How to Travel to Machu Picchu

Wherever you’re coming from is probably much, much lower than Cusco (11,000 feet) or Machu Picchu (just shy of 8,000 feet). Unless you’ve booked a trip to Machu Picchu that requires an overnight stay in Cusco, we recommend immediately taking the train from Cusco to Aguas Calientes (officially called Machu Picchu Pueblo), the town nearest Machu Picchu. Spend a night or two getting used to the relatively low elevation of Aguas Calientes, at about 6,700 feet, then explore Machu Picchu before returning to Cusco. You can also spend time elsewhere in the Sacred Valley, which, by nature, is lower in elevation than the surrounding mountains. This will help minimize the unpleasant or even dangerous effects of altitude sickness, which commonly include headache, fatigue, and nausea. Avoid alcohol and physical exertion while acclimatizing and drink as much water or coca tea as you can stand to help your body slowly adjust to the thinner air.

Cusco to Aguas Calientes

Options for continuing onto Machu Picchu from Cusco narrow down.  The majority of travelers prefer the comfort and ease of the reliable train system. Still, plenty of adventure goers choose to do a Machu Picchu trek.

Train Vs Trek

Train to MachuPicchu

Train service does not take you directly to Machu Picchu but rather to the town of Aguas Calientes at the foot of the mountaintop ruins. PeruRail and Inca Trail operate trains for tourists. Both companies offer a comfortable ride in modern cars,  schedule variance, and service levels to suit first-class and budget preferences.

Travelers commonly board the train in Cusco at the Poroy Station. This station is a thirty-minute drive from the historic center of the city and our team can arrange for a private transfer to pick you up from your Cusco hotel. Others depart from train stations in the Sacred Valley, which cuts down on travel time to the Machu Picchu Station in Aguas Calientes.

Machu Picchu Trekking Packages

Instead of taking the train, outdoor enthusiasts can do a multi-day trek to Machu Picchu. The Inca Trail is the most iconic hike to Machu Picchu and the only option that permits entrance into the famous ruins on foot through the Sun Gate. All other trails are called Inca Trail alternatives or alternative treks to Machu Picchu and end close to (not at) the ruins. 

Our Inca Trail Tours include an experienced English-speaking guide and outdoor team, daily meal preparation, and camping equipment. Itineraries to Machu Picchu vary in length and highlight diverse Andean scenery.

Machu Picchu: Tips for Visiting

*Entrance Tickets: If you’re traveling independently, you can buy individual Machu Picchu entrance tickets here, though you should note that you’ll be required to hire a local guide before entering the site. (There will be plenty waiting at the gates to Machu Picchu.) If you book a tour package through an operator or a hotel, entrance tickets should be included. As of 2019, all entry tickets are timed, allowing entrance on the hour, and you’re allowed to stay at the site for up to four hours. 

*Bring: Water and a rain jacket, even if it looks like a beautiful sunny day. And speaking of sun, remember that the ozone layer over Peru is compromised. That, combined with the elevation, makes the sun extremely strong here, so wear a hat and use plenty of high SPF sunscreen. Bring insect repellent as well. And keep some one soles coins in your pocket. You’ll need them to access the lone bathroom at the entrance to the site. To use the bathroom or grab food, you’ll have to exit the gates, so bring your passport and hang onto your ticket. You’ll need to show both to re-enter the citadel.

* Don’t bring: Drones, umbrellas, or walking sticks or trekking poles since they’re all prohibited at Machu Picchu. Travelers who require sticks or poles for mobility can bring them in but only with protective rubber tips over the ends.

* Don’t miss: Just outside the entrance gates, there’s a barely marked station where you can get the novelty Machu Picchu stamp in your passport.

* Bus: You can take a very steep 90-minute hike up to the citadel from Aguas Calientes or you can take a 30-minute bus ride. You’ll need to purchase your ticket from the ticket office in Aguas Calientes, though you can do so the day of your trip. Buses operate every 15 minutes or so starting at 5:30 a.m., and people start lining up well before that. Lines to board will be long in both directions.

* Ditch the crowds: When you arrive at the citadel, peel away from the throngs streaming toward the main structures and head for the Guard House instead. This is an area slightly above the main part of the site, and it’s usually less crowded up there as people rush to the heart of the site. Pause here to enjoy the lovely overview of the citadel and to get your bearings.

* Morning? Afternoon? There is no perfect time to visit Machu Picchu. These days, the site is crowded at all hours and weather is unpredictable. However, during the rainy season the mornings are most likely to be foggy. Depending on your disposition, fog ruins the view or adds a patina of mystery to it. Afternoons can be slightly less crowded as day-trippers return to the train station for their trip back to Cusco.

* Huayna Picchu peak: You’ll need a separate ticket to climb this peak at the site, and you need to book in advance — there are a limited number of tickets. The view looking down on the Incan ruins is a highlight for many but be aware that some sections of this strenuous trail are very narrow and steep. You’ll have the choice of starting your climb at 7 a.m. or 10 a.m. Go at 10 a.m.; there’s a better chance any clouds will have lifted by then. (As of December 2020, Huayna Picchu is closed due to the coronavirus pandemic.)

* Machu Picchu Mountain peak: This also requires a separate ticket — and good knees. The trail is almost entirely stairs. You’ll have the choice of starting your climb at 7 a.m. or 9 a.m. (As of December 2020, Machu Picchu Mountain peak is closed due to the coronavirus pandemic.) 

* Free hikes at the citadel: Though Huayna Picchu and Machu Picchu both require additional tickets, anyone can walk up to the Sun Gate (about two hours round trip along a relatively gentle trail with few stairs) for fantastic views of the overall site. You can also make the short walk to the Inca Bridge (less than an hour round trip along a mostly flat trail) to check out a precarious section of trail, now closed, which the Incas built along a rock face. (As of December 2020, the Sun Gate and the Inca Bridge are closed due to the coronavirus pandemic.)

* Guides: Guides are required at Machu Picchu, whether you’re on an organized tour or traveling independently. Hire one outside the gates, or make a booking in Aguas Calientes. 

* Stay for lunch: There’s a casual café and bar with a lovely deck just outside the entrance gates, but the Sanctuary Lodge’s buffet lunch is your only sit-down-restaurant option. It’s very good, if pricey. 

* Coronavirus update: Upon arriving at Machu Picchu, your temperature will be taken — if you’re above 100 degrees Fahrenheit, you will not be allowed to enter. Individuals must wear masks and remain six feet apart (2 meters) at all times. Tour groups are limited to eight people, and they must remain 66 feet apart (20 meters) from other groups.

Several details from transportation to hotel reservations go into planning a Peru trip. Contact us, and our Travel Advisors will use their travel expertise to plan a vacation customized just for you.