Hotels near Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu was built in the mid-15th century under Inca emperor Pachacuti, abandoned roughly a century later, and remained unknown to the outside world until Hiram Bingham's 1911 expedition brought it to international attention. The citadel occupies a narrow ridge between two peaks - Machu Picchu ("Old Mountain") and Huayna Picchu - at 2,430 metres elevation, surrounded by cloud forest and the Urubamba River gorge far below. The site contains roughly 200 structures: temples, residences, storehouses, and agricultural terraces, all built from locally quarried granite and fitted without mortar. It is both a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the New Seven Wonders of the World.

Entry tickets cost 152 PEN (36 EUR) for the standard circuit. Additional tickets for Huayna Picchu (200 PEN / 47 EUR) or Machu Picchu Mountain (200 PEN / 47 EUR) must be purchased separately and sell out weeks ahead. Daily visitor numbers are capped at approximately 4,500, split across timed entry slots. You must enter with a licensed guide (available for hire at the entrance for approximately 30-50 PEN per person in a group). The site is open 06:00-17:00, with the first entry slot at 06:00. Bring your passport - it is checked at the gate.

Pro Tip: Book the first entry slot (06:00) and aim to reach the Caretaker's Hut within the first 20 minutes. This elevated platform gives you the classic postcard view of the citadel with Huayna Picchu behind it, and at that hour the terraces are often wrapped in low cloud that burns off gradually - a spectacle that late-morning visitors miss entirely.