Peru & Machu Picchu Travel Guide: The Inca Trail, Altitude & Everything You Need to Know

Machu Picchu has appeared in so many photographs that seeing it in person feels simultaneously like recognition and revelation. The 15th-century Inca citadel, perched on a narrow ridge at 2,430 metres above sea level, surrounded by cloud forest and dramatic Andean peaks, is one of those rare places where the reality genuinely surpasses expectation. Getting there — and preparing properly — is part of what makes the experience feel earned.

Understanding Altitude: Cusco First

Nearly all visitors to Machu Picchu arrive via Cusco (3,400m / 11,200ft), and altitude sickness is real. Symptoms include headache, fatigue, nausea, dizziness, and shortness of breath. Most people experience at least mild symptoms in the first 24–48 hours.

Acclimatization strategies:

• Arrive in Cusco at least two full days before attempting Machu Picchu or any high-altitude activity.
• Rest on your first day — no alcohol, no heavy food, no strenuous walking.
• Drink large amounts of water.
• Coca leaf tea (mate de coca) is widely available and helps many visitors. Coca leaves themselves can be chewed — legal in Peru, a traditional Andean practice.
• Diamox (acetazolamide) is a prescription medication that prevents altitude sickness for many people. Consult a doctor before travel.
• Severe symptoms (confusion, loss of coordination, inability to walk a straight line, breathing difficulty at rest) require immediate descent and medical attention.

The good news: Machu Picchu itself is at 2,430m — lower than Cusco. The descent to Aguas Calientes (2,040m) and then to the site often produces visible improvement in how visitors feel.

Getting to Machu Picchu

There are two primary routes:

By Train

The most popular and comfortable option. Trains run from Poroy (near Cusco) and Ollantaytambo (in the Sacred Valley) to Aguas Calientes (also called Machu Picchu Pueblo) — the small town at the base of Machu Picchu. The journey from Ollantaytambo takes about 1.5–2 hours.

PeruRail and Inca Rail are the two operators. PeruRail’s Vistadome service has panoramic windows (highly recommended for the Sacred Valley scenery). The Hiram Bingham is a luxury train with meals included. Inca Rail’s 360° Vistadome is popular with backpackers.

From Aguas Calientes, a shuttle bus climbs 8km of switchbacks to the entrance gate of Machu Picchu in about 25 minutes. Book shuttle buses in advance — queues can be long in peak season.

The Inca Trail

The classic Inca Trail is a 4-day, 3-night trek of 43 kilometres, passing through high-altitude cloud forest and Inca ruins before arriving at the Sun Gate (Inti Punku) above Machu Picchu on the morning of day four. It is one of the world’s great trekking experiences.

Essential information:

• Only 500 permits are issued per day (including guides and porters). Permits sell out 5–6 months in advance for May–September.
• A licensed guide is compulsory. Independent hiking is not permitted on the classic trail.
• The trek is physically demanding: the highest point (Dead Woman’s Pass) reaches 4,215m.
• Shorter alternatives: The 1-day Inca Trail (12km, reaches Sun Gate only) or the alternative routes — Salkantay Trek (5 days, no permit required, passes 4,600m Salkantay Pass) and the Lares Trek (3–4 days, Andean villages and hot springs).

Machu Picchu: On-Site

Buy tickets online in advance from the official Peruvian Ministry of Culture ticket system (machupicchu.gob.pe). Tickets are timed — you choose a morning or afternoon entry slot. Capacity is limited to 3,000 visitors per day (reduced from historical peaks).

Arrive at the gate early. Even with a morning slot, arriving at opening time before the heat builds and before crowds thicken dramatically improves the experience.

Hire a guide. The site’s history, symbolism, and engineering achievements are far more accessible with expert interpretation. Guide associations are based in Aguas Calientes.

Huayna Picchu Mountain

The steep peak rising behind the citadel in classic photographs is Huayna Picchu (2,693m). Climbing it requires a separate, additional ticket (limited to 400 visitors per day, two morning time slots). The summit offers extraordinary aerial views of the citadel below. The climb takes 45–75 minutes each way and is steep, narrow, and not suitable for those with a fear of heights.

Machu Picchu Mountain (3,082m) is a less-dramatic but equally rewarding alternative climb with a different perspective on the citadel and the surrounding valley.

Sacred Valley

Most visitors spend time in the Sacred Valley (Valle Sagrado) before or after Machu Picchu. The valley was the Inca empire’s agricultural heartland, and its ruins are more accessible and less crowded than Machu Picchu.

Key sites:

• Pisac — terraced agricultural ruins above the village and a famous Sunday market.
• Ollantaytambo — massive Inca fortress still in excellent condition; also the town where trains to Machu Picchu depart.
• Moray — mysterious circular terraced depressions believed to have been an agricultural research centre.
• Salineras de Maras — salt evaporation ponds in use since Inca times, still producing pink salt today.

Cusco City

Allow two days to explore Cusco properly. The city’s historic centre is a UNESCO World Heritage Site — Inca stone walls survive beneath colonial Spanish buildings, creating one of the most architecturally layered cities in the Americas.

Must-see: Plaza de Armas, Qorikancha (the Inca Temple of the Sun, partially preserved beneath a Dominican church), San Blas neighbourhood (whitewashed walls, artisan workshops), and the Cusco Cathedral.

Best Time to Visit

May to September (dry season) is the optimal period — clear skies, little rain, best trekking conditions. June and July are peak months, so book months ahead.

October to April (wet season) brings daily afternoon rain and mist. The site can be more atmospheric (mist is romantic; heavy rain is miserable). The Inca Trail closes entirely in February for maintenance. Wet season means greener landscapes and far fewer crowds.

Practical Information

• Tickets: Buy directly from machupicchu.gob.pe. Third-party sites add unnecessary fees.
• What to bring: Passport (required for entry), cash in soles (ATMs limited in Aguas Calientes), rain jacket, sunscreen (high-altitude UV is intense), comfortable walking shoes.
• No food or large bags: Food (except small snacks) and bags over 20 litres are not permitted inside Machu Picchu.
• Peru currency: Soles (PEN). Credit cards accepted at hotels and restaurants; cash needed for smaller vendors.
• Vaccinations: Check with a travel medicine clinic — yellow fever vaccination may be recommended for jungle areas of Peru.

Two-Week Itinerary Suggestion

Days 1–2: Lima (food scene, Miraflores cliff walk, Larco Museum) Days 3–4: Cusco arrival and acclimatization Day 5: Sacred Valley (Pisac, Ollantaytambo) Days 6–9: Inca Trail trek Day 9: Machu Picchu at sunrise (Inca Trail finishes here) Days 10–11: Return to Cusco, further exploration Days 12–14: Amazon jungle (Puerto Maldonado or Manu) or Lake Titicaca

The first view of Machu Picchu — whether emerging through the Sun Gate after four days on the trail or rounding the corner of the entrance path — is one of travel’s genuinely transformative moments. Prepare carefully, arrive early, and let the place do the rest.