
Machu Picchu is an Inca city surrounded by temples, platforms, and water channels, built on top of a mountain. Its construction was built with large blocks of stone joined together, without the use of amalgam. At the moment it is considered cultural patrimony of humanity when being recognized as an important political center, religious and administrative of the Incas time.
Where it is located?
Machu Picchu, which in Spanish means "old mountain", is the most famous Inca citadel in the world. Located 110 kilometers northeast of Cusco, in the province of Urubamba, this architectural jewel is surrounded by temples, platforms and water channels.
How to Get?
Train from Cusco to Machu Picchu:
There are two companies that offer the train service: Peru Rail and Inca Rail The local train for Peruvians costs S /. 15.00 (one way). It leaves from Ollantaytambo which is located 80 km from Cusco, approx. 1 hour and a half by bus. There are also groups that go faster and charge 10 soles per person. The local train schedules are in the post "Local train from Ollantaytambo" The local train is only operated by Peru Rail. Tourist Trains (foreigners and Peruvians):
- Peru Rail: It leaves two stations: Poroy (20 minutes from Cusco) and Ollantaytambo. In the rainy season, Peru Rail usually leaves alone from Ollantaytambo. It offers 4 services: Expedition, Vistadome, Andean Explorer and Hiram Bingham. The cheapest is the Expedition and its price varies according to the schedule, a one-way ticket can cost between the US $ 64 to the US $ 120. The most expensive service is Hiram Bingham and the ticket per section costs more than 300 USD.
- Inca Rail: Part only from Ollantaytambo and has 2 services: First Class and Executive Class (the most economical). Executive Class prices range from 52 to 70 USD per stretch. They vary according to the schedule.
Buses to Machu Picchu
Once in Machu Picchu Town or Aguas Calientes you must climb to Machu Picchu. It can be walking or by bus. The buses leave from 5:30 am every 10 minutes approximately. The trip takes 30 minutes. Price per segment (one way or return): Foreigners: US $ 12 adults and US $ 7 children Peruvians: US $ 8 adults and US $ 6 students
Tourist Ticket of Cusco
To visit most attractions in Cusco and the Sacred Valley, it is necessary to buy this ticket, because unfortunately you can not enter buying individual tickets. They do not sell them. It is necessary to acquire the ticket includes the entrance to 14 places (archaeological sites and museums, including Sacsayhuaman, Ollantaytambo, among others) or the partial ticket (there are 3 circuits). Here the costs.
Integral ticket: It has 10 days of validity Peruvians: S /. 70 (adults) and S /. 40 (students and children from 10 to 17 years old) Foreigners: S /. 130 (adults) and S /. 70 (students and children from 10 to 17 years old)
Parcial ticket: Peruvians: S /. 40 and Foreigners: S /. 70
There are 3 circuits: Tickets are purchased in Cusco at the Central Counter of Cosituc (Avenida El Sol 103 Tourist Galleries)
- Circuit I (valid for 1 day): Saqsayhuaman, Quenqo, Puca Pucará and Tambomachay. The four are in the outskirts of Cusco.
- Circuit II (valid for 2 days): Qoricancha site museum, Regional Historical Museum, Museum of Contemporary Art, Monument to Pacaqutec, Archaeological Park of Tipón and Piquillacta Archaeological Park.
- Circuit III (validity 2 days): Archaeological Park of Ollantaytambo, Pisac, Chinchero and Moray.
Important note:
- Declared a Cultural and Natural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO, being considered as an important religious, political and administrative center of the Inca period.
- Machu Picchu was interconnected with the entire Inca Empire through the Qhapac Ñan, known route of the Inca roads.
- Its temperature ranges between 6.2 ° and 29.5 °, since it is located in a subtropical zone. Its rainiest months are from November to March.
- Its majestic architecture comprises some 140 structures throughout the citadel.
- The average altitude of the citadel is 2 450 m s.n.m.
- The mountains of Huayna Picchu and Machu Picchu are ideal for panoramic photographs of the entire architectural complex.
- Its discovery is due to the researcher Hiram Bingham III who was looking for the last capital of the Vilcabamba Incas.
- Machu Picchu was declared "Historical Sanctuary of Peru" in 1981.
Machu Picchu Entrance Tickets:
Entrance tickets for any of the routes are not sold at the access control. In the case of Huayna Picchu, you will not be able to enter this area without the corresponding ticket. The maximum capacity of entrance is of 400 visitors per day, divided in two groups of 200 people according to the indicated schedule. For the case of the mountain Machupicchu 800 visitors in two schedules of 400 people.
To buy the electronic ticket to Machupicchu follow the following steps:
- Make the reservation through the web page: www.machupicchu.gob.pe, consigning the date of visit, personal data and the route to visit. (Remember that this reservation is valid for 3 hours).
- Once the reservation is made you can pay the amount online using a VISA credit card that has the Verifed by Visa security system or cancel the amount in one of the authorized offices.
- Once the payment has been made, you must go back to the website www.machupicchu.gob.pe and enter the Check In tab where you must enter the reservation code number in order to print the entrance ticket to Machupicchu according to the selected modality.
Payment methods:
With a credit card: The online payment has a surcharge of an additional percentage (4.28% for foreign credit cards and 2.66% for national credit cards). Also, payment can be made at one of the authorized collection agents and offices of the Decentralized Culture Directorate.
Cash: At the offices of Banco de la Nación at the national level or at one of the sales offices of the Regional Office of Culture Cusco.
Please take Note:
- It is not necessary to print the booking form to make the payment, as long as you take note of the reservation code (Ahem: 240117A0630A1W11) to pay at any of the authorized offices.
- The sale of tickets for students is only at the offices of the Decentralized Directorate of Culture Cusco or Machu Picchu town, upon presentation of a university card or current ISIC (must state expiration date) only valid for undergraduate students.
- In the case of DDC Machupicchu only accept ISIC for foreign students. To know the terms and conditions of the electronic ticket to Machu Picchu please visit the following link: https://www.machupicchu.gob.pe/items/terminosycondiciones.html
- The entrance fee to Machu Picchu will be given according to the date shown on the ticket. Entry is not allowed on a date that does not apply.
Schedules of entry and exit of the sanctuary
Admission: from 06:00 to 16:00 hours
Departure: until 5:00 p.m.
Maximum capacity of visitors per day:
- Inca city of Machu Picchu 2500 people
- Machu Picchu + Huaynapicchu 400 people in 02 groups (1st group: 07:00 a.m. to 08:00 a.m. / 2nd group: 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m.)
- Machupicchu + Mountain in 400 people in 02 groups (1st group: 07:00 a.m. to 08:00 a.m. / 2nd group: 09:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.).
- Inca city in afternoon hours 1000 people.