Tickets

 

Aguas Calientes is the small but bustling town at the foot of the mountain and filled to the brim with tourists. This is where you can buy your entrance tickets if you haven’t already and where you get the bus to the top.

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Bus tickets are not included in your entrance ticket, they cost an extra £20 each for a return. You can buy them from Consettur Bus Ticket Office. It can get so busy that the line stretches around the block. There are alternate offices in Cusco:

• Av. Infancia 433, Wanchaq (8am to 5pm)

• Av. El Sol 380 – Banco Interbank (9am to 6pm)

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You can walk up (which is free!) but it’s a slog and there are steps the whole way. The walk should take around an hour and half. We'd recommend the bus, especially if you trekked there.

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Your entrance ticket time will dictate when to queue for the bus. Our ticket was 6am with the first bus at 5:30am, we were told to be in the queue for 5am. The queue grows quickly but the buses are frequent so you won’t be there that long. You can expect a downpour at that time of the day, so take a jacket.

 

Entrance Tickets rules are forever changing - this is up to date as of October 2022. Each ticket has an entry time, the earliest is 6am. This is the best time for less crowds but requires an early start. Check for changes before you go.

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We recommend buying your tickets in advance to have your preferred date and time but this is not always necessary depending on the time of year. 

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If you need to purchase entry tickets then you can do this online at www.ticketmachupicchu.com we recommend doing this in advance, they sell out completely. If you have to do it in person then you can do so Aguas Caliente or in Cusco:

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• At Casa Garcilaso: Street Garcilaso s/n, Cusco

• In the Disconcerted Directorate of Culture Cusco: Street Maruri 324, Cusco

• Ministry of Culture (Machu Picchu Park Passes) Avenue Pachacutec s/n, Aguas Calientes

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Tickets start at 60USD. 

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The queues will be long if you are doing it in Aguas Caliente you will need to be up very early. 

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Circuits 

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To prevent the site sinking by balancing the weight of visitors and since the Covid Pandemic they have put in a one way system with four different routes; Circuits 1 to 4. Circuit 2 covers most of the city and is the one we recommend. If you have booked the additional Machu Picchu mountain or Wayna Picchu and not a Machu Picchu only ticket then please be aware that you only have access to Circuits 3 or 4 which limits your access to the city. You can't take multiple circuits or switch halfway round.

 

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Treks

 

If you are wanting to do a trek to Machu Picchu then there is the traditional Inca Trail ending at the Sun Gate above the city, the route the Inca would take on their way from Cusco and the most popular with tourist trekkers. Be aware that you wont access the city via the Sun Gate, you must go to the entrance like everyone else.

 

The Salkantay Route is growing in popularity though is still much cheaper. Numerous tour operators offer different combinations so it won’t be hard to find one to suit you and your budget, just ensure your choice includes entrance to the city, as not all do. With a little research you can chose to self guide Salkantay with numerous re-supply, water and camp/bed stops on the route. 

 

We did a 5 day Salkantay Trek with KB Adventure Tours and it was exceptional. We booked via Get Your Guide and paid £310 each. Yes you definitely can get it cheaper, if you book last minute or go direct it will be cheaper but check what is included. Some people on our trek paid less than we did but their entrance ticket wasn’t included and they never made it to the city. 

 

Included in our tour was: 

 

Four nights accommodation, the first night was in a small glass roofed cabin, the second night was in a dome and I think we pulled the short straw on the third night as some had domes and we ended up in a tent. The last night was a hotel in Aguas Caliente.  We were expecting to sleep in tents the whole time so were pleasantly surprised. 

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Meals included: 5 breakfasts, 4 lunches and 4 dinners. A hot cup of coca tea every morning with your wake up call. 

The meals got repetitive and by the end we couldn’t stomach anymore soup but you can’t expect much else if they have to carry all the equipment and food. 

 

Transport to and from Machu Picchu was also included. We had an early morning pickup from our hostel in Cusco and then a long bus ride to the start of the trek. At the end and after visiting Machu Picchu you get the train back to Ollantaytambo or Wanchaq and then a bus back into Cusco or a bus back all the way from Agua Calientes (this depends on what kind of tour you have selected). We had a train to Wanchaq and then a bus, the train is pleasant with huge windows and roof windows but goes very slowly. Once arrived back in Cusco you get transportation back to your hostel. Transfers ran really smoothly.

 

You also get a pre tour briefing where a representative will come to your hostel the night before and give you your duffel bag to pack your stuff and tell you all about the trek and what to expect. They also let you know any other costs that you will have to pay. Bear in mind these might be inaccurate (as ours was) so take enough cash. 

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Highlights

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Humantay Lake | There are many highlights on this trek. The first stop is Humantay Lake on your first day. This lake is beautiful and sits at 13,850ft or 4,220m so if you are not used to the altitude this will be hard work, from camp it looks close but it take about an hour to walk up the hill to the lake. It’s worth it but if you are feeling the affects of altitude then head back down to camp. Checkout our Altitude Safety article.

 

Salkantay Pass | Another is Salkantay Pass itself which you'll traverse on day two. Going even higher this is quite strenuous but take it slow. If you need to you can rent a horse to take you up for an extra cost of 100 soles (£21). The Pass is at 15,250ft or 4650m and surrounded by the snow capped mountains of Salkantay and Humantay and the decent shows the scar of a giant avalanche that hit in 2021.

 

Jungle Trek | The third for us was heading down into the jungle. You go from snowy mountains to humid jungle in an afternoon, it’s beautiful and you get to see all the fresh fruit that they can grow. Be prepared to be eaten alive by mosquitos. They are more like small black flies, the ninja variety, feasting on your blood with their invisible chainsaws. Take lots of bug spray, wear light colours and cover up. 

 

Machu Picchu | Then there's Machu Picchu. The morning brought torrential rain storms and cloudy skies but every time is cleared up the view was amazing. It was actually kind of cool with the forever changing sky. Your guide is included and the tour lasts around 2 hours, towards the end you get a bit of free time to make your way to the exit. Remember it’s one way, the guards keep you moving along too so be sure to take pictures and take your time when you want to.