Machu Picchu Travel Guide

Archaelogical Park of Machu Picchu

  • Location : South American Continent – Country of Peru – To the Northwest of the Cusco City – Province of Urubamba – District of Machu Picchu.
  • Height: 2,430 meters above sea level.
  • Extension: 38,448 hectares.

Places to visit in Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu was a sacred city for the Inca Empire in the middle of the Andes and the Amazon Jungle, its architectural beauty as well as its natural beauty captivate thousands of visitors from all over the world. Machu Picchu is divided into two urban and agricultural sectors.

Among the most important places of the Inca City are: Main Gate, Quarry, Sacred Square, Priests’ Enclosure, Temple of the Three Windows, Main Temple, House of Ornaments, Main Square, Intihuatana, Sacred Stone, Huayna Picchu, Acllahuasi, Morteros neighborhood, Temple of the Condor, Royal Palace, Temple of the Sun, House of the Ñusta, Royal Mausoleum, Fountains, Main Staircase, Uña Picchu, Aqueducts.

attractions machu picchu

Best time to travel to Machu Picchu

To choose an appropriate travel date depends on what you prefer to enjoy on your trip to Machu Picchu; the factors that will influence your choice are:

Seasons

High Season: Between the months of April to October, denominated in this way for being the months in which Machu Picchu registers more amount of visitors; hindering the free tour of the Inca City.

Low Season: Between the months of November to March, months in which rainfall is present, with greater proportions in the month of February. However, the landscapes become greener and cooler.

Weather

Machu Picchu is located between the Andes and the Amazon, so it has a warm and humid weather with temperatures ranging from 8 °C to 21 °C. In the morning the weather in Machu Picchu is usually humid, with the passage of the hours it becomes warmer.

Tickets to Machu Picchu

It is very important that you buy tickets to Machu Picchu in advance, due to the restriction of spaces especially if your trip is in high season. You have 4 options to choose from:

How to get to Machu Picchu?

1. To Cusco: To get to Machu Picchu you will necessarily have to arrive to the City of Cusco located about 3,390 m.s.n.m., it is recommended to remain a day of acclimatization in such a way that your body is adapted to climate change and to the height, especially if you want to climb Huayna Picchu.

2. From Cusco to Aguas Calientes: Once in Cusco you have 3 options to arrive to Machu Picchu Pueblo or Aguas Calientes, place where the Inca City of Machu Picchu is located.

  • By Train: For this you must acquire the train tickets, then go to the Poroy or Ollantaytambo boarding station, this varies according to the train of your choice.
  • By Bus: You should buy bus tickets to Quillabamba and get off at the town of Santa María, then take a bus to the hydroelectric, finally, make a 3 hour hike to Aguas Calientes or buy a train ticket, route from Hidroelectrica – Machu Picchu (there are only two times available).
  • Hiking: The most well-known route in the world is the Inca Trail, a journey of 43 km that lasts 4 days and 3 nights. This route will take you to Intipunku, located inside the Inca City itself.

3. From Aguas Calientes to Machu Picchu: The entrance gate to Machu Picchu is located 6 kilometers from the town of Aguas Calientes, to get there you have two options:

  • By Bus: You must purchase the bus ticket that will take you to the same entrance gate to Machu Picchu, this trip takes about 30 minutes.
  • Hiking: The road to Machu Picchu lasts approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes. This road is composed of stone and earth stairways, surrounded by vegetation of the area. This option is not recommended if you want to climb Huayna Picchu.