According to an agreement reached by the National Institute of Culture (INC) and UNESCO, only 2,500 people are allowed to visit Machu Picchu a day. That said, large package tours and their megaphone-style guides create a lot of hustle. In order for you to see Machu Picchu by yourself without losing the magic of the ruins, here are a few tips:

• Avoid the busiest months of June–September. The “shoulder” months of April–May and September–October are usually sunny as well.

• Avoid the Peruvian holidays, July 28–August 10. The days around Cusco’s Inti Raymi festival, June 24, are also busy.

• Skip solstice days (June 21 and December 21), when the ruins are full by 6 a.m.

• Visit on a Sunday. Although Sundays are discounted for locals, Sundays tend to draw large crowds at the Pisac and Chinchero markets, thereby pulling travelers away from Machu Picchu.

• Stay the night at Aguas Calientes or take the earliest train in the morning in order to beat the train crowds, which arrive at the ruins around 10 a.m. and start departing around 2 p.m. Either arrive early in the morning or linger in the late afternoon. During midday, when Machu Picchu is most crowded, you can hike to Huayna Picchu, the Temple of the Moon, and the Inca bridge.

Machu Picchu admission is expensive by Peruvian standards and only lasts one day, though a second day is half price. Foreigners pay US$46, and nationals and students under 26 with an ISIC card pay US$22. There are no ticket sales on-site. Tickets must be bought in advance in soles at the INC office in Cusco (Av. el Sol) or in Aguas Calientes at Centro Cultura Machu Picchu (Pachacútec s/n, tel. 084/21-1196). A passport is necessary to complete the transaction. The ruins are open 6 a.m.–5:30 p.m. daily.

Outside the gate of the ruins, there are bathrooms and, usually, piles of free walking sticks. El Mirador Snack Bar (US$4) sells bottled water, sandwiches, and hamburgers for eating at picnic tables overlooking the ruins. The gourmet Sanctuary Lodge Restaurant (tel. 084/21-1039, 11:30 a.m.–3 p.m., US$29) serves an extraordinary buffet lunch open to the public that is worth the price if you have a good appetite and want to spoil yourself. There is also a separate dining room with an à la carte menu (US$40–50) serving international and Peruvian food (the ginger iced parfait is especially good). If you plan on eating at Machu Picchu, bring the cash you will need. There are no ATMs at the site itself.

Shuttle to Machu Picchu

Buses to Machu Picchu leave every 5–15 minutes from just below Aguas Calientes’s second bridge. Consettur Machupicchu (Hermanos Hayar s/n, tel. 084/21-1134) sells the tickets, US$7 one-way and US$14 round-trip, with the first bus leaving at 5:30 a.m. and the last at 5:30 p.m. If you want to catch the first bus up to Machu Picchu, which is a good idea, arrive at least 45 minutes early as morning lines form.

The bus takes about a half hour to wind its way up the switchbacks to the ruins. It is also possible to follow the footpath to the ruins, which cuts the switchback. This arduous, all-uphill hike in the moist cloud forest takes about 90 minutes.

Machu Picchu Facilities

Outside the gate of the ruins, there are bathrooms and, usually, piles of free walking sticks. El Mirador Snack Bar (US$4) sells bottled water, sandwiches, and hamburgers that you can take away or eat at picnic tables overlooking the ruins.

The gourmet Sanctuary Lodge Restaurant (tel. 084/21-1039, 11:30 a.m.–3 p.m. daily, US$35) serves an extraordinary buffet lunch open to the public that is worth the price if you have a good appetite and want to spoil yourself. There is also a separate dining room with an à la carte menu (US$40–50) serving international and Peruvian food (the ginger-iced parfait is especially good).

If you plan on eating at Machu Picchu, bring cash with you as you will need it. However, it is advisable to bring snacks and plenty of water with you, as it can be a long day out. There are no ATMs at Machu Picchu so bring cash!

Machu Picchu Guides & Tours

During the day there are always guides, of varying quality, waiting at the entrance. A highly recommended guide with 22 years of experience in Machu Picchu is Fernando Luque (hatunchaka [at] hotmail [dot] com, tel. 084/984-755-200). He can be contacted in advance. Another option is the Machu Picchu Sanctuary Lodge (tel. 084/21-1039, http://machupicchu.orient express.com), where expensive, top-notch guides can be hired.