A Complete Travel Guide To Machu Picchu
Ways To Avoid Crowds, How To Get There, And More
Machu Picchu is one of the most well-known tourist attractions in the world, thanks to the status the ruin received in 2007, becoming one of the New 7 Wonders of the World. With that new fame comes a massive outpouring of tourists from all corners of the world.
You would think that there is no way to avoid the crowds in Machu Picchu, but I’m here to prove that wrong as I was able to experience, free of people, without even hiking and all in one day. Here’s how to avoid the crowds in Machu Picchu.
1. Organizing Your Trip In Cusco
One of the most convenient and affordable ways to visit Machu Picchu is to organize a transfer service via a travel agency in Cusco. It will be cheaper than booking one online, and you can browse through all the offers by different agencies and pick the best one for you. You have to be in Cusco for at least 5 days to do this since the tickets are often fully booked for the next 2 days or so.
I spent a day walking around the Plaza de Armas searching for the right travel agency, and I found one that quoted me 210 USD for a roundtrip transfer from Cusco to Ollantaytambo, roundtrip train + bus tickets from Ollantaytambo up to Machu Picchu, and the entry ticket. Once you pay, the travel agency will prepare all the tickets for you in an envelope that they will give you the next day.
Once you have your ticket organized, spend another day exploring the city. Acclimatize your body to the 3,000m altitude and walk up to the San Cristobal church for the view from the top. Alternatively, you can visit the Saqsaywaman ruin (read “sexywoman” if you must 😂), which, in my opinion, is a little bit overpriced and doesn’t offer much to see.
2. Travel To Ollantaytambo To Machu Picchu
If you choose to go in the morning, the tour agency should have a transfer to pick you up at your hotel as early as 4 AM. It will take you around 1.5 hours to reach Ollantaytambo, where you will be able to catch the first train up to Machu Picchu at 6 AM.
It will take about 2.5 hours by train to get to Aguas Calientes, a gateway town before Machu Picchu. From here, you can take a bus up (the ticket should be in the envelope given to you by the travel agency prior to your trip) and you should arrive at Machu Picchu by 9 AM.
If you choose to go in the afternoon, it’s pretty much the same, but you will be leaving at around 9 AM instead, and you should be there by around 1 PM.
3. Outstay The Other Travelers
Don’t be surprised if it is crowded in the morning. Most hiking trips arrive in the early morning and leave before the afternoon, that is why I recommend you to outstay the crowds by either staying the entire day or, if you don’t want to pay for the ticket twice, come in the evening and be the last person to leave Machu Picchu.
There are several things you can do around Machu Picchu to kill time before the evening comes. If you are interested in history, you can stick to the tour guide, who will guide you through the ruins for 2 hours, explaining every important detail you want to know about Machu Picchu. Once the tour finishes, you will have another 2-3 hours left to explore the ruins by yourself.
If you prefer to walk at your own pace, you can excuse the tour and leave the group to walk around by yourself. The main site can take up to an hour for you to explore the ins and outs of it. The terraces are quite stunning from the bottom, so I would recommend that you spend some time around the main site.
Places in the main site that you should not miss are the Temple of the Sun, Sacred Plaza, Intihuatana Pyramid, and the Temple of the Condor.
For a nice view of Machu Picchu from afar, hike one hour up the Sun Gate, which is the highest vantage point of Machu Picchu, standing at 2,720m above sea level.
4. And Be The Last Person To Leave Machu Picchu
Now, the best time to get a nice photo of Machu Picchu is right when the gate is about to close, which should be around 4 PM or 5:30 PM, depending on which month you are there for. The ruin is cleared of people at this time, and you will have the whole place to yourself. Since the last train leaves at 6 PM, you are one of the few people who can afford to be the last to leave Machu Picchu. That’s when you will have the whole place to yourself.
There are plenty of awesome photo spots around Machu Picchu, such as the Sun Gate or the top of Machu Picchu mountain (which requires a separate ticket and your own time slot to visit). However, since the gate is about to close, you can’t go very far, so stick to the area near the exit.
There is a ledge that is often crowded throughout the day where you can get the classic postcard photo of Machu Picchu. However, since the gate is about to close, the crowds should be dispersed by then, and you should be able to get that classic photo without anyone in it.
Once the gate is closed, make your way down by bus to Aguas Calientes and take the last train back to Ollantaytambo. In Ollantaytambo, there should be a transfer waiting for you, but if not, you can pay 10 PEN to get a minivan back to Cusco. You should be back in Cusco before 11 PM.
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