By rail
Aguas Calientes station, trains from Cusco and Ollantaytambo
South America · Peru
Machu Picchu, Peru
The lost citadel of the Incas
Getting there
By air
Cusco (CUZ), then the train from Ollantaytambo, ~1.5 h
Best time to visit
April to October — dry season
Don't miss
The citadel
The Sun Gate
Huayna Picchu
The Temple of the Sun
Things to do
Sunrise over the citadel
The Inca Trail (permits needed)
The Sun Gate hike
Aguas Calientes' hot springs
Where to eat
Sources: Photo: Draceane · CC BY-SA 4.0
What to pack
A rain layer, a sun hat, your passport (needed for entry), insect repellent
A quieter corner
The Inca Bridge, a short cliffside walk
Questions travellers ask
How do I get to Machu Picchu?
Fly into Cusco (CUZ), then take the train from Ollantaytambo, about 1.5 h, to Aguas Calientes station. Trains also run from Cusco.
What do I need to bring to Machu Picchu?
Your passport — it's needed for entry — plus a rain layer, a sun hat and insect repellent.
Can I hike the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu?
Yes, but permits are needed. You can also hike to the Sun Gate, or take the short cliffside walk to the Inca Bridge.
When is the best time to visit Machu Picchu?
April to October, the dry season. Go for sunrise over the citadel, and end the day in Aguas Calientes' hot springs.
About Machu Picchu
- Mountains
- Forest
Where it is
Machu Picchu is an Inca citadel on a mountain ridge at about 2,430 m in the Cusco region of Peru, above the Urubamba River on the edge of the Amazon cloud forest, some 80 km north-west of Cusco, with the town of Aguas Calientes below.
History
Built around 1450, probably as an estate for the Inca emperor Pachacuti, Machu Picchu was abandoned about a century later, around the time of the Spanish conquest. Local farmers knew it, and a villager guided Hiram Bingham there in 1911, bringing it to world attention; it became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983 and was named one of the New Seven Wonders of the World in 2007.
People
The villages of the valley below are Quechua communities, where Quechua and Spanish are both spoken, and Aguas Calientes, the town at the foot of the mountain, lives almost entirely from visitors. Quechua porters, many from farming villages in the surrounding highlands, carry loads along the Inca Trail.
Known for
- Sunrise over the citadel
- The Inca Trail and the Sun Gate
- The steep climb up Huayna Picchu
- The Temple of the Sun and Intihuatana stone
- Fine Inca stonework without mortar
Did you know?
In Quechua, Machu Picchu means old peak, and the sharp summit that rises behind the ruins in most photographs, Huayna Picchu, means young peak.
We haven't written a guide for this place yet — you can still plan a trip here.