5 things to do in Machu Picchu
Machu Picchu it is the dream destination for millions of travelers around the world. However, once in the Inca Citadel it is difficult to decide what to do first. There are many attractions that the Wonder of the World offers us. Below is a list of the 5 things you must do in the Inca llaqta.
- 1 – Take the best photo in the House of the Guardian
- 2 – Climb the Huayna Picchu mountain
- 3 – Climb the Machu Picchu mountain
- 4 – Visit the Sun Gate, the Intipunku
- 5 – Visit the Intihuatana, the Inca sundial
- Other constructions to see in Machu Picchu
These are 5 of the things you have to do during your visit to Machu Picchu
1 – Take the best photo in the House of the Guardian
It is essential get the best photo when you visit Machu Picchu. The classic postcard of the Inca Citadel is obtained by following the marked path from the entrance to the so-called “Guardian’s House”. This is the most classic image taken by visitors. However, there are other alternatives such as taking it from Machu Picchu Mountain or from Huayna Picchu. These two are also obligatory destinations in the Inca llaqta. The best time for a good photo is in the dry season. In the rainy season, thanks to the fog, you can get a surreal shot.
Where is it? The Guardian House is in the upper part of the urban sector, a 15-minute walk from the entrance gate to Machu Picchu.
How much is admission? With the Machupicchu Solo ticket (152 soles for foreign tourists and 64 soles for Peruvian tourists).
The guardian’s house in Machu Picchu is the place from where you can take the best pictures
2 – Climb the Huayna Picchu mountain
Huayna Picchu is the most desired destination by visitors. This is the mountain that crowns the top of the Inca Citadel. Walking its narrow and steep trails is the privilege of a few. Only 400 people per day are allowed in. These are divided into two shifts of 200 visitors each. In the Waynapicchu you can see all the splendor of the landscape of the place. Spectacular photos are also achieved. There is the so-called ‘Temple of the Moon’. To get a ticket you must book the ticket at least 3 months in advance due to high demand.
Where is it? On the north side of Machu Picchu (in the sector of the Sacred Rock). The Huaynapicchu gate is reached after a 20-minute walk from the entrance gate.
How much does the ticket cost? With the ticket Machupicchu with Huaynapicchu (200 soles for foreign tourists and 112 soles for Peruvian tourists).
Tourists on top of Huayna Picchu
3 – Climb the Machu Picchu mountain
The Machu Picchu mountain is part of the Salkantay summits, on whose slopes the Inca Citadel extends. Its top is higher than Huayna Picchu. However, walking its trails does not require as much effort as the steep path of Waynapicchu. From the highest point and along its stretch you can get privileged views of the place. It is the ideal option if you are traveling with children since it is not dangerous at all and minors are allowed to enter. Only 800 people divided into two groups of 400 each are allowed per day. To get a ticket to this site you must reserve a ticket at least 3 weeks in advance.
Where is it? On the south side and on top of Machu Picchu. You reach the gate of the Machupicchu mountain after a 20-minute walk from the entrance gate.
How much does the ticket cost? With the Machupicchu with Mountain ticket (200 soles for foreign tourists and 112 soles for Peruvian tourists).
Great view from Machu Picchu mountain
4 – Visit the Sun Gate, the Intipunku
Also known as the Intipunku, in Inca times it was the gateway to Machu Picchu. Its strategic location gives it a total view of the Historic Sanctuary. Its construction is a tribute to the sun because on the summer solstice, the sun’s rays reach its walls. Currently, visitors who travel the Inca Trail arrive at the Wonder of the World through this place. From the Inca llaqta, you go up a path that takes an average of 2 hours round trip. To get to the Puerta del Sol, you only need the ticket to enter the Inca Citadel and dare to climb its paths.
Where is it? High on the south side of Machu Picchu. You get there through a walk of almost 2 kilometers (1 hour on average) from the entrance gate of Machupicchu.
How much does the ticket cost? With the Machu Picchu Solo ticket (152 soles for foreign tourists and 64 soles for Peruvian tourists).
Machu Picchu observed from the Sun Gate
5 – Visit the Intihuatana, the Inca sundial
Also known as the ‘Solar Clock’. It is a structure carved on rock that in Inca times must have served as an astronomical calendar. It is currently known as ‘the rock that radiates energy’. Thousands of visitors used to touch its structure and fill themselves with solar energy. However, that is no longer allowed. Despite this, it is only enough to approach the place to feel the energy of Machu Picchu. To get to this enclosure, you just have to follow the marked path that leads to the ‘Solar Clock‘. You only need the entrance ticket to Machu Picchu to get to know this magical place. Entrance tickets must be booked in advance, especially in high season (April to October).
Where is it? In the religious sector of Machu Picchu. It is accessed through a staircase from the Main Plaza.
How much does the ticket cost? With the Machu Picchu Solo ticket (152 soles for foreign tourists and 64 soles for Peruvian tourists).
The Intihuatana or solar clock where it is said that you can feel the energy of Machu Picchu
Other constructions to see in Machu Picchu
The Sanctuary of Machu Picchu also has other attractions such as The temple of the sun. This is a sacred temple built with granite blocks and located in the upper part of the religious sector. The place served as an astronomical observatory and worship center for the sun god, the highest deity of the Incas.
The temple of the three windows is another of the most visited places in the Inca Citadel. This is a construction of elaborate enclosures around a square patio. In it, a polygonal wall where 3 trapezoidal windows stand out shows the perfection with which the Incas assembled the stones. It was in this place where Hiram Bingham found the inscription of Agustín Lizárraga and three other people, dated 1902, nine years before the American “discovered” Machu Picchu for the world.
The temple of the condor is another example of the perfection of the Incas in the carving of stones. This structure is a temple built on a natural stone in which the Incas worked the shape of a condor. This animal was one of the three animals sacred to the Incas along with the puma and the snake.
Advice from people who have been there
By: Viviana C. “Third time here and amazed as always“
“There are no words to describe what it means to visit a place like the ruins of Machu Picchu. In truth, everything has been said, but none would ever describe the beauty and emotion of visiting the Wonder of the World. This is a place that should be known for its beauty and its history that goes back thousands of years.“
By Ticket Machu Picchu – Last updated, August 15, 2024