Machu Picchu Month by Month
A visit to Peru would not be complete without Machu Picchu, but is there a bad time to visit this ancient Inca citadel. Sometimes there are more crowds, sometimes the weather is drier and other times it rains. Depending on when you have vacation time or when you are free, go to Peru and Machu Picchu, it is something that you will not regret.
For those of you who know nothing about the Machu Picchu, it was discovered in 1911 by an American named Hiram Bingham, discovered is not really what happened, locals knew of the site for many years, but with the help of a local man, Bingham entered Machu Picchu in 1911. It is said that Bingham was looking for another site that to this day has never been found. Over the next few years, he excavated the site and discovered a mostly intact Inca City. The site had been deserted by the Inca hundreds of years before, the real reason we are yet to know, but many theories abound. Today thousands of tourists visit the site every day to feel the Inca energy that still exists and wonder at the ingenuity of the Inca people.
Many people ask what is the best time to visit the site so here we will give you a month-by-month breakdown on what to expect so that you can make an informed decision on when the visit Peru.
How to get to Machu Picchu?
- Train: This the preferred method of most tourists who travel to Machu Picchu, there are 2 different companies that operate between Cusco and Machu Picchu, Peru Rail and Inca Rail, both have different classes that you can buy. Tourist, First Class and Luxury.
- Walking: The famous Inca Trail to Machu Picchu can be done in either 4 or 2 days depending on your time. The 4 day is a challenging adventure through high mountain passes with spectacular scenery, both ending through the Sun Gate to Machu Picchu.
- By Car: This is the least favorite method and sometimes is preferred by backpackers. You take a car to the Hydroelectric station below Machu Picchu and then walk to Machu Picchu, this can take up to 6 hours. This is not preferrable in the wet season as there have been serious landslides in this area.
What tickets do you need to go to Machu Picchu?
Here you have 2 options
- No 1. Buy a complete package where all you have to worry about is setting your alarm the morning you depart, everything else is taken care of.
- No 2. Buy your own, where you will need, Train tickets to and from Aguas Calientes, the town below Machu Picchu, bus tickets to and from the gates of Machu Picchu, Entrance tickets into the site (do not forget that you can’t enter Machu Picchu without a guide, you can get one at the gate and will have to negotiate the price), (also you will need to pick the circuit that you want to do at Machu Picchu, there are 4 in total).
Things to take with you on a Day Trip to Machu Picchu
- Water bottle, preferably not a disposable
- Passport you will need to show this to enter Machu Picchu
- Sunhat
- Sunscreen
- Raincoat and umbrella
- Snacks
- Camera
- Hand Sanitizer
- Money for Lunch and souvenirs
- Insect Repellant
What to wear?
Depending on what time of year you travel to Machu Picchu, you will need to dress in layers. Normally you will start early and require warm clothes, a good jacket to keep you warm. Later in the day it will get warm and you will need to have light clothes. So, dress like an onion and you will be the most comfortable. It is important to wear comfortable non slip shoes to walk around Machu Picchu especially in the rainy season when the stone steps can get slippery.
Whatever time you visit Machu Picchu you will not be disappointed by the magnificence and grandeur of this ancient Inca site. Marvel at the history and the theories of to what the citadel was used for and to why the Inca abandoned the site so quickly after building. Was it due the short supply of water, was it something else, what we do appreciate is that the Spanish never found the city and is one of the reasons why it still stands today.
