Have you ever thought of visiting Machu Picchu? Then read this travel guide to Machu Picchu, to help you plan your trip to one of the New Seven Wonders of the World.
I love the place and that is why I have visited Machu Picchu 4 times!! Is that a bit excessive?? I don’t normally visit a place more than once but this place has certainly captured my heart.
Where is Machu Picchu located?
Machu Picchu is located in Peru in South America in the Andean mountains near to a city called Cusco.
When is the Best time to visit Machu Picchu?
The best time to go to Machu Picchu is from June until September as this is the dry season and when there is the least amount of rains in the mountains of Peru. Machu Picchu can be visited all year around, though the Inca Trail is closed in February. The rains are the heaviest from December until March but you can still have clear days in these months.
I personally have been to Machu Picchu in January, June and twice in September. The third time I visited in June, when we arrived at 6am we couldn’t see a thing but by 10am the mist had lifted and the clouds made for some beautiful pictures.
When was Machu Picchu discovered?
Machu Picchu was discovered on the 24th July 1911 by Hiram Bingham an american historian who was actually looking for the lost capital city of the Inca’s Vilcabamba. The locals though had always known of the existence of Machu Picchu and to them it was not lost.
How old is Machu Picchu?
Machu Picchu is around 560 years old as it was built between 1450 and 1460 AD.
This article contains affiliate links. This means that if you make a purchase after clicking on the link, I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.
How much should a Machu Picchu trip cost?
The cost of visiting Machu Picchu can vary dramatically. This depends on many factors as to whether you want to hike to Machu Picchu, and if so which hike do you want to do as there any many hikes you can do.
Do you want to go to Machu Picchu just for the day or maybe stay one night. Do you want to catch the bus (not the easiest or comfiest journey) or the train?
Click here to buy your Machu Picchu entrance ticket
Click here to buy your Machu Picchu entrance ticket including Huayna Picchu
Click here to buy your Machu Picchu entrance ticket including Machu Picchu Mountain
The first time I did the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu, the second time Inca Jungle, third time Choquequirao to Machu Picchu and the fourth time I will do the Salkantay trek.
For those people who know nothing about it, Machu Picchu is located in the Cusco region of Peru, on a mountain ridge 2,430 metres above sea level. It was built by the Inca’s around 1450 and abandoned a 100 years later at the time of the Spanish conquest. It was lost for many years, until Hiram Bingham “discovered” it in 1911. It was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1983 and voted one of the New Seven Wonders of the world in 2007.
In 2005 I was trying to decide what trip to do next and I had decided on Mexico but when I was looking through a brochure I saw a picture of Machu Picchu and within seconds my destination had changed to Peru.
My first visit there I did the Inca Trail it was a hard 3 day hike, but the views were amazing and reaching Machu Picchu and seeing my first glance of it was the most amazing experience.
That evening I spent in Aguas Calientes the town at the bottom of Machu Picchu and went to the hot springs and returned the next day to explore, what a beautiful day, barely any clouds in the sky. The evening before there had been a landslide and no trains were able to come from Cusco meaning that only tourists who were already at Aguas Calientes would be seeing Machu Picchu that day. I was lucky to be able to walk around with about 100 tourists that day, a very magical experience having the place practically to myself.
My second visit was in 2012, 2 months after I had left the UK to start travelling. This time I did the Inka Jungle to get there, its biking, hiking, white water rafting and zip lining, I had so much fun. This time I also booked to do Huayna Picchu the mountain in the background of most Machu Picchu pictures, they have limited the numbers of people going up there to 2 sessions a day and 200 people in each session, making it a lot safer and not many queues getting up and down. The views from there down to Machu Picchu are amazing. I had gone up there at 7am and didn’t get down till 11am, I sat and had an early lunch just looking at the amazing views. It was great to explore and despite this time there being probably maximum capacity of 2,500 visitors it didn’t seem that busy. I was there from when it opened at 6am until they forced me to leave at 5pm, blowing their whistles and pointing me to the exit!!
It was still as amazing and beautiful the second time and I still felt that I hadn’t explored it all.
The third time I visited was in 2014, this time I did my dream hike, an 8 day hike to Choquequirao (another Inca ruin) and finishing at Machu Picchu, it’s the hardest hike in the region but with some amazing views. When I arrived at Machu Picchu at 6am, the mist was in, you could hardly see in front of you, but I knew how amazing it was and could see the views in my head despite the mist. I had once again booked to go up Huayna Picchu but on the later session and by then the clouds had lifted and I got to see the amazing views. Again it seemed just as magical and beautiful as the other times I had visited.
My 4th visit was in 2017, this time I decided to do the Salkantay Trek, a great 5 day hike that included 3 days hiking in the beautiful mountains, before spending an afternoon in the hot springs, then zip ling before doing the hike to Aguas Calientes. This time I had booked 2 days to visit Machu Picchu so I could do Machu Picchu mountain and Huayna Picchu but unfortunately I got food poisoning the night before and had to miss the first day and was unable to do the hike up Machu Picchu mountain. I still managed to go the 2nd day and yet again it was a magical experience.
It’s truly a magical place and somewhere I have left my heart, I don’t know how many times I will go back again, but I am not sure I will ever tire of sitting there and seeing that view.
If you are planning a visit then you need to be aware of the new rules that have come in recently.
Where to stay in Cusco
Cusco is full of hotels and hostels and I have stayed in quite a few in my 4 visits there. From US $5 a night you can get a dorm bed in one of the many hostels or if you prefer a hotel from US $20 a night.
Click here for a guide on the Best Hotels In Cusco.
Click here for a guide on the Best 5 Star Luxury Hotels in Cusco.
If you enjoyed this post, then don’t forget to pin it.
So Clare next time I would really like to go with you! You must keep me posted. For that experience, I can still hike like the best of them.
Shirley I will keep you posted. I might be there again next year or maybe next summer I can come visit you. Would be great to travel again together 🙂
I understand your passion for Machu Pichuu! It is an incredible place and being able to visit it once is amazing, you have excelled! I loved it too. The bus driver who was meant to take us down after the hike was drunk as it was a festival of some sort that day…I recall few of us madly racing down the rocky track trying to beat the local guide… rather silly…but fun! I’d go again and would love to take my kids.
I haven’t walked up there or down, always got the bus!! Maybe one day I will decide to hike there and back!! Not really surprised about a drunk driver, might actually make it feel a bit safer though!!!
Great to hear something positive about it again. I would love to visit but heard some not so positive things lately – but I assume beautiful places all over the world just attract a lot of people. Love the pics.
Machu Picchu is my dream destination! I absolutely love hiking and a hike to Machu Picchu would be surreal I can imagine 🙂
Machu Picchu is on my maybe list for travel destinations. I love ancient cultures and ruins, but I am not much of a mountain climber. Did you do much training before hand to prepare for the trip? Or just dive straight in? The Inca Jungle trip does sound fun.
The Inca jungle you can do with no training, the others you need some level of fitness, though it’s the altitude which you can’t train for that kills you!! If you want to do no exercise there is also the option of the train there and back 🙂
Hell no three times is not excessive if you enjoy it! I love Bali and go back every year for a bit of a break from winter and to recharge the batteries. I can see the appeal of Macchu Picchu and why you love it so much. Do whatever makes you happy!
Excessive, hahaha you haven’t met my Jimmy. When he finds a place he really likes we typically go back over and over 🙂 (He’s been to Abu Dhabi 30 times, over the years of course) your photos of Machu Picchu are lovely and I can see why you like it so much! I think it would be fascinating. Your photos remind me of Chichen Itza. I love to learn and watch documentaries about the Inca’s and Myans and to see close up is really a great experience. Nice article!
Am not sure I will get there 30 times!! It’s very different to Chichen Itza, I have been there too. It’s remote location on the top of the mountains is stunning. I did love to see the Mayan temples and pyramids too 🙂
OMG! You’re probably the 5th person who’s written about Machu Picchu this week, and now I really wanna go. Its been a dream to visit this place since school. I’m not sure whether I would be able to hike though, as I haven’t hiked before. Is it suitable for beginners?
There are lots of different hikes to get there, for a beginner I would recommend the Inca Jungle, biking, hiking with options for white water rafting and ziplining 🙂
Machu Picchu is on my list. I have to visit this place next year because I’ve seen way too many beautiful pictures. I’ll keep this post in mind for a good guide.
I have yet to get to South America, but Machu Picchu is right up there on the essentials list. The hike in particular to see all the breathtaking views is what attracts me the most. I hope we can get there before they limit access any further.
I feel the same thing. I visited in May and it was such an awesome triumph to make it there and look at the ruins. the green, the trees and the buildings. I wouldn’t mind going back again for sure!
I’d love to visit Mach Picchu. I know a few people who have and they say the same as you, that you can’t get enough of it. I have a friend who is married to a Bolivian and I’ve just been looking through fb pics that he’s posted. I’ve always been drawn to Asia but South America looks the bizness. Thanks for sharing, your post is informative and well-written!
The weird thing is that although people all around the world – very much like yourself – rave about Machu Picchu, I haven’t had the interest to visit it as yet. Part of it is also that being on the other side of the world for me it requires some heavy planning and free time, but still it’s lovely to see you have returned to it three times and enjoyed it. Some places do attract us in one way or another, and that’s a wonderful feeling.
I will say that the more I read about MP, the more I do want to travel it some day.
I love to visit Machu Picchu but I don’t think I could do the hiking. Good you and thanks for sharing. Reminders me the I must visit South America
I went to Latin America in December, but did not have enough time to visit Peru. I have to visit Machu Pichu…there is so much of awe around this place! How difficult are the hikes…what fitness level do you need?
There are different levels of hikes. If you aren’y into hiking much then the Inca Jungle is a good option or if you love hiking then the Salkantay is a good hike 🙂
Your snaps are so beautiful. Off late, Machu Picchu has sneaked into my bucket list and is slowly crawling higher, since this place is so stunning . I am bad at hiking, still I badly want to do it.
There are different options to get to Machu Picchu, you can take a bus and then walk 3 hours, or take the train (no hiking involved) or you had do a 3 or 4 day hike 🙂
Wow I am soo jealous you’ve been 3 times!! Machu Picchu has been at the top of my bucket list for ages, but I still haven’t made it down to South America. Doing the Inca Trail would be my goal, even though I know it’s tough! Your pics are awesome and I think it looks the MOST awesome with that fog rolling in (like on your 3rd visit). Gooorgeous!
That’s amazing that you’ve done it three times. I find myself redoing a lot of the hikes I’ve done because I just love it. What is it about the Choquequirao hike that makes it the hardest in the region? A friend recently did that hike and his photos were amazing!
I have now done it 4 times as I did it last week too!! The Choquequirao to Machu Picchu hike is 8 days and most days you are going up 1,500 metres in height and down 1,500 metres too!! The highest point is 4,600 metres which at that altitude you can really feel it!!
It must be exciting to visit this wonderful place. I have seen photos and heard a lot about this Machu Picchu but haven’t got a chance to get there. Wish to visit one day and also do trekking like you did. 🙂
My niece visited Machu Picchu last spring and She loved it so I was keen to add it to my bucket list. Your post has inspired me to visit, it sounds like a magical journey! I’m not much of a hiker but I’d be keen to give it a whirl to capture these amazing views! Have a safe 4th trip!
Machu Picchu looks wonderful! This post was very helpful, I discovered so many new things about this archeological place!
I am a big hiker but the one trail that i have not done yet and I want to do really bad is Machu Picchu. Your post just made my hunger the place even more now. The 8 day hike to Choquequirao sounds ideal for me, as I like the hikes to be hard with amazing views. I will have to contact you when I go for some information.