Guide: Machu Picchu, Huayna Picchu and Mountain

You Finally made the decision to go to Machu Picchu, Huayna Picchu and The Mountain! Well with this guide we will give you the necessary information so that your visit is something you will never forget. Also information about Huayna Picchu and Mountain.

But you will surely wonder how will I get to Machu Picchu? The Answer below:

From Cusco By Train:

Something you should take into account that the trip to Machu Picchu from Cusco by Train is an incredible experience, but why is it ? Simply because the route through The Sacred Valley  of the Incas is considered one of the most amazing short train tours in the world, but if you want to do it on your own, the first thing you have to do is get tickets to Machu Picchu. In addition to informing you about Huayna Picchu Y Montaña.

So how should you book the tickets? Tickets to Machu Picchu exactly 2,500 are available per day in high demand, however tickets that include the mountains are even more limited. It has 4 types of ticket and each offers a different experience in Machu Picchu.

• Machu Picchu ticket.
• Machu Picchu + Huayna Picchu.
• Ticket Machu Picchu + mountain.
• Machu Picchu + museum.

Remember that you must reserve any of these tickets weeks in advance, however, the Machu Picchu + Huayna Picchu ticket must be reserved 4 months before, otherwise it is almost impossible for you to get one of these tickets for the date you want.

And finally and just as important you must book the train tickets, we recommend you book them after knowing the day you will enter Machu Picchu, keep in mind that many of the services usually run out weeks before.

From Cusco by bus to Ollantaytambo:

For this you will need to board a vehicle from the street pavitos in Cusco to get to Ollantaytambo, if your accommodation is close to the Plaza de Armas, you can walk, once there you can find taxis, buses and minivans, the price varies from S / 15 soles to S / 30 soles depending on the vehicle and how fast you want to get to Ollantaytambo, taxis are more expensive but obviously faster.

The route to Ollantaytambo crosses winding roads of the Sacred Valley with different shades of green, unique landscapes of Andean mountains and the raging Urubamba river accompanying it throughout the journey to the town of Ollantaytambo.

Train from Ollantaytambo to Aguas Calientes Calientes (Machu Picchu Pueblo).

Once in Ollantaytambo, don’t miss the opportunity to visit this ancient Inca town, still populated; It is known as the “living Inca town”, one of the best places you can visit in South America and one of the best previews of what you will see in Machu Picchu. Its inhabitants have customs that come from the time of the Incas and its streets retain their original name also from that time, but you will also see Inca water channels used today.

Train to Aguas Calientes (Machu Picchu Pueblo)

To board the train at the Ollantaytambo station you must have the previously booked train tickets. One of the black parts of the trip is that the train to Machu Picchu is one of the most expensive in the world; however, booking them in advance will allow you to access the cheapest services, which usually run out weeks before.

As we already told you, this short train route is considered among the best in the world and it goes without saying that each landscape is a gift for the eyes. Occasionally you will see humble towns, Andean communities and their planting fields.

Bus from Aguas Calientes to Machu Picchu:

Once in Aguas Calientes look for a hotel. Unless you are traveling in high season (June, July, August) it will not be difficult to find one; prices vary from 60 soles (US $ 20) per night (the cheapest), up to USD 800 a night in 5-star hotels. After securing your hotel, get the bus tickets from Aguas Calientes to Machu Picchu, it is the simplest and fastest way to get there. You will find the ticket office next to the train station, before the ruined bridge and just in front of the station where you can board them.

You can also go up and down on foot, although we believe you should take the bus to have all your energy in the Inca city, especially if your Machu Picchu tickets include the mountains.

The Hiram Bingham highway to Machu Picchu:

The Hiram Bingham road winds from Aguas Calientes to the entrance gate to the Historic and Natural Sanctuary of Machu Picchu. In the climb already anticipates where you are going, and even in fog you can enjoy the vastness of the mountains. Once at the entrance, you must present your printed Machu Picchu tickets. You can join a group guided by 30 soles (US $ 10). What you will see inside the Inca city of Machu Picchu is simply amazing and it will be one of the best experiences of your life.

Machu Picchu or Huayna Picchu Mountain Which to choose?

Once you are on the way to Machu Picchu you will have to make a difficult decision, which will be: Climb Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu Mountain.

The sacred city gives you the possibility to climb these two spectacular mountains in its surroundings, but these have great differences between them.

In order not to confuse you, we will make a distinction between both places: The citadel and the mountain share a name. So when we talk about Machu Picchu, both places tend to be confused. To differentiate them, we will use the terms citadel and Machu Picchu Mountain.

What is Huayna Picchu and what is Machu Picchu?

HUAYNA PICCHU:

How should you start? The first thing you should do is recognize which is which Huayna Picchu or “Young Mountain” is the hill that you can see in the postcards of the city, north of the citadel. This mountain is highly visited, due to its rich archaeological value and its proximity to Machu Picchu. On the way to the top, its steep and narrow trails that defy gravity stand out.

Due to its immense popularity, access to this tour is restricted to a certain number of people per day. The only way to get one of these quotas is by booking months in advance or hiring a tour.

Huayna Picchu characteristics:

Height 2,693 metres above sea level.

Number of people per day: 400 people divided into two groups

Group I hours: from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m.Group II: from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.

Walking time 2 and a half hours (round trip)

Difficulty level High

MOUNTAIN MACHU PICCHU:

We also have Machu Picchu Mountain, it is located in the high mountain range that surrounds the citadel, a little further from Huayna Picchu. The Machu Picchu Mountain or “Old Mountain” is not as popular as Huayna Picchu but it is a slightly less extreme and equally overwhelming route.

This mountain will offer you a totally different perspective to Huayna Picchu. delivering amazing panoramic postcards of the valley that houses the citadel. Also, this hike is a little less demanding, although it uses more time.

Machu Picchu Mountain Features:

Altura	3.082 msnm
Cantidad de personas por dia	800 divididas en dos grupos
Horarios	Grupo I: desde las 7:00 a las 8:00 AM Grupo II: desde las 9:00 a las 11:00 AM
Tiempo de caminata	3 horas y media (ida y vuelta)
Nivel de dificultad	Media Alta

Difference between both Mountains:

Trails: Both mountains are quite high, but with totally different characteristics. Huayna Picchu reaches 2,693 meters above sea level, but it consists of an almost vertical ascent with much more extreme and narrow trails.

Unlike the Machu Picchu Mountain that reaches 3,082 meters above sea level, almost 650 meters above the citadel. The road to the top of this mountain is less demanding than Huayna Picchu, it has a wider path and can be done by anyone. Although you must be careful with altitude sickness.

Views and landscapes: One of the main differences between these mountains is the landscapes they offer. Huayna Picchu offers one of the best panoramic views of the citadel. In addition, in the “New Mountain” you can find several archaeological ruins, crowned by the jungle flora and fauna of the place.

On the other hand, the “Old Mountain” or Machu Picchu, offers a totally different view of Huayna Picchu. Although the citadel is seen from a greater distance, at this summit you have the possibility of admiring the Sacred City, Huayna Picchu and the entire mountain range of this wonder. It should be noted that Machu Picchu Mountain does not have archaeological remains, but it has a great diversity of flora and fauna.

Ticket Availability: Both mountains have a limit of visitors per day.

Huayna Picchu receives only 400 travelers per day approximately, so getting a ticket can be really difficult to get, because they end months in advance.

On the other hand, the Machu Picchu Mountain receives approximately 800 daily travelers, making it much easier to find ticket availability.

Can you visit both mountains on the same day?

If it is possible that you can visit the 2 mountains the same day, however we do not recommend it, and this is because the entry time starts from 6:00 am to 5:00 pm, so try to climb both mountains It leads to you wasting a lot of time, which you could use while touring the citadel, which at the end of everything is what you have really done this long journey.

Also another important factor is your physical factor, and trying to climb both would leave you exhausted at the end, so despite having the conviction to climb both mountains we recommend that you choose only one of them, and thus you will take advantage of your time and you can enjoy with tranquility of the beautiful landscapes.

Finally do not forget to have implements and clothes for trekking on this trip and especially to climb the mountains.

How to buy the ticket?

Something very important that you should know is that when you buy your entrance ticket to one of the 2 mountains, you have to buy the ticket if or if for the citadel, only by buying this ticket you will have the option to buy tickets for any of the 2 mountains.

The way to get these tickets is through this link.