- Tourist Information
- Map
- Purpose of Machu Picchu
- The Lost City of the Incas
- Mysterious stones
- The Intihuatana Stone
- Temple Of The Three Windows
- The Sacred Rock
- The Temple of the Sun
- The Guardhouse
- Getting there
- When to visit
- Travel Tips
- Where to stay
Tourist Information
| Type | Mountain, Inca Temple |
| Year | 1450 |
| Other names | Lost City of the Incas |
| Visiting Hours/ Tickets | Visiting Hours: 6:00 AM – 6:00 PM Everyday including public holidays Tickets are NOT sold at the entrance gate. Tickets can be purchased online and from ticket centers in Cusco, Aguas Calientes, or any city with a Banco de Nacion. If you buy the tickets online make sure to print it or save it on your phone. Make sure to have your passport with you if you buy the tickets from the cities that I mention. You need also to have your passport with you when you visit the citadel. Tickets for tourists: Machu Picchu only: Adult or Student $59, Child $27 Machu Picchu + Huchuy Picchu: Adult or Student 59 USD, Child 27 USD Machu Picchu + Puente Inca: Adult or Student 59 USD, Child 27 USD Machu Picchu + Wayna Picchu: Adult 76 USD / Child 41 USD Machu Picchu + Machu Mountain: Adult USD 76 / Child USD 41 Machu Picchu VIP: Adult or Student 114 – 190 USD / Child 84 – 160 USD Machu Picchu Site Museum: $7 You must book them in advance on the website below. Check the official website for information on availability and ticket prices. |
| Website | https://ticket-machupicchu.com https://ticket-machupicchu.com/purchase/form1.php |
Map
Purpose of Machu Picchu
Some say that Machu Picchu served as a royal estate for Inca emperors and nobles.
Others say that it was a religious site, pointing to its proximity to mountains.
The Inca civilization was deeply spiritual, and many aspects of Machu Picchu are believed to hold sacred symbolism that may be hidden in the architecture and design.
One of the strange things about Machu Picchu is that the site provides no information about the ruins. This way the ruins are surrounded by mystery. To find more information about Machu Picchu, you must visit the site museum Museo de Sitio Manuel Chávez Ballón. You will find out how and why Machu Picchu was built, and why the Inca chose such an extraordinary natural location for the citadel. The museum is located at the end of a long dirt road near the base of Machu Picchu (about a 30-minute walk from the town of Aguas Calientes).
Machu Picchu translates to “old peak” in the native Quechua language.
Machu Picchu became UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983.
Machu Picchu was recently named one of the seven new wonders of the world.
The Lost City of the Incas
In 1911 the American archaeologist Hiram Bingham reached this place when he was looking for a different city, known as Vilcabamba, a hidden capital to which the Inca had escaped after the Spanish conquistadors arrived. So, Bingham believed that Machu Picchu was this lost city and he wrote a best-selling book, “The Lost City of the Incas”. This book made Macchu Pichu very famous and a lot of tourists came to take the Inca Trail and to discover the city.
The Vilcabamba is located in the jungle about 50 miles west of Machu Picchu.
Mysterious stones
The stones from Machu Picchu are cut precisely and arranged very closely together using no mortar. When an earthquake occurs, the stones in an Inca building move and then fall back into place. With mortar, many of the buildings at Machu Picchu would have collapsed long ago.
The lower areas of the site contain the buildings occupied by farmers.
The most important areas, the religious ones, are located at the top of the mountain, from where the movements of the “Sun King” were watched.
The Intihuatana Stone
The Intihuatana Stone (“hitching post of the sun”) is an accurate indicator of the date of the two equinoxes and other significant celestial events. On March 21st and September 21st, the Sun stands directly above the Intihuatana, creating no shadow because the rock inclines around 13 degrees. It is often said that the Intihuatana stone serves as a portal to another world. By touching the sacred stone a sensitive person can open a vision to the spiritual world.
Temple Of The Three Windows
Temple Of The Three Windows – Just 3 of the 5 windows are remaining, and these 3 windows represent each part of the world: The underground (Uku-Pacha) the heaven (Hanan-Pacha), and the present (Kay-Pacha).
The Sacred Rock
The Sacred Rock – this rock might be an altar, an important element in an area of worship, destined for the worship of the Apu ”Yanantin“.
The Temple of the Sun
The Temple of the Sun is one of the most important structures at Machu Picchu. Only priests and higher nobles were permitted to enter. Windows within the walls of the tower are aligned to the summer and winter solstices.
The Guardhouse
The Guardhouse – an important building for security and defense. Here you can take amazing panoramic pictures.
Getting there
- From Cusco, you can take a rail connection to Aguas Calientes, which lies at the foot of the ascent to Machu Picchu or you can stay in Cusco.
- Train companies to choose from: Inca Rail, Peru Rail, and the Belmond Hiram Bingham. The Hiram Bingham service is on a gorgeous train that includes meals and drinks during your journey. It’s more expensive than Inca Rail or Peru Rail.
- On the train, there is a maximum weight for the bag (up to 7 Kg). It is recommended to leave your big bags in the Cusco hotel.
- It is advisable to spend one day in Aguas Calientes to get acclimatized to the higher altitude.
- Book as far in advance as possible. TRAIN Tickets sell out weeks ahead in some months.
- Machu Picchu is two hours walk or a short bus ride from Aguas Calientes. If you have the entrance in Machu Picchu at 6 AM you need to take the bus that leaves Aguas Calientes at 5:30 AM. Be at the station at 4 AM to catch the 5:30 bus as there is a long line.
When to visit
- Machu Picchu is open year-round.
- The best months to go are usually May and June when is dry season.
- The busiest day is Sunday as the people that live in Custo can enter the citadel for free.
- Inca Trail is closed during February for restoration work.
- If you want to take the Inca Trail you need a permit. Book as far in advance as possible. Permits sell out weeks ahead in some months.
Travel Tips
- You need to follow a designated route as part of your tour.
- You will have a designated time for entry.
- The climb is difficult and takes about 90 minutes.
- Don’t forget the passport and the tickets. You’ll need to show both to re-enter the citadel (if you want to go to the toilet or go out for food)
- Bring water
- Bring raincoat
- Wear a hat
- Use plenty of high-SPF sunscreens
- Bring money cash (you need it for paying toilet entrance)
- Bring insect spray
- Don’t bring drones, umbrellas, or walking sticks and large backpacks. There is a storage place before the entrance.
- When you arrive at the citadel in the morning head for the Guard House. This will give you a superb view of the citadel and here you can take amazing pictures. Take all the pictures that you need because after you move on to the citadel ruins you can’t come back here. Also, after a while the myst will cover the mountain and it is possible to not have the opportunity to take clear pictures.
- Once inside the citadel, you have the option to climb either Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu Mountain.
Where to stay
Machu Picchu Sanctuary Lodge – the only hotel close to the entrance of Machu Picchu
Hotels in Aguas Calientes
