Machu Picchu FAQ

Answers to the questions travelers ask us most often before visiting Machu Picchu. The rules change often, so check the official ticket site, tuboleto.cultura.pe, before you buy. Updated November 2026.

How high is Machu Picchu?#

Machu Picchu is at about 2,430 m (7,970 ft) above sea level, lower than Cusco (about 3,400 m). Coming from Cusco you go down almost 1,000 m, so the altitude is easier there than in the city.

Is Machu Picchu open today? What are the opening hours?#

Machu Picchu is open every day of the year, including holidays: the Ministry of Culture sets a visitor limit for every date. Entry is by timed ticket, in hourly slots from 6:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., the last entry, and the citadel closes at 5:30 p.m. You can arrive up to 30 minutes after the time on your ticket (45 minutes in the high season), except at the Huayna Picchu, Machu Picchu Mountain and Huchuy Picchu checkpoints, and you can stay up to 2 hours 30 minutes, with no re-entry. Some routes close for short periods: Huayna Picchu, for example, was closed for maintenance in June 2026.

How many people can visit Machu Picchu each day?#

The limit is 4,500 visitors a day, raised to 5,600 on the high-season dates set by Peru’s Ministry of Culture. In 2027 these are 147 days: 1–3 January, 25–28 March (Holy Week), 19 June to 2 November and 29–31 December (Ministerial Resolution 408-2026-MC). Because of this limit, tickets for the busy months sell out well in advance.

Can I buy the entrance ticket on my own?#

Yes. Tickets are sold online on the Ministry of Culture’s platform, tuboleto.cultura.pe. They are nominal and paid in full when you book: you need your passport number to buy, the date, entry time, circuit and route cannot be changed, and an unused ticket is not refunded. On our tours we book the ticket for you.

How much is the entrance fee?#

In 2026 a foreign adult pays S/ 152 for the citadel, or S/ 200 with Huayna Picchu, Machu Picchu Mountain or the Great Cavern. Students up to undergraduate level pay S/ 77 (S/ 125 with a mountain), children aged 3 to 17 pay S/ 70 (S/ 118), and children under 3 enter free. The 2027 rates have not been published yet. See all prices on our Machu Picchu tickets page.

Can I buy a ticket on the day?#

Not for the same day. In Machu Picchu Pueblo (Aguas Calientes), up to 1,000 tickets a day are sold in person for the following day, while they last; you need your passport. The Ministry shows how many are left on its availability page. In high season, buy online as early as you can.

What are the circuits and routes?#

The site has three circuits: Circuit 1 (panoramic, the upper viewpoints), Circuit 2 (classic, the middle terraces and the whole urban sector) and Circuit 3 (royalty, the lower urban sector), divided into ten routes. Huayna Picchu, Machu Picchu Mountain and the Great Cavern cost more and have few places. Four routes, Inti Punku (the Sun Gate), the Inca Bridge, the Great Cavern and Huchuy Picchu, open only in the high season. From 1 January 2027 you can start the Huayna Picchu, Machu Picchu Mountain and Great Cavern routes only until 10:00 a.m. Read our guide to Machu Picchu circuits and routes.

Is there a time limit?#

Yes. Your ticket has an entry time and you need to arrive on time. Each route also has a maximum visit time: 2 hours 30 minutes on the citadel routes, up to 5 hours 30 minutes with Huayna Picchu and 6 hours 30 minutes with Machu Picchu Mountain, and you cannot go back in once you leave. Routes are one-way, so you cannot walk back to a section you have already passed.

How do Inca Trail hikers enter Machu Picchu?#

Hikers arriving on the Inca Trail enter the citadel on route 3-B, with a limited number of daily places paid in advance through the authorized agencies that run the trek (Ministerial Resolution 000334-2026-MC). Your operator books this entry together with your Inca Trail permit. See our Inca Trail tours.

Do I need a guide?#

No, a guide is not compulsory, but the park rules recommend visiting with one (Ministerial Resolution 528-2023-MC). Inside, you walk your route only once, so a guide helps you understand the temples and terraces as you pass them. All our tours include a guided visit.

Do I need my passport?#

Yes. Bring the same passport you used to buy the ticket: the name and number must match. It is checked at the entrance, and on our tours we book the ticket with your passport details.

Can I eat inside? Are there toilets?#

Food is not allowed inside the site. There is a café and a restaurant just outside the entrance, and the only toilets are also outside, for a small fee. Once inside you follow your route to the exit, so use the toilets before you go in.

What should I bring?#

A rain jacket, sun hat, sunscreen, insect repellent and water, because the weather changes quickly. And your ticket and passport. Food is not allowed inside, so eat before you go in.

Is Machu Picchu closed in February?#

No, Machu Picchu is open every day of the year. It is the Classic Inca Trail that closes every February for maintenance. February is in the rainy season, so bring a rain jacket; you can still reach Machu Picchu by train or on the other treks.

How do I get up to Machu Picchu?#

From Aguas Calientes you can take the bus up to the entrance or walk up the steep path, which takes about an hour and a half. Inca Trail hikers arrive on foot through the Sun Gate (Inti Punku). Read how to get to Machu Picchu from Cusco.