Would you be surprised to hear that there aren’t many options for visiting Machu Picchu? You can bet I was. I expected multiple ways to visit one of the most popular attractions in the world, however, I soon learned that there are only a few transportation and ticket options. To that end, I spent countless hours researching the best and cheapest way to travel to Machu Picchu, and I have compiled all the information I learned to put together the ultimate Machu Picchu travel guide!
You have the options of guided treks, tour groups, or you can find your own way there. I found that finding your own way there is far cheaper and offers greater flexibility in visiting this Wonder of the World.
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How to get to the entrance of Machu Picchu
To arrive at the entrance of Machu Picchu, you will need to take several different modes of transportation.
1. Cusco to Aguas Calientes
First, you need to get to Aguas Calientes, which is a small town at the base of the entrance. The only way up to Machu Picchu is from this town.
For the purpose of this article, the starting point is Cusco. You will need to get to Cusco first whether by plane, bus, taxi, etc. From Cusco, you have the option of taking a train from the Poroy station or the Ollantaytambo Station to the Aguas Calientes (Machu Picchu) station. The Poroy station is closer to Cusco, but there are fewer time options for the Poroy route. Also, the train tickets are more expensive from Poroy as it covers a larger distance.
- To get to the Poroy station, you can take a taxi from Cusco. The taxi should be around 25 – 35 soles.
- To get to the Ollamtanbo station, you have multiple options but the cheapest option is to take a “colectivo taxi” from Historical Cusco (see pinned location below). It is only 10 soles/person and it drops you off at the train station in Ollantaytambo. However, you will have to make sure you get to the taxi spot with plenty of time to spare since the taxi only leaves when it’s full (the taxi is a large van and seats around 15 people). When I got to the spot, I was the first in the taxi and waited around 30 minutes for it to fill up completely. The amount of time is dependent on many factors such as time of day and whether it’s peak tourist season. Here is the location where the “colectivo taxi” pick up in Google Maps:
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2. Aguas Calientes to Machu Picchu
From Aguas Calientes, there are shuttle buses that take you up to the entrance of Machu Picchu. They arrive at least once every 30 minutes, and during peak hours, I saw multiple buses going up and down. Aguas Calientes is a small town, so the whole town is very walkable. The train station, restaurants, lodgings, and the bus shuttle pickup are all within a 5 to 10-minute walk.
Here is the location of the bus shuttle pickup in Google Maps:
Make sure you are in line for the bus at least one hour before your entrance time. There will be a crowd of people already waiting, and it takes 30 minutes to get from Aguas Calientes to the entrance on the shuttle.
Note: If you’re wanting to take the first shuttle up to Machu Picchu (entrance time of 6:00 AM), the line starts forming around 4:00 AM so you will need to be in line well before an hour. Once you’re on the shuttle, let the excitement settle in! You’re about to see one of the seven wonders of the world.
I actually spent a night in Aguas Calientes before heading to Machu Picchu because the Machu Picchu entrance time I selected was for 6 AM. If your entrance time is later in the day then it is possible to leave Cusco early in the morning and go to Machu Picchu the same day. It all depends on the train schedules. Note: some train times are more expensive than others.
Where to Purchase Tickets
I found it difficult to locate the official sites and links to purchase tickets for Machu Picchu and the transportation. I suggest buying directly from these official sites rather than other sites that might not be legit. Other than the Machu Picchu shuttle bus ticket, you will need to purchase all the others ahead of time. You cannot buy tickets to Machu Picchu at the entrance. Additionally, if you’re planning to visit during peak season from July to August, you should buy your tickets 3 months in advance.
Here are the links where you can buy your tickets:
- Machu Picchu entrance tickets
- Peru Rail tickets
- Inca Rail tickets
- Machu Picchu Shuttle Bus tickets: You can purchase the bus tickets when you arrive in Aguas Calientes at the ticket office. You will need your passport, and it is $24 USD per adult roundtrip. The bus ticket office is very close to where the bus picks up. Ask a local where the ticket office is, and they will point you to where you need to go.
When to Visit Machu Picchu
Best Time of Year
Machu Picchu is open all year round, so you can plan to visit any day of the year! However, if you’re planning to hike the Inca Trail, it is closed in February. Peru’s climate has a rainy season and a dry season. Peru’s rainy season lasts from November to April. It rains nearly every day during this period, but visiting during the rainy season means that it would be much less crowded. The dry season is from April to the end of October. These months bring sunny and clear weather along with an influx of travelers. I would plan my travel to visit Machu Picchu from May to June or September to October when the weather is nice yet it is not nearly as crowded. But this world wonder is worth a visit any time of the year.
Best Time of Day
Machu Picchu is open from 6:00 AM to 5:00 PM with most of the crowd arriving later in the morning and staying until the mid-afternoon. If you want to visit during off-peak times, I suggest booking the 6:00 AM entrance ticket or getting there later in the day as crowds begin to leave. However, I have heard that early mornings could mean fog which blocks the iconic view of Machu Picchu. If you don’t want to take your chance on fog, then I would visit later in the day. I visited Machu Picchu in mid-May with a 6:00 AM entrance ticket and there were only a handful of people there. I got to see a beautiful sunrise over Machu Picchu, and I left before it got very crowded. Overall, I had a great experience visiting Machu Picchu, and I hope you do too!
I hope this guide has helped in planning your travel to Machu Picchu! I certainly enjoyed being able to visit on my own and without breaking the bank. Visiting on my own gave me autonomy over my schedule and allowed me to be one of the first to enter Machu Picchu that day. Seeing the sunrise over Machu Picchu is an experience I will never forget.
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