Visiting Machu Picchu with a professional tour guide is mandatory according to the rules of the Ministry of Culture of Peru. However, in reality, visitors can access the Inca city without the company of a guide. In this sense, to complete a visit full of information, it is best to hire one. There are two types of guided tours: group service or private service. The first is shared with other tourists. The second is exclusive for the tourist, their partner, group of friends or family. Learn more about the types of guided tours in Machu Picchu!

• The journey to the gate of Machu Picchu
• How to hire a good guide in Machu Picchu?
• Where can I get guides for Machu Picchu?
• What is the guide service like in Machu Picchu?
• What is the guide service like in the mountains of Machu Picchu?
• More information about the guide service in Machu Picchu
• Questions and answers: types of guided tours in Machu Picchu

Getting to know the Inca citadel of Machu Picchu

Guided tours in Machu Picchu in its 3 circuits
The legendary Inca city of Machu Picchu is the biggest attraction in South America and one of the most amazing places in the world. If you want to enjoy the magical, mysterious and energetic surroundings of “the lost city of the Incas”, you will not be able to do so without a guide. The tour guide service is provided through one of the three available circuits: circuit 1 (route of 1 hour 30 minutes on average), circuit 2 (route of 2 hours 30 minutes on average) and circuit 3 (route of 2 hours on average).

The journey to the gate of Machu Picchu

• The trip to Machu Picchu begins in the city of Cusco, located about 100 kilometers on average.
• The inhospitable location chosen by the Incas to build Machu Picchu, in the middle of mountain ranges and mighty rivers, between the Amazon jungle and the Andes mountain range, meant that the Spanish were unable to find it.
• The first section is by road from the city of Cusco to the town of Ollantaytambo (route of 61 kilometers or 1 hour 45 minutes).
• The train to Machu Picchu will take you to the town at the foot of Machu Picchu after a route of approximately 35 kilometers. In Aguas Calientes, at almost 2,400 meters above sea level, from there you can take one of the buses to the entrance to the Machu Picchu National Park. This last route is only 10 kilometers or 30 minutes.
• Once at the entrance of Machu Picchu you will enter the streets, gardens, stairs, fountains, terraces, residences, temples and canals of this stone city, built in the 15th century, considered among the most amazing and mysterious constructions in the world.

Route from Cusco to Machu Picchu

How to hire a good guide in Machu Picchu?

• A trip to Machu Picchu is not something you can do every day, even if you live in Cusco.
• Many people do it to fulfill a dream or to cross that number 1 off their bucket lists, and they also hope to be lucky enough to find a good guide in Machu Picchu, one who can meet their expectations and clarify everything they have read about the wonder of Machu Picchu.
• Whether you come alone or in a group, you should pay close attention when hiring the person who will guide you through Machu Picchu, because much of what you take away from this adventure will come from the experience and what your guide can offer you.
• So, to get a good tour guide, the best thing to do is to do it online through a travel agency.

Touring Machu Picchu with a professional guide

Where can I get guides for Machu Picchu?

• Official tour guides can be found at the entrance to Machu Picchu. They carry a credential, are uniformed and authorized to guide visitors on their tour of Machu Picchu. The guides offer their services in three main languages: Spanish, English and Portuguese.
• You can also get a tour guide from an online tour agency. Tour agencies offer tour guides in different languages, such as: Spanish, English, Portuguese, French, Italian, German and more.

What is the guide service like in Machu Picchu?

• The guided tour in Machu Picchu will take you through a green environment with beautiful stone buildings and grass-covered terraces. Royal and sacred areas of what was one of the most important cities of the Inca empire.
• Among these important stone structures, the Temple of the Sun, the Intihuatana, the Royal Plaza, the Temple of the 3 Windows and many other buildings of unique construction in the world stand out.
• You can choose between 3 different circuits to tour the Inca city of Machu Picchu. Circuit 1 is the panoramic route (Guardian’s House only); Circuit 2 is the classic route (route through the main temples) and Circuit 3 (the route through the royal temples).
• All circuits were designed for people who, for some reason, wish to skip the more demanding parts of the route.
• Please note that guided groups cannot exceed 10 people and you cannot separate from your group. If you are found wandering around without a guide, you will be asked to leave Machu Picchu and the guide with whom you entered Machu Picchu will be sanctioned.

The three circuits of Machu Picchu

These are the types of guided tours in Machu Picchu:

What is the guide service like in the mountains of Machu Picchu?

More information about the guide service in Machu Picchu

• The months from May to August coincide with the peak tourist season and with most of the festive dates in the city of Cusco, such as Inti Raymi (June 24) or Independence Day in Peru (July 28).
• If you come during this season, we recommend that you make your reservations well in advance; Machu Picchu tickets, train tickets, hotels and the guide service. During these months, the influx of visitors from all over the world increases dramatically.

Questions and answers: types of guided tours in Machu Picchu

• 1) What is a group tour guide service in Machu Picchu like?

  The group or shared service is characterized by the group of visitors from different origins speaking the same language, Spanish or English. The group is a maximum of 10 tourists.

• 2) What is a private guide service like in Machu Picchu?

  The private service is characterized by the group consisting of the tourist, his/her partner, friends or family in an exclusive service. The group is of 10 tourists maximum.

• 3) What is the guided tour like on Circuit 1 in Machu Picchu?

  Group or private tour of Circuit 1 in Machu Picchu. Includes a visit to the Guardian’s House, where the classic photo is taken, and a panoramic view of the Inca city. Lasts 1 hour 30 minutes on average. It is conducted in Spanish or English.

• 4) What is the guided tour like on Circuit 2 in Machu Picchu?

  Group or private tour of Circuit 2 in Machu Picchu. Includes a visit to the Guardian’s House and the main temples: Temple of the Sun, Main Temple, Temple of the 3 Windows, Sacred Rock, and Water Mirrors. Lasts 2 hours and 30 minutes on average. Conducted in Spanish or English.

• 5) What is the guided tour like on Circuit 3 in Machu Picchu?

  Group or private tour of Circuit 3 in Machu Picchu. Includes a visit to the Guardian’s House and royal temples, such as: Temple of the Sun, House of the Inca, Royal Tomb, Three Doors, Sacred Rock, Temple of the Condor. Lasts 2 hours on average. Conducted in Spanish or English.

• 6) What is the tourist guide through the Huchuy Picchu mountain like?

  Private tour of the small mountain of Huchuy Picchu. The distance is 1 kilometer up the stone stairs. It takes 1 hour 20 minutes round trip on average. The guide will accompany you the whole time, until you leave the mountain. From the top of the mountain you have a privileged view of Machu Picchu. The service is in Spanish, English, Portuguese or another language.

• 7) What is the guided tour of Huayna Picchu like?

  Private tour of the famous mountain of Huayna Picchu. The distance is 2 kilometers up the stone stairs. It takes 2 hours and 30 minutes round trip on average. The guide will accompany you the whole time, until you leave the mountain. From the top you can see Machu Picchu in a panoramic view. The service is in Spanish, English, Portuguese or another language.

• 8) What is the guided tour of Machu Picchu like?

  Private tour of the famous Machu Picchu mountain. The distance is 2.5 kilometers up the stone stairs. It takes 4 hours round trip on average. The guide will accompany you the whole time, until you leave the mountain. From the top you have the most panoramic view of Machu Picchu. The service is in Spanish, English, Portuguese or another language.

• 9) Is guided tours available for the Inca Bridge of Machu Picchu?

  No, the route to the Inca Bridge (less than 1 kilometer) is so short that the company of a private tour guide is not necessary.

• 10) Is guided tour available for the Intipunku of Machu Picchu?

  Yes, the route to Intipunku, the Gate of the Sun, can be done with the company of a private tour guide.

Advice from people who have been there

Machu Picchu

By: Cesar CH.

“The place is simply magical“

“I have visited the Inca city of Machu Picchu a few times, but the last time I was required to enter with a guide; I recommend hiring a good guide, this can greatly improve your experience, someone who not only knows about the incredible structures, but what they mean, compared to other incredible ancient constructions in the world, and their energy. The site is magical; if you can, book the ticket that includes the Huayna Picchu mountain, it is a wonderful experience.“

By Ticket Machu Picchu – Last updated, December 5, 2024