Machu Picchu Travel Guide: What to Know Before You Go

Short answer: book your entry ticket first, then your train, then your hotel in Aguas Calientes. Spend at least two nights in the region before the visit, and sleep in the town below the ruins the night before. Almost every problem people have at Machu Picchu comes from doing those things in the wrong order.

The site is not a free wander any more

Since June 2024, every ticket belongs to one of three circuits, each split into routes, and you follow the route printed on your ticket in one direction. Circuit 1 gives you the high viewpoint, the classic postcard shot. Circuit 2 covers most of the ruins. Circuit 3 stays in the lower part of the city and is the one that includes Huayna Picchu. You cannot see everything on one ticket, which is why many visitors buy two. Our tickets guide goes through each route.

Altitude

Cusco sits at around 3,400 metres. Machu Picchu is lower, at about 2,430, and Aguas Calientes lower again. The Sacred Valley falls in between, which is why so many people sleep there first. Headaches, poor sleep and breathlessness on stairs are common for a day or two. Walk slowly, drink water, go easy on alcohol, and try the mate de coca that hotels leave out. If you have a heart or lung condition, talk to a doctor before you travel.

Rules at the gate

• Bring the original passport you used to buy the ticket. Names and numbers are checked.
• There's a short grace period after your entry hour, and after that you can be refused.
• No re-entry. The toilets are outside the gate, so go before you enter.
• Large bags, food, tripods, selfie sticks and drones are not allowed.

Do you need a guide?

The rule has changed several times, and enforcement on the standard circuits varies. Check the current position on the Ministry of Culture's ticket site. Either way, we'd hire one. There are almost no signs inside, and without someone explaining the Temple of the Condor or the Intihuatana stone, much of it is just grey walls. Licensed guides wait near the entrance.

How many days?

The ruins take half a day. The region needs five to seven, with time for Cusco, the market town of Pisac and Ollantaytambo, where people still live inside Inca street plans. Our 2-day itinerary covers the Aguas Calientes part in detail.