Machu Picchu Official Entry Ticket with Choice of Circuit

Machu Picchu, the Inca citadel in the clouds

Machu Picchu was built in the fifteenth century as a royal estate of the Inca rulers, on a narrow ridge at about 2,430 metres above the roaring Urubamba River. Abandoned around the time of the Spanish conquest and never found by the colonisers, it was hidden under forest until it became known to the world in the early twentieth century. It has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1983.

Inside you find more than a hundred and fifty buildings of precisely fitted granite, temples, plazas, fountains and agricultural terraces, all framed by the steep green peak of Huayna Picchu. Since the site switched to one-way circuits, every visitor follows a fixed route printed on the ticket, which is why choosing the right circuit matters as much as the date. Visits usually last two to three hours.

Circuit 2: the classic route (default option)

Circuit 2 is the most complete way to see Machu Picchu and the best choice for a first visit. Route 2A begins on the upper terraces near the classic viewpoint, where you take the famous photo of the citadel with Huayna Picchu behind, then descends into the urban sector to the great plaza, the Temple of the Three Windows, the Main Temple area and the Sacred Rock.

Because it combines the view and the ruins, Circuit 2 sells out first, especially from May to September, so booking Machu Picchu tickets early is wise. Plan about two and a half to three hours. Our default option is 2A, with many entry times through the day; a guide is not included but can be hired at the entrance if you want explanations.

Circuit 1: viewpoints, the Sun Gate and Machu Picchu Mountain

Circuit 1 focuses on the upper part of the site and is ideal for photographers. Route 1B covers the upper terraces and the postcard viewpoint with an easy walk. Route 1C follows an original stretch of Inca path up to Intipunku, the Sun Gate, the old entrance for travellers arriving on the Inca Trail, with a view over the whole sanctuary and the valley.

Route 1A adds the climb of Machu Picchu Mountain, at about 3,080 metres, a steep stone staircase of several hours that rewards fit hikers with an aerial view of the citadel and the surrounding Andes. Start early, carry water and allow four to seven hours in total. These routes do not enter the lower urban sector, so choose Circuit 2 or the guided option if you want both.

Circuit 3: the royal sector

Circuit 3 is a shorter, mostly flat route through the lower part of the citadel, which makes it a good choice for families with young children and older travellers. Route 3B, the royal route, passes the Temple of the Sun with its curved wall built over a natural rock, the House of the Inca, the area of the Three Gates, the Sacred Rock and the Temple of the Condor, carved to evoke a bird with spread wings.

It does not include the classic upper viewpoint, so many visitors pair it with Circuit 1. Our guided option does exactly that: a guide leads you along Circuit 1 for the postcard view and then through the royal sector on route 3B in the same day, a useful alternative when Circuit 2 is sold out.

How to get to Machu Picchu and when to go

Machu Picchu has no road from Cusco. Most travellers take the train from Ollantaytambo or the Cusco area to Aguas Calientes, the town at the foot of the mountain, then the shuttle bus that zigzags up to the entrance in about 25 minutes. Arrive about 30 minutes before your time slot with your printed or digital PDF ticket and your original passport; copies are not accepted.

The site opens early in the morning and the last entries are in mid-afternoon. The dry season from April to October brings clearer skies but more visitors; the wet months from November to March are greener, with morning clouds that often lift by midday. Food, large backpacks, tripods, drones and umbrellas are not allowed inside, and toilets are only outside the gate.