Best Things to Do at Machu Picchu

This list starts inside the citadel and works outwards. Each item on the site belongs to a specific circuit, so check which ticket you need before you get attached to anything.

1. The classic viewpoint. The Guardhouse terraces above the city give the view everyone knows, with Huayna Picchu rising behind the ruins. Circuits 1 and 2 include it. Circuit 3 does not, which surprises a lot of people at the gate.
2. The Temple of the Sun. A curved tower of perfectly fitted stone built over a natural cave. On the June solstice, sunlight falls through one window straight onto a carved rock inside.
3. The Intihuatana. A carved stone on a small rise whose name is usually translated as "hitching post of the sun". Nobody is sure exactly what it was for, which makes it a fine place to test your guide.
4. The Temple of the Condor. Natural rock shaped into two outspread wings, with a carved head on the ground in front. Easy to walk past without a guide.
5. Huayna Picchu. The steep peak in every photo, climbed on narrow Inca steps with drops beside them. Tickets are limited and sell out early. Skip it if you have a problem with heights.
6. Machu Picchu Mountain. Higher, longer and less vertiginous than Huayna Picchu. Allow three to four hours, and expect a view down onto the whole citadel that is arguably better.
7. The Sun Gate (Inti Punku). The stone gateway where the Inca Trail arrives. The walk up is gentle and slow, and trail hikers get their first sight of the city from here. This route is seasonal, so check it's on sale for your date.
8. The Inca Bridge. A path cut into a sheer cliff, ending at a gap once crossed by a removable log. You look at it from a distance, not across it.
9. Huchuy Picchu. The small hill in front of Huayna Picchu, a short climb with a close-up view back over the ruins. The easy option for anyone who wants a summit.
10. Museo de Sitio Manuel Chávez Ballón. A small site museum near the Puente Ruinas bridge at the foot of the hill, with a botanical garden. Few visitors bother, and it explains more than any sign up top.
11. The hot springs in Aguas Calientes. The town is named after them. They're basic, warm rather than hot, and pleasant after a long hiking day. Don't expect a spa.
12. Ollantaytambo. The last big Inca fortress before Machu Picchu, with steep terraces above a town where water still runs in stone channels along the lanes. Most people only see the station. Give it half a day.

Our 2-day itinerary shows how to fit the citadel and one hike into a single morning.