10 Things to Know Before Visiting Machu Picchu, Aguas Calientes, Peru

Machu Picchu is at the top of many bucket lists, and for very good reason! It is most certainly not an overrated tourist trap and is every bit as magical as one would imagine.

However, being prepared and visiting at certain times of the year can make this experience that much better. For this post, I’ll be sharing 10 of my tips for visiting and of course, photos of the experience! Enjoy! (Side note, I have so many photos & things to say about Machu Picchu, that there will be 1 more post coming about it!)

The first shuttle bus leaves Aguas Calientes (the nearest town to Macchu Picchu) at 5:30 am. We were in line waiting for these shuttles at 5 am. However, I would say getting there at 4:30 am wouldn’t be a bad idea. Getting there right away in the morning means you have the chance to see Machu Picchu at sunrise and there will be fewer people! The wait for the bus is also not so bad. Many of the stores are already open at that time, and you can buy coffee/tea/snacks/etc. while you wait with fellow explorers. ...... (follow the instructions below for accessing the rest of this article).