Visiting Machu Picchu

You are now here: Rediscover Machu Picchu / Visiting Machu Picchu

How and when is it best to visit Machu Picchu?

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

Wanting to visit and simply getting on a vehicle and going there is not the way. It's relatively remote and a pass is needed to enter. The weather could also be a problem. Many have difficulties in planning & organizing the trip to the magical site.

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

When to visit Machu Picchu?

Travel in the interval of 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.

How to travel there?

You have 2 main choices to reach the ruins: by train & bus (or on foot) or hiking on the Inca Trail by buying a travel package (cannot do it individually).

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 ruins.

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 be shown a shortcut by locals. The road is rougher, but shorter than the bus' road. The walk is 2 hours long, so one has to hurry in order to get there before the bus.

It's good to get up there early in the morning. The buses from Aguas Calientes start off at 5:40 AM, bring lots of tourists to the site. You'd have to get up 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, you can still bring them, there is (at least there used to be) a luggage storage place up on the mountain top. But, it's always necessary to bring at least a camera, some food, drink, money. You can bring your camera, but food and drink are not allowed up on the site. You can leave your backpack at the luggage storage area until you explore the magic city.

We'd recommend you to bring a good camera to take as many photos as you can, it's worth it, but don't put effort exclusively into that, you have to feel the lost city, look around, walk around. Cameras are necessary though, to immortalize the moments and sights...

How to get the best glimpse of the city?

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 set off to visit Machu Picchu.

You can explore the main sectors of Machu Picchu, but also the peak of Huayna Picchu, where fewer travelers climb up. From there, the view is fantastic over the main parts of the city. From Huayna Picchu you can take wonderful photographs. You can climb up to Huayna Picchu only before 16:00 o'clock, later it's closed. But it's also possible to be 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. Should you travel from Aguas Calientes anyway, then you'd better stay in the town 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, 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!