Machu Picchu, Peru

Machu Picchu, Peru.

These remarkable ruins were rediscovered by the scientific world in 1911 by the American archaeologist Hiram Bingham, who was led to the site by locals.

The story of Machu Picchu is quite a remarkable one; it is still unknown exactly what the site was in terms of its place in Inca life. Current researchers tend to believe that Machu Picchu was a country resort for elite Incas. At any given time, there were not more than 750 people living at Machu Picchu, with far fewer than that during the rainy season.

The Incas started building it around AD 1430 but it was abandoned as an official site for the Inca rulers a hundred years later at the time of the Spanish conquest of the Inca Empire.

Machu Picchu was built in the classical Inca style, with polished dry-stone walls. Its primary buildings are the Intihuatana, the Temple of the Sun, and the Room of the Three Windows. These are located in what is known by archaeologists as the Sacred District of Machu Picchu.

Climate. Daytime highs are quite constant around the year, but the nighttime lows are much more pronounced during the Southern Hemisphere winter. As is common in the tropics, most of the yearly rain falls during the rainy season which in Machu Picchu isOctober to April.

Due to the altitude, extremely hot temperatures that one may expect this close to the Equator are absent. However these two factors contribute to very high levels of UV-radiation (nearby Cuzco actually has the highest average level of UV-radiation in the world for any major city) so do take precautions. its mostly between 12 and 27 °C.

Flora and fauna. Both are abundant and varied. Typical plant life in the historic reserve of Machupicchu includes pisonayes, q'eofias, alisos, puya palm trees, ferns and more than 90 species of orchids.

The fauna in the reserve includes the spectacled bear, cock-of-the-rocks or "tunqui", tankas, wildcats and an impressive variety of butterflies and insects unique in the region.

Get in

Visitors to Machu Picchu typically either hike the Inca Trail or leave by rail from Cuzco or Ollantaytambo, either on a day trip, or overnighting in Aguas Calientes. Overnighting allows you to visit the park early or late in the day and avoid the worst of the crowds, and on sunny days, gives you a nice window of reprieve from the beating sun.

The only ways to get to Aguas Calientes are by train or on foot—no roads go there. On foot, it is possible to get to Aguas Calientes by traveling through Santa Maria and Santa Teresa by public transport or with a minibus from Cuzco with a travel agency as described in Aguas Calientes. This alternate route involves walking (2½–3 hours) or taking the train for "only" $28 (this would be the cheapest PeruRail train as of May 2015). The basket riding crossing is not required anymore.

The wet season in Peru is from November (often only really taking off in December) until the end of March, so then it is best to include a few extra days for flexibly dealing with delays.

From Aguas Calientes, there are two ways to reach the ruins: by bus or walking (free steep hike).

Depending on when you arrive, the site may be quite crowded or nearly deserted. The busiest periods are in the dry season (June–August), with the slowest being in February, the height of the rainy season, when the Inca Trail is closed. Most visitors arrive on package tours and are in the park between 10:00 and 14:00.

To access the site, you must have both a bus ticket ($21 for foreign adult single-trip, less for others, available from a small ticket booth near the bus departure area) and ticket for Machu Picchu - which are available on in advance from machupicchu.gob.pe or from various ticket offices described on that website. Machu Picchu tickets are not sold at the entrance gate and are limited to 2500 per day, with entrance to Huayna Picchu being further sublimited to 400.

It is obligatory to bring your passport to enter Machu Picchu. Even if your ticket is on your national id card, the officer will still ask for your passport.

By bus from Aguas Calientes. If arriving by train into Aguas Calientes, walk out of the station and keep going roughly straight through the warren of handicraft stalls and over a foot bridge to the bus departure area. Frequent buses leave to the ruins (US$12 each way (May 2018), US$24 round-trip for adult foreigners) starting at 05:30.

Bus tickets can be bought in one of two booths along Avenida Hermanos Ayar, payment in cash or MasterCard/AMEX/UnionPay with a 5% surcharge. You will need to show an ID/passport when buying a bus ticket. There's often a queue to the buses, so if you're intent on being on the first one up, you should arrive at least 90 minutes early.

The journey takes around 1/2 hour to slowly wind around the switchbacks and up to the park. Buses depart when full, which typically means they run quite regularly. At popular times, there may be a lengthy queue for the busses, so plan the return trip accordingly in order not to miss train departures. Advance train bookings are recommended, as trains are often sold-out, particularly return trains.

By foot from Aguas Calientes. From Aguas Calientes to get to the ruins themselves it is also possible to walk along a route similar to the one that the buses run, which will take about 1½–2 hours up, and around an hour back down. This route is mainly stairs, connecting the switchbacks that the buses take. It is a strenuous and long hike but is very rewarding, recommended to start around 05:00 when the gate at the foot opens, to make it to the top before sunrise. The descent is fairly easy, just take care when the steps are wet. Keep alert for the bus drivers that rarely brake for pedestrians.

By foot via the Inca Trail. Hiking the Inca Trail is a great way to arrive as you first see the city through the Sun Gate (instead of arriving from below as you do from Aguas Calientes). The four-day and two-day hikes are controlled by the government. Travellers should be fit enough to walk for days and sleep in tents. Every traveller must travel with a tour agency because of the rules and regulations of entering the park.

There are also other options available for hiking to Machu Picchu. This is important to know the Inca Trail hike is limited to the amount of people that can go on it each day, including porters. As such, there is a much steeper price on this trek and it is necessary to book far in advance to get a place on the dates you will be there.

Two other cheaper, but equally as good, options are the Salkantay Trek and the Inca Jungle Trek. Most, if not all, tour agencies in Cuzco offer these. The Salkantay Trek is a 5-day trek through the Salkantay Mountain Pass. The scenery is amazing and if you go in the rainy season you will be rewarded with dozens of waterfalls. Though, at the same time, you will be wet for the most part anyways.

The other option, the Inca Jungle Trek, is a three day trek that begins with a drive to the top of a mountain and then a bike ride down to the bottom. A full day of hiking follows the next day to Aguas Calientes.

Both of these alternatives can be booked a couple days in advance when you arrive in Cuzco and can be much cheaper options and good ways to stay away from the crowds before getting to Machu Picchu. Prices, as of December/January 2011, were from US$180–200 for the entire trek. Do your research in Cuzco and pick the tour company you feel most comfortable with. Some groups will offer slightly more (sleeping bag included, etc.) than others.

The Inca Jungle Trek is an agency tour, but the "backdoor" route they use is also an option for independent travellers wishing to go it alone. Minivans and buses are cheap (S/15-30) from "Terminal Santiago" in Cusco and take you to either Santa Maria or Santa Teresa. Santa Maria is further away from Aguas Calientes than Santa Teresa but is a nice option for those wishing to hike an alternative Inca trail used locally.

The walk takes you through the mountains and tiny villages, even people's farms and offers impressive views of the valley. You can end up in Santa Teresa the same day and there are villages, such as Huacayupana and Quellomayo en route which offer an alternative view of local life and accommodation if you don't make it to Santa Teresa that day.

Walking on from here to Santa Teresa is along the river (May - November) and by road during rainy season, although it is advisable to get advice before taking this route between December and April due to severe weather. From Santa Teresa to Hidroelectrica is a 25-minute taxi or minibus ride and from here you can walk the 2- to 3-hour flattish trek to Aguas Calientes which is one of the nicest parts of the journey.

The Peruvian government has imposed a 500-person pass limit per day on Inca Trail traffic. Passes sell out far in advance, particularly for the high season. Travellers must have a valid passport in order to purchase a pass at the time of reservation. Many local tour operators have since opened up alternate trekking options that allow for similar trekking opportunities in the area. Most visit other Inca ruins, not as well excavated, and finish with the train trip up to see Machu Picchu at the end. One such option is the Choquequirao Trek, which starts in Cacharo and ends in Los Loros or the Cachiccata Trek which starts in Racca and ends in Cachiccata.

Fees and permits. The fee schedule and online tickets are available at the government website and from ticket offices listed on that website. The website is difficult to use. Reservations made on the website only give you the right to then pay for the tickets — they do not guarantee entry, which is only accomplished after paying for the tickets.

The reservations made online are only valid for 2-6 hours, depending on who you ask, and must be paid for either at one of the banks using the code on the reservation, or from one of the other payments means. The safest option is to buy tickets at the Ministerio de Cultura in Cuzco or Aguas Calientes. Whatever you choose, make sure that the confusing website does not end up leaving you with an invalid reservation and hamper your visit.

As of December 2017, the entrance fee for Machu Picchu is US$31 for citizens of Peru, Ecuador, Bolivia or Colombia. For others, it is US$63 in the morning US$44 in the afternoon. For Machu Picchu and Huayna Picchu, it is $48 for Andean citizens, and US$81 for others. There are discounts for children and students with an ISIC card. When preparing your budget, do not forget to include train tickets and bus tickets, and perhaps food at the site.

Most hostels can sell entry permits and bus tickets. Don't buy them at the travel agency at the Ollantytambo train station, as they don't actually sell you tickets, but a receipt that you need to give to a person to get your tickets, you'll end up running all around Aguas Calientes looking for this person. You can buy your ticket at the Aguas Calientes Ministerio de Cultura 05:30-21:00.

Be sure to bring your passport, as it is requested upon entry. Some travelers have been able to enter with other forms of ID. There is a popular stamp booth as you exit where you can prove to your friends you've been there, though it is technically illegal to mark your own passport.

Only small packs are allowed in the park (no more than 20 litres), but there is a luggage storage at the entrance (S/5 as of December 2017) mostly used by Inca Trailers. If your pack is checked, any food you carry may be confiscated.

There are no toilets within the site itself, but they are available right outside the entrance and are clean and well maintained. They cost S/2 as of December 2017.

Only 2,500 people are allowed to enter Machu Picchu each day. The government website lists how many tickets are available for each day. Also, visitors must purchase tickets for Huayna Picchu in advance and there is now an additional fee to hike Huayna Picchu.

Get around

There are no vehicles of any kind in the park, so bring some comfortable walking shoes, especially if you plan to do any of the hikes such as Huayna Picchu. No walking sticks are allowed in the main area, except for visitors who have difficulty walking; however, they are allowed on Huayna Picchu, where they help significantly with the climb, especially down. The main ruins are fairly compact and easily walkable.

Many of the paths are one-way, so be careful – you can easily find yourself missing a spot you wanted to see or forced into the exit accidentally. Mobility-disabled visitors can arrange wheelchair/accessible tours via private tour groups, and see a substantial portion of the site.

What to See in Machu Picchu

Take your time walking around the site, there are many places to see and explore. Although it is not required, taking a guided tour does provide a deeper insight into the ancient city, its uses, and information on the geography of it. As of Mar 2018, a 2-hr guided tour is S/200, but can be negotiated down depending on how busy the site is. If you wish to save money, you can team up with other tourists who would like to have a guided tour.

Relatively little is known about the history and uses of the ruins, and some of the stories told by the guides are based on little more than imaginative hearsay.

• Sun Gate (Inti Punku). If you've just arrived via the Inca Trail, this will be your first experience of the ruins. Others can backtrack from the ruins along the trail and up the hill. From here you can see back down each valley offering excellent views, if it is cloudy you cannot appreciate the view (avoid doing it or just wait for a clearance). It's a fairly strenuous hike (probably 1-1½ hours each way).

• Temple of the Sun. Near the summit of the main city, the stonework on the temple is incredible. Look closely and you will see that there are a variety of stone walls throughout the city. Most are rough stones held together with mud, the common stone walls found throughout the world. But many buildings or parts of buildings are done with the more distinctive and impressive closely-fit stonework. The temple is the absolute pinnacle of this technology. Observe it from the side, descending the stone staircase in the main plaza.

• Intihuatana. A stone carved so that on certain days, at dawn, the sun makes a certain shadow, thus working as a sun dial. From Quechua: Inti = sun, huatana = to take, grab: thus grabbing (measuring) the sun. (pronounce 'intiwatana'). While most early risers view the sunrise from the watchtower, the Intihuatana offers the best vistas, and you'll have it all to yourself.

• Temple of the Three Windows.

• Main Temple.

• Temple of the Condor. A temple, including some stones arranged in a way that kind of looks like a condor with wings outstretched, with a prison complex behind it – look closely: between the wings of the condor is a chamber with grooves cut in the stone to secure manacles, a walkway behind where a torturer may walk to whip the prisoner's backs, and a scary looking pit to let the blood of prisoners drain. Clearly the condor was a symbol of cruel justice, but a sanitized version is told for the benefit of tourists.

• Fountains. As a testament to Inca workmanship, these 500-year-old spring-fed fountains still function to this day. It is speculated that these provided drinking water to the city or were for ritual bath purposes.

What to Do in Machu Picchu

• Huayna Picchu (Wayna Picchu). Towering above the north end of Machu Picchu is this steep mountain, often the backdrop to many photos of the ruins. It looks a bit daunting from below, and it is a steep and difficult ascent, but most reasonably fit persons should be able to make it in about 45 minutes.

Stone steps are laid along most of the path, and in the steeper sections steel cables provide a supporting handrail. That said, expect to be out of breath, and take care in the steeper portions, especially when wet, as it can become dangerous quickly. There's a tiny cave near the top that must be passed through, it is quite low and a rather tight squeeze. Take care at the peak, it can be somewhat precarious, and those afraid of heights may want to hang out just below.

The entire walk is through beautiful landscape, and the views from the top are stunning, including birds eye views over the whole site. The angle gives you a good sense of the layout of Machu Picchu. There's also a few ruins near the top. Tickets to Huayna Picchu have to be reserved beforehand and are limited to 400 a day - ask the tour company with which you are going to Machu Picchu to reserve this for you (at least a month beforehand).

Tickets are purchased in one of two groups: 07:00-08:00 and 10:00-11:00. The later option sometimes has better views as it leaves time for the fog to clear. Entrance to the hike is controlled by a second ticket booth. People start lining up about a half hour or even more before their group is allowed to enter. S/87, added to the price of your ticket.

For serious hikers who have the time and energy and long for a sparkle of solitude, from Huayna Picchu you can continue on an extra hike to the Moon Temple (Templo de la Luna), which is built into the side of a cave, and the nearby Great Cave (Gran Caverna), where women would come to pray to Pachamama (Mother Earth).

This hike is one of your best bets for getting away from Machu Picchu and Huayna Picchu crowds: both sites are much quieter than Machu Picchu and allow you to see Inca architecture at its finest without feeling like you're drowning in other tourists. This longer hike, which goes in a loop and is much more tiring but no more challenging than the regular hike to the peak and back, takes about twice as long: a total of about four hours (three if you're a fast hiker), versus about two hours just to the peak and back. It's a long walk and adventurous hike involving two ladders.

Some may find that the sites aren't really rewarding, but unexpected wildlife can be seen (wild spectacled bears have been reported). This hike is also quite interesting because partway through you leave behind the mountain terrain and enter a more conventional forest. The caves can be reached by hiking down the trail from the peak of Huayna Picchu (which includes some semi-harrowing but fun near-vertical descents). Your hike back up from the temples will then be exhausting. Be sure to bring plenty of water and snacks for this long hike.

• Machu Picchu Mountain. This is the mountain on which Machu Picchu is located and you can walk to the summit (3040m - Machu Picchu is at around 2,400-2,600m, Macchu Picchu Pueblo (Aguas Calientes) is at around 2,000m). Like Wayna Picchu you will have spectacular views, and it will cost you less. It used to have no entrance fee, but as of November 2017, tickets have to be purchased up front, just like for the site itself. Tickets can be purchased in advance, for one of two groups: 07:00-08:00 or 09:00-10:00.

The path to Machu Picchu Mountain can be found along the path to the Sun Gate. Machu Picchu Mountain is among the least visited sites at Machu Picchu, which will give you the opportunity to get away from the tourist crowds. For the round trip you should plan on 2½-3 hours. Bring lots of water, as the hike is strenuous. You are not officially allowed to bring food, but may regret not having some snacks. Expect a hike similar to the one from Macchu Picchu Pueblo to the site in style, but longer, and with steeper steps. The trail is spectacular, even if you don't reach the summit.

• Inca Bridge. Historically there were two paths into Machu Picchu. The Inca Trail is one of the paths, the other is through the Inca Bridge. This bridge (logs/drawbridge) is built across a sheer cliff which would control access to the city. The walk to the Inca Bridge is short and can be found to the south west of Machu Picchu.

Eat

You are not allowed to bring any food into the park, and must check it in at the luggage storage at the entrance. In practice, however, bags are rarely searched, and most people have no problem getting a bottle of water and some snacks in with them, which you'll definitely want, especially if you're planning to stray from the central set of ruins. Buy these beforehand, as they're much more expensive at the site itself. Don't even think of leaving a shred of trash behind you. If you are thinking of walking from 6AM to 5PM, you will need at least 1.5 litres of water.

• The concession stand near the entrance of the site is appropriately overpriced given their captive audience, a meal is US$40, and a small bottle of water is S/8 (in the supermarket it cost S/1). Once in the site, there are no food or drinks for sale, though it is possible to leave and return.

• Tinkuy Buffet Restaurant (At Belmond Sanctuary Lodge), +51 84 211038. 11AM–3:30PM. A casual lunch buffet. The food is decent and the restaurant quite busy at peak times. A discounted train and buffet ticket is available on certain trains from Peru Rail. After lunch, do a circuit of the restaurant's poster-size photographs from Hiram Bingham's 1911 "discovery" of Machu Picchu. US$40.

• Tampu Restaurant Bar (At Belmond Sanctuary Lodge). 5:30AM-9AM, noon-3PM, 6:30PM-9:30PM. Open to hotel guests only, also high prices.

Sleep

Because this is a protected park, further construction in the area is nearly impossible. Thus, there is only one very expensive hotel at the site itself. Almost everyone who wants to overnight near Machu Picchu books a hotel in nearby Aguas Calientes.

• Machu Picchu Sanctuary Lodge, KM 7.5, Carretera Hiram Bingham, +51 84 211038, e-mail: perures.fits@belmond.com. This superbly over-priced hotel is the only option for sleeping at the park. There are two equally expensive restaurants on site, and 2 suites that have partial views of the ruins. If money is not a concern, consider staying here as it gives you more time to spend on the site, but otherwise you can find less expensive accommodation elsewhere. $655+ (February 2017).

Go next

Back to town (in order of size and distance): Aguas Calientes – if spending the night or want a bath or another hike; Ollantaytambo; Cusco.

In the area: Sacred Valley; Inca Highlands

Further afield: Kuelap, Amazonas, Northeast Peru – largest pre-Inca ruins in South America; Tiwanaku, Bolivia – similar stonework, from a different civilization. (Wikivoyage)