To get from Aguas Calientes to the Inca citadel of Machupicchu “Llaqta Machupicchu” we must pass through the town of Aguas Calientes or also called Machupicchu Pueblo.
From Aguas Calientes or Machupicchu town there are two ways to get to the entrance of the citadel of Machupicchu.
- Take a bus.
- Take a walk.
Below we detail both ways to get to Machupicchu.
- Take a Consettur S.A.C. bus (the only company providing the service).
Once in Aguas Calientes (Machupicchu Pueblo) we must take a bus of the company Consettur S.A.C. that will take us through the Hiram Bingham road to the entrance of Machupicchu.
First to board the bus we must have the respective tickets, which can be purchased through an agency or directly with the company Consettur S.A.C. in person either in the city of Cusco or at the ticket office located in Aguas Calientes (very close to the bus station) or virtually through its website, (currently you can only buy bus tickets for the month in which we are; that is if we are in March is only possible to issue ticket dated in the month of March).
How to buy the bus tickets? We must present a valid document (ID card, passport or foreigner’s card).
Cost of bus ticket:
| UPHILL AND DOWNHILL | UPHILL ONLY OR DOWNHILL ONLY | |
| FOREIGN VISITOR | 24 USD | 12 USD |
| NATIONAL VISITOR | 15 USD | 8 USD |
Once we have our tickets, we can board the buses, making a small line of people, until we reach the checkpoint and arrival of buses, where the staff in charge will check our bus tickets and documents.
The bus ride lasts approximately 20 to 30 minutes, from Aguas Calientes to the entrance of Machupicchu, this bus will travel a slightly steep mountain in a zigzagging way, allowing you to appreciate the vegetation of the area.
Buses are available to visitors from 5:30 HRS to 15:30 HRS for the uphill buses and the last bus schedule for the downhill bus until 17:00 HRS.
These buses leave every 15 minutes; (every 5 minutes in the early morning hours) the time can be shorter, since the way of working is: bus that this with the seats completely occupied depart towards the entrance of Machupicchu.
- Take a walk :
It is a short hike of approximately 2 hours (FREE OF CHARGE) from the town of Aguas Calientes to the entrance of Machupicchu, where we will ascend a slightly steep mountain.
The hike has a degree of difficulty Easy – Moderate, so a regular physical condition is required.
NOT RECOMMENDED FOR SMALL CHILDREN OR ELDERLY PEOPLE.
In order to start our hike we must carry the entrance ticket to Machupicchu and our personal documents, because we will travel a stretch of the Hiram Bingham road, where the buses of the company Consettur S.A.C. circulate, near the Ruins Bridge is located a control booth of the Ministry of Culture, where the staff in charge will ask us for our entrance tickets to Machupicchu to allow us to continue our hike to Machupicchu.
After traveling a stretch along the Hiram Bingham route we will ascend the mountain slightly steep through stone steps (in the rainy season something slippery) the road is signposted (difficult to get lost), as well as we will also find some stops as viewpoints of rest for visitors, finally after approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes of climbing the mountain we will arrive at the entrance of Machupicchu or control gate.
If you wish to hike from Aguas Calientes to Machupicchu, we recommend doing it in the morning, to avoid fatigue and tiredness due to the sun.
It is recommended not to climb Machupicchu on foot if the passenger has an entrance ticket to Machupicchu with any option of Machupicchu Mountain, Waynapicchu or Huchuypicchu, because it will end up exhausted.
For this hike you should bring:
- Entrance ticket to Machupicchu
- Current Document.
- Water Bottle
- Sunscreen and repellent.
- Hat or Caps
- Rain Poncho (depending on the season)
- Snack
Distance between Aguas Calientes and Machu Picchu
The distance from Aguas Calientes to Machupicchu is 9 kilometers (5.59 miles).
How long does it take to go up from Aguas Calientes to Machu Picchu ?
- If we wish to walk up to the citadel of Machupicchu, it will take 2 hours from the town of Aguas Calientes.
- If we wish to take the bus service, it will take 20 minutes from the town of Aguas Calientes, the bus leaves every 15 minutes.
How far is the walk from Aguas Calientes to Machu Picchu ?
The estimated walking time from Aguas Calientes to Machupicchu is 2 hours, this time is considered a normal walking pace without rushing.
How to go by Bus from Aguas Calientes to Machu Picchu?
To go by bus from Aguas Calientes to Machupicchu we must take the bus company Consetur, is the only company that operates this service and which is easy to identify in the same town for being the only bus company in Aguas Calientes.
How much does the bus from Aguas Calientes to Machu Picchu cost?
The price of the bus from Aguas Calientes to Machupicchu prices can be purchased in the town of Aguas Calientes and can also be purchased through the website of the same company.
Cost of bus ticket:
| UPHILL AND DOWNHILL | UPHILL ONLY OR DOWNHILL ONLY | |
| FOREIGN VISITOR | 24 USD | 12 USD |
| NATIONAL VISITOR | 15 USD | 8 USD |
Bus schedules from Aguas Calientes
Buses are available to visitors from 5:30 HRS to 15:30 HRS for the uphill buses and the last bus schedule for the downhill bus is at 17:00 HRS.
How to return from Machu Picchu to Aguas Calientes
The 2 ways to return from Machu Picchu to Aguas Calientes town:
- The first is to do the descent hike, which lasts 1 hour and 30 minutes along the same route as the ascent.
- The second and most used way is to take the bus back from Machupicchu citadel to Aguas Calientes in a 20 minute trip.
