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Adult tickets cost 152.5 soles ($40 USD) for a strict 2.5-hour visit between 06:00 and 17:30. Book online months ahead, as the 1,000 daily in-person tickets sold in Aguas Calientes require early queuing.
Machu Picchu opens daily from 06:00 to 17:30 year-round. Visitors are restricted to a maximum 2.5-hour stay inside the citadel based on their specific timed entry ticket. Late arrivals receive a 30-minute grace period during low season, extending to 45 minutes from June to October.
| Day | Hours | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Monday–Sunday | 06:00–17:30 | Final entry slot begins at 15:00. The Manuel Chávez Ballón Museum operates separately from 09:00 to 16:00. |
The archaeological site remains open 365 days a year, including national and religious holidays. Severe weather between November and March can cause sudden closures or travel delays due to mudslides blocking the train tracks. Monitor local weather reports closely during these wet season months.
Adult entrance tickets cost 152.5 soles (about $40 USD) and require advance online booking. This base rate grants access to a specific circuit for up to 2.5 hours. Visitors must budget separately for transit from Cusco and optional services like a local guide.
No regular free entry days.
Planning your visit to Machu Picchu? Find tours with free cancellation and skip-the-line options.
View All ToursMay through October is the dry season and the safest time to visit. With rainfall dropping significantly, the cloud forest clears up and the steep stone steps become far less hazardous to climb. Expect daily crowds to hit the 4,500-visitor cap, requiring you to book entrance passes up to six months in advance.
Tickets cap your time inside the 15th-century citadel at a strict maximum of 2.5 hours. Climbing surrounding peaks like Huayna Picchu or Huchuy Picchu extends your allowed duration. Navigating the complex stone circuits takes longer self-guided, so paying $40 USD for an entrance guide keeps you on pace before hitting the final no-re-entry exit.
Buy entrance tickets four to six months ahead on machupicchu.gob.pe. The peak June to October season hits a hard 4,500-person daily limit. Skip the unauthorized street vendors in Cusco to avoid purchasing fake passes.
Rest in Cusco or the Sacred Valley for two to three days before visiting the citadel. Flying straight to 3,400 meters triggers soroche. This altitude sickness causes severe headaches and nausea, so drink plenty of water.
Wear a lightweight, waterproof poncho. Park guards strictly ban umbrellas and parasols inside the site. Heavy rainfall from November to March turns the ancient stone staircases into slick, hazardous traps requiring sturdy hiking shoes.
Present your original physical passport alongside your printed ticket at the main gate. Digital copies will fail at the scanners. Pack light, since guards force any bag larger than 40x35x20 centimeters into storage lockers outside the ruins.
Use the facilities outside the main entrance before scanning your ticket. Re-entry is strictly prohibited. Once you walk out the exit gate after your maximum 2.5-hour visit, your tour ends immediately.
Adult entrance tickets cost 152.5 soles (approximately $40 USD). Book these online months in advance through the official government platform. Hiring a local guide at the main gate adds about $40 USD for a small group.
The archaeological site opens daily from 06:00 to 17:30. The final entry slot begins at 15:00. Guards allow a 30-minute late arrival tolerance during the low season, extending to 45 minutes from June to October to handle travel delays.
The Ministry of Culture releases exactly 1,000 daily tickets at the Aguas Calientes office. Queues form early in the morning. Secure your entry four to six months ahead online to avoid missing out on specific circuits.
General admission restricts your time inside the citadel to exactly 2.5 hours. Park guards enforce continuous forward movement along designated circuits. Adding a hike to Huayna Picchu, Machu Picchu Mountain, or Huchuy Picchu automatically extends your permitted time.
Bags larger than 40x35x20 centimeters are banned from the site. You must check oversized backpacks into the storage lockers near the main entrance. Pack only a reusable water bottle, a rain poncho, and your original physical passport.
Foreign adults pay $24 USD for a round-trip Consettur bus ticket. Children under 12 ride for $12 USD. Shuttles depart every 5 to 15 minutes between 05:30 and 15:30, climbing a steep 6-kilometer dirt road to the main gate.
Re-entry is strictly prohibited under any circumstances. You cannot exit the main gate to use the bathroom and return to your circuit. Pay to use the facilities located outside the entrance before scanning your ticket.
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