Machu Picchu Tickets: The 3 Circuits and Which One to Choose
To visit Machu Picchu, you have to choose a circuit when you buy your ticket. Since June 2024, the citadel has been organized into 3 circuits, split into about ten routes. Circuit 1 offers panoramic views from the upper terraces, Circuit 2 is the most complete, and Circuit 3 covers the temples and gives access to Huayna Picchu. Each ticket is valid for one route only, at a set time, with no going back.
How the visit works
Your ticket is issued in your name. It shows a date, a circuit and an entry slot. Entry slots run every hour from 6 am to 3 pm, with a 30-minute grace period: after that, you may be refused entry. The route is one-way and you can only enter once. Restrooms are outside, at the site entrance. Visits are time-limited, to about 2.5 hours on the standard routes, and longer if your ticket includes a mountain.
The site admits up to 4,500 visitors a day, and up to 5,600 on certain high-season days.
Circuit 1: Panoramic
This circuit runs along the upper terraces, with the widest views over the citadel. It does not go through the heart of the Inca city.
1-A: Machu Picchu Mountain
A long climb, less vertiginous than Huayna Picchu, with a spectacular view of the whole site.
1-B: Upper Terrace
The shortest route, for the classic postcard view.
1-C: Sun Gate (Intipunku)
A walk up to the old entrance of the Inca Trail.
1-D: Inca Bridge
An easy walk to a bridge cut into the cliff face.
Circuit 2: Classic
This is the most complete circuit. It includes both the postcard view and most of the main buildings: the Temple of the Sun, the Sacred Plaza, the Temple of the Three Windows and the residential areas. It is the one we recommend for a first visit, and also the first to sell out.
2-A: Designed Route
It goes down from the upper terraces to the urban sector.
2-B: Lower Terrace
The same idea, with the view taken from a lower point.
Circuit 3: Royalty
This circuit covers the lower part of the citadel, with the temples and royal residences, but without the postcard view.
3-A: Huayna Picchu
The sugarloaf peak behind the site. The climb is steep and narrow, not recommended if you suffer from vertigo, and permits sell out months in advance.
3-B: Designed Route
A visit to the temples and royal quarters.
3-C: Great Cavern
A hike to the Temple of the Moon, on the side of Huayna Picchu.
3-D: Huchuy Picchu
A small peak, about an hour's walk, easier than Huayna Picchu.
Some routes are only open in high season.
Which circuit should you choose?
First visit: Circuit 2.
Keen hikers: Machu Picchu Mountain (1-A) or Huayna Picchu (3-A).
Families: Circuit 2, or Huchuy Picchu (3-D) for a short climb.
If you have already seen the classic view: Circuit 3, for the temples.
How much does a ticket cost?
For a foreign adult, expect around 163 soles, a little under US$50, for routes without a mountain. This includes the conservation fee added in May 2026. Tickets with a mountain hike cost more. Entry is free for children under 3, and discounts are available for children and students.
How to buy your ticket
Tickets are sold on the Ministry of Culture's official website, tuboleto.cultura.pe. Since September 2026, you must pay within 15 minutes or the booking is cancelled. Tickets cannot be changed or refunded. Book one to three months ahead in high season, and even earlier for Huayna Picchu. In Aguas Calientes, 1,000 tickets are sold each day at the ticket office for the following day, but this is a risky option in high season.
How to get to Machu Picchu
Take the train from Cusco or Ollantaytambo to Aguas Calientes, then the bus or walk up to the site entrance. All the details are in our article How do I get to Machu Picchu? For practical questions, see our Machu Picchu FAQ, and to pick the right time of year, When to go to Peru.
Machu Picchu is part of our trip The Essential Andes, Best of Peru (13 days). We book the circuit and time slot that best suit your itinerary.
