The Inca ruins site at Machu Picchu is set to reopen to international visitors on April 1st, following a closure of two months following flooding.

Speaking at ITB Berlin, officials from PromPeru – the nation’s national tourism body – confirmed the reopening of the site following repairs to rail links which were damaged earlier this year.

The nearby Vilcanota River over ran its banks in January, destroying rail and road links to the site, with a severe impact on tourism.

Following the incident, hundreds of visitors were stranded in the small town of Aguas Calientes for days - before being evacuated by helicopter.

The Peruvian tourism authority has been seeking to minimise the damage caused to tourism; utilising the downtime to train a further 450 guides at the UNESCO World Heritage site.

Rail Repairs

Repairs to the tracks were not expected to be completed until mid-April, but favourable weather conditions have allowed work to be completed ahead of schedule.

As a result, PeruRail (pictured) will now recommence its Vistadome train service to Aguas Calientes (the station for Machu Picchu Pueblo) on March 29th.

The Inca Citadel of Machu Picchu will then reopen to tourists on April 1st.

PeruRail also operates a backpacker service and the luxury Hiram Bingham train between Cuzco and Machu Picchu.

The backpacker train will resume at the end of April and the Hiram Bingham will be back in operation at the end of June, PromPeru confirmed.