Hidden away for centuries in the cloud forests of Peru, the ruins of Machu Picchu are a must for any traveler’s bucket list. Though the site’s origins remain mysterious–was it a retreat? A spiritual website? The famed city of the Incas? –Machu Picchu travel is now a business that is flourishing, with more than one million visitors each year, flocking to it.
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Machu Picchu Travel Tips
To take advantage of your journey, you’ll want to know the ideal time to see Machu Picchu so as to avoid crowds, and the perfect method to get there, and which kind of ticket you need to buy. For assistance planning a visit use these tips.
The Best Time to Visit Machu Picchu
The busiest time of year to visit Machu Picchu is June through August, once the weather is generally dry and pleasant. If you are planning your Machu Picchu travel for this time period, prepare for audiences and reserve tickets and tours well beforehand.
The rainy season runs from November through March or early April, together with downpours (and muddy trails) at their peak between January and March. Every February for upkeep is closed.
If you are looking to avoid the worst of the crowds without risking too much rain, visit Machu Picchu through shoulder-season weeks: April, May, September, and October.
The Inca Trail and Choice Machu Picchu Treks
The very popular method for adventurous travelers to reach Machu Picchu is the famed Inca Trail, which takes you on a four-day trek through the hills and directly to the ruins. For people who don’t have the time or fitness center to conquer the full trail, there’s a two-day variant of the Inca Trail that’s shorter and simpler. Be aware that access to the road is limited to just 500 people every day (such as service staff–you can’t increase the Inca Trail with no manual), and enables sell out months beforehand.
Luckily, there are less-crowded alternative hikes to select from. Consider the rough five-day Salkantay trek for incredible high-altitude scenery, or the four-day Lares trek for stops at local Andean communities. If you’re up for a battle, think about that the Choquequirao trek, which takes you to hidden Incan ruins that most visitors to Peru never get to see.
Companies like SAS Travel and Llama Path offer organized trips for all these and other Machu Picchu treks.
Machu Picchu Package Tours
It’s almost impossible to reserve a group tour of Peru which does not include a stop at Machu Picchu. G Adventures, Intrepid Travel, and National Geographic Expeditions are among the numerous companies which offer package tours of Peru.
You can also book a tour that is shorter as part of a different vacation. Nearly every travel agent in Cusco can reserve a day or overnight trip from there to Machu Picchu, or you could book one in advance with SmarterTravel’s sister website, Viator. In case you have enough time, we’d recommend an overnight stay in the Machu Picchu area; driving to and from Cusco makes for a long, grueling day trip, starting as early as 4:00 a.m.
Planning an Independent Visit to Machu Picchu
Not a fan of traveling with classes? It is simple to organize your visit. Most travelers arrive at Machu Picchu Pueblo (also known as Aguas Calientes) via a train from Cusco, Urubamba, or Ollantaytambo. Peru Rail and Inca Rail are the two main providers; you can purchase tickets on their sites or at their ticket offices around Peru.
To get to the ruins, many visitors take a 20-minute bus ride up a winding mountain road: You can purchase tickets to do so from the stalls beside the bus station in downtown Machu Picchu Pueblo. Alternatively, you can walk to the ruins, which is mostly uphill and takes approximately 90 minutes in the pueblo.
You must buy your ticket to Machu Picchu beforehand, through the official government website or a travel agency: You can not buy Machu Picchu tickets on birth. Be aware that the government site only takes reservations with a Visa credit card (not Mastercard or American Express), also it can be a bit confusing to use, particularly in case you don’t speak Spanish. You can use a Google Chrome browser to translate the website into English.
Machu Picchu recently made changes to its ticketing policy in an effort to manage the flow of crowds. Visitors once able to enter the ruins by themselves and wander freely will now must input having a formal tour guide during designated time periods: either in the daytime (6:00 a.m. to noon) or afternoon (noon to 5:30 p.m.). If you wish to stay all day, you’ll have to buy tickets for both entry intervals. Visitor numbers are limited to 3,267 for the morning and also to 2,673 in the afternoon.
Huayna Picchu and Machu Picchu Mountain
There are two optional trekking regions inside the Machu Picchu ruins that demand special tickets to access.
Huayna Picchu is the more popular of both, involving a climb up the famed summit that appears in the history of most classic Machu Picchu photographs. At the road checkpoint, you’ll see signs for both Huchuy Picchu and Wayna Picchu. Don’t be confused: Wayna is an alternate spelling of Huayna. Huchuy Picchu is the small mountain in front of Huayna Picchu.
The trip to the top of Huchuy Picchu and back takes just about 45 minutes. For more spectacular views, climb into the top of Wayna Picchu, which takes about two hours roundtrip. From this course you can also have a detour to see the Temple of the Moon, part of this Gran Caverna, or Great Cave, complicated. This adds yet another hour or 2 to your total trekking time.
Hiking Machu Picchu Mountain is also optional, and is much more strict and less crowded compared to Huayna Picchu trail. Located on the other side of the ruins, Machu Picchu Mountain is higher than Huayna Picchu (it tops out at more than 10,000 feet, compared to Huayna Picchu’s 8,900 ft), therefore some travelers may be affected by the elevation. This hike takes an hour more than Huayna Picchu, but the perspectives are similarly magnificent.
The Huayna Picchu and Machu Picchu Mountain hikes are restricted to 200 visitors for each entry period: between 7:00 and 8:00 a.m., or between 10:00 and 11:00 a.m.
Machu Picchu Hotels
If you want to sleep right next to the ruins and become the first in line if they start at sunrise, then you have one very expensive option: The luxe Belmond Sanctuary Lodge is located steps from the main entrance.
Most visitors stay in local Machu Picchu Pueblo, a small but bustling city with accommodation options for each price point. Among the most indulgent is your Inkaterra Machu Picchu Pueblo, which is within walking distance of restaurants and the railway station but seems like a remote resort, complete with bubbling fountains and lush landscaping. Guests stay in private casitas with colonial-style furniture, and many feature fireplaces or private plunge pools.
More moderately priced choices in Machu Picchu Pueblo comprise the Casa Andina Standard and the Tierra Viva Machu Picchu, both of which offer comfortable rooms with river views.
Need-to-Know Machu Picchu Travel Tips
First of all, wear comfortable shoes: Machu Picchu is a large site with lots of stairs and hills, and there are only a few places to sit and rest. Walking sticks are prohibited except for “elderly and incapacitated” people, according to the official ticket. If you do need to use a stick or cane, then make certain it includes a rubber tip to guard the ruins. Machu Picchu isn’t wheelchair-accessible.
The weather can change quickly in the mountains, so you’re going to want to pack a wide-brimmed hat, and rain gear. Throw in some insect repellent to fend off mosquitoes.
The toilets on site are directly outside the entry gates. Bring change; there is a little fee to use them.
Food options near the main gates are confined at the Belmond Sanctuary Lodge along with a fair snack bar. Be aware that eating is prohibited within the ruins, however we spotted fellow hikers refueling on top of Wayna Picchu be sure to take any trash out with you.
To Find out More about Machu Picchu’s history, stop in the Museo Manuel Chavez Ballon. It’s located about a 30-minute stroll from Machu Picchu Pueblo.