There are a great deal of logistics that go into planning a trip to Peru. We’ve put together this guide on how to visit Machu Picchu to make your preparation easier.
Transportation to Machu Picchu
While in Cusco, Peru you’ll notice a lot of tour agencies offering day trips to Machu Picchu. Please trust me that this is not worth it. You should at least be staying 1, if not 2 nights in Aguas Calientes to ensure you have the most time at Machu Picchu without feeling rushed.
There are two main train operators running from Cusco to Aguas Calientes: Peru Rail & Inca Rail. We decided to book with Inca Rail, mostly because the times worked better for our schedules, however, they both seemed similar in quality and price from comparing them online.
From our experience with Inca Rail, they have 3 levels of classes but the least expensive is The Voyager (which is what we purchased). From Cusco, they offer what is called a bimodal service where you travel by bus for 2 hours and the other 1.5 by train. The bus stops in Ollantaytambo, part of the Sacred Valley, where you are able to follow staff to catch the train. The process is fairly seamless since they are directing you each step of the way. On the train, they typically serve a hot drink (and occasionally a meal depending on the time of day). The views of the countryside are great! The bi-modal service will cost around $200-$300 per person round trip depending on the time of year.
Accommodation in Aguas Calientes
Like I mentioned before, a day trip to Machu Picchu from Cusco will feel too rushed. We recommend staying in Aguas Calientes so you are able to make the most of your experience. We found and booked our hotel through Airbnb called Gringo Bills. Less than a minute walk to the central square, and 3-minutes to where the bus departs from, you really can’t go wrong with the location.
In general, Aguas Calientes is so small that probably any place you pick will give you access to downtown. Breakfast was included each morning at Gringo Bills and the concierge at the front desk was very helpful. The one downside about this would be the number of stairs you have to climb to get to your room (no elevator). For the price and size of the room, we felt this was definitely worth it!
Machu Picchu Tickets
The key to any successful visit to a popular tourist attraction is to purchase your tickets in advance. It is crucial to buy your tickets for Machu Picchu ahead of time (especially during peak season) since they only allow a limited number of travelers in for each time slot. To purchase tickets online, click here. Typically entrance to Machu Picchu is around ~$50 if you are non-native to Peru. You will need to submit your passport information to buy a ticket.
There are also two mountains to hike at Machu Picchu: Huayna Picchu & Machu Picchu. The first is the taller of the two and not for the faint of heart (paths are very narrow and on the edge of the mountain). Machu Picchu is the shorter of the two and easier for those who are not comfortable with long hikes. You need to pre-book the hikes you want to do on your ticket in advance (which is an additional $15-$20 on top of the standard ticket).
We did not hike either of these mountains, but chose instead the 2-hour round trip hike to the Sun Gate, which is included in your ticket.
Bus Tickets to Machu Picchu
Some people prefer to make the 2-3 hour trek to Machu Picchu from Aguas Calientes on foot but we decided to save our energy for while we were there. The only alternative to hiking is taking the bus up. There is only one bus company that runs the route from Aguas Calientes up to Machu Picchu and back.
It’s about 30-40 minutes each way but totally worth it if you’re planning to spend the whole day at the ruins. Tickets cost ~$24 round trip (or ~$12 one way) and can be purchased at the store in Aguas Calientes on Hermanos Ayar Avenue. You have to present your Machu Picchu tickets & passport in order to be able to purchase a bus ticket.
Entrance Time
One of my biggest tips for planning a trip to Machu Picchu is to buy tickets for the 6am entrance. I know it sounds crazy but here are the reasons we chose the first entrance slot of the day:
Fewer People
A lot of travelers are just coming for one day and they are taking the train from Cusco – which means around 10am, it gets a lot more crowded! This gives you a solid 4 hours before the real crowds start rolling in.
Crowd-free Photos
This sort of goes hand in hand with the first point: if you are the first group up to Machu Picchu at 6am, then you are sharing an incredible view with only a small bus of others. No one is walking down in the ruins yet which means your pictures are absolutely postcard-worthy.
Catch the Sunrise
Although I wouldn’t say particularly that sunrise or even sunset is necessary for a visit to Machu Picchu, it was fantastic to watch the mountains transform before your eyes as the sky grows lighter. (It was practically night when we first drove up – I could just barely make out the outline of the mountains). When we first arrived, it was still fairly gray and dark. Eventually, the sun made it’s way fully up and we saw Machu Picchu both at dawn and completely drenched in sunshine! Such a win-win.
Enjoy the Whole Day
Although technically the website says that if you have a morning ticket you should be out by noon to make room for the afternoon people – no one is really enforcing it. They say it takes 4 hours to do the loop from start to finish but we spent over 8+ hours exploring Machu Picchu! It was great to be able to take our time and not feel rushed.
Avoid Long Bus Lines
When we returned from Machu Picchu back to Aguas Calientes around 3:00pm, we couldn’t believe how long the line for the bus was! It had to be hundreds of people long and stretched along the entire street. Catching the first bus in the morning allowed us to avoid this from happening. (As a disclaimer, we did have a long line to wait in at the end of our time at Machu Picchu but that is nearly inevitable).
Early Wake Up Call
If you decide to purchase 6am tickets, your pre-purchased bus ticket does not delegate a time so you’ll want to line up early regardless. We woke up at 3:30am and were waiting in line by 4am. The first bus departs at 5:30am to get you up to the mountain in time for entrance. If you find yourself visiting Machu Picchu during peak season, you may want to line up even earlier! The good news is that some locals begin walking around selling hot tea, coffee, and sandwiches for you to enjoy while waiting in line so you don’t need to stress about breakfast.
There are very few things I will wake up at 3:30am for, and Machu Picchu is one of them. I cannot stress enough how truly great it is to catch this world wonder at dawn. It was definitely one of the best days of our entire trip and an adventure we will never forget.
Hasta luego, Amanda
For more inspiration, check out our previous post – What is so special about Machu Picchu?
