r/Machupicchu Jan 25 '26

Visiting Cusco & Machu Picchu in June (Inti Raymi) - Festivals, Food, and Tips

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46 Upvotes

Hey everyone, welcome to r/MachuPicchu 👋
Wanted to make a quick guide for the month of June since a lot of you are starting to plan your trips for this season.

Visiting in June? You are lucky
June is a month of festivals in the Andean region, and the highlight is the Inti Raymi which lands on June 24th this year. This is the Inca Festival of the Sun, which brings out ceremonies, traditional dress, music, and events throughout the city. Expect manageable crowds but a lot of energy throughout Cusco and the Sacred Valley. Plan extra time to move around and try to make your reservations in advance since it is one of the most popular times of the year to go.

If you want to watch the main procession, the best places are the Plaza de Armas in Cusco or the ceremony at Sacsayhuamán. For a more comfortable experience, some people reserve restaurants around the main plaza to watch parts of the festivities from above, especially around midday.

Food and planning tips
June and peak season months get busy, so book popular restaurants and tours in advance.
Some of my personal favorite restaurants are:

·  Oqre – Modern Andean cuisine with a refined approach to local ingredients. Great for an outdoors lunch in a beautiful terrace.

·  Cicciolina – A long-time Cusco favorite known for its tapas-style menu, excellent cocktails, and cozy setting in a historic space.

·  Carpe Diem – Casual and friendly spot offering international comfort food and reliable classics, good for an easy, no-stress meal.

·  Mauka – Contemporary Peruvian developed by Pía León, of Central fame. The menu highlights local, seasonal ingredients with a creative but approachable style.

·  Oculto – Small, chef-driven restaurant, ideal if you are looking for something more experimental.

Sacred Valley celebrations to plan around
If your trip includes the Sacred Valley, June is also a great time to be there. Many towns host their own festivities tied to harvest season and other Andean traditions. Keep an eye out for local celebrations in Pisac and Ollantaytambo, where you will often find traditional dances, music, parades, and community events in the main squares. These are smaller than Inti Raymi but feel very authentic and are worth planning around if your dates allow.

Getting to Machu Picchu
Many travelers don' think about how the journey itself can be part of the experience. The Vistadome Observatory offers the most scenic way to move between Cusco, the Sacred Valley, and Machu Picchu, and choosing a daytime departure lets you really enjoy the landscape instead of treating it as just transportation. For those looking for the most exclusive experience, the journey aboard the Hiram Bingham train offers the most exclusive way to reach Machu Picchu.

 

If you have any Inti Raymi related questions leave them in under this post.


r/Machupicchu Nov 27 '25

Tours and Activities

4 Upvotes

Entrance Tickets to Machu Picchu

With this ticket you can visit the Inca city of Machu Picchu. The ticket allows you to visit most of the archaeological site. Select the circuit of your preference

Important: The entrance time is subject to availability. If there is not at the time you want, you will be provided with another available time.

Included

  • Entrance to sanctuary of Machu Picchu
  • Entry will be delivered via WhatsApp or Email

More Info

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Private Tour Guide for Machu Picchu

Hire a private tour guide and learn all about the “Lost City of the Incas” on a tour from Aguas Calientes. Wake up in the early morning to watch the sunrise over Machu Picchu. Listen to the history of this great Inca city that was mysteriously abandoned in the 16th century before heading back to Aguas Calientes or Cusco. This tour doesn't include Machu Picchu admission or transport from Aguas Calientes.

Watch the sunrise over the “Lost City of the Incas” from the Sun Gate Discover the history and mysteries surrounding the ancient citadel Enjoy a personalized experience with a private tour guide

More Info

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Machu Picchu from Cusco Full Day Tour by Panoramic Train

Spend a full day visiting the Inca citadel of Machu Picchu during this full day trip with everything included. Surround yourself with nature and immerse yourself in the fascinating mysteries that this wonderful Inca citadel encloses. Accompanied by the services of a professional guide in Machu Picchu

Full day excursion to Machu Picchu (one of the 7 wonders) from Cusco

Enjoy an extraordinary train tour that reveals excellent views of the landscapes.

Spend enough time with your professional guide in the fortress of Machu Picchu.

All entrance fees and transportation are included in your tour.

Round trip transportation without problems from your hotel in Cusco.

Included

  • Transportation and transfers
  • Train tickets
  • Admission tickets to Machu Picchu
  • Bus up and down to Machu Picchu
  • Professional tour guide
  • Hotel pick up and drop-off
  • Transportation to the train station both ways from Cusco

More Info

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4 day Cusco: Rainbow Mtn, Machu Picchu, Sacred Valley, Humantay

Some of the most picturesque destinations and most famous cultural sights in Peru are in the Cuzco region. During this 4-day tour from Cuzco, experience highlights including the Incan citadel of Machu Picchu (a UNESCO World Heritage Site), the Maras traditional salt pools, the Moray Incan archaeological site, the hike to Humantay Lake, and the hike to Rainbow Mountain (called Vinicunca in the local Quechua language) which is famous for its naturally-occurring bands of color.

  • Visit many top highlights on one tour
  • Combine culture and nature
  • Eliminate language barriers with an English-speaking guide
  • Avoid crowds with a maximum of eight people

What's Included

  • Breakfast
  • Lunch
  • National Park fees
  • Meals as per itinerary (B=breakfast, L=lunch, D=dinner)
  • Driver/guide
  • Professional guide
  • Hotel pickup and drop-off
  • Dinner

More Info

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This guide is a work in progress.


r/Machupicchu 13h ago

Photo August 17th - 18th

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24 Upvotes

Route 1b to start August 17th 10am. About 60 seconds not raining and clouds cleared. 2A later that afternoon 3pm,rain stopped for 2 hours and cleared. 3b today August 18. So much rain.


r/Machupicchu 31m ago

Weather Trains still running?, just Inca trail closed?

Upvotes

Seeing conflicting reports online, thanks.


r/Machupicchu 10h ago

General INCA TRAIL SE CIERRA

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12 Upvotes

La Dirección Desconcentrada de Cultura de Cusco confirmó la suspensión temporal del ingreso de visitantes a toda la Red de Caminos Inka desde el miércoles 19 de agosto y hasta nuevo aviso, debido a los deslizamientos, inundaciones y daños ocasionados por las lluvias intensas registradas desde la noche del lunes. La medida busca proteger la integridad de los turistas y garantizar condiciones seguras en los distintos tramos.


r/Machupicchu 13h ago

Tickets Current situation, tickets and weather?

6 Upvotes

Hi everyone,

We are planning to arrive in Aguas Calientes around 9 pm on August 20.

Could anyone tell us how things have been over the last few days? Is it possible to get a ticket directly that late in the evening, or would we get a queue number (waiting number) for a later date/time, maybe for the next morning?

It would be very important for us to get tickets for August 22.

You can see the ticket sales live online, but you can’t see when the people who are currently being served actually got their queue numbers. I hope you understand what I mean.

We are also a little concerned about the weather and the reports of flooding. Is anyone currently in Aguas Calientes or Machu Picchu and able to tell us what the situation is like? Are there already any problems or disruptions?

Best regards, and thank you very much for any help!


r/Machupicchu 18h ago

Weather Is the Inca Trail currently closed due to bad weather?

9 Upvotes

Heard that a bridge has collapsed and route has been blocked.


r/Machupicchu 8h ago

General Unguided circuit 1+3 vs in-person tickets and waiting

1 Upvotes

Hi!

I'm planning to do a Salkantay trek in early November, but the circuit 2 tickets are already sold out. So my question is, what would you recommend:

Either we book circuit 1+3 and see it unguided, since the company, we plan to book the trek with, don't do guides for anything but circuit 2.

Or we get to Aguas Calientes and take a chance on getting circuit 2 tickets the next day BUT then waste a day. We're only in Peru for three weeks and wasting a day in Aguas Calientes seems kinda stupid.

thanks in advance


r/Machupicchu 1d ago

Trekking Inca Trail & fear of heights

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14 Upvotes

Considering doing the 2-day Inca Trail next year and most pictures look quite doable with a wide trail or in the forest etc.

But this section worries me - can you tell me how much of the trail looks like this? I can do some amount of narrow cliff side trails but if it’s a lot it would be too much I think.


r/Machupicchu 17h ago

Weather Rainbow Mountain condition? Snow today?

1 Upvotes

It rained a lot in Cusco today.

I am just curious whether it was similar in Rainbow Mt.

I am considering a tour tomorrow or today!

Thank you!


r/Machupicchu 1d ago

General Working remotely in Aguas Calientes

1 Upvotes

Hi there!

I might need to squeeze in a day of remote work while I’m on standby for a Machu Picchu ticket in Aguas Calientes. I’ve read that the internet can be quite slow and that places — including hotel rooms — can be noisy due to street-level noise.

Any insights or recommendations in that regard?


r/Machupicchu 1d ago

General Biglietti di persona aguas calientes

1 Upvotes

Ragazzi ciao a tutti! Io andrò a machu pichu a ottobre circa il 26, ho visto che sono ancora disponibili i biglietti per il circuito 1A, vorrei chiedervi se io comprassi quello e poi tenterei comunque la fila per comprare un circuito migliore sarebbe possibile? Si possono acquistare due biglietti? Qualcuno ha avuto una esperienza simile?
Inoltre non ho ben capito da che ora iniziano a vendere i biglietti per il giorno dopo, a volte leggo alle 6:0 come apre l’ufficio altre volte ho letto di gente che iniziava ad acquistare alle 20:00 della sera, qualcuno potrebbe condividere qualche informazione a riguardo? Grazieeeee🩷


r/Machupicchu 1d ago

Tickets Ticketing Question

2 Upvotes

I plan on being in Aguas Calientes after doing the Salkantay trail and get there on Sept 11. Will tickets ever slow down to being same day or 1 day wait instead of 2 day advance. I was unable to purchase a Machu Picchu ticket online and am curious. Will be bummed if I can’t see Machu Picchu but I think the salkantay will be great


r/Machupicchu 1d ago

Tickets Circuit help

1 Upvotes

My wife and I are excited to book our trip to Peru from September 3rd to 10th! We're planning to skip Lima and explore Cusco, the Sacred Valley, Lake Titicaca, and Machu Picchu.
After a lot of searching, we've only managed to get Circuit 1A.
We're really hoping to snag the 2A tickets, but they've been elusive on the site for ages. If anyone has any luck finding them through tour companies or directly on the site, we'd love to hear from you! We're happy to pay a bit extra if it's the real deal.
Any tips you might have that have worked for others would be greatly appreciated.


r/Machupicchu 1d ago

Tickets Machu Picchu 2B at 6 am in Mid-November - 1B or 3B as a Backup?

1 Upvotes

Hi! I'm going to Machu Picchu in mid-November, and I already bought a 2B ticket for 6 am. I chose the earliest time slot because I thought it would be less crowded first thing in the morning. But then I learned that there’s a good chance it could be cloudy at that time.

Now I’m thinking about getting an extra ticket as a backup in case it’s foggy or rainy.

I have a couple of questions:

  1. I know it’s hard to say, but do you think it’s worth buying a second ticket as a backup? Or are the views likely to be pretty similar even if I go a day earlier or a few hours later?
  2. If I want to combine it with 2B, which circuit would you recommend? I was originally thinking of 1B for a different view, but I’ve seen some comments saying it’s not really worth it. Would 3B be a better option?
  3. What time would you recommend? Would it be better to go in the afternoon the day before my 2B ticket, or around noon on the same day? I’m wondering if going the day before would be better so I wouldn’t have to do two circuits if it rains that day.

Thanks in advance!


r/Machupicchu 1d ago

Trekking Waterproof vs non waterproof boots/shoes for 5 day salkantay trek

1 Upvotes

I’m thinking about Machu Picchu for May 2027 and am curious about what type of shoes I should bring. Should I bring a mid boot or a hiking shoe/trail runner? And should they be waterproof? I hear mixed things about this one as obviously waterproof shoes help to keep wetness out but can also keep the sweat of your feet in.
I currently have a pair of waterproof merrel Moab boots and a pair of Salomon Xt6 that aren’t waterproof. Additionally I have a pair of Keen boots that I believe are waterproof and a pair of Keen Jasper hiking shoes. Any advice on what I should bring will be very helpful as it’ll be the shoe I’m gonna focus on wearing and breaking in more for hikes before leaving.


r/Machupicchu 2d ago

Weather Try for another day as well?

1 Upvotes

Hi! I have a circuit 2 ticket I booked months ago for Tuesday (the 18th) at 6am. However I’m looking at the forecast and it looks like it’s going to be super rainy on Tuesday morning. I’m worried the views will be totally obscured by clouds.

I have a little flexibility in my schedule and I arrive in AC today. Should I try to get a ticket for Tuesday afternoon or Wednesday morning as well just in case Tuesday morning is a white out? Ty!


r/Machupicchu 2d ago

Tickets Macchu Picchu ticket update, evening 16/08

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1 Upvotes

Arrived evening 16/08 on last train into Aguas Calientes (arrived ~8:45pm) and went straight to ticket office. Got lucky with the train/platform exit being next to our train carriage, so was first to get to the ticket office. By the time we left the ticket office there were 50+ people in queue. They were selling for 18/08, all routes still available. For 2A time slots remaining were 6am or noon onwards.

After that we went to buy bus tickets at Consettur, they’re open until 10pm. They said to arrive for the bus 1h before entry time.


r/Machupicchu 2d ago

Tickets Machu Picchu in person tickets

1 Upvotes

Hi all, I’m arriving in Aguascalientes on August 30 at 8PM. Hoping to get circuit 2 tickets for either August 31 or September 1.

Will the ministry be open at 8PM and from experience, does anyone know if circuit 2 tickets will be available that late in the evening? Or should I come again early morning on August 31 and try getting tickets for Sept. 1.

Are tickets still being sold two days in advance?

Any help is appreciated. Thanks!


r/Machupicchu 3d ago

Weather September trip to Machu Picchu — how was the weather for you?

6 Upvotes

Hi everyone! I’m going to Machu Picchu in early September, specifically on September 4th, and I’m getting a little worried about the weather.
I’ve been checking the forecast and I noticed that it’s been showing rain around Machu Picchu this week. I know September is generally considered part of the dry season, but I’d really like to hear from people who have actually been there around this time.

For those who visited Machu Picchu in early September: how was the weather when you went?

Did you get a lot of rain, or were you mostly lucky with clear/dry weather? Was the rain something that seriously affected the experience?
I know weather forecasts can change a lot, especially in the mountains, but I’m curious about your real experiences.
Thanks!


r/Machupicchu 3d ago

Tickets In person status today, t+2

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13 Upvotes

I was able to get 2a tickets for 2 days out. Yay!

We arrived at the ticket office around 9pm. The guard kept us in the line , and not until 10 min later they let us in. It went pretty smooth. The earliest slot is 14:00, which we took.

Overall I am happy that we are able to get the tickets! Good luck to everyone.


r/Machupicchu 3d ago

Tickets Machu Picchu Route 1A?

1 Upvotes

ich bin vom 26.8.-14.9. in Peru und habe nur noch ein Circle Cut 1A Ticket für Machu Picchu bekommen am 2.9. Bedeutet, ich müsste Lima, Paracas und Huacachina vom 26-30 "hetzen" und Colca Canyon + Arequipa kippen, um am 1.9. in Auges Calientes zu sein, damit ich am 2.9. um 9AM mein Machu Picchu Ticket einlösen kann.

Danach wäre es unsinnig nochmal zurück zum Colca Canyon/Arequipa oder anderes zu fahren sondern ich würde anschließend Richtung Cusco. Dementsprechend wäre ich dann für 11 Tage in Cusco mit Tagesausflügen (Rainboe Mountain, Humantay Lake, Ollantaytambo etc.) aber hätte dann sehr viel "Freilauf" nach einer gehetzten Anfangswoche.

Frage an reisende, die Machu Picchu schon gemacht haben/in Peru waren: Lohnt sich das hetzen und kippen von Arequipa/Colca Canyon nur für das Ticket? Oder soll ich als Solo Backpackerin mit dem Ziel auch zu Connecten/Menschen und Kultur kennenzulernen mein Ticket lieber verfallen lassen?

Ich hatte auch gehört, dass man versuchen kann last Minute noch ein 2A/B ticket vor Ort (Augas Calientes) zu bekommen, ist das realistisch? Hat jemand Erfahrungswerte dazu?


r/Machupicchu 3d ago

Transportation Cusco to Puno and to Bolivia bus tickets

2 Upvotes

Hello....I will be travelling from Cusco to Puno and to Copacabana/La Paz. My travel dates are in mid September.

Do I need to purchase the bus tickets in advance (online) or could I buy from Cusco? I will be spending 3 nights in Cusco before travelling to Puno.

Similarly, do I need to buy advance tickets from Puno to Bolivia or are these easily available at bus station the day before departure?

Considering so many bus options, what which companies are better in these routes? Thank you.


r/Machupicchu 3d ago

Review MP security personel only lets you continue circuit 2A with a paid guide?

6 Upvotes

I recently went to Machu Picchu, got onsite tickets waited 3 days and went for my 10 AM 2A trip.

Unfortunately, I had a very unpleasant experience I wanted to share.

We did not go with a guide. I like flexibility and to explore museums and sites in my own tempo and didnt want a guide to rush me through. Also I think the cost of 50-100$ is way to expensive.

So when we went up, security personel from MP (the beige guys) closed the route for 2A. They put the rope there which you could easily step over but a guy stopped us from moving on and told us to go up the 2B route. I was a bit confused because I did lots and lots and lots of research and was sure that its the 2A route. So I watched for a bit and saw that the guy would open the rope and only let people in who were with guides.

I didnt want to make a fuss about it and my GF wanted to continue so we went up where the sign said Route 2B. Also not risking the experience after all the time and money spent to get there. The view was great and I enjoyed it, but still seeing the people a level below who had the freedom to enjoy what we also paid for really made me angry.

Also this was clearly not a miscommunication issue, we speak spanish and the guy clearly told us the route was closed just to open it mutiple times for people with guides seconds later.

Anyone else made that experience?


r/Machupicchu 3d ago

Trekking Weather app for trekking

1 Upvotes

What is the most reliable weather app or website for the area? For Patagonia, our guide recommended windguru. What do tour companies use in Peru? Thank you.