Where to Stay for Machu Picchu

Most trips use more than one base, and the order matters because of the altitude. Sleep low first, then go higher. A typical plan is two nights in the Sacred Valley, one night in Aguas Calientes, then Cusco at the end.

Aguas Calientes

The town at the bottom of the mountain, built along the railway and a noisy river. It's crowded, overpriced and not very attractive, and it's still where we'd sleep the night before a visit. You can catch one of the first buses, beat the day-trippers from Cusco, and go back to your room afterwards instead of rushing for a train. Pick a hotel away from the tracks and the restaurant strip if you're a light sleeper.

Ollantaytambo

Our favourite base in the Sacred Valley. It's lower than Cusco, it has the main train station, and the old town still follows its Inca street grid, with stone water channels running beside the lanes and a fortress on the hill. Hotels range from simple guesthouses to comfortable small lodges. Evenings are quiet.

Urubamba and the valley

This stretch has the resort hotels: large gardens, spas, big rooms and mountain views. They suit a slower trip or a family, but you'll need transport to get anywhere, and a taxi or a hotel transfer to the Ollantaytambo station.

Cusco

The old Inca capital deserves its own two or three days, with colonial churches built on Inca walls and a lively evening scene. It's also the highest of the bases at around 3,400 metres. We'd end the trip here, not start it, so that the altitude hits you after a few days of adjusting lower down.

One more option: the Belmond Sanctuary Lodge is the only hotel right beside the entrance. It's very expensive, and it gives you the site at times of day when most visitors are still on the bus.

See how the bases link up in our getting there guide, and read our travel guide for altitude advice.