How to Choose the Right Machu Picchu Route—and Secure Tickets

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If you haven’t been to Machu Picchu lately—or are a first-timer to Peru’s famed Incan archaeological wonder—get ready for a somewhat complicated ticketing process. In a bid to help ease congestion and manage conservation at the overtourism-plagued UNESCO World Heritage Site, the destination has once again switched up its entrance ticket system.

It’s the latest iteration on a circuit-based approach that has been in place since 2017, when the site moved away from free-for-all-entrance tickets. That means, instead of entering and exploring the area at your leisure, timed entrances are attached to limited sections of Machu Picchu, organized into routes that wind past different sights—meaning one ticket gets you access to a portion of the site, for a set window of time. You can come back on various tickets to see the whole thing, but exploring willy nilly is a thing of the past.

This past June, the country’s Ministry of Culture revised this system yet again, shaking up the routes. Visitors now have 10 options to choose from—which Peru tourism officials say will allow for better customization around visitors’ interests and capabilities—though much like the first introduction of the route-base systems, that just means more for visitors to parse before nabbing a coveted ticket, which are known to sell out.

“Having 10 routes is complicated, in terms of explaining those possibilities to customers,” says Maritza Chacacanta, Peru Operations Manager for Intrepid Travel, one of Peru’s leading tour operators.

My first visit to Machu Picchu was back in 2010, when the decision on how to access the site was essentially made for me—there was substantially more to consider during my second visit to the archaeological site this August. There’s one more curve-ball as of June 2024: Seemingly counterintuitively to the site’s broader conservation goals, the Peruvian government has raised the cap on daily visitors from 4,044 last year to up to 5,600.

After navigating this system on a recent visit, and touching base with leading Machu Picchu travel experts, I’ve gathered everything you need to know about the new ticketing system ahead of your next visit.

What's the difference between the 10 routes—and which is best?

Visitors can now choose from three different circuits—"panoramic,” “classic,” or “royalty”—each with sub-routes, for a total of 10 options that cater to different perspectives, interests, fitness levels, ages, and time limits. “By offering different options, it has diversified the experiences, allowing more travelers to choose circuits that fit their interests and needs, without overwhelming a single route,” explains María Del Sol Velásquez, PromPeru’s Tourism Director.

Here’s the lowdown on the offerings.

Circuit 1: Panoramic Circuit

Circuit 1 is anchored on the site’s upper terrace and Andean mountain scenery, and is geared toward those with a penchant for panoramic views and photography. The circuit breaks down into four sub-routes, with varying options like a summit of Machu Picchu Mountain or access to the Inca Bridge or Inti Punku Gate (or Sun Gate, the traditional entry point for hikers arriving via the Inca Trail). Notably, while these routes offer views over the urban archaeological center, they don’t allow direct access to them—though for some, the bridge and gate are worthy points of interest in their own right.

• Route 1-A: Machu Picchu Mountain (4 to 6 hours; ages 18 & up; high physical effort): This offers the iconic photo of the archaeological site from the upper terraces, with the Huayna Picchu peak in the background, as well as a summit of Machu Picchu Mountain.

• Route 1-B: Upper Terrace only (2.5 hours; medium effort): Get the iconic photo of the site, on a lower (and easier-to-reach) section than Machu Picchu Mountain.

• Route 1-C: Inti Punku (3 hours; medium effort; high season only): The Sun Gate, high up on one side of Machu Picchu Mountain, offers a view down onto the site.

• Route 1-D: Inca Bridge (2 hours; medium effort; high season only): A quiet path to the bridge gets you out of the hustle and bustle—but steep drops in narrow sections can make this difficult for anyone with vertigo or fear of heights.

Circuit 2: Classic Circuit

Circuit 2 is considered the most “classic” and complete offering, with two designated sub-routes that bring visitors to both an overlook point for that iconic photo (with the specific vantage point being the sole difference between the two routes), as well as providing access to the heart of the archaeological site. This is for getting up close and personal. “Circuit 2 attracts first-time travelers who want a more comprehensive experience of the sanctuary,” explains Del Sol Velásquez.

• Route 2-A: Classic Designed Circuit (2.5 hours; medium to high effort): Get a sweeping view over the site from a higher point in the agricultural sector, before entering the urban area to visit sites like the Temple of the Sun (a religious site where only the highest ranking officials were allowed) and the Sacred Rock (a spiritually significant monolithic rock formation).

• Route 2-B: Lower Terrace (2.5 hours; medium to high effort): Circuit 2-B is identical to 2-A, but takes in a slightly higher panorama from the lower terrace.

Circuit 3: Royalty Circuit

Circuit 3 concentrates on the most sacred and important structures for Inca royalty in the urban area, with each of its four sub-routes taking in key archaeological sites like the House of the Inca (the most important Inca dwelling at the site), Temple of the Condor (a temple known for its impressive representation of an Andean condor), and the aforementioned Temple of the Sun. Route variations include further access to either Huayna Picchu or Huchuy Picchu mountains, or the Great Cavern (aka Temple of the Moon).

• Route 3-A: Huayna Picchu Mountain (4 to 5 hours; ages 18 & up; high effort): This add-on follows a switchback path straight up that iconic peak in the back of most Machu Picchu photos, for a bird’s-eye view back onto the site—but you'll need to be nimble to climb steep stairs at the top.

• Route 3-B: Royalty Designed Circuit (2.5 hours; medium effort): This is the baseline of Circuit 3, without the add-ons of the other options, for those wanting less walking.

• Route 3-C: Great Cavern (4 to 5 hours; ages 18 & up; high effort; high season only): This route takes travelers to a temple tucked into a natural cave in a much lesser-visited section of Machu Picchu, but you'll need to be comfortable going up a lot of stone stairs.

• Route 3-D: Huchuy Picchu Mountain (3.5 hours; ages 18 & up; medium effort; high season only): This mountain summit is a lower level alternative to Huayna Picchu, on a small mountain just beside it—a good alternative for those interested in the view but needing something a bit easier.

Ultimately, I ended up with tickets for Circuit 2’s wholly satisfactory Route 2-B—which was recommended and provided to me by my small group tour operator, Intrepid. Chacacanta explains that Circuit 2 routes are the first choice and most requested option for tour companies like Intrepid, given that they combine an iconic viewpoint with a visit to the ruins. Some visitors on other circuits, she says, have expressed disappointment with not experiencing both.

But that doesn’t mean the other routes don’t have their appeal. Climbers or avid hikers wouldn’t want to miss out on summiting Machu Picchu Mountain (Route 1-A), Huayna Picchu (Route 3-A), or Huchuy Picchu (Route 3-D) mountains, for instance (though families with children needn’t apply, since those routes are restricted to ages 18 and up). Visitors with mobility issues, meanwhile, would want Route 3-B, which is the least physically demanding of the bunch and can even partially accommodate wheelchairs. If you decide to return to the site over multiple days, the more niche routes become a way to explore the destination’s nooks and crannies.

Chacanta, who says she’s done all the routes, says, ultimately, visitors are in for an amazing experience, regardless of their ticket type. “I've been there a thousand times, but still, it's beautiful—it doesn’t matter where you are,” she says. “You will find a postcard.”

What do these changes mean for conservation?

Machu Picchu is one of the top attractions in South America, drawing some 1.5 million visitors each year (pre-pandemic), and has long faced issues of overtourism, with related degradation to the archaeological site and natural environment. In its delicate dance between aiding conservation and boosting post-pandemic tourism (a task further complicated by recent tourism disruptions around national political turmoil and civil unrest), in January, the government moved to increase the cap on daily Machu Picchu visitors from 4,044 in 2023 to 5,600 during high season this year (which began in June).

Though capacity will be increasing, the government maintains that the 10-route system will allow visitors to be better managed and dispersed, thus protecting the site from damage. “This approach has allowed tourists to enjoy a more peaceful experience and preserves the integrity of the site,” says Del Sol Velásquez.

Guides on the ground confirm that the new system has indeed reduced congestion. Prior to the changes, Chacacanta says, “There were days Machu Picchu felt like a shopping center—there were so many people spread out, everywhere, and sometimes so crowded in a specific corner, that we used to avoid some parts because it was impossible to do it.”

But the jury’s still out on long-term conservation aims. Sustainable tourism watchdog Martha Honey, co-author of Overtourism: Lessons for a Better Future, says the creation of the new tourist circuits is a good tool to disperse visitors, but cautions that “the simultaneous decision to raise daily visitor numbers may increase congestion.” She advises, “An essential key to controlling overtourism is how tourists are managed at the site”—a risk that she says can be mitigated by having visitors accompanied by well-trained guides to avoid damage. According to PromPeru, however, it is not currently mandatory to enter the site with a guide. (In our experience, you’ll absolutely want to hire one to fully appreciate what you’re seeing—ask your hotel or, in a pinch, pay someone at the entrance in cash, though know that skill level runs the gamut.)

Where can I buy Machu Picchu tickets?

Peru’s Ministry of Culture has also launched a new website to purchase timed-entry tickets to Machu Picchu, complete with maps and videos for the new routes: tuboleto.cultura.pe. Booking advance tickets online is highly recommended; only 1,000 last-minute tickets for next-day admission to the site are sold in-person at the cultural center in Aguas Calientes, or Machu Picchu Pueblo (which experts say is an inadvisable route, due to lengthy wait times and no guarantees of entry). High season, which coincides with the sunnier dry season, runs from June 1 through October 15; but note that 4 of the 10 routes are available for booking during this window only. Ticket prices range from $40 to $53/person (152-200 PEN at the time of writing); discounts for children and students are available. Bus fares to the archaeological site from Aguas Calientes can be purchased separately, from bus company Consettur—or, if you would like to trek from Aguas Calientes to the main entrance, there’s no reservation needed, just follow the Inca stairs up and allow anywhere from 1-2 hours depending on your fitness level.

Originally Appeared on Condé Nast Traveler