Located in the province of Urubamba in Peru, Machu Picchu is a sacred place of the Inca culture whose construction dates back to the 15th century. It’s also a place classified World Heritage by UNESCO since 1983 and one of the 7 Wonders of the World. Machu Picchu is one of the main tourist attractions of Peru and a place full of history, culture and magic. Every year millions of tourists visit this mythical Inca site to meet one of South America's must-see places, and it's your turn today to begin its ascent! We present you in this article, the complete guide to visiting Machu Picchu, for an experience as successful as unforgettable.   
Machu Picchu is one of the 7 Wonders of the World and is considered Patrimony of the Humanity. / photo: Flour Tiffany
 

Where is Machu Picchu? 

Located in the eastern Andes Mountains and at the edge of the Amazon rainforest, Machu Picchu rises to more than 2,430 meters above sea level. Its main gateway is the city of Cuzco, about 130 kilometers away, which is the current regional capital and, historically, the imperial capital of the Inca Empire. This historical and archaeological site covers an area of almost 13 km², built on a rocky ridge in the middle of the tropical forest.  At the time of its construction, this ancestral citadel city represented an interesting typology for defence. Inherited from this particular geography, today Machu Picchu is one of the most famous tourist ascents in the world, with a large number of diversified circuits adapted to all visitors, of all ages and physical conditions.      Travel tips: See the impressive landscape of the Andes and enjoy a guided tour of Machu Picchu, one of the most mysterious places in the world!   
The city of Cuzco is the current regional capital and, historically, the imperial capital of the Inca Empire / Photo: Canva Pro
 

How to buy the ticket for Machu Picchu?

Individually, there are two ways to purchase tickets to Machu Picchu: in person, at an authorized office in Cusco, or through the Internet. However, if you use an agency to organize your excursion, they will take care of buying your ticket themselves. If you choose to buy your ticket on the spot, take into account that in high season there are long queues at the ticket offices, so it’s better to buy the entrance ticket online in advance.   There are officially three types of entrance ticket: 
  • The Machu Picchu alone which includes the Temple of the Sun, Intihuatana, the Temple of the Condor, among others, whose reservation is recommended with 2 or 3 weeks of anticipation.
  • Machu Picchu + Huayna Picchu, including the ascent of the mountain that is part of the famous postcard, for a spectacular and unique view of the historic site. Reservations are made 2-3 months in advance.
  • The Machu Picchu + Mountain (Machu Picchu Mountain), which offers less steep, wider and quieter hiking trails than Huayna Picchu. Its reservation is between 2 and 3 months in advance too.
For more information on routes and prices, as well as to book your ticket, visit https://www.billetmachupicchu.com/   Travel Tips: Visit the most important tourist attractions in the city of Cusco: The Cathedral, The Temple of the Sun and 3 nearby ruins. Get in direct contact with the Inca culture!  
The mountain of Huayna Picchu offers an unique and spectacular view on the historical site of Machu Picchu. / photo: Flour Tiffany
 

How to get to Machu Picchu?

Several villages in the tropical zone are close to the historical site of Machu Picchu, some of them are tourist and others are almost unknown to those who are not from the area, but all these paths offer incredible hikes for the most adventurous who wish to make an independent ascent. The famous Salkantay trek is also very popular: 5 days in the high altitudes with the finish line at the gates of Machu Picchu. But more coveted by tourists, the city of Cuzco is a real starting point, with incredible tours and activities in its surroundings.  Travel tips: Daytours4u takes you to visit the Sacred Valley with two of the most curious places of the Inca civilization: the salt mines of Maras and the circular terraces of Moray.   All the existing paths to access this incredible tourist attraction lead to a single point: the village of Aguas Calientes. The easiest way to get there is by a railway line from the town of Ollantaytambo, located some 70 kilometres from Cusco. Arriving in Aguas Calientes you can venture up the steps leading to Machu Picchu (quite difficult) or take advantage of the tourist bus service by buying a ticket on the spot. In one day tour, Daytours4u offers you the complete ascent to Machu Picchu including the train and bus ride, promising breathtaking scenery before coming face to face with one of the 7 wonders of the world.  Travel tip: the village of Aguas Calientes is the only gateway to Machu Picchu. It is possible to stay there, with several tourist conveniences installed. It’s also there that bus tickets for the ascent to the site are sold.   
Ollantaytambo is the starting point of the railway line to the village of Aguas Calientes / Photo: Canva Pro
 

When to travel to Machu Picchu?

Being located between the rainforest and the Andes mountain range, Machu Picchu has a very special climate, distinguishing itself in two seasons: the dry season and the rainy season. In absolute, it’s possible to visit the site at any time of the year, however, some months are more preferable than others for a successful ascent and experience : 
  • The dry season is between April and October: there is almost no rain and sunshine with temperatures up to 25°C during the months of June and July, which are also considered the hottest. 
  • The rainy season is between November and March: with temperatures between 8 and 22°C, the climate is hot and humid. Contrary to popular belief, it does not rain constantly! The rains are sometimes intense, but short, leaving the possibility to make a safe ascent. January and February are the wettest months.
In terms of tourist attendance, the high season corresponds to the dry season and the off-season to the rainy season. It is recommended to visit Machu Picchu during the dry season for its mild climates and radiant sunshine. Travel tips: apart from visiting Machu Picchu in the off-season to enjoy the site in greater peace and quiet, it also allows you to enjoy incredible green landscapes, because its colors are much more intense during the rainy season!  
Visit Machu Picchu in low season makes it possible to benefit from the site in a greater calm but also to appreciate the green of the landscape. / photo: Flour Tiffany
 

What to bring to Machu Picchu? (and not to bring) 

Being a very popular site for tourism, the ascent to Machu Picchu is an excursion that is well prepared! For a successful experience in this sacred place you will first and imperatively need your passport (or national identity card if you have Peruvian nationality) because it is impossible to enter without identification documents.  Also have your entrance ticket and vouchers for any additional services that you have booked (private guide for example). If you wish to eat there, there is only one restaurant. You have the possibility to stop there to enjoy a small dish with an incredible view of mountains that surround Machu Picchu. This restaurant being quite expensive, you also have the possibility to take a snack at the entrance, all food being forbidden within the site. Also bring enough cash to buy yourself a souvenir, get your passport stamped with the Machu Picchu stamp (a must for the good traveler!) and especially to pay for the public toilets located at the entrance.  Travel tips: in addition to these essentials to visit the Inca site, don't forget to have a good pair of walking shoes (heels not allowed, nor hard-soled shoes), bring water, sun cream, a rain poncho but especially your camera to take your most beautiful pictures!   Being a highly protected tourist attraction, security measures are put in place for each visitor. Here is the exhaustive list of the main restrictions to access Machu Picchu:
  • Tripods are not allowed in the citadel, as well as supports or extensions for cameras, mobile phones or any other stabilizing or extending elements for filming and/or photography.
  • You will not be able to enter Machu Picchu with your big backpack. Only small models are allowed (40x35x20 cm max). So leave your backpack at Aguas Calientes if you travel with it. It is possible to pay a small fee for a hotel or hostal to take care of your bags.
  • Walking sticks are not allowed unless the person needs them.
  • Only small umbrellas are allowed in, so don't bring large ones.
  • Pushchairs, aerosols and pets are not allowed on site.
Travel tips: once you have entered the site by validating your entry, it is not possible to go out and re-enter, so take this information into account to avoid any misunderstandings there, especially for the toilet break, whose toilets are located outside! To give you an idea, a visit lasts about 2 to 4 hours.   
Only the small models of backpack are authorized on the historical site of Machu Picchu / Photo: Flour Tiffany
 

COVID-19 information for Machu Picchu:

The facilities will provide visitors with information on the safety and health measures that everyone must follow to avoid and prevent the contagion of COVID-19. Necessary and mandatory measures include wearing masks, disinfecting hands and shoes, maintaining the established social distance and respecting the new capacity. In order to make a visit, it will be necessary to have a virtual reservation, by appointment. Find the full press release on https://www.machupicchu.gob.pe Here you are ready to meet one of the 7 Wonders of the World, one of the most emblematic places of Peru, but also one of the most sacred places of the Inca civilization. Discover all the magic of Machu Picchu and leave with the most beautiful memories in mind!   
  By: Tiffany Flour, passionate traveler and French writer for Daytours4u.