Machu Picchu is an UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the Seven Wonders of the World. It’s no surprise that so many people add a visit to their bucket list. In fact, when you travel around Peru, the most common question is “have you been to Machu Picchu yet?”. It’s just assumed that every tourist coming to Peru will eventually make it to Machu Picchu at some point during their trip.
So given that, I thought I’d put together a list of my top tips for visiting Machu Picchu. This includes everything that I think is important to making sure that your trip is as great as it possibly can be.
14 Tips for Visiting Machu Picchu
These tips are all based off of my experience. They are all things that I think are important to know, or wish I would have known, prior to visiting Machu Picchu.
Research the Circuit System
Before Covid, visitors to Machu Picchu were allowed to visit the entire site in whichever order they wanted. That’s no longer the case and tourists are required to stay on the designated paths that correspond with their ticket. This is referred to as the “Circuit System”. When you purchase your ticket to Machu Picchu, you’ll have to pick a circuit and then you’ll stick to that circuit during your visit.
The important thing to note is that the circuits change. I remember looking at circuits at the end of 2024 and by the time I went in spring 2026, they were completely different.
Research, and understand, what the circuit options are so you can pick a circuit that works for you. Also note that unless you plan multiple days at Machu Picchu, it will not be possible to see all of Machu Picchu. Prioritize what is most important to you and pick your circuit based on that.
Confirm Tickets With Your Tour Company
If you’re going with a tour to Machu Picchu, contact them and see what they are including. Your tour company may pick up the Machu Picchu tickets for you. In that case, they’ll take care of all of the circuit confusion.
There is one caveat to this though. At the time of writing, Circuit 3 is the loop that goes through the main ruins of Machu Picchu. There’s the main ticket for Circuit 3, but there is also four separate tickets that include some of the additional mountain hikes within Machu Picchu. If you’re interested in doing one of these hikes, but are traveling to Machu Picchu with a group (including those on the Inca Trail), you should talk to your tour company to make sure you get the ticket you want.
Huyana Picchu is the Big Mountain
If you look at a photograph of Machu Picchu, you’ll see some mountains in the background. Close to the ruins, you’ll see two mountains. The smaller mountain is Huchuy Picchu and the tall mountain is Huayna Picchu.
Why is this important? Well, it’s important to know what you’re actually signing up for when you buy the Huayna Picchu ticket. I purchased the ticket, not realizing that Huayna Picchu is the very tall mountain. I was not alone and everyone else in my Inca Trail hiking group was shocked to find out that the ticket they had purchased was the tall mountain. Four people backed out of the hike once they saw it.
That said, I think climbing Huayna Picchu looks worse than it actually is. I’m not going to say that it’s easy, but it’s a manageable hike.
Buy Your Machu Picchu Tickets Early
Tickets to Machu Picchu often sell out. While there may be tour operators in Cusco that can help you secure a last minute ticket, it’s a really good idea to plan your trip in advance. Check the official website and mark down when the tickets for Machu Picchu go on sale. Pick up your tickets as soon as you are able to. This helps to ensure that you can get the Circuit that you want.
Is it annoying to be completely locked in to a specific itinerary? Yes, but the alternative is missing out on Machu Picchu completely.
Buy your tickets on the official website to avoid any issues.
Go Early in the Day to Avoid Crowds
Like with any popular tourist site, Machu Picchu gets busier the later it gets in the day. To avoid the crowds, go right away in the morning or very late in the afternoon. No matter when you visit, you should expect crowds, but crowds are definitely heavier in the middle of the day.
The Inca Trail is the Only Way to Visit the Sun Gate
If you want to visit the Sun Gate at Machu Picchu, you need to be prepared to hike. The only way to visit the Sun Gate is via the Inca Trail. There are no other Circuits that include the Sun Gate.
So is it worth hiking for four days, just to see the Sun Gate? Yes. It’s not the Sun Gate that is incredible, but that first view when you pass through the gate and see Machu Picchu after four days of tough hiking in the mountains? That’s worth it.
There are Shorter Inca Trail Trips
If you still want to visit the Sun Gate and have the experience of hiking into Machu Picchu, but don’t want to commit to a four day hike, there are other options. I did the four day Inca Trail with Alpaca Expeditions. However, they also offer a two day trek which eliminates the really difficult climbs on the Inca Trail. You’ll still enter Machu Picchu through the Sun Gate, but it’s a lot easier than the full four day trek.
Machu Picchu is Not Cheap
Since Machu Picchu is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, one of the Seven Wonders of the World, and the biggest draw for tourism in Peru, it’s no surprise that Machu Picchu is expensive. There is just no getting around that. Between the tickets for Machu Picchu themselves, plus the transportation to get to Machu Picchu, the price really adds up.
I did the Inca Trail and even though it was four days of camping in tents, it was still expensive. Yes, I went with one of the more expensive tour operators, but every trek is expensive.
If you’re visiting by yourself, Machu Picchu can still be expensive. Beyond the entrance fee, you also have to get to the town of Aguas Calientes. The tourist train costs more than $100 USD for international visitors. Want to save money by taking the bus? I talked to another traveler who did it this way. Her bus only went as far as the Hydroelectric Station and from there she had to walk two hours to Aguas Calientes. And that bus still cost her $40 USD. And those prices are just for the transportation, not the entrance into Machu Picchu itself.
Aguas Calientes is Not Cheap
Aguas Calientes is the closest town to Machu Picchu. It sits right at the base of the historic Inca city and it caters to tourists. The locals know that the tourists are coming for their once in a lifetime trip to Machu Picchu and prices for everything reflect that.
There are a few budget options to be found, but you’ll have to really look. Due to a mix up with my Inca Trail, I had to spend one night in Aguas Calientes and I booked my hotel pretty last minute (by my standards). I managed to get a room for about 100 soles for the night, but I really consider myself lucky for finding that. Most hotels and hostels are more expensive than elsewhere in Peru.
And food? I thought restaurants in Cusco were expensive. Aguas Calientes does have some budget options for food, but you need to be ready to look for those.
Splurge on the Bus from Aguas Calientes to Machu Picchu
I keep talking about how Aguas Calientes and Machu Picchu is expensive, but there is one thing that I think is worth splurging on.
To reach Machu Picchu from Aguas Calientes, you have two options. You can either hike uphill for over an hour (and it’s a steep uphill where you’ll gain at least 1000 feet of elevation) or you can take the bus up a windy mountain road. I recommend splurging on the bus, at least for the ride up to Machu Picchu.
I’ll fully admit that this bus ticket was included in my trekking fee so I didn’t have to think about the price, but I would have still paid for the bus. The road is steep and I just think it’s going to be so much more enjoyable if you arrive at Machu Picchu fresh and full of energy.
The Line for the Bus Can Be Long
Pack your patience and get to the bus stop early. Everyone in Aguas Calientes is trying to get to Machu Picchu so the line for the bus can get long. The good news is that buses come frequently so the line moves at a decent pace. However, I think it’s still very important to note that the line for the bus can get very long. Plan accordingly and get to the bus stop with plenty of time.
The Bus from Aguas Calientes Takes 30 Minutes
Since your ticket to Machu Picchu will likely come with some kind of timed entry, it’s important to make sure you plan the bus ride accordingly. Yes, the line is long, but the bus also takes time. From Aguas Calientes, the bus has to climb up a windy mountain road with 14 hairpin turns. There’s buses going in both directions and only one bus can be on a hairpin turn at a time.
Give yourself at least 30 minutes for the bus ride itself. Including time for the line to board the bus, I’d get to the bus stop an hour before you want to arrive at Machu Picchu.
Bring Your Passport to Machu Picchu
Not only will your tickets be checked, but your passport will be checked too. The name on your passport needs to match the name on your ticket. I was told this is due to counterfeit sellers who were taking advantage of tourists in years past.
This also means that you can’t just give an unused ticket to someone else.
Technically.
Four people in my Inca Trail hiking group backed out of the Huayna Picchu hike, but two others (who didn’t have permits) wanted to do it. They swapped permits AND passports for two hours. The passport photos did not match the people holding the passports, and although they got some funny looks from the officers checking (one hiker was 28 and holding a passport for someone who was 58), they were still permitted to hike.
The most important thing is that you have to have a passport that matches the name on the permit or you will be turned away.
The Aguas Calientes Train Station is Chaos
Most tourists will take the train from Aguas Calientes back to Cusco (though may stop in Ollantaytambo and then catch a bus depending on the season). What you need to know is that the Aguas Calientes train station is just chaos. You’ll be told to arrive 30 minutes before your train (which is important), but then it just feels like a mess trying to check in and board the train.
You’ll eventually get onto your train, but not without questioning how somewhere this popular manages to process the amount of tourists without issues.
Final Thoughts
And that’s a wrap. This is everything that I wish I had know, or think it’s important for you to know, for a visit to Machu Picchu. It’s an incredible site, but planning and patience are absolutely key to enjoying your visit.
