9 and a bit tips for visiting Machu Picchu

Guest blog by Ollie Beaney from https://blackcoffeetrails.com/ 

In October 2018 I made the epic trek from Choquequirao to Machu Picchu, the iconic Inca citadel and UNESCO World Heritage site is one of the most instantly recognisable features of South America, making the bucket-list of almost all adventurers at some point or another. New regulations brought in to help preserve this incredible historic site mean that a visit to Machu Picchu needs a little more planning and thought to help make the most of your time there. Hopefully, these tips can help you enjoy your visit as much as I did.

Visit in the morning slot

Since July 2017, entry permits to Machu Picchu have been split into two entry slots, morning (6am-Noon) and afternoon (Noon-5:30pm). You’ll want to make sure you get a ticket for the morning entry, as well as this getting you slightly longer to explore the site it also means you beat the day-trippers coming on the train from Cusco who arrive in time for the afternoon entry.

There doesn't seem to be any way of the staff there ensuring that people with a morning ticket have left by midday when I visited I stayed until about 1pm. If you’re in the afternoon crowd then there’s a good chance you’ll find yourself being ushered out at the closing time of 5:30pm, and an undoubtedly heftier queue to get in means you won’t get to enter dead on midday, so you’ll be left with a lot less time to explore than those with a morning ticket.

Be an early bird for the day

So you’ve got a ticket for the morning entry and are ready to get in at 6am when the gates open? Good choice. But first you’ll need to get the 20-minute bus from Aguas Calientes up to Machu Picchu, these start running at 5:30am and I can promise you won’t be the only one looking to get the first bus up there. I arrived at the bus station at about 4am and there was already a significant queue. Luckily there is a fleet of buses which start running at the same time, but by 4:30am I couldn’t see the back of the queue, and if you got there any later than 5am then I’d say your chances of getting into Machu Picchu before 8am are pretty slim.

This was taken just after 6am, Machu Pichu gets busy early.

Standing at a bus stop for two hours at that time of the morning might not appeal to most people, but you’d be surprised at how awake the town is and there will definitely be somewhere you can grab a coffee!

Bring your raincoat (And trousers…)

Have you heard about the beautiful sunrise? Unfortunately, the famous Intipunku sunrise rarely happens. The Andean climate means that the early morning is usually a rather wet affair. So make sure you've got your waterproofs! I went for a full head-to-toe option of a waterproof jacket, trousers, and rucksack cover which kept me bone dry in a torrential downpour. 

“Sunrise” at the sun gate. Really quite wet.

If you get caught out without waterproof trousers or rain cover for your pack then on the walk down to the bus station you’ll find several locals selling hooded waterproof rain ponchos for a very reasonable price. These are great as they can cover your body, legs, and backpack all at once.

Use the toilet (Before you go!)

With the introduction of timed entry slots came a few tactics to stop people hanging around in Machu Picchu for too long, one of which is not to allow re-entry to the site. There are toilets just before the entrance (Which you need to pay for) but once you're in there are no toilets at all. So make use of these or go before you get the bus, you don’t want a call of nature to cut your visit short!

Watch out for the one-way system!

A new feature for 2018 was the introduction of a one-way system. At the entrance to Machu Picchu is a map displaying several circuits you can take around the site, although there’s some flexibility around exactly which route you take there is a one-way principle being enforced. Every so often you’ll come to a set of steps or a path which are marked as one way, usually with a security guard stationed close by. Once you’ve gone past there you can’t go back, so make sure you’ve fully explored the area you’re in before moving on.

Go up Huayna Picchu!

That pointy sugar-loaf mountain in the background of all the famous Machu Picchu photos is called Huayna Picchu and has an incredible path up to the top. Access to this isn't included in your entry to Machu Picchu so you’ll need to get a separate permit for this, numbers on these are tightly capped and they sell out well in advance so the best time to get one is when you’re booking your main Machu Picchu entry ticket.

The top of Huayna Picchu offers a beautiful alternative view of Machu Picchu.

Be warned though, the path up Huayna Picchu is physically demanding. It’s very steep and in some sections becomes a hands-on scramble with little to nothing in the way of protection other than a few fixed chains in places. There are some very steep steps with sheer drops off the sides as well as a rather tight confined space to navigate on the way back down, so bring your head for heights and leave the claustrophobia at home. The alternative view of Machu Picchu from the top is worth the climb up a thousand times over, so definitely add this to your day.

Pack light, but take the essentials

A visit to Machu Picchu is a long day even with a half-day restriction. There are limits on the size of rucksack you can take in with you but as long as you’re not over the top you should be fine. For reference, I took my Osprey Talon 33 in with me without a problem. Pack a bottle of water and some snacks for the day, as there’s nowhere to get anything inside Machu Picchu. Strictly speaking you’re not allowed to take these items in with you, but when I visited they weren’t searching bags and if you're discreet with when and where you eat/drink you should be fine. 

Wear trousers

Yes, wear trousers. Or more specifically, do NOT wear shorts. Machu Picchu is blessed with the presence of these tiny sand-fly like insects (Think Scottish midges gone bad) which will happily eat your legs alive if you’re in shorts. I saw a girl around lunchtime who’d been bitten so badly by these things her legs were bleeding. You do not want that to be you. Choose trousers.

Find the alternative photo spots

Everybody knows the famous view of Machu Picchu, and most people want to grab that classic photo of them overlooking the ancient Inca citadel. For good reason too, it’s an incredible sight to behold. However from the moment the gates open all of the spots you can grab these photos from get very busy, so if you want one you’ll need to wait a bit until you can jump in and grab your photo – and be quick taking it too. Travelling with a camera-literate friend is helpful here.

But don’t forget you’re in a UNESCO World Heritage site, and it got that status for a reason. A beautiful photo can be taken from just about anywhere, so take the time to wander around to find the less crowded photo spots. You might just end up starting the next Machu Picchu photo trend.

Mind the Llamas

Me getting photobombed by a strolling Llama.

This is my “bit of a tip” – Machu Picchu is home to quite a few Llamas. They’re usually pretty chilled animals and have got used to people being around all day, so if you see a crowd of them trotting towards you don’t be alarmed, just let them pass. They’ll often stand still to munch on some grass which makes a great photo op. But please remember this is their home and they didn’t invite you over, so if you try and hassle them then I’m afraid they’re well within their right to head-butt or spit at you.