Buying a ticket to Machu Picchu is a pretty overwhelming endeavour for any first time visitor. The official website lists five different tickets, five different circuits (only four really exist), three mountain hikes, a bridge and up to eight time slots. Understanding which to pick for that trip of a lifetime can be really time consuming - it took us a long time of studying the maps and planning to begin to understand the system!
And now we’re going to simplify it for you.
Across the three days we had in Machu Picchu, we bought four of the five tickets, climbed two of the three mountains, watched two sunrises and walked all four circuits.
Here’s exactly which Machu Picchu circuit you should pick based on our first hand experience.
The entry tickets & circuits at Machu Picchu
A brief explanation of the ticket types
The best way to buy your tickets for Machu Picchu is from the official government website - machupicchu.gob.pe. There are other websites, but they are resellers.
The first thing to know about buying a ticket for Machu Picchu is that there is only one general entry ticket - “Llaqta De Machupicchu”. All other tickets are designed for those wanting to hike up one of the mountains or visit Inca Bridge (which each come with a designated circuit).
For that reason, the majority of people buy the Llaqta De Macchupicchu ticket. It has the highest number of tickets available and allows you complete freedom to walk one of the four circuits without having to choose which one before you arrive.
The other tickets specify the circuit you are allowed to walk. You have to book a specific entry time for every type of entry ticket to Machu Picchu and you must enter within a specified hour, otherwise you will be denied entry to the site.
Whilst you are supposedly only allowed in the site for four hours on a general entry ticket (Llaqta de Machupicchu) or seven hours for a mountain hike ticket, at time of writing, it isn’t enforced and you can spend as long as you want there.
But before you switch off and simply buy the general entry ticket, you should know that there is a better ticket available! More on that later in the guide.
A note on weather
Whilst we had glorious conditions when we visited, Machu Picchu is known for it’s changeable and sometimes very cloudy weather. For this reason, it’s worth visiting on at least two different days if you possibly can.
We’ve heard about people arriving at Machu Picchu and not being able to see it because of the thick cloud cover! If you can’t go for more than one day, allow one full day so that if you arrive in the morning and the Machu Picchu is under cloud, then you can wait it out as it’s usually not bad for an entire day.
A brief overview of the circuits
The circuits and a one-way system were introduced at Machu Picchu during the pandemic to try and disperse the crowds as much as possible. Despite the fact that virtually all covid restrictions have been dropped, the circuit system looks like it’s here to stay.
Whilst the website details five circuits, we only saw four marked at the site and there are only four for sale on the official website.
Essentially, Circuit 2 is the one that covers the whole site and it’s the route that the vast majority of people go for. It’s the only circuit you need to do if you’re visiting on a single ticket for the day and want to see the majority of the site and all the best viewpoints.
Circuits 1 and 2 are the only tickets which include the upper part of Machu Picchu, so these are the circuits you must take if you want to see that famous postcard view - with the mountain behind the citadel. This route involves some uphill climbing on stairs, but if you’re able, it’s the one to take.
The difference between circuits 1 and 2 is that Circuit 1 only covers half the lower part of the site.
Circuit 3 and 4 focus on the lower section of Machu Picchu, which is great for those wanting a predominantly flat walk, but misses out on the best views. They are however, the only two circuits that go inside the Temple of the Sun (which is open between 1pm and 4pm).
Circuit 3 is the worst of all the circuits as it only covers 850m of the lower part of the site and cuts back to the exit halfway through the same route as Circuit 4.
4 Things to know about the Machu Picchu Circuits
There’s a one-way system
One important thing to be aware of is the one-way system, as this is strictly enforced around the upper part of the site. It is pretty problematic as the signage at Machu Picchu is poor and so a wrong turn can mean your day comes a very abrupt end.
We saw several people take a wrong turn and be told to leave before they had the chance to explore a lot of the site!
Taking a wrong turn can mean you exit early
If you book an Inca Bridge ticket or take Circuit 1 or 2, make sure you don’t take the “platforma inferior” turning that happens 250m into the walk.
This will short cut the entire upper area before dropping you down to the lower area, meaning you’ll miss the best views in Machu Picchu and even miss the entry for Inca Bridge!
Instead, make sure you take signs to “Platforma Superior” to ensure you walk the complete circuits and don’t miss out on anything.
The Guardian House postcard view is restricted
Strangely enough, only people on a multi day hike (Inca Trail etc) or those who have bought a Machu Picchu Mountain ticket are allowed into the small area directly by the famous Guardian House on the upper part of Machu Picchu - the place that is known specifically as the “postcard view of Machu Picchu”.
Circuits 1 and 2 allow you to go on the terraces and lawns directly next to the Guardian House, which will often have llamas wandering around in the early morning.
We’d argue the “Platforma Superior” - the area to the left of the Guardian House and the terraces - is just as good, but it’s technically not the most famous spot. The Guardian House is the most quiet of all the classic viewpoints.
The temples aren’t open all day
Firstly, it’s worth noting that the three main temples at Machu Picchu aren’t open all day. As they are under restoration, there are specific opening times, so if you are keen to see them, you will want to ensure you’ve booked a ticket with the right time slot.
Here’s the current opening times for each temple and which circuit they are on:
Temple of the Sun: Circuit 3 & 4 (only a view from 1 & 2), open between 1pm & 4pm
Temple of the Condor: all circuits, open between 10am & 1pm
Pyramid del Intiwatana: Circuit 2 & 4, open between 7am to 10am
Every circuit explained
Circuit 1: A short loop that focuses on the upper viewpoint
Distance: 1.8km
Elevation: 100m
Difficulty: Easy - moderate
Summary: Circuit 1 can be summed up as a shortened version of Circuit 2. It does take you around a lot of the main sites, but unless the thought of 400m more walking is too much, then we’d recommend doing Circuit 2.
However, if you’re short on time and just want to see the main views, then Circuit 1 is the one for you.
What to expect: The circuit starts by going uphill on steep steps for 250m. At this point you’ll see a sign that points left for “platforma superior” and right for “platforma inferior” - make sure you go left.
The trail continues uphill through a small bamboo forest before coming out to the upper area. You’ll pass a small cabin where you’ll be filtered left to face the path to the Sun gate.
At this point you’ll take a right up some stairs before taking another right at the junction for the Machu Picchu Mountain hike. The trail then leads onto the superior platforms for the best views of Machu Picchu, which are 550m from the entry gate.
You’ll get stunning views by the entry for Inca Bridge and down towards the terraces.
The path takes you alongside the terraces and then onto the city gate on the lower section of the site. This is where the main buildings at Machu Picchu are located.
Circuit 1 allows you to explore the nobles area and the Temple of the Three Windows before heading down to the courtyard with the lone tree.
From here you go back towards the exit of the site via the bottom terraces, which have some beautiful views out across the mountains and valley and towards Aguas Calientes.
Circuit 2: The best all round circuit
Distance: 2.2 km (extra 1.2km if you buy the Inca Bridge ticket)
Elevation: 100m
Difficulty: Moderate
Summary: Circuit 2 is the best one to do in Machu Picchu for a complete overview of the site. The only major site it doesn’t visit is the Temple of the Sun (you can see it from above), but despite this it’s still by far the best circuit.
At the current time, Circuit 2 goes via both the Pyramid del Intiwatana (7am - 10am) and the Temple of the Condor (1pm - 4pm), but their opening times mean you can’t pick a time slot that does both.
It does have an uphill section and it is the longest of all the circuits, but the majority of people will manage to walk this circuit.
What to expect: The beginning of Circuit 2 is the same as Circuit 1. It starts by heading uphill and once more make sure you take that turn to ‘platforma superior’ after 250m.
From here you’ll loop round to the superb views near the Inca Bridge entry and the superior viewing platforms by the terraces, which are 550m into the walk.
From here the trail follows the terraces around and down through the city gate and the nobles section of Machu Picchu. Continuing onwards you’ll arrive at the Temple of the Three Windows.
It’s at this point where Circuit 2 takes a different course to Circuit 1. If you’re here between 7am and 10am, you can visit the Pyramid de Intiwatana, a series of terraces that culminate in what looks like an odd stump at first.
However, this is “the hitching post of the sun”, a significant sculpture to the Incas who paid huge reverence to the sun.
From here you can walk down to the workers area of Machu Picchu. You’ll firstly arrive at two thatched buildings with a huge stone in the courtyard, which is meant to resemble the ridge lines of the mountains behind. If you get the right angle, you’ll see the similarity.
From here you’ll walk down a path that will take you between some more buildings before arriving at the Temple of the Condor - which is open between 10am and 1pm. Here you’ll see a carving of a condor on the floor and a wing shaped rock/wall behind it.
From here, the circuit leads you past the lone tree courtyard and across the terraces to the exit.
Circuit 3: The short lower circuit - the worst circuit
Distance: 850m
Elevation: 20m
Difficulty: Easy
Summary: Circuit 3 is a bit of a token circuit that is a short walk to the Temple of the Sun, Casa Del Inka (Royal Residence) and Temple of the Condor, and it’s paired with tickets for going up Machu Picchu Mountain.
As Machu Picchu Mountain goes from the upper area of Machu Picchu, we assume it was created so that these ticket holders can get a small glimpse of the lower part of the site.
We don’t recommend choosing this circuit on it’s own. It’s pretty small, doesn’t take you through much of the site and doesn’t offer the best views of Machu Picchu. If you’ve done Machu Picchu Mountain, then make use of it as it’s included in the ticket, but otherwise all other circuits are better.
What to expect: Circuit 3 starts from the lower entrance and weaves between a couple of buildings before opening out to a view of the lower agricultural terraces.
There’s a thatched building here with a seat (it’s one of the few covered parts of Machu Picchu) and a good view of the workers section of Machu Picchu, with Huayna Picchu looming behind.
From here, the trail follows the terraces to a junction for the Temple of the Sun and the Royal Residence (Casa Del Inka). These are the most interesting parts of Circuit 3 as these are two of the most significant buildings in Machu Picchu.
If you’re there between 1pm and 4pm, you can enter the Temple of the Sun, which is the only curved building and has a window that directly aligns with the position of the sunrise during the summer equinox in the 15th century.
You can see the significance of the sun in Incan life as the Royal Residence is situated next to the Temple of the Sun, and is one of the few multi-roomed buildings in Machu Picchu.
From here, the trail heads back down to the junction for the Temple of the Sun and onto the lone tree courtyard. You are meant to be able to exit via the Temple of the Condor from here, but a guard said I couldn’t. So Circuit 3 abruptly ends by walking via the lower terraces to the exit.
Circuit 4: The long lower route, no elevated views
Distance: 1.6km
Elevation: 20m
Difficulty: Easy to moderate
Summary: Circuit 4 is the best route for those who aren’t too fussed about the photo spots and the views on the upper terraces, but want to see the ruins on the lower part of the site.
As it has much fewer stairs, it’s a better choice for those wanting to see this wonder of the world, whilst avoiding most of the climbing.
Frustratingly, three of the major sites on this route (Temple of the Sun, Temple of the Condor and the Pyramid Del Intiwatana are open at different times, meaning there’s no single time slot where you can see all three.
This circuit is paired with tickets for Huayna Picchu Mountain and Huchuy Picchu Mountain at the far end of the site. It’s the quickest way to get to the entry point for these mountain hikes and then exit Machu Picchu once you’ve come down from the mountains.
What to expect: Circuit 4 does not include the upper part of Machu Picchu and begins at the lower entry point. You’ll walk past the thatched viewpoint and lower terraces to the Temple of the Sun (open between 1pm and 4pm) and Casa Del Inka (the Royal Residence).
From here the trail goes up towards the Temple of the Three Windows and you have the option of visiting the Pyramid de Intiwatana if you’re there between 7am and 10am.
Then the trail continues onwards to the Roca Sagrada (Sacred Rock) by the two thatched buildings.
The trail then winds back via the Temple of the Condor (open between 1pm and 4pm). From here it’s a predominantly flat walk to the exit.
Which circuit should you do?
There’s no perfect circuit at Machu Picchu, as the work on the temples means that they all open at different times and so you can’t visit them all on a single ticket - unless you hang around for the entire day…..
If you’ve bought a general entry ticket, then we highly recommend Circuit 2. This is the best of all the circuits and takes in the most beautiful views, as well of the vast majority of sites. If you’re only here for the views from the upper part of the site, then you can also pick Circuit 1.
For those who don’t want to do the uphill part of Machu Picchu, or are keen to go inside the Temple of the Sun, then we’d recommend Circuit 4. This is the flattest circuit that takes in the main ruins at Machu Picchu.
The tickets you can buy
Llaqta de Machupicchu (Circuito 1, 2, 3 ó 4)
Type of ticket: General entry
Time slots: 10 slots, first entry from 6am, last entry 3pm
Cost: 152 soles per person ($40 USD)
Tickets per slot: 340
Popularity: Very popular, especially at sunrise
The Llaqta de Machupicchu ticket is the go-to ticket for anyone not wanting to hike up a mountain. It has the biggest allocation for each time slot.
This is also the ticket to buy if you plan on visiting in the afternoon - which is what most people do if on a day trip from Cusco or Ollantaytambo.
The morning slots for the Llaqta de Macchupicchu do sell out well in advance - especially the sunrise slots. The afternoon ones are the last to sell out and we even saw availability on the same day that we visited.
Circuito 1 o 2 + Puente Inka
Type of ticket: Circuit 1 or 2 + a short walk to Inca Bridge
Time slots: 9 slots, first entry from 7am, last entry 3pm
Cost: 152 soles per person ($40 USD)
Tickets per slot: 40
Popularity: Moderate
Trail Difficulty: Easy
The Circuit 1 & 2 + Puente Inka is the single best ticket you can buy if you only want to enter Machu Picchu once. Not only does it give you entry to the best circuit in Machu Picchu (2), but you’ll also get to see the unique Inca Bridge.
This 600m (each way) trail takes you to a lesser visited part of Machu Picchu, which follows a narrow cliffside path to a wooden bridge, a former escape route from Machu Picchu. It offers beautiful views and a peaceful escape from the crowds at the main sites in Machu Picchu.
The Circuito 1 o 2 and Puente Inka tickets are limited to 40 per hour, with 8 time slots throughout the day. The morning ones sell out early, but generally not as early as the sunrise general entry tickets.
Here’s our detailed guide to the Inca Bridge Trail.
Circuito 4 + Montaña Waynapicchu (Huayna Picchu)
Type of ticket: Circuit 4 + the climb up the famous mountain behind Machu Picchu
Time slots: 4 slots, first entry from 7am, last entry 10am
Cost: 200 soles per person ($53 USD)
Tickets per slot: 100
Popularity: High
Trail Difficulty: Hard
We’d wanted to climb Huayna Picchu for years, along with many people who visit Machu Picchu! This is the famous steep cone shaped mountain that you can see in the all the classic photos. It’s a lung buster up to the top where you’ll see the famous (and worryingly named) “stairs of death”. They aren’t actually as bad as they sound, but if you are worried you can read all about our experience climbing them in this guide.
The views from the top are spectacular and it’s incredible to see the ruins built on top of Huayna Picchu, as well as see Macchu Picchu from above. The walk does require a decent level of fitness, or a lot of determination if you’re not used to walking uphill much. As there are only four time slots and 300 tickets per day, it can sell out early. It also costs 48 soles more than the non-mountain tickets.
We chose to pair our climb with a separately bought general entry sunrise ticket, so that we could do sunrise from the upper part of the main site on Circuit 1, before having food outside the site and re-entering for a 10am ticket for Huayna Picchu.
The Huayna Picchu ticket also includes Circuit 4, which is a necessary addition to get to the entrance of the climb. However, if this is the only ticket you buy, remember that you won’t see those postcard views of Machu Picchu.
Here’s our detailed guide to climbing Huayna Picchu.
Montaña Machupicchu + Circuito 3
Type of ticket: Circuit 3 + the climb up the biggest mountain
Time slots: 3 slots, first entry from 7am, last entry 9am
Cost: 200 soles per person ($50 USD)
Tickets per slot: 100
Popularity: Moderate
Trail Difficulty: Hard
Machu Picchu Mountain is the hardest mountain trail in Machu Picchu.
On a clear day, the views from the top are unparalleled, not only do you see Machu Picchu with Huayna Picchu in the background, but you’ll also see the surrounding valleys and snow capped mountains, including Salkantay. A couple of the staircases reminded us a lot of the ‘stairs of death’ on Huayna PIcchu, so if you missed out on climbing those, know that you won’t have totally missed out.
It’s a hard, steep trail, so you do need a good level of fitness.
Uniquely, you are allowed to visit the Guardian House platform before you go up Machu Picchu Mountain, which is an area otherwise reserved for multi day hikers (Inca Trail etc).
The ticket also includes Circuit 3, which as we stated earlier is a token addition to the ticket to ensure you can see some of the lower section of Machu Picchu.
Here’s our detailed guide to exactly what the Machu Picchu Mountain hike is like.
Circuito 4 + Montaña Huchuypicchu
Type of ticket: Circuit 4 + the climb up the smallest mountain
Time slots: 5 slots, first entry from 7am, last entry 11am
Cost: 152 soles per person ($40 USD)
Tickets per slot: 100
Popularity: Low
Trail Difficulty: Moderate
This is the one mountain we didn’t do as we ran out of time, but we plan to come back and do it one day. Huchuy Picchu is the smallest of all the mountains at Machu Picchu and sits above the lower part of the site.
This is the least popular of all the tickets and it’s probably because it’s quite expensive for such a short walk.
However, the views are meant to be great here, and like Inca Bridge, this is a great place to escape the crowds and visit a much lesser visited part of Machu Picchu. The adventurous could pair this ticket with the hike up to Huayna Picchu Mountain, as they both start from the same trailhead.
Essential info for visiting Machu Picchu
Food and facilities
There are no toilets or places selling food within Machu Picchu, once you go through the entrance gate there are only ruins. You can’t access anything until you leave the site again (and virtually all tickets won’t allow you back in once you’ve left - Machu Picchu Mountain + Circuit 3 is the only ticket allowing re-entry.
There are toilets at the entry gate (2 soles / 50c), so we’d recommend going before you enter the site! The entry gate also has a place to store luggage (5 soles / $1.40 USD) and sells raincoats for 6 soles.
You are not allowed to bring any food into Machu Picchu, but you are allowed to bring water in a reusable bottle. We didn’t see these rules strictly enforced when we visited, but the ticket attendants at the entrance may check your bag and dispose/confiscate anything that doesn’t comply with the rules.
We feared that no food and little water for 4-7 hours would be a real struggle, but luckily there are a couple of food options outside of the main site. The cafe serves a small selection of hot food, sandwiches, coffee and soft drinks. There’s also a stall selling ice creams by the hotel at the entrance, as well as a more expensive buffet restaurant.
You can also buy drinks from a vending machine, or some entrepreneurial locals who will undercut the vending machine prices.
Altitude sickness
Machu Picchu is one of the lower elevation sites in the Sacred Valley (2400m), and most people start their trips from Cusco, a city that sits at 3,500m above sea level. Therefore most people have already acclimatised in Cusco before arriving in Machu Picchu so altitude sickness is unlikely (but not impossible)
You might still be out of breath more quickly, especially if you try to push yourself too hard before your body adjusts.
Be sure to take plenty of rests, don’t push yourself and stay well hydrated. Many hotels offer free coca tea or coca sweets which can help alleviate symptoms.
What you need to know about the ticket website
The official ticket website for Machu Picchu is temperamental, so tread carefully! The system crashes a lot and even took our money at one point and didn’t issue a ticket. The government claimed it didn’t take the money, but then said it would issue a refund that we only received 60 days later!
Anyway, the best way to avoid this issue is not to translate the page, as this seems to cause issues with the website. Stick to Spanish and try to translate on another device if you don’t understand it (Google Translate on a phone has a camera you can scan over anything and it will translate it). Finally, if you can, book on a laptop or desktop computer, the website seemed to dislike my phone the most.
Once you’ve picked your tickets and put in your details, you’ll get an email, this is not your ticket - they look like a ticket, but this is a pdf to tell you that you’ve initiated a purchase. Then you need to put in your card details, pay and hope a ticket turns up. After the first failed attempt, we did manage to buy four sets of tickets this way.
Bus times & tickets for your slots
Unless you’re doing the Inca Trail, walking in from Hidroeléctrica, or walking up the huge hill from Aguas Calientes, all trips to Machu Picchu start with a bus ride from Aguas Calientes (the nearby town). The earliest bus you can get is the 5.30am with the final one departing Machu Picchu at 5.30pm (at time of writing). They depart every 5-10 minutes throughout the day, queues tend to be at their longest before midday when leaving Aguas Calientes.
The journey from Aguas Calientes to Machu Picchu takes between 20-25 minutes. You’ll need to buy a ticket before you get on the bus and there’s a ticket office in Aguas Calientes and Machu Picchu. Bus tickets are surprisingly expensive at around USD $12 one way, and there’s no discount for a return ticket, so you don’t have to decide whether you want to take the bus until you’ve finished the site.
Remember your passport!
The most essential item to remember for Machu Picchu is your passport. You’ll need it to show with your entry ticket to enter Machu Picchu (well we were only asked on one of our visits, but if we hadn’t had it we would have been rejected), and also to get the bus! Yep, when buying a bus ticket, we were asked to show our passport each time.
A quick summary
So we know that was a lot to take in so here’s a quick recap.
Our top recommend is the Inca Bridge ticket to be walked with Circuit 2 (included in your ticket).
For a general entry ticket, opt for Circuit 2.
If you want to climb a mountain, then Huayna PIcchu was our favourite, but you miss the postcard views - which means you may actually prefer Machu Picchu Mountain with its access to the Guardian House viewpoint. If you’d like a more detailed comparison of the two major mountain hikes, check out our guide to Huayna Picchu vs Machu Picchu Mountain.
Please feel free to ask any questions in the comments.
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