FREQUENT QUESTIONS

To answer this question, let us first take into account the travel times and services that you will need according to the route for your trip to Machu Picchu,

1. Cusco–Ollantaytambo–Aguas Calientes (Machu Picchu Pueblo) Route.

The town of Aguas Calientes, also called Machu Picchu Pueblo, is the closest town to the archaeological park of Machu Picchu. It is an average of 4 hours away from the city of Cusco (2 hours by bus from Cusco to the Ollantaytambo station + 2 hours by train from the Ollantaytambo station to the town of Aguas Calientes).

2. Cusco–Poroy–Aguas Calientes (Machu Picchu Pueblo) Route.

The travel time is similar; the Poroy station is 30 minutes away from the historic center of Cusco. You take the train at this station that takes you to Aguas Calientes in about 3 hours and 15 minutes; as you can see the travel time is similar.

*We can conclude that it will take an average of 4 hours to go from the city of Cusco to the town of Aguas Calientes.

IF I AM ALREADY IN AGUAS CALIENTES, WHAT NEXT?

You have 3 options to get to the entrance of the Machu Picchu Archaeological Park and it will depend on your time:

Option 1: take the bus from the Consettur company, which will take you to the entrance of Machu Picchu in 30 minutes. If you want to take the bus both ways, be sure to buy a round trip bus ticket.

Option 2: Walk to and from the entrance of Machu Picchu. The walk will take some effort and almost 2 hours each way, but it is worth it since you will be able to be more in contact with the beautiful landscape of the jungle and humid forest. The ascent is about 500 meters along a very well preserved Inca trail and steps.

Option 3: go on foot and return by bus or go by bus and return on foot; you can buy one-way tickets for going up or coming back, or a round-trip bus ticket.

I HAVE ALREADY ARRIVED AT THE ENTRANCE OF MACHU PICCHU

Whether you went by bus or on foot, you will arrive at the control point of the entrance to Machu Picchu where you must show your printed ticket to Machu Picchu along with your original identity document, then you can tour the citadel. At the entrance you can hire the services of a guide. Normally the tour lasts 2 hours, but you can stay up to 4 hours with the Classic Machu Picchu ticket (type 1). if you have the Machu Picchu ticket + any of the mountains, the time spent in the park is longer; you will also need more time to visit Machu Picchu.

For these reasons you must be careful with the times when booking your train tickets.

EXAMPLE: If your train ticket departs from Ollantaytambo at 7:45 am, then:

• You must leave Cusco no later than 5:30 am. You must be at the station no less than 30 minutes before the train leaves.
• You will arrive in Aguas Calientes at 9:15 am. Leaving the train station and going to the bus station will take about 10 minutes. Then you will take the 30-minute bus to the entrance of Machu Picchu.
• Therefore, you must make your reservation to Machu Picchu at the entrance time from 10 to 11 am or from 11 am to 12 pm. Then, visiting Machu Picchu will take about 2 hours.
• You will finish your tour around 2 pm, and then must take the bus back to Aguas Calientes for another 30 minutes, have lunch, and take a train that leaves at 4 or 5 pm.
• You will be in Ollantaytambo at 6 or 7 pm and take a bus from there to arrive in Cusco in about 2 hours.

Booking online is the easiest way, it is extremely simple. If you are not sure how to do it, go to the HOW TO PURCHASE option and review the instructions, then go to the CHECK AVAILABILITY option and check the visit dates and the type of ticket you would prefer. If you wish you can continue and finalize the reservation through this step; the payment method is using the PayPal platform.

The entrance ticket to Machu Picchu is personal and non-transferable. For its processing, some personal data is necessary and will be strictly confidential and protected by Peruvian laws. The tourist is responsible for the information sent. The details that you will need to provide us are the following:

• Number of visitors.
• Complete name and birthdate of each visitor as on their identity document.
• Nationaliaty.
• Passport number, identity card, or DNI in the case of Peruvian tourists; tourists from South America can carry out the process with their identity card.
• The type of ticket and the visiting hour.
• An email to carry out the entire process..

University students must send us a digital photo of their university card if they wish to access student discounts. There are a series of requirements that these cards must meet, which will be sent to them by email. It is very important that the cards have the dates they are valid printed on them, and the students must also be undergraduates and must not be more than 25 years old on the date of the visit.

Here we give you a brief summary about what you should know about the tickets, but if you want more information you can go to the TYPES OF TICKETS section in the menu.

• The Classic Machu Picchu Ticket allows you to visit the Inca citadel of Machu Picchu and you can choose one of four walking circuits. It should be purcased at least one month before you want to visit. This ticket is recommended for the whole family.
• The Machu Picchu + Wayna Picchu ticket allows you to visit the Inca citadel of Machu Picchu along Circuit 4, and you can climb to the top of Wayna Picchu Mountain, the famous mountain that appears in the photos of Machu Picchu. These tickets should be purchased 3 months ahead of time as only 400 persons can enter per day and there is a high demand to have one of the best experiences. Tourists must be 12 years of age or older to enter; minors must be with a parent or guardian.
• The Machu Picchu + Machu Picchu Mountain allows you to visit the Inca citacel of Machu Picchu along Circuit 3 and also to climb to the top of Machu Picchu mountain. It is the mountain opposite Wayna Picchu from where you have impressive views. It should be purchased a few weeks ahead of time. The ticket is recommended for children, adults, and everyone who likes long walks and physiclal effort.

The method used to buy your tickets on this platform is through PayPal. When making a reservation, you will receive a payment request; you do not need to have a PayPal account to carry out the transaction, you only need a credit or debit card.

Machu Picchu can be reached:

• On a tour via the Inca Trail. You will need a travel agency to be able to make this trip, and it must be booked months in advance. Write to us for more information.
• By train. This is the easiest and shortest way. You have to take a bus from the city of Cusco to the Ollantaytambo or Poroy train station. Any of the options will take you to Machu Picchu in just over 4 hours of travel.
• By bus + walking. This is the cheapest option but the one that takes the most time. You travel to the hydroelectric sector by bus, then you walk along the railway line. In total, it will take you 8 hours of travel to take this option. The walk is smooth and it is just over 10 kilometers. You will not be able to visit Machu Picchu the same day; you have to spend one night in Aguas Calientes and visit Machu Picchu the next day. At the end, you must return by the same route, walking + bus.

Tourists who have a longer stay in Cusco can choose this option; it is a less rushed way of traveling. For this, you can take the train in the afternoon, spend the night in a hotel in Aguas Calientes (you must make a hotel reservation) and, the next day, early in the morning, visit Machu Picchu. Then, in the afternoon after lunch, return to Cusco. You can organize it assuming the travel times mentioned above.

Unfortunately, people who need a wheelchair to get around or suffer from an illness that prevents them from typical movement will have difficulties when visiting Machu Picchu. Some physical effort is required, in addition to the fact that the path through the Inca city has steps, platforms, and steep places. For the moment the Inca city has not been modified for the visit of tourists in wheelchairs. On the other hand, travel agencies could help you to have better options and at least get to the viewpoint area of the city and enjoy the view without having to tour the city.

Definitely the Machu Picchu + Wayna Picchu ticket is the one that sells out the fastest. This ticket must be purchased 3 to 4 months in advance, especially if you plan to travel in the middle of the high tourist season (May to August). If you couldn't get this ticket to Machu Picchu + Wayna Picchu, then choose the Machu Picchu + Machu Picchu Mountain option, which also includes a spectacular hike to the top of the Inca city.

Both options are very attractive. There are only a limited number of visitors to visit them. If you plan to add any of these mountains to your visit, it is highly recommended to make a reservation in advance, especially if you want to go to the top of Wayna Picchu.

Wayna Picchu is very famous; it is the mountain that appears in all the photos of Machu Picchu. It is a very attractive walk suitable for adventurers who are not afraid of heights. It does not require much physical effort and the path is safe as long as you go on the permitted and signposted routes. Reaching the top takes almost an hour.

On the other hand, Machu Picchu Mountain is opposite Wayna Picchu. The top is higher and you will need more physical effort and time to get there since the walk is longer. It is done along an Inca trail in perfect condition, and the route is completely safe. It is suitable for the whole family; you can even go with your children.

Yes, there are several discounts and agreements, here we detail what they are:

• Discounts for minors – they must be a maximum of 17 years old on the date of their visit, and they can only enter accompanied by a parent or guardian. Children under 3 years of age do not need an entrance ticket.
• Discounts for university students – A digital photo of the current university card must be sent (valid for undergraduate students under 25 years of age). The ISIC card is no longer valid.
• Discounts for tourists born in countries of the Comunidad Andina (CAN) – tourists who come from member countries of the Andean community, that is, Peru, Colombia, Bolivia, and Ecuador, have access to the national tourist rate.

Machu Picchu opens its doors to visitors from 6:00 am to 5:00 pm, You can visit it at any time, on the other hand, you have to take into account that it takes approximately 4 hours to reach the Inca wonder (2 hours by train and 2 hours by bus), which is why the schedules between 9 and 12 are very crowded.

If you have a reservation at a hotel in the town of Aguas Calientes then you will have more time and peace of mind. You could visit it at the first hour and thus be able to see the sunrise in the Inca city. Many tourists prefer to go to Machu Picchu very early.

Finally, visits in the afternoon are not a bad idea either. The landscape and the weather are very good at all times, and in the afternoon there is little influx of tourists, so you can walk more calmly and take better photos.

If you travel with children or older adults, do not worry, Machu Picchu will receive them with open arms. Only the visit to Wayna Picchu is for children over 12 years old.

Machu Picchu Mountain is an excellent option to go with children as this mountain is available for people of any age. They will enjoy a good family walk and beautiful landscapes.

On the other hand, if you are looking for something different for your child, the Machu Picchu site museum is open to you and also has a botanical garden. There is also the Machu Picchu Butterfly Garden very close and the children love it. Be aware that the entrance to the Butterfly Garden or to the Museum is not included in the tickets to Machu Picchu.

The ticket to Machu Picchu can only be used on the date and time you previously chose in your reservation. You cannot use it before or after the date indicated on your ticket.

By order of the Decentralized Directorate of Culture of Cusco, which is the state entity that administers Machu Picchu, once the ticket is issued, NO type of modification or cancellation can be made and therefore there are no refunds. Please, before making the payment, review the TERMS AND CONDITIONS section. Likewise, when making your reservation, you will receive a summary of it where you must ensure that the data sent and the date and time of the reservation are correct before making the payment for your reservation.

No, the sale is only made online or in person at the offices of the Ministry of Culture in the city of Cusco and in Aguas Calientes. It is advisable to buy online and in advance to avoid long queues or crowded spaces since Machu Picchu only receives a limited number of tourists per day.

Machu Picchu is open to the public all year round, but between the months of December and mid-April is the rainy season, so you will have to plan accordingly. The weather is pleasant despite the rains, since Machu Picchu It is located at the edge of the jungle, commonly called the cloud forest, and has a temperate climate.

The availability for the year 2025 will be enabled in December 2024. Take your precautions as the tickets for January and February are sold out quickly. You can make a reservation now and the payment will be completed when we contact you once the tickets are available for purchase. If you have further questions about this point, please contact us.