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New Regulations For Visiting Machu Picchu

I often receive so many emails regarding the new rules to enter Machu Picchu citadel and the different types of entry tickets available; a big change has been made by the Peru’s Ministry of Culture throughout the Ministerial Resolution No. 070-2007-MC since April 2017. The new resolution entered into force in July 2017 and from that moment a bit of confusion arises from this change for Machu Picchu visitors. Here I try to summarize the main new rules for visitors and the entry tickets available in the clearest way possible.

Machu Picchu entry tickets

Before this new law, Machu Picchu received a maximum of 2,500 visitors per day, but in reality the number of visitors each day was much higher considering the different ticket combinations sold to tourists. To overcome this problem and to preserve the integrity of this charming archeological site, it was necessary to implement this new rules. So as of July 2017, there are two entrance times available for visiting Machu Picchu:

1. From 6:00 am to 12:00 pm
2. From 12:00 pm to 5:30 pm

So passengers need to take in account that they have four hours to visit the citadel from the moment of the entrance. For instance if you enter Machu Picchu at 10:00 am you can stay until 2:00 pm, no more than this. Also consider that for the second slot the entrance is allowed until 4:00 pm, after this time you cannot enter the site anymore and you basically loose your entry ticket. The maximum amount of people allowed during the first slot is 1,200 and during the second slot is 1300, for a total amount of 2,500 people per day.

What should you consider when choosing your entrance time to the citadel? Here some factors you should definitely take in account that can influence your decision:

Your train’s arrival time to Aguas Calientes.
The waiting time to get on the bus to Machu Picchu. Have in mind that you could stay in line for an average time of one hour-one hour and half depending on the season. During high season you most likely will wait 1 hour and half.
The bus ride to Machu Pichu, which lasts about half an hour.

As for the bus to the citadel, the first one leaves at 5:30 am, and there’s a bus every 30 minutes leaving from Aguas Calientes. If you want to see the dawn from the citadel, take in mind that people get to the bus stop at 3:00 am to take the 5:30 am bus, so you should be there very early to do your queue.

Another question I usually receive is: “Is it mandatory to visit Machu Picchu with a tour guide?” Yes, it is mandatory for Peruvians and foreigners. There’s also the possibility to get a two-day ticket to the citadel, in this case it is mandatory to visit the site with a guide only for the first day. The second day you can visit Machu Picchu on your own. A guide can be assigned to a group of macxmum 16 people, for instance if you are 20 people you have to opt for two different tour guides. Tous guides offer two different services:

1. Half-day tour, which includes 2 hours or 2 hours and half guided tour.
2. Full-day Tour, which includes 4 horus or 4 hours and half guided tour.

Huaynapicchu Entry Tickets

Also in ths case there are two time slots to visit Huaynapicchu:

1. From 7:00 am to 8:00 am: you are allow to climb the peak of Huaynapicchu, visit the “Gran Caverna”, most commonly known as the Temple of the Moon (Templo de la Luna in Spanish) and enjoy a visit to Machu Picchu citadel. The hike lasts approximately 3 hours, but if you are a pro hiker you can do it more quickly. If you want to visit the Temple of the Moon, consider an extra hour for your visit. Once you hike the Huaynapicchu you have 3 hours available to visit the citadel. This Huaynapicchu entry ticket will allow you to stay in the archeological site for 7 hours in total.

2. From 10:00 am to 11:00 am: this ticket does not allow you to visit the Temple of the Moon, but after the hike you can visit the citadel as well. This Huaynapicchu entry ticket will allow you to stay in the site for a total of 6 hours.

The maximum amount of people for each time entrance is 200, for a total amount of 400 people per day.

Machu Picchu Montaña Entry Tickets

Also in this case there are two time slots:

1. From 7:00 am to 8:00 am
2. From 9:00 am to 10:00 am

This hike is a bit longer than the Huaynapicchu one, you have a total of 5 hours available to finalize it. Just consider that to get there you need approximately 2 hours and then you should consider the same time to get at the bottom of the mountain. This way you have almost one hour to stay on the top of the mountain and enjoy the wonderful view. After this visit you have 3 hours to explore the Machu Picchu citadel, so in total you have 8 hours available. The maximum amount of people for each time entrance is of 400, for a total amount of 800 people per day.

Intipunku Entry Tickets

You can visit the Intipunku, also known as the Sun Gate (Puerta del Sol in Spanish), buying any of the above mentioned entry tickets (Machu Picchu, Huaynapicchu, Machu Picchu Montaña). The hike lasts aproximately 2 hours-2 hours and half. If you buy the general Machu Picchu Entry Ticket consider that you will have only two hours to visit the citadel after the visit to the Intipunku since you can just stay on the site a total of 4 hours, as I mentioned before. We usually recommend to buy the Huaynapicchu or Machu Picchu Montaña Entry Ticket if you want to visit the Intipunku and after that you have about 3 hours to explore the citadel.

I hope that everything is clear now and that this information can help you choose your entry ticket option for visiting the Machu Picchu citadel and help you understand the new regulations.

On 28 Agosto, 2018 • By magicalblog

Cusco• Peru• Sacred Valley

Top Sights in the Sacred Valley

Many tourists coming to Peru are definitely more interested in Lima, Cusco and Machu Picchu and the majority of the time they skip a visit to the Sacred Valley of the Incas. In my opinion that’s a BIG BIG BIG mistake, since this place is magic, here you can find a very special energy that you are not able to find in any other place in Peru. I believe the name “Sacred Valley” can better define what I actually mean. This is a spiritual place where you can definitely recharge your battery after the tiring excursion to Cusco and Machu Picchu. Here a list of places you should not miss once in the area:

Pisac Ruins: The small town of Pisac is located 32 Kilometers (20 Miles) from Cusco. On the top of the modern town there are the ancient ruins, which consist of a vast amount of agricultural terracing and a small Inca village. Made up of groups of terraces, the outline of the site forms the shape of a giant condor. In ancient times the condor was considered to be the messenger of the sun, and the one who was in charge of carrying the spirits of the dead onto the world beyond. For this reason Pisac was also considered to be a place of great spiritual worship.

Pisac Market: Peru’s most famous crafts market takes place in Pisac on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sunday. This ancient Inca village is nestled in the shadow of an imposing Inca fortress and temple and it is famous for its beautiful and colorful market where tourists can shop for traditional handicrafts and every kind of handmade Peruvian products.

Awanakancha: AwanaKancha provides an opportunity to see products made from South America’s four camelids (alpaca, llama, vicuña, and guanaco) from the first steps of the production process to its end: the animal, the shearing, the textile weaving and dyeing, and the finished products, which you can purchase in the showroom. It makes a great stop for the whole family, as kids usually have lots of fun feeding the camelids on-site.

Ollantaytambo Temple: Second in importance only to Machu Picchu, Ollantaytambo includes some of the Inca’s best stonework, including a series of ceremonial baths, elegant trapezoidal doorways, and a sun temple that faces the rising sun.

Maras: It was home to the descendents of the Incas of the Hurin Cusco Clan. In Colonial times, it was the first salt producing center of the central – Sierra. This picturesque town is located 53 km northwest of Cusco (1hour drive) by a paved road. The town has a large church and several colonial houses with code-of-arms of noble families on their facades. Close to Maras, at the Peasant community of Pichingoto, there are salt mines, known locally as “salineras”. Landscape is awesome in this area.

Moray: Located 9 km west of the town of Maras, along an unpaved road, his archeological site is perhaps one of the most mysterious of the pre-Hispanic Cusco area. The site consists of a large irrigation system and a series of concentric agricultural terraces, constructed by means of stone retaining walls. The location is believed to have been an enormous agricultural laboratory in which the Incas purposefully created several microclimates in which they grew a variety of crops.

Chincheros: Known to the Incas as the birthplace of the rainbow, this typical Andean village combines Inca ruins with a colonial church, some wonderful mountain views and a colorful Sunday market. On a high plain with sweeping views to snow-laden peaks, it’s quite beautiful. Since it is very high, it’s unwise to spend the night until you’re somewhat acclimated.

So remember once in Peru do not forget to visit the Sacred Valley. If you have already traveled there and you have more suggestion feel free to add tips and recommendations in the comments.

On 17 Octubre, 2017 • By magicalblog