The name Machu Picchu is synonymous with Peru. While popular already, the historical Inca site’s elevation to a ‘wonder of the world’ in the early 2000s elevated this site to a tourist hub. We visited in 2025 and will help shed some light on the experience, including on if it’s worth the hype or is it a tourist trap? How to get to Machu Picchu? And a few other tips, tricks and pieces of advice that will help you plan your visit.
Is it worth visiting Machu Picchu or is it a tourist trap?
Simply.. yes! Absolutely! While we were concerned about Machu Picchu being a tourist trap due to the hype and the cost, we were glad we made the effort to visit. The ruins are very impressive in its own right, and when combined with the incredible views of the mountains, and the history of the site.. this makes an impressive combination. However, you have to be prepared for the crowds, the cost, changing weather conditions, and the time it takes to get there. Read on for a few more tips and pieces of advice to help you on your journey.
How to get to Machu Picchu?
This should be simple, but isn’t quite as easy as you’d think. The “base” for most people visiting sacred valley and Machu Picchu is the famous Cusco. Home to the best restaurants, lots of history, and a plethora of things to do, Cusco is everything you want from a base. However, Cusco is also a long way from Machu Picchu. In fact, it will take you about 5-6 hours one way to reach the historical wonder of the world from Cusco. There are a multitude of tour options, and alternative locations to stay when considering how to reach Machu Picchu. We detail a few of these options below.
Options on how to reach Machu Picchu:
- An organised group tour: This is the most popular option for people visiting Machu Picchu. While not budget friendly, a group day trip from Cusco is the easiest way to remove the stress of organizing the tickets and planning all of the steps to reach Machu Picchu. Prices vary depending on operator, however you will likely spend between $450-600 AUD / $300-500 USD. Tours will take between 12-16 hours, often starting as early as 4am in Cusco. It’s a big day, however after choosing this option, we are happy to say that despite the cost and time, it was worth the experience. While there are many different tour options, this is the company we booked through (see here) *not sponsored.
- A private tour: We initially considered a private tour, however for the cost increase (often up to double the price), we couldn’t justify it. Especially considering the transport to and from the location would be the same. Once at the Inca ruins, a group guide or private guide may not make much of a difference, as the speed through the ruins will likely be the same regardless.
- Do it yourself: We initially wanted to book all of the steps ourself, however after research it, we realized that organising a private driver/taxi from Cusco to Ollantaytambo, then the Inca rail train from Ollantaytambo to Aquas Callientes (return), the bus tickets from Aquas Callientes to Machu Picchu, the access tickets to the Inca ruins, plus a guide.. would all be a bit to much to co-ordinate. Retrospectively, it would be possible to organise it yourself, and you would likely save ~30-50%, however it would still be quite chaotic. We have commented below on a few of the options on where to start, and if you are looking to catch sunrise, we would recommend staying closer to Machu Picchu to make this possible.
- Hiking – see below
Starting in Cusco:
This is the most popular option. Regardless of if you choose a tour, or to do it yourself, you will need to follow the steps below, and get the following tickets.
- A: Driver from Cusco to Ollantaytambo. This drive will take around 2 hours. We recommend you start at around 4am to allow you to visit the ruins at the perfect time (~10am). If you book a tour, this will be organized, however you could organize this yourself through your hotel.
- B: Inca Rail Train from Ollantaytambo to Aquas Callientes. This is an experience in itself. The trains have spectacular views, with the journey taking around 2-2.5 hours. You wind through the valley, catching a glimpse of ruins, mountains and forests. If possible, try to sit on the LEFT side of the train when heading towards Machu Picchu.. the views are better. Additionally, having seen the windows in both carriages, we don’t this the ‘panorama carriage’ upgrades are worth the money. They seats in the normal Inca Rail carriages are excellent. You can buy these tickets online (they aren’t cheap), or they are included in your tour package.
- C: Bus from Aquas Callientes to Machu Picchu. A bus will take you up the winding road to the famous ruins. This will take about 20-30 minutes, however be advised that regardless of if you have a ticket or not, you have to line up for these busses. A peak times, the lines for the bus can be busy, and take up to 30 minutes of waiting. Keep this in mind if planning your own itinerary.
- D: Entry to Machu Picchu. Buy your tickets in advance! These will sell out, especially for the most popular and picturesque route 2 (try and get this one if you can). Most tours will book the route 2, however if they are overbooked, you may have to settle for route 1 or 3. Regardless of if you book through a tour or not, these tickets are expensive. Read below for a few more details about the access.
- E: Repeat the process in reverse. If you have booked a tour, you will likely have 30-90minutes in Aquas Callientes free for lunch before you make the journey home. You will likely book return tickets for your journey if planning the trip yourself.
Starting in Ollantaytambo:
This is a decent option for those wanting to cut down the travel time. Not only can you have a later start time (or get to Machu Picchu earlier), you get to spend some time in one of sacred valleys recommended stops. There are ruins in Ollantaytambo, and it is close by to other sacred valley sites like Moray and Maras. If you are starting in Ollantaytambo, complete the steps from B-E above.
Starting in Aquas Callientes:
This is a popular option for many, especially those looking to visit Machu Picchu for sunrise. Complete steps A-B above the day before, stay in Aquas Callientes the night, and get up early to beat the crowds up to Machu Picchu. You will still need to organize your tickets and guide. We have detailed a few thoughts on the sunrise option below
The boujie option.. stay at the Machu Picchu entrance!
This was a little outside of our price range, however we did notice there was a luxury hotel right at the top of the Machu Picchu mountain.. literally at the entrance. You can see a little bit more about this luxury experience by checking out Belmond Sanctuary Lodge Machu Picchu.
A day trip vs hiking into Machu Picchu:
Hiking the Inca trail into Machu Picchu is a bucket list for many, and something we strongly considered. However, in the end, the time of year made the decision for us. We visited at the start of February, the only month of the year when they close the Inca trail for restoration, and due to the wet season. It is worth keeping this in mind if you want to do the hike, as February is a peak time to visit other countries in South America (e.g. Argentina). The hiking options vary in cost, length and location. The Salkantay Trek is recommended as one of the most picturesque options to hike into Machu Picchu, however there’s also the standard Inca trail for 2 and 4 day options. They all vary in price, with some offering hired gear, and others requiring you to bring your own. We recommend you research in advance.
While we felt like it was a bit of a ‘cop out’ doing only the day trip to Machu Picchu, we still think the experience is worth it if you aren’t up for the hike, or go the wrong time of year (like we did).
Things to know when visiting Machu Picchu:
- What circuit to take for Machu Picchu? We highly recommend circuit 2. After visiting this circuit, discussing with friends, and talking to the tour guides.. this is the “best” of the 3.
- What is the best time to arrive at Machu Picchu? Regardless of when you arrive, it will likely be busy. However, most tours arrive somewhere between 10.30-12pm. Due to the clouds commonly parting around mid morning, arriving between 9-10am is often the ‘best time’. Therefore, if booking a tour from Cusco, we recommend you choose an option that starts at 4am (not 5 or 6am). This will have you arriving at Machu Picchu around 10am.
- Weather: This is an important, and slightly scary prospect when visiting Machu Picchu. As you can see from our photos, we had exceptionally good weather. The sun was out all day and the views were incredible. However, the day beforehand was raining, and our tour guide showed us pictures of the postcard “view”… it was completely covered in clouds. We would have been devastated if this had been our experience. Reports say that the mountain region is its own microclimate, so temperatures can vary drastically here, and change rapidly. Prepare for all kinds of weather and research in advance.
- Sunrise at Machu Picchu: This is an experience we would have loved to do, however we were scared off by reports online of people arriving at sunrise only to have to ruins covered by clouds. Apparently the ruins can often be shrouded by fog and clouds early, then clear around 9-10am (perfect time to arrive).
- Sunscreen: The temperature can vary, however there is not sun protection on the ruins, so if the sun is out, you will get burnt. Put your sunscreen on!
- Bug Spray: Be prepared with bug spray as some of the areas can have mosquitos and other insects.
- Clothing: You will need to prepare for all weather, including rain. We recommend purchasing a light poncho in Cusco just in case it is raining.
- Do I need a guide for Machu Picchu? We would say yes! The site has so much history, and discussing this with a guide really ‘made’ the experience for us. Yes you can easily take your photos without a guide, but the real ‘magic’ of the place comes from understanding a bit about the history and significance.
- Hiking to Huayna Picchu: This is another experience we would have loved to do. If you want to add the extra hike on, you will need to purchase an additional pass, and allow at least another few hours. The hike is considered moderate-hard, with steep inclines and narrow stairs. Something to consider and research in advance.
- You can’t bring..drones or tripods onto Machu Picchu. Keep this in mind!
- The best views of Machu Picchu are at the start of the circuits. You start the trail by walking up and into the main view points. Take you best photos early, because after you enter the ruins, you can’t go backwards on the circuit. Once you walk down into the historic site you won’t get any more of the ‘panoramic’ postcard shots.
- Be respectful! Lastly, we urge you to be respectful of this historical site during your visit. We sadly witnessed a few people jumping barriers, ignoring guides instructions, and overall disrespecting the site. If you want to bring this attitude to these kind of sites.. please don’t come!
So is it worth visiting Machu Picchu despite the cost, time and effort? Absolutely.. just set your expectations around how long it will take, how much it will cost, and the fact it will be busy at some of the key viewpoints.
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