take

Machu Picchu is arguably South America's top draw for foreign tourists. If access remains disrupted for some time, many international visitors may cancel future trips as a precaution.

Tourists will struggle to visit Machu Picchu in the near-term because protestors have for days blocked access — with no end in sight. Peru's government on Tuesday suspended talks with protesters.

Protestors have been blocking critical rail access to Machu Picchu in the Andres Mountains since last Thursday.

Without the train route, reaching the Incan citadel can take nearly nine hours, said Sarah Miginiac, general manager for Latin America at G Adventures. “You go about five, six hours in a bus, and then you walk for about three hours to the tow