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Historic Sanctuary of Machu Picchu

Machupicchu · Peru

Background

World Heritage since
1983
Type of site
Mixed
Protected area
382 km²

An Inca city 2,430 m up in tropical mountain forest on the eastern slopes of the Andes. Its giant walls, terraces and ramps seem cut naturally from the rock; UNESCO calls it probably the most amazing urban creation of the Inca Empire at its height.

The sanctuary covers more than 35,000 ha around the citadel, from snow peaks to rainforest along the Urubamba River, with hundreds of bird and orchid species. Hiram Bingham brought it to the world's attention in 1911, led there by locals.

More on the UNESCO listing More on Wikipedia

  1. Inca eraCitadel built at the height of the empire
  2. 1911Hiram Bingham led to the site by locals
  3. 1983Inscribed as World Heritage

Find Your Way Around

The main parts of the site, in the order most visitors see them

  1. 1
    The Citadel
    Walls, terraces and ramps above the Urubamba River.
  2. 2
    Sun Gate (Intipunku)
    Where the Inca Trail first reaches the site.
  3. 3
    Inca Trail
    The most popular hike in South America, ending here.
  4. 4
    Cloud Forest
    444 bird and 423 orchid species in the sanctuary.

Know Before You Go

From Wikivoyage and the GoGo guides

Book Tickets Online
Booking online costs about $41. Walking up from Aguas Calientes instead of taking the bus takes 90 minutes and is free.
Train, Then Bus
No roads reach Aguas Calientes: take the train from Cusco or Ollantaytambo, then the bus up.
No Toilets Inside
Use the restroom at the entrance gate before you go in.
Stay Over for Early Entry
A night in Aguas Calientes lets you reach the site early.
Bring Sun Protection
Pack sun protection for the visit. A guided tour of the site takes about three hours.
Follow One-Way Circuits
Visitors walk one of four one-way circuits, taking one to two hours. Staying on the trails helps limit erosion.

A Day Trip From Cusco

From the GoGo Cusco guide · Open the Cusco Guide ›

  1. 09:00
    Machu Picchu4 hrs
    Train down the valley and bus up to the citadel.

Best Time to Visit

Best months: Jun–Nov.

Typical highs

Best monthsRain: wettest Dec (135 mm), driest Jun (5 mm)

Climate: NASA POWER

Pair It With

Other World Heritage sites nearby, by distance

WORTH A NIGHTDAY TRIPSAME DAYDistance not to scale · tap a site
Do These Together
The City of Cusco, the old Inca capital and its own World Heritage site, is about 70 km away and is where most visits start.
Sources
UNESCO World Heritage Centre, listing 274 · Wikipedia: Historic Sanctuary of Machu Picchu · Wikivoyage: Machu Picchu (CC BY-SA 4.0) · GoGo Cusco guide · UNESCO listing