Machu Picchu now operates on a capped, timed-entry system with numbered routes through the site. Getting it wrong means arriving with a ticket that does not include the view you came for.
Book in this order
- Decide your date, allowing two days of acclimatisation in the Sacred Valley first.
- Buy the entry ticket from the official government portal, choosing a circuit and an entry time.
- Book the train from Ollantaytambo to Aguas Calientes to match that time.
- Book the bus up from Aguas Calientes, or plan 90 minutes to walk it.
Circuits are one-way. You cannot wander freely, and you cannot re-enter.
Which circuit
Circuits are grouped by area. The upper routes give the classic terrace-and-peak panorama; the lower routes take you through the buildings at close range without the postcard view. If you want the photograph, confirm the circuit includes the upper terrace viewpoint before purchasing.
Add-on permits for Huayna Picchu (the steep peak behind the site) and Machu Picchu Mountain (higher, longer, less exposed) are sold separately in limited numbers and sell out first.
The Inca Trail and alternatives
The classic four-day Inca Trail requires a licensed operator and a permit; permits for the June–August window typically sell out by January and the trail closes each February for maintenance.
Alternatives with far more availability: the Salkantay (five days, higher, wilder), the Lares (cultural, through weaving villages) and the Choquequirao trek for those wanting a site with almost no visitors at all.
For the region, see the Cusco and Sacred Valley guide.