Nothing better than a good vacation in Machu Picchu

Imagine something like this: you open your birthday gift and you find a ticket for the Inca citadel of Machu Picchu. It would be the best gift of your life, right? Visiting our Wonder of the World is the dream of many people, and there is nothing better than spending a good vacation in Machu Picchu. Especially if you follow these tips!

How to get to Machu Picchu

Contrary to what many people think, getting to Machu Picchu involves a longer trip than simply traveling to Cusco. The Inca citadel is located 75 kilometers away from Cusco, in the middle of the Andes, in a location where the access is too difficult.

In a small summary, the majority of tourists who arrive in Peru to visit Machu Picchu make the following route: Lima → Cusco → Ollantaytambo → Machu Picchu Pueblo → citadel of Machu Picchu. For doing this trip you will have to take various means of transport: plane, train, and bus.

Although it seems a complicated journey, it’s just a matter of organizing. To help you understand how to get from one point to another and to know all the options you have to get to Machu Picchu, we recommend you to read this article.

Best time to visit Machu Picchu

Did you know that Peru is the country with the most microclimates in the world? This means that each area of our country has a different climate throughout the year. As we have said before, the Inca citadel of Machu Picchu is located in the high Andes, in an area known by Peruvians as the “jungle brow”. This region has two seasons: rain season, from November to March, and dry season, from April to October.

Although during almost any time of the year you can visit the citadel without any problem, the rainy season is the one with more issues, especially in February.

During this month the rainfall is common and it can cause landslides and delays in the means of transport to move from one place to another. So if you plan to visit us during this time of the year, we recommend you to do it with enough days in case something unexpected happens.

For this same reason, if you are thinking about doing the Inca Trail, it is closed during February, not only because of the rain but also because of the maintenance work carried out each year.

What to wear to visit Machu Picchu

Once you decide the season you will visit Machu Picchu you can go thinking about the clothes you are going to take on your trip.

The rainy season, in addition to having greater rainfall, has a colder climate. If you plan to travel to Machu Picchu between November and April, we recommend you to take warm and waterproof clothing as well as a windbreaker.

In the dry season, there is a more pleasant climate with very sunny days where you will need light clothes. However, as Machu Picchu is located in the mountains, the nights are usually cold and even some precipitation can fall, so we recommend you to also take some warm clothes and a raincoat.

Also, whatever the season in which you travel, always wear trekking boots, hat and sunglasses.

What to visit in Cusco

Although Machu Picchu is the main tourist attraction of Cusco, in the Imperial City there are many places to visit and, if you come with limited time, you will have to choose well which are the places that you do not want to miss.

From the Sacred Valley to Coricancha, passing through the Rainbow Mountain, the San Blas neighborhood, the Humantay lagoon… Even if you have only a few days in Cusco, we recommend you to take advantage of each of them to the maximum to know the wonderful places that this site hides. Make day trips (there are many options!), walk through its streets, do trekkings, learn about the history of the Incas … you will leave our country loving this city!

Are you determined to explore Cusco to the fullest? Then we recommend you to buy the Tourist Ticket, with which you will have access to different tourist attractions of the city and its surroundings.

What to eat in Cusco

Of course, to enjoy a good vacation in Machu Picchu and, especially, in Cusco, you can not miss the gastronomic tourism.

As you already know, nowadays Peru is one of the favorite destinations of those who like to enjoy travel accompanied by a good dish. In Cusco, you will find plenty of restaurants where you can taste both the cuisine of Cusco and the rest of the country.

To discover a little more about the most typical dishes of this region of Peru, we invite you to read this article.

We have no doubt that your trip to Machu Picchu will be one of the best experiences of your life. Therefore, one last piece of advice: take advantage of every moment and enjoy everything that surrounds you. Peru is full of places to discover!