Machu Picchu: Tips for your trip
A visit to the legendary Inca city is an absolute highlight of a trip to Peru. Here’s everything you need to know to plan your visit, from climate and best time to travel to accommodations, tickets, guides, and how to get there and back.
The Inca site, located in the middle of a nature reserve, is still one of the most popular sights in South America. The World Heritage Site attracts thousands of visitors every day to the spectacularly located ridge above the Río Urubamba northwest of the tourist center of Cusco. Even though the site is therefore usually crowded and you have to plan your tour quite thoroughly, a visit to the Unesco World Heritage Site remains an unforgettable experience.
Not only the grandiose location amidst steep mountain peaks and lush vegetation has made the Inca site of Machu Picchu world famous. Visitors are also fascinated by the varied fauna and flora, which has developed into a particularly rich variety of species on the humid eastern side of the Andes. One of the secrets of the success of this mystical place at an altitude of 2,400 meters, which the Spanish conquistadors never discovered, may also be the fact that despite the most modern research methods, it is still not clear exactly what purpose the city served, who lived here and when the inhabitants left it. The rare combination of natural beauty and cultural uniqueness, prompted the Peruvian government to protect a 32,592-hectare area in 1981 with the Santuario Histórico Machu Picchu. It includes the archaeological site and the entire Inca Trail at altitudes between 1800 and 3800 meters.
Virtually all visitors spend the night in Aguas Calientes, which is located below the Inca city and is also called Machu Picchu Pueblo, and can be reached by train from Cusco and Ollantaytambo, respectively. The number of accommodations is enormous, as is the price differential.
Things to know in advance
Location
Machu Picchu is located in the so-called Ceja de la Selva, that is, the “eyebrow of the forest”, the humid and forested upper region of the eastern slopes of the Andes in the southeastern part of the Cordillera Vilcabamba at an altitude of 2430 meters. These are the exact coordinates: 13°09'23'’ latitude and 72°32'34'’ longitude.
Flora and Fauna
Flora
The Inca site is located in the middle of a varied vegetation composed of paramo grasslands, partially deforested subtropical forest, and former fields covered with secondary vegetation. Depending on the altitude, in the cloud forests of the reserve, you will see different palm and fern species, mahogany and podocarpus trees, cedars and bamboo, or willows and alders. Orchid lovers will be in their element, with over 90 registered species. The best month to see orchids in bloom is between November and March.
Wildlife
Shy mammals, such as the spectacled bear, the only bear species in South America, but also puma and ocelot, dwarf deer, or weasel, are unlikely to be seen by day tourists. Birdwatchers should keep an eye out for the condor, the Andean gull, or the orange-red national bird, the rock cock (Gallito de las Rocas). It is easier to see the world of amphibians and reptiles of the famous nature reserve that has many unique species.
History
Refuge of the sun virgins? Land residence of the rulers? Religious and astronomical center for scholars? Or fortress for protection against attacks of wild tribes from the Amazon basin? These and even more theories surround the spectacular site. None of them has been scientifically proven.
However, it is known that Machu Picchu was built at a strategically important location. Thanks to the terraced fields and a secure water supply, it was possible to live self-sufficiently here. It is also certain that the city was not finished when it was left. After the Spanish conquerors took the Inca capital of Cusco, the Inca took refuge in hidden mountain fortresses on the eastern side of the Andes. From there they still resisted the Spaniards, which was only broken in 1572 with the execution of Tupac Amaru.
After that, the impassable mountain region fell more and more into oblivion. While the vegetation took over one of the last places of refuge of the Incas, legends arose over the centuries about hidden gold treasures and legendary cities.
Planning tips
Climate
In the eastern part of the Andes, it rains very frequently. The climate in the area around Machu Picchu is therefore very humid, with an average annual rainfall of 2170 millimeters. But the rainiest months are from November to April. In the drier months from May to August/September you have to be prepared for lower night temperatures. The thermometer can drop to 5 degrees during the coldest nights of June and July. But during the day it gets muggy with high humidity and temperatures that can reach 30 degrees.
Best time to visit
Machu Picchu is most visited within the months of July and August. It is emptier during the rainy season, especially in December, January, and February. Around Peruvian holidays, especially the national holiday of July 28, Machu Picchu is always busy. The good times to visit are early morning and late afternoon.
Timing
Visiting Machu Picchu can be done as a long and strenuous day trip. Ideally, however, you should plan to stay overnight in Aguas Calientes, visit the ruins the following day after arriving, and then travel back to Cusco. For the journey by bus from Cusco to Ollantaytambo you can calculate one and a half to two hours, for the train ride from Ollantaytambo to Aguas Calientes another one and a half hours.
Number of visitors
The daily number of visitors is limited to about 2600 people. Mainly in high season from July to September and on holidays such as Easter and Christmas, the visit to Machu Picchu, should be planned carefully, and buy the intake in advance.
Opening hours
The ruins site is open daily from 6 am to 5 pm, the latest entrance is at 2 pm. The times for visiting the site must be specified with the ticket purchase between 6 am and 3 pm as well as one of five routes. For example, those who choose the 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. time slot can only enter the facility during that time period and will have four hours to visit. Tickets for entry from 6 a.m., 7 a.m., and 8 a.m. are usually booked up first.
Ticket purchase
Important: Tickets to Machu Picchu must be purchased in advance in any case. There is no last-minute entrance to Machu Picchu, And without a ticket, you can only get to the bridge at the river. You also have to remember your passport, because it is also required at the entrance.
When you buy your ticket, you have to choose one of four routes (Circuitos) through Machu Picchu and the exact time frame of your visit.
Buying tickets through agencies
If you book Machu Picchu through an agency, you will usually get the tickets from them. For the Inca Trail, the entrance fee to the ruins is already included in the permit, also for the alternative treks to Machu Picchu (Salkantay trek)the entrance fee and return transport to Cusco are usually included in the total package of the tour operators.
Ticket purchase online
If you decide to buy machu picchu tickets on your own, you should get them as early as possible, because especially in high season they are usually sold out. So if you are planning your visit during this peak season, you should take care of tickets several months in advance. The easiest way to buy tickets online is through the official website.
Buying tickets at the ticket office
In Cusco: Some tour operators in Cusco offer the purchase of entrance and train tickets. For example, the German-speaking tour operator Amazon Trails Peru charges US$7 per person for this service. In Cusco, tickets are also available at the office of the Cultural Institute at Calle Maruri 340, but there you must pay cash (soles).
In Aguas Calientes: Tickets can also still be purchased at the Cultural Institute of Aguas Calientes at Avenida Pachacútec 1, but only cash (soles) is accepted there as well.
Machu Picchu with mountain climbing
If you want to climb the Huayna Picchu Mountain (2720 meters, a steep one-hour climb of about 360 meters, only for people with vertigo) use the Huayna Picchu Tickets or Machu Picchu Mountain (3000 meters, one-and-a-half hour climb of about 600 meters) in addition to the ruins, you have to buy a “combination ticket”. There are only 200 of these per day. It is therefore advisable to book them at least four to five months before your visit. More about the ticket options for these so-called Circuitos 3 and 4 can be found below.
Dates and facts
What is the correct name of Machu Picchu?
The place below the ruins is usually called Aguas Calientes, because there are hot springs there, which are also developed for tourism. But Machu Picchu Pueblo is also common.
What is the time change in Machu Picchu?
The same time as in the rest of Peru, so six hours behind Germany, Switzerland, and Austria. During European summer time, it is seven hours. In Peru, the time zone does not change during the summer.
What language is spoken in Machu Picchu?
The official language in Peru is Spanish. This is also true for Machu Picchu. However, due to the large number of tourists, a large part of the local population speaks at least a few words of English.
How many inhabitants does Machu Picchu have?
In Aguas Calientes (or Machu Picchu Pueblo) live only a few thousand locals.
At what altitude is Machu Picchu located?
While the ruins site is at 2430 meters, the altitude of Aguas Calientes is around 2000 meters.
What does the name Machu Picchu mean?
Machu Picchu comes from the indigenous language Quechua and means: old mountain