Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu is the Inca citadel built in the 15th century on a ridge above the Urubamba River. Every visit from Cusco follows the same pattern: a road to the Sacred Valley, a train down the river to Aguas Calientes, and a bus up the mountain.

There are four Machu Picchu tours on this page, from one long day to six days with Lake Titicaca. The real difference between them is how much time you give the journey.

In one day

The Machu Picchu day trip collects you at 3:30 in the morning for the train from Ollantaytambo, 90 minutes along the river.

Then a 25-minute bus up the switchbacks and two and a half to three hours on the site with a guide, taking in the Temple of the Sun, the Sacred Plaza and the Intihuatana. Train, bus, entrance ticket and guide are included; lunch is not.

You are back in Cusco between 6:30 and 7:30 in the evening. 344 dollars. It works, but it is a 14 to 16-hour day.

With a night in Aguas Calientes

The two-day Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu tour spends the first day in the valley at Chinchero, Maras, Moray and Ollantaytambo, then takes the train to Aguas Calientes for the night. You are at Machu Picchu early the next morning, before the day trains arrive. Ticket, buses, trains, hotel and guide are in. 442 dollars.

For most people this is the better choice. See is Aguas Calientes worth a night?

As part of a longer trip

The five-day package adds a Cusco city tour and a day at Rainbow Mountain or Humantay Lake, with three nights in Cusco and one in Aguas Calientes. 702 dollars.

The six-day Machu Picchu and Lake Titicaca package continues by the Route of the Sun to Puno for the Uros and Taquile islands, and ends at Juliaca airport. Five nights in hotels. 822 dollars.

Tickets and circuits

Machu Picchu now runs on timed tickets for fixed routes, called circuits. Each route goes one way only, with no re-entry, so you cannot wander back to a spot you passed. Our day trip uses Circuit 2, which includes the classic view over the citadel and the main temples.

Huayna Picchu, the peak behind the ruins, needs its own ticket booked well ahead; our post on the Huayna Picchu climb explains what it is like. In the dry season, morning tickets can sell out weeks in advance, so book as early as you can.

When to go

Machu Picchu sits at about 2,430 metres, lower and warmer than Cusco. April to September is drier, with June to August the busiest months. From November to March it rains often, and mornings start in cloud that usually lifts by mid-morning. Our Machu Picchu weather guide goes month by month.

The Inca Trail

All the tours on this page reach Machu Picchu by train. The Inca Trail needs a permit booked months ahead and is not part of these trips.

Can you visit Machu Picchu in a day from Cusco?

Yes. The day trip leaves at 3:30 in the morning and returns in the evening, 14 to 16 hours in total.

How do you get from Cusco to Machu Picchu?

By road to Ollantaytambo in the Sacred Valley, by train to Aguas Calientes, and by bus up to the site. No road reaches Aguas Calientes; the only other way is a long drive to Hidroeléctrica and a walk along the railway.

When should you book?

As early as you can, especially for June to August and for Huayna Picchu. Tickets are sold per day, per time slot and per circuit.

What does a trip cost all in?

Our Machu Picchu and Lake Titicaca budget guide breaks down tickets, trains, hotels and meals. For more to do around Cusco, see our Cusco tours.