Visit Machu Picchu: everything you need to know

Visiting Machu Picchu is the dream of practically every traveler in the world. The Inca citadel receives 3800 tourists per day. Do you want to be one of them? If you are preparing to visit us, here we tell you everything you need to know to visiting Machu Picchu.

1. How to get to Machu Picchu

The trip to Machu Picchu requires several days, since the citadel is located in the department of Cusco and the majority of flights from abroad to Peru arrive to the capital, Lima. Therefore, you will have to plan the time you are going to be in Lima, the trip to the city of Cusco and the journey from Cusco to the citadel, which you can do with our bimodal service, which takes you from the Plaza de Armas in the imperial city to Ollantaytambo and from here to Machu Picchu town by train. If you want to know more details about how to do all this tour, enter here.

2. Tickets
   
   When you have the dates of your trip, the first thing you have to do is buy your ticket. When you enter the website, you will notice that there are different types of tickets. Here we will explain the details of each one:

• Machu Picchu Ticket: it is the entrance to, only, Machu Picchu. You can go through all the areas in which the citadel is divided.
• Machu Picchu + Huayna Picchu Ticket: this option includes, in addition to the entrance to the citadel, the access to the Huayna Picchu mountain to make the famous trekking to the summit from where you will have a wonderful view of Machu Picchu and where you can walk through Incas archaeological remains.
• Machu Picchu + Machu Picchu mountain Ticket: this ticket includes the entrance to the citadel as well as the mountain that gives it its name. The trekking to the mountain Machu Picchu is simpler than the previous one, but longer.
• Manuel Chavez Ballon Museum Ticket: to complement your experience in Machu Picchu, you have the option of visiting this museum that is located in Aguas Calientes. Here you will find objects found in the citadel as well as videos and photographs with their history.

3. Prices
   Like occurs in many other places, the prices of the entrances to Machu Picchu and its surroundings vary depending on the age and, in this case, also if you are national or foreign.

* Prices in dollars are approximate

Here, you must bear in mind that:

• Student tickets are purchased with the ISIC card, which you can take out in any ISIC office presenting your normal student card.
• The national price is for both Peruvians and foreigners residing in Peru, Bolivia, Colombia and Ecuador.
• The citizens of the Andean Community (Colombia, Ecuador and Bolivia) are also considered as nationals.
• If you are a citizen of Cusco, the entrance to any of these places is free upon reservation on the DDC website of Cusco.

4. Entry schedules
   
   Since July 2018, visitors who arrive at Machu Picchu have two schedules to access the citadel. In the case of Huayna Picchu and the mountain Machu Picchu, to avoid accumulations, there are also two hours of entry.

• Machu Picchu Group 1: entry from 6:00 a. m., stay until 12 p. m.
• Machu Picchu Group 2: entry from 12: 00 p. m., stay until 12 p. m.
• Machu Picchu Mountain: entrance from 7:00 a. m at 8:00 a. m. or from 9:00 a. m. at 10:00 a. m.
• Huayna Picchu: entrance from 7:00 a. m at 8:00 a. m. or from 10:00 a. m. at 11:00 a. m.
• Manuel Chavez Ballon Museum: Monday to Saturday from 10:00 a. m. at 4:00 p.m.

As you can see, the entrance to Huayna Picchu and the Machu Picchu Mountain is only in the morning, so you will have to buy the entrance ticket to the citadel also in the morning group, since you have to enter Machu Picchu Picchu to be able to do these trekking. If you decide to climb any of these mountains, we recommend you to enter the citadel at 6 o’clock in the morning so you can make the most of your time in it and visit all sectors.

To do this, we recommend you to arrive at Machu Picchu Town, also known as Aguas Calientes at least one day before, to rest and arrive with all the energy to the citadel. In Inca Rail we offer a great variety of schedules and four types of trains to reach this destination. You can check them here and choose the one that best suits with your travel plan.

5. Guides
   
   Also since July 2018 tourists who visit Machu Picchu are required to do it accompanied by a guide. These services can be found both in the city of Cusco and in Machu Picchu Town or Aguas Calientes. In this way, the experience of visiting the citadel will be more complete and you will know all the details about the great Inca culture.

6. Restrictions
   To preserve the citadel of Machu Picchu and create a totally satisfactory environment, there are certain entry restrictions:

• You can not enter with selfie sticks.
• You can not enter with backpacks or bags that exceed the size 40x35x20 cm.
• You can not enter with food, alcoholic beverages or any illegal substance.
• You can not enter with sprays (of any kind), heels or hard-heeled shoes; sharps and / or weapons; banners, posters and / or posters; among others.
• You can not enter with baby cars.

But, if you have any of these items, you simply have to leave them in the wardrobe next to the entrance.

Now that you have everything clear, it’s time to start your trip to Machu Picchu. With the arrival in Cusco organized and the tickets purchased, you only have to buy your ticket for the train. You can do it through our website: www.incarail.com! We are waiting for you!