The citadel — the llaqta, as the official signs call it — is the Inca city itself: an agricultural sector of terraces on the south side and an urban sector of temples, plazas and houses on the north, at about 2,430 m. It was built around 1450 for the emperor Pachacuti and abandoned roughly a century later.
You visit on one of three one-way circuits, and no single ticket covers everything. Read tickets and circuits explained before choosing; the notes below say which circuit reaches each highlight.
Top things to do at Machu Picchu Citadel
Take in the classic view from the upper terraces
The postcard picture — the city spread below with Huayna Picchu behind — is taken from the terraces around the Guardhouse, at the top of the agricultural sector. Circuit 1 and Circuit 2 both come here; Circuit 3 does not.
Temple of the Sun
A tower with a beautifully curved wall of fitted stone, built over a natural rock and a cave known as the Royal Tomb. One window is aligned with the sunrise at the June solstice. You look into it from above on Circuit 2 and pass close beneath it on Circuit 3.
The Sacred Plaza and Temple of the Three Windows
The ceremonial heart of the city: the Principal Temple and the Temple of the Three Windows, whose huge trapezoidal openings face the main plaza and the mountains to the east. On Circuit 2.
Intihuatana
A carved granite outcrop on the highest point of the urban sector, usually interpreted as a ritual stone linked to the sun’s movements. Access to the Intihuatana pyramid has been restricted to certain routes and hours, so do not count on it.
Sacred Rock and the eastern buildings
At the northern end, a great slab of rock echoes the outline of the mountains behind. From here the path returns through houses, workshops and storehouses on the eastern side.
Temple of the Condor and the fountains
In the lower city, a natural rock formation was shaped into the outspread wings of a condor, with a carved head on the ground before it. Nearby a chain of sixteen stone fountains still carries spring water down the slope. Best seen on Circuit 3.
How to get to Machu Picchu Citadel
- From Aguas Calientes: 25–30 minutes by shuttle bus, or a climb of one and a half to two hours on foot. See how to get to Machu Picchu.
- From Cusco: road to Ollantaytambo, then the train to Aguas Calientes — about four hours in all before the bus.
- On foot: the Inca Trail arrives through the Sun Gate. See treks to Machu Picchu.
Insider tips
- Use the toilets outside the gate before you go in. There are none inside and you cannot re-enter.
- A guide makes a real difference — there are almost no information panels inside the site.
- Carry your original passport; it is checked against your ticket.
- Llamas graze on the terraces and viscachas sun themselves on the walls. Keep your distance and do not feed them.
- If cloud covers the view when you arrive at the upper terraces, wait as long as the wardens allow: it often clears within half an hour.
Best tours & tickets for Machu Picchu Citadel
These top-rated experiences are the easiest way to see Machu Picchu Citadel:
Entry ticket Machu Picchu: Official Ticket – Choose Circuit 1, 2 or 3
An official Machu Picchu ticket bought for you by a local agency, with a choice of Circuit 1, 2 or 3. You pay a service fee over the government price in exchange for simple payment and support. Train, bus and guide are not included.
- Official entry ticket in your name
- Choice of circuit and entry time, subject to availability
- No need to use the government website
Guided visit From Aguas Calientes: Machu Picchu Guided Tour with Tickets
Entry ticket and a guided walk of the citadel, meeting in Aguas Calientes. A tidy solution when you have organised your own train and hotel and want the ticket and guide handled together. Check the listing for which circuit is offered on your date.
- Entry ticket included
- Licensed guide for the visit
- Starts in Aguas Calientes
Day trip From Cusco: Full-Day Group Tour of Machu Picchu
The best-selling way to see Machu Picchu in a single day: pickup in Cusco before dawn, transfer to the station, train to Aguas Calientes, bus up, a guided visit and the same in reverse. Long but efficient, with more than two thousand reviews.
- Hotel pickup, transfer and return train
- Bus up to the citadel and entry ticket
- Guided visit of Machu Picchu
2-day tour From Cusco: 2-Day Trip to the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu
Day one tours the Sacred Valley and ends with the train to Aguas Calientes; day two is Machu Picchu, before returning to Cusco. The pace we recommend for most travellers — you sleep low, enter early and avoid a single exhausting day.
- Sacred Valley sights on day one
- Overnight in Aguas Calientes
- Machu Picchu with a guide on day two
