If you’re traveling to Peru, the first thing that usually comes to anyone’s mind is to visit Machu Picchu. I knew there was plenty else to see but it was my main motivation in deciding to travel to the region.
Largely believed to have been constructed as an estate for the Inca emperor Pachacuti, these ruins are breathtaking in all respects. Located within the Sacred Valley, Machu Picchu can be visited as a day trip but it can be difficult if you wish to take either of the hikes and see the ruins from above.
I couldn’t get a view like this until I was well on my way back down the mountain due to all of the fog.
How I visited Machu Picchu
When I went to visit Machu Picchu I took the train from Cusco to the Aguas Calientes (local village near Machu Picchu) station the night before and stayed in a hotel.
Aguas Calientes is one of those special towns that allows no cars, so you don’t need to worry about the noise of beeping horns and zooming automobiles keeping you up at night. Instead, my hotel was near a soccer field. A game was being played that the entire town seemed to attend. And when it ended….after midnight, there was a PARADE for the winning team through town that included a marching band and fireworks.
I then woke up at what I thought was an early 6:30 a.m. Hey, go easy. This was my first truly solo trip! Imagine my joy as I walked out of my hotel and right up to a mile-long line for the shuttle bus.
Even in the dry season, the weather can be unpredictable.
When I awoke, it was pouring rain, and the line moved so slowly due to the rain that I almost missed my hike up Montaña Machu Picchu. My official time slot for access to the hike was listed as 7 a.m.-11 a.m. I went straight there and made it to the gate at 11:02. I was the last person to start. Thankfully they still let me enter.
I highly recommend spending the night in Aguas Calientes or hiking in on the Inca Trail because as I am a perfect example, you never know what’s going to happen with the shuttles. Yes, you can walk from town to the gate should you desire, but that will take you about 60 minutes. I paid close attention to the walk on my way back down, and it didn’t look particularly appealing. Had I taken the train to town that morning, I definitely would have missed my hike.
After I finished my hike up the mountain I spent the next few hours casually strolling my way around the ruins. I stayed with the flow of people for the most part, but there was no hard-set route (there is now), so I did wander on occasion as I tend to do.
A foggy morning. Perfect for standing in lines.
New Rules
No more wandering!
For better or worse, rules are always changing at national treasures such as Machu Picchu. These rules, however inconvenient people may find them, are often born of over-tourism and disrespectful tourists. The best example is the daily limit of 2,500 daily tickets. It was crowded when I went, and if that’s the number they settled on, I can only imagine how congested things were in the past. New rules as of 2019 came largely from pressure from UNESCO, and I see this as a good thing.
So what’s new?
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You have a designated time slot for entry.
In the past, there were two. Then there were three. Now there are nine time slots for entry: 6 AM, 7 AM, 8 AM, 9 AM, 10 AM, 11 AM, 12 PM, 1 PM, and 2 PM. This seems to be changing often over the past several years. When I went there were only two time slots, then three when I first started writing this post, so be sure to check. They might change their mind again tomorrow.
If you’re looking to climb one of the mountains you’ll have three choices for entry at 6 AM, 7 AM, or 8 AM, this isn’t new for the mountains,
Should you show up before the time on your ticket, they will make you wait. Entering after your slot doesn’t seem to be as big of a deal, but I wouldn’t push my luck. Think of it like traveling carry-on only with a big bag. Sometimes you make it through, but sometimes you run into that strict employee at the gate who makes you check your bag.
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You are required to hire a guide.
While a few years old, this “new” rule is supposedly now being enforced. I’ve asked a few people who have recently been there, however, and they claim that they still didn’t hire a guide.
If you are forced into hiring one, guides will be lined up at the gate. The price per person for a guide is like a taxi in which it depends on the number in the group. For one or two people, expect to pay around $42 (€36) total.
Just be sure to shop around because their language skills and general knowledge about the site can vary quite considerably.
If you’re part of a pre-booked tour, you won’t be forced into hiring someone at the gate as you’ll already have a registered guide. Pre-booked tours can be found all over. Some can include entrance, transportation, and, hotel. You can find some examples HERE and HERE. I booked my hotel and train ticket in Cusco through a tour company after I already had my entrance ticket. Though it’s not mandatory, always tip your tour guide.
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There is now a set route for you to follow.
In the past, you were given some freedom of movement around the site, but now you’re required to follow a clearly designated path. You could never clamber around on the ruins, but there was nothing stopping you from choosing which direction you wanted to go.
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Time limits.
Currently, you are only allowed to spend four hours inside Machu Picchu. This can be extended to seven hours if you purchase a ticket to climb one of the mountains.
Honestly, I don’t see how they can enforce this. While I was there I didn’t have anyone approach me or ask to see the entrance time on my ticket. There are just so many people moving through that policing this beyond the honor system makes no sense. But at the same time, following the new set route might make it harder to stay any longer than four if they’re waiting for you at the end.
Those I’ve spoken to claim that this wasn’t being enforced either. Employees do however log the time you start and finish your mountain climb. This is for safety reasons so they know that everyone who went up, also made it back down.
Airsick lowlanders. Nobody cared about time limits while we were waiting for the fog to pass.
Tickets to visit Machu Picchu
Tickets for Machu Picchu have unfortunately gotten more complicated as of late. But while getting them may be more inconvenient, some of the changes were needed. These new changes came into place to combat over-tourism and damage to the site by disrespectful tourists.
The most important thing to know about the tickets has remained the same. This is that they are limited. There are only 2,500 entrance tickets allocated per day for access to the site. Then if you want to hike Montaña Machu Picchu, there is a daily restriction of 400 tickets. Hiking Huayna Picchu has even less availability with only 200 tickets sold per day.
With a limited number of tickets, you will want to book in advance or you risk missing out. This is more important for the two mountain hikes than for the ruins themselves because general Machu Picchu tickets can be found in various locations (see below).
Where to buy tickets
You can buy tickets to visit Machu Picchu online or in person. I bought mine online on the Peruvian government’s official website. This will get you the lowest price and allows you to buy your tickets in advance. This can be important during the high season when tickets are more likely to sell out.
High season in Peru runs from May – October, with the most visitor traffic coming in July and August. I booked two months out and was unable to get a ticket for Huayna Picchu. I instead settled on Montaña Machu Picchu which was still great but is the less challenging climb of the two.
Tickets can also be bought in person in Cusco at the Ministerio de Cultura which is open Monday – Saturday from 7 a.m. – 8 p.m. Be sure to bring your passport. Cash or credit.
In Aguas Calientes at the Machu Picchu Cultural Centre which is open Monday – Sunday from 5 a.m. – 10 p.m. Again, bring your passport. Cash only.
And lastly, they can be found in any city with a Banco de Nacion, which is the National Bank.
The start of the hike. I had a fun, foggy morning. Can you tell?
Which tickets to buy
The Mountains Plus Ruins:
- Huayna Picchu: It’s the most difficult of the hikes but if you’re looking for an extreme experience, climbing Huayna Picchu would be it. That is if you think you can handle how steep it is. Huayna Picchu isn’t just steep. At 1.2 miles long with a vertical gain of 1000 feet, it is treacherously steep and considered to be one of the most dangerous hikes in the world. It takes about one hour on average to reach the top.
There is talk about closing it for good due to injuries and deaths from people falling so if you’re interested, I’d look to do it sooner rather than later. Ticket costs are always changing, but as of now, expect to pay $80 per adult and $54 for children and students *This is not a hike for children!* You may be confident in their abilities, but the most serious injuries are caused by others falling and crashing into you.
- Montaña Machu Picchu: Still want a challenging yet rewarding hike? Montaña Machu Picchu is the way to go. This is the hike I did since tickets for Huayna Picchu were sold out. It’s not nearly as steep and will still afford you a great view…unless you go on a day where the entire mountain is fogged out like I did. It takes about one and a half hours to reach the top.
Ticket cost: $80 per adult and $54 for children and students.
Regular Tickets – Ruins Only:
- Machu Picchu only tickets: You don’t have to do a mountain hike if you don’t want to. In fact, you can skip hiking altogether and just walk the ruins with a regular ticket. This is what most people do. Bonus hike with regular tickets: If you still want to hike and are looking for something a little tamer than the mountains, you can hike up to the Sun Gate with just a regular combination ticket. Located on the side of Montaña Machu Picchu, this gate offers a decent viewpoint and is the original entrance to the site. Ticket cost: $60 per adult and $35 for children and students.
It only “cleared” up for less than a minute!
How to get there
There are three ways you can get to Machu Picchu. Train, taxi, or hiking.
I took the train so I’ll be covering only that as at this point in my travels, I still hadn’t discovered my love of trekking.
Train:
There are two train companies to choose from, and their difference is negligible. They are Peru Rail and Inca Rail. I used Inca Rail.
These trains leave primarily from two stations:
Poroy Station, which is in a small village just outside of Cusco (this is where I left from) and takes three hours and twenty minutes including a stop in Ollantaytambo (you aren’t allowed to get off).
Ollantaytambo Station which is located at the historical Ollantaytambo. You will need to get here by bus or taxi first, which takes two hours. After that, the train will take another hour and fifty minutes.
Both train companies offer four types of services: budget, panorama, first-class, and luxury/private. I took a budget train on my way there since it was dark out. Had it been light, I probably would have taken one of the panorama options.
On my way home, I managed to slide myself onto the first-class car free of charge. This car was very nice compared to coach. There was food and beverages, vendors modeling and selling higher quality clothing than you’d find at a market in Cusco, live music, and a costumed performance.
Luckily things we better by the time I got back down to the bottom!
The Shuttle:
An important thing to remember if you’re taking the train is that you’ll still need your shuttle up to Machu Picchu. You can book it in advance HERE, or at the ticket booth. There are no assigned seats so they just pile you in.
The ticket office is located right near where you board the bus. But don’t forget, the line will be to get on the bus, not to buy a ticket. If you get in line without first buying a ticket you could find yourself waiting all over again.
Shuttle tickets cost $24 for a round trip or $12 for a one-way should you decide to walk back. I took it round trip and partook in the locals selling cold beers to people waiting in line for the return trip.
It may have started out foggy but I still give it my seal of approval!
When to visit Machu Picchu
Deciding when to visit Machu Picchu will depend on your tolerance for crowds. Yes, tickets are limited so you’ll never be on site with more than a certain amount of people, but you’ll still have to contend with other travelers in places like Cusco and the surrounding archaeological sites.
High season in Peru runs from May – October, with the most visitor traffic coming in July and August.
Going off this, the ideal times to visit Machu Picchu are May – June or September – October. You’ll find nicer weather and less crowds.
May – September is the winter in Peru and will give you the driest conditions. I went in March but it only rained once my entire time in the country. Of course, this had to be the morning I would be seeing Machu Picchu, because why not?
I know visiting Machu Picchu has become touristy over the years, but I don’t think you should let that stop you. What do you think? Is Machu Picchu a place you’d like to see? Are you ready to get the most overused dating app picture for yourself? Let me know in the comments below!
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I’d love to go one day! Looks like a great trip.
Was my first fully solo trip, and well worth it!!
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CAN’T WAIT FOR THE PICS FROM BRAZIL! I WAS FORCED TO RETIRE BECAUSE I’M VILE, SNITCH AND LIE IN MEMOS, BUT MAYBE I’LL SEE YOU AGAIN IF MY HIPS DON’T FALL OFF. I HOPE YOU SAW ME ON GOOD VERBAL. STAY SAFE!