Plan your Machu Picchu tour with local Peru travel experts. Choose from private tours, small-group options, train tours, Inca Trail packages, and custom Peru itineraries including Cusco, the Sacred Valley, and Machu Picchu.
Below is a brief list of the major landmarks we will see during the course of the guided tour of the Inca citadel. Among the many royal and ceremonial locations, you will see the agricultural zone, the main square, the observatory, the fountains, the temple of the three windows, the sacred rock, the astronomical observatory, the temple of the sun, the temple of the condor, the royal enclosures
The Temple of the Three Windows is one of Machu Picchu’s most recognizable ceremonial structures. Its three large trapezoidal windows are built in the classic Inca style and face toward the mountains, creating a dramatic view of the surrounding landscape. Many guides explain that the windows may have held symbolic meaning connected to Inca cosmology, ancestry, or the sacred relationship between the city and the Andes. It is also one of the best places to appreciate the precision of Inca stonework.
The Machu Picchu mirrors, often called the Water Mirrors or Temple of the Water Mirrors, are two round stone basins carved into the floor of the site. When filled with water, they may have reflected the sky, sun, moon, or stars, which suggests they could have had ceremonial or astronomical importance. While their exact purpose is still debated, they show how the Incas used simple architectural features to connect the natural world, the heavens, and sacred spaces inside Machu Picchu.
The Temple of the Moon is a ceremonial site located on the far side of Huayna Picchu, away from the main citadel of Machu Picchu. Built into a natural cave, it features carefully carved stonework, niches, and walls that blend with the surrounding rock. Because of its remote location and sacred design, many archaeologists and guides believe it may have been used for rituals or offerings. Visiting this area requires a separate Huayna Picchu route and is more physically demanding than the standard Machu Picchu circuit
The Journey Machu Picchu team of expert travel advisors will plan and tailor the perfect Peru vacation. Check out our carefully customized Machu Picchu tours and travel packages listed below. Browsing through our selection of packages you will notice that we include many Peru destinations and feature the iconic Inca city of Machu Picchu in all travel programs. Our team based in Peru is ready to help you plan the ultimate Machu Picchu experience with top-rated accommodations, expert travel guides, and in-depth guided tours.
Before you book one of our Machu Picchu vacation packages, here’s what you need to know about visiting the site itself.
Entrance tickets to Machu Picchu range depending on the circuit and any additional hike you add. The base entrance fee starts around $45–$50 USD for adults, with Huayna Picchu or Montaña Machu Picchu add-on tickets typically costing an extra $15–$20 USD. All of our Machu Picchu tour packages include entrance tickets in the total price, so there’s nothing extra to arrange once you book.
Since 2019, visitors must follow one of several fixed circuits through the site with a licensed guide:
Our travel advisors select the right circuit for you based on which hikes (if any) you’d like to add to your Machu Picchu travel package.
Machu Picchu is open daily from 6:00 AM to 5:30 PM, with entry organized into timed slots to manage visitor flow. Morning slots (especially the first entry at 6:00 AM) offer cooler temperatures, softer light for photos, and smaller crowds — which is why most of our Machu Picchu vacation packages schedule an early departure from Aguas Calientes.
There’s no road directly to the citadel. The standard route is: train from Cusco, Ollantaytambo, or the Sacred Valley to Aguas Calientes, followed by a 25-minute bus ride up the mountain (or a 1.5–2 hour hike for the more adventurous). Every one of our Machu Picchu tours and travel packages includes train tickets, bus transfers, and a licensed guide, so this is all handled for you.
Machu Picchu itself sits at 2,430 meters (7,970 ft) — noticeably lower than Cusco (3,400 m / 11,150 ft), which is where most travelers feel altitude effects. Many of our Machu Picchu package tours are structured to spend a day or two in the Sacred Valley first, which sits lower than Cusco, to help you acclimatize before heading up to the ruins.
You will need 1-2 days to properly tour the Machu Picchu complex. It is best to arrive at Aguas Calientes at a good pace, see the town and wake up the next day to tour the Inca city. This way you can hike any of the additional hikes like Huayna Picchu without feeling too rushed. You can do this in just 1 day but the day will feel very tiring and you might not enjoy the outing as much.
Over the course of the Machu Picchu tour, you will see the agricultural zone, the main square, the observatory, the fountains, the temple of the three windows the sacred rock, the astronomical observatory, the temple of the sun, the temple of the condor, the royal enclosures and several others. The tour includes some of the most amazing views anywhere in the world thanks to the surrounding landscapes.
Yes, tour guides are mandatory to enter the complex. This has been the rule ever since 2019.
Walking through Machu Picchu is not a big challenge, the complex presents an easy to moderate challenge. The additional hikes like Huayna Picchu are a little bit more of a challenge. The complex has a marked path so it is very difficult to get lost and there are handrails throughout the ruins.
The tour takes around 2 hours to complete but you can hike one of the additional peaks which will take another 2 hours to complete. So depending on what tickets you booked, you can spend 2-4 hours in Machu Picchu.
The best time to visit Machu Picchu is during the dry period which extends from April – September. If you don’t mind days that might be cloudy but with smaller crowds then you can visit from September – November or March. In the end, the best time to visit Machu Picchu can vary on personal preference.