Machu Picchu: the essential guide

Despite the crowds and the hype, Machu Picchu is a sublime sight, a major bucket list tick and the main reason many visitors come to Peru.

For us, it’s up there with Petra and the Taj Mahal. However, unlike its fellow Wonders of the Modern World, there seems to be an unnecessary amount of confusion and ignorance about how to get there and how to do it. Here’s our guide to the basic logistics involved. If you plan ahead, it’s actually very simple.

What is Machu Picchu?

It is a large 15th century Inca Citadel sitting on a mountain, in a cloud forest, above the town of Aguas Calientes.

Machu Picchu Tickets

There are three main ways to book your ticket.

Book directly in advance (sometimes 2-3 months in advance) via the official website and choose your circuit – see later. Make sure you enter your correct name and passport details as they will checked thoroughly on arrival.
Allowing a tour operator to do this for you – we recommend Encounter Latin America as part of a trek or a day trip from Aguas Calientes.
Or 1000 tickets are released the day before in Aguas Calientes – the issue with this is that you will have to spend even more time in Aguas Calientes which is an overpriced tourist trap.

Do remember your passport – you won’t be able to talk your way through the gate without it. We saw people try and fail.

Aguas Calientes to Machu Picchu

To get to Machu Picchu you have to get to Aguas Calientes first – confusingly being rebranded as Machu Picchu Pueblo. From Aguas Calientes you can either get a bus or walk up to MP.

The bus

The buses run continuously during opening hours and should be pre-booked on the Consettur website it cost 24$ return or 12$ one way. You will need you passport to get on the bus. Your bus will be booked for you if you travel with a tour.

Or the hike

Walking up takes approximately 90 minutes, it’s straight up, steep and humid. If you are suffering with altitude sickness take the bus.

How to get to Aguas Calientes

There are two main ways to get there by train or by trekking.

By train

There are frequent trains to AG in the rainy season they run from delightful Ollantaytambo roughly 2 hours away – you can then continue by road to Cusco if that’s your destination.

In high season (May to Sept) the train runs direct from Cusco to AG.

Both Peru Rail and Inca Rail run similar services and both are expensive and offer a variety of carriage types. We suggest the basic expedition class of carriage as you still get amazing views.

Book ahead as in high season the train get booked up.
You are only allowed a small rucksack on the train, so leave larger bags in Cusco or Ollantaytambo.
Be aware that the tickets are difficult to change once you have committed to a time.

The left hand side of the train has the best views going to AG as it runs along the Urubamba River.
The trains are often delayed – especially in rainy season.
There’s a great coffee shop on Ollantaytambo station platform – Cafe Mayu.

Or the trek

You can also trek from the Sacred Valley to AG with an operator.

The Inca Trail takes 4 days and will need to be booked ahead with a tour operator as permits are required. Alternative trails also need to be booked in advance and include the more rugged and quieter Salkantay Trail and also the Lares Trail.

Tip – trails often close in the rainy season (Nov-March) due to repair and landslides.

Or the budget version

There’s a lengthier, but cheaper route to AG via Hidroelectrica.

Take a shared car or bus from Ollantaytambo or Cusco (6 hours) to Hidroelectrica. It takes about 4 hours on a bumpy road. From Hidroelectirca, you can either get a 30 minute train or walk along the train tracks to AG – it takes about 2 hours, but do check with the town locals that you are on the right tracks.

Inside Machu Picchu

Depending on your circuit you will encounter different views, but they are all pretty impressive.

There are now 10 different circuits including the three main routes and various sub circuits. If you are part of a tour – your tour operator will choose for you. If not, we suggest checking in detail on the official website, but here’s our overview:

For the classic view and the option to add a mountain hike for an even higher view choose circuit 1.
For the classic view and most of the site – but no mountain hike, go for circuit 2.
For the lower ruins and the opportunity to do a higher mountain hike chose circuit 3.

If you are not with a group, you are expected to hire a guide, but in reality we didn’t see this being enforced.

Tip – there’s are no toilets in Machu Picchu, so go at the gate. Equally there’s no refreshments available so take snacks and water with you.

What to wear

Layers. No matter the time of the year the temperature can fluctuate from cold to hot to humid.

Make sure you take a raincoat/poncho as it may rain or you may be in damp cloud.
You will need strong mosquito spray in the high season.
Wear sensible walking shoes, it’s uneven and can be slippy.

The altitude

Everyone talks about the altitude of MP. It is 2430 metres. Cusco by comparison is a whopping 3399 metres.

We suggest the best way to avoid altitude sickness ruining your trip is to gain height slowly. So, once you arrive in Cusco immediately descend to the Sacred Valley for a few days to acclimatise first before MP. We suggest Ollantaytambo as a beautiful, historic base offering many of the day trips from Cusco at a much lower altitude, plus it’s only two hours from AG. Enjoy!