Visiting Machu Picchu

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How and when is it best to visit Machu Picchu?

So many questions appear in the minds of tourists when it comes to travelling to Machu Picchu.

One cannot simply get on a vehicle and visit Machu Picchu. Despite the fact that it is reachable by train & bus, pass is needed to enter, which might limit the number of visitors. The weather could also be a problem. Many have difficulties in planning & organizing the trip to the fantastic site.

This article comes to your help on this subject. Find out when it is best and how you can get there.

When to visit Machu Picchu?

Travel in the following interval: April - October to avoid the rainy season.

The peak period when large crowds go to the archaeological site is June - August. But it's also the best time! Best to find the city in clear weather with the Sun shining.

For photographers...      

Travel in the period mentioned: June - August, perhaps July is best for clear weather.

Take the Inca Trail to get there before the big crowd.  

How to travel there?

You have 2 choices to reach the ruins: by train & bus or hiking on the Inca Trail by buying a travel package (cannot do it individually, the trail is not accessible unless you are guided by authorized personnel).

If you travel alone and/or you've never been to Peru or Machu Picchu and if your organism is not strong enough for the big hike on the Inca Trail, then you should better travel by train from Cuzco to Aguas Calientes (Machu Picchu Pueblo), a small town in the Urubamba Valley, very close to Machu Picchu, from there you can take the bus all the way up to the archaeological site.

For those who will travel to Aguas Calientes, there are 2 possibilities (after arriving there with the train): by bus or on foot. The second one is for younger, stronger individuals who want to run up the trails before the buses. Locals will take you on secret trails that are shorter, but even so, you will have to run in order to get there in time. The total walk from the town to the ruins is about 2 hours long and can be axhausting if you're not used to mountain hiking.

It's good to get up there early in the morning. The buses from Aguas Calientes start 5:40 AM, they bring lots of tourists to the site. You'd have to get up much earlier than that. The bus trip costs about 7 USD.

But prior to this, you must buy tickets to Machu Picchu! Below are the details...

Where to buy entrance tickets to Machu Picchu?

You can obtain the entrance pass by 2 way: buying it in a package form a travel agency (either from your country or in Cuzco) or you can buy just the ticket in Cuzco. In the first case, you'd probably travel with a guided group, in the second case, you'll travel unguided.

In Cuzco, you can buy tickets here:

Instituto Nacional de Cultura, Avenida Pachacútec, Cuzco

(close to the Plaza de Armas)
       

What to bring to Machu Picchu

It's not allowed to bring up backpacks to the ruins. But, there is a luggage storage place up on the mountain top, where you can leave your bag. But, it's always necessary to bring at least a camera, some food, drink, money. You can bring your camera in, but food and drink are not allowed where the ruins are. You can leave your backpack at the luggage storage area until you explore the magical city.

We'd recommend you to bring a good camera to take as many photos as you wish, it's worth immortalizing the beautiful sight, but don't put your effort exclusively into that, you have to feel the lost city, look around, walk around.

The best recipe to visit Machu Picchu and see

First of all: travel there in the time period mentioned higher on this page. Then, make sure you know the weather reports for the following days, if the sun will be shining, then no problem, you can leave for Machu Picchu.

You can explore the sectors of Machu Picchu, but also the peak of Huayna Picchu, where few travelers climb up. From there, the view is fantastic over the main parts of the ancient city. From Huayna Picchu you can take wonderful photographs. You can only get up there before 16:00 o'clock, after that it's closed. But it's also possible to find it closed earlier if too many tourists arrive to the spot. These measures are taken to limit the destructive effect of tourism in the ancient city.

To see an almost empty Machu Picchu for taking photos, you should travel with an organized group on the Inca Trail. It's the only way to escape the large crowds arriving from Aguas Calientes. If you travel from the town, then you'd better stay in there for about 3 days and get up there every morning to see what you might have missed the day before. Don't hurry, take your time and wait for the perfect light for taking photos.

Anything else?

Yes...

If you ever get to Machu Picchu through the Inca Trail, don't finish the visit fast, but stay there for a longer time, admire the technical achievements, explore every corner of the city, because this ancient Inca citadel is more than just a travel destination, being there is like being in a dream and if you'll get the chance to get a taste of what it feels like, then take your time to enjoy it!