Machu Picchu is a tourist destination that offers culture and adventure, two perfect ingredients for young university students from all over the world. In addition, the Inca city offers special discounts for students under 25 years of age and who have a valid university card. Discounts are available for all ten types of tickets to the archaeological site. Learn how to access these discounts and how to enjoy Machupicchu to the fullest if you are a university student from anywhere in the world.

• Machu Picchu, adventure and culture for university students
• Adventurous routes for university students
• Tickets to Machu Picchu and discounts for university students
• Adventure options inside Machu Picchu for university students
• Other discounts in Cusco for university students
• Questions and answers about Machu Picchu for university students

Carnet to book the Machu Picchu ticket with discount for students

The route to Machu Picchu by Hidroeléctrica, the adventurous option for university students
While most people arrive at Machu Picchu through the train journey that passes through Ollantaytambo and starts in Cusco. There are two other options to get there: the famous 4-day Inca Trail trek or the alternative route by Hydroelectric. The former is considered one of the best adventures in the world, but it is a bit expensive for young students. Therefore, the most economical and adventurous alternative is the Hidroelectrica route. To do this route you must leave in a minivan from Cusco to the Hidroeléctrica station in the jungle of Cusco. The trip costs 15 dollars on average. Then you walk 2 hours (10 kilometers) until you reach the town of Aguas Calientes, also called Machu Picchu village. In other words, this route is a very economical way, preferred by university students from all over the world.

Machu Picchu, adventure and culture for university students

Machu Picchu offers different types of experiences to visitors, the two main ones being: the cultural experience and a dose of adventure.

In the Inca city the tourist will know more than 150 granite stone constructions that were built by the Incas themselves more than 500 years ago. They are works of great infrastructure that because of their perfection resisted the passage of time. The most famous buildings are the Temple of the Sun, the Main Temple, the Temple of the 3 Windows, the Sacred Rock, the Temple of the Condor, the Water Mirrors, the House of the Inca and many more.

As if that were not enough, in the Inca city tourists can take up to six hiking trails that include formidable landscapes. These are the routes to Huayna Picchu mountain, Machu Picchu mountain, Huchuy Picchu mountain, the Inca Bridge, the Intipunku (the Sun Gate) and the Temple of the Moon (the Great Cavern). The hikes are relatively short distances, from 500 meters to 3 kilometers.

In other words, a visit to Machu Picchu offers the two ingredients that most young university tourists are looking for: adventure and culture. Because of this, the archaeological site receives every year a little more than 1.6 million people from all over the world. It is one of the most famous and popular tourist attractions on the planet.

Young students visiting the Wonder of the World

Adventurous routes for university students

These are the adventure routes with which the visitor can reach Machu Picchu:

• The Inca Trail 4 days – 4 days trekking for 39 kilometers and 3 nights camping through the qhapac ñan. On the third day we reach Machu Picchu through the Intipunku (the Sun Gate).
• The alternative route by Hidroeléctrica – 5 hour bus ride from Cusco to Hidroeléctrica station. Then, on foot, for 10 kilometers (2 hours) to the town of Aguas Calientes. Finally, by bus or on foot to the archaeological site of Machu Picchu.
• The Salkantay trek 5 days – Route of 5 days by high mountain roads and jungle of Cusco making a total of 70 kilometers to reach Machu Picchu through the town of Aguas Calientes. On the route you will visit tourist attractions such as the Humantay lagoon or the thermal baths of Cocalmayo.
• The Inca Jungle 4 days – 4 days route on the way to Machu Picchu in which adventure sports such as cycling, trekking, canoeing or zipline are practiced. It takes place in the jungle of Cusco and you reach Machu Picchu through the town of Aguas Calientes.

Students on the Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu

Tickets to Machu Picchu and discounts for university students

These are the entrances to Machu Picchu and the discounts offered for university students from all over the world:

Adventure options inside Machu Picchu for university students

Inside Machu Picchu, tourists can take, in addition to their tour of the archaeological site, one of the six optional trekking routes:

• Route to Huayna Picchu Mountain – This adventure is a favorite among university students as it offers a challenging 2 kilometers uphill hike through stone staircases made by the Incas. At the top of Huayna Picchu you have a privileged panoramic view of Machu Picchu.
• Route to Machu Picchu Mountain – This adventure is the most challenging in Machu Picchu, so it is required by young university students who like sports. It is an ascent through trails and stone staircases for 3 kilometers on average. The top of this mountain is the highest point around Machupicchu.
• Route to Huchuy Picchu Mountain – This adventure is recommended for university students who like adventure but are not in good physical shape. It is a 1 kilometer uphill hike up stone steps. It is not as arduous compared to Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu mountain. From the top you also have a privileged view of the archaeological site.
• Route to the Inca Bridge of Machu Picchu – This is the easiest adventure in Machu Picchu. It is less than 1 kilometer by simple roads, flat but adjacent to fearsome cliffs. Even so, it is easy and recommended for everyone. The final destination is a wooden log bridge built by the Incas themselves.
• Route to Intipunku, the Sun Gate – This adventure leads to Intipunku, the Sun Gate, a stone construction that signified the checkpoint and exit of Machu Picchu during Inca times. From the archaeological site you walk uphill approximately 2 kilometers along the famous qhapac ñan or Inca royal roads. This route is the only one suitable for visitors under 18 years old.
• Route to the Temple of the Moon, the Great Cavern – This adventure, along with the route to Machu Picchu Mountain, is the most challenging in Machu Picchu. It covers about 3 kilometers on flat, ascending and descending trails, some close to fearsome drops. The final destination is the Great Cavern, a mysterious stone construction carved inside a cave. These were considered sacred by the Incas.

Available treks at Machu Picchu

Other discounts in Cusco for university students

In addition to the entrance fee to Machu Picchu, university students have discounts on the Cusco tourist ticket, which allows visits to many tourist attractions:

• Cusco Tourist Ticket Discount – The Cusco Tourist Ticket offers the visit to the main tourist attractions of the Cusco region, such as: Sacsayhuaman, Qenqo, Pucapucara, Tambomachay, Pisac, Ollantaytambo, Chinchero, Moray, Tipon, Piquillacta, as well as the most important museums and cultural centers of the city of Cusco. The ticket price is 130 Peruvian soles. University students pay only 70 soles showing their university card or valid ISIC card. There are also partial tickets that only include the visit to some tourist destinations such as the Sacred Valley of the Incas.

Cusco Tourist Ticket

Questions and answers about Machu Picchu for university students

• 1) Do university students have a discount on the entrance ticket to Machu Picchu?

  Yes, university students have a discount on the entrance ticket to the Inca city.

• 2) Can I access the discount for university students in Machu Picchu by showing my ISIC card?

  No, the ISIC card is not valid. Only a valid university card from your country is valid.

• 3) What characteristics must university ID cards have for discounted admission to Machu Picchu?

  The card must be made of hard plastic, show a legible photo of the student and provide information such as names and university. ISIC cards are not accepted.

• 4) Does the Machu Picchu university discount apply to all Machu Picchu tickets?

  Yes, the discount is valid for all ten types of tickets at Machu Picchu.

• 5) What is the best way to get to Machu Picchu if I am a university student?

  The most recommended adventure routes to Machu Picchu for university students are the Inca Trail 4 days, the Salkantay trek 5 days, the Inca Jungle 4 days and, above all, the alternative route to Machu Picchu by Hidroeléctrica.

• 6) What is the university discount on the Cusco Tourist Ticket?

  The price of the general Cusco Tourist Ticket is 130 Peruvian soles. University students pay only 70 soles showing their university card or valid ISIC card. This ticket allows admission to 15 tourist attractions in the Cusco region.

• 7) Do university students have a discount on the entrance to Huayna Picchu mountain?

  Yes, the valid university card allows you to buy the Machu Picchu + Huayna Picchu ticket with a special discount.

• 8) Can I access the university discount in Machu Picchu if I present my expired university card?

  No, only university IDs valid in the year of the visit are allowed. Expired cards, library cards or any payment receipt are not allowed.

• 9) What is the cheapest ticket to Machu Picchu if I am a university student?

  The Classic Machu Picchu ticket is the most economical and recommended for university students.

• 10) Does the ISIC card allow me to get a discount in the tourist destinations of Cusco in Peru?

  Yes, the ISIC card is valid to access the discount on the purchase of the Cusco Tourist Ticket, which allows you to visit most of the tourist attractions of Cusco in Peru.

Advice from people who have been there

Montaña Machu Picchu

By: Joaquín A.

“Difficult, but with beautiful views“

“Long route, everything is uphill, but at every moment you get beautiful views. It is not necessary to reach the top. I recommend it to everyone who likes hiking. A great experience.“

By Ticket Machu Picchu – Last updated, November 7, 2024