Machu Picchu - 3 different circuits, and Aguas Calientes, Peru - September 2025

After one and a half months of slow traveling our way through Peru, we made it to our ultimate destination of Machu Picchu. From Ollantaytambo, we boarded the train to Aguas Calientes for our Machu Picchu adventure.

Machu Picchu is an Incan citadel set high in the Andes Mountains in Peru, above the Urubamba River valley. Built in the 15th century it is believed to have been occupied for about 80 years and later abandoned. Most of its history is still a mystery, but there are many theories, mostly it is believed to have served as an estate for the Inca emperor Pachacuti and abandoned during the Spanish Conquest. The ruins were locally known, but it wasn’t discovered internationally until 1911. It was designated a National Historic Sanctuary by Peru in 1981 and a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983. It was also named one of the New Seven Wonders of the World in 2007.

We thought touring Machu Picchu was simply the classic viewpoint and walking through the ancient ruins. It's now a bit more involved than that. There are 3 circuits to choose from, with 10 different routes. Most people take the train into Aguas Calientes, tour Machu Picchu for 2 hours, then take the train back to Cusco. Since we traveled all this way to get here, we wanted a more immersive experience. Therefore, we planned to visit all 3 circuits over 3 days, plus we planned an extra down day to explore Aguas Calientes.

On day one we did the most popular circuit 2, which starts with the classic Machu Picchu viewpoint followed by walking through the upper and lower regions of the ruins. On this first day, we hired a tour guide to get an authentic and informative experience.

On day two, we did circuit 1 with the Inca Bridge hike add on. This circuit gives the highest viewpoint of Machu Picchu but does not tour the actual ruins. We did this circuit without a guide, which gave us the freedom to take our time admiring the ruins and hiking to the Inca Bridge. The hike to the bridge took about 20 - 30 minutes each way.

On day three, we did circuit 3 with the smaller Huchuy Picchu mountain hike, without a tour guide. This circuit has the lowest viewpoint of Machu Picchu, but we had more close-up encounters with the alpacas. With this circuit, we toured both the upper and lower sections of the ruins and thought we covered more of the ruins than circuit 2. The hike up Huchuy Picchu only took 20 minutes, but some sections are quite steep and close to the edge, which might not be ideal for those with a fear of heights. This was our favorite circuit of the 3.

On day four, we toured the waterfall just north of Aguas Calientes, followed by the butterfly garden. In the afternoon, we hiked along the railroad tracks toward Hidroeléctrica to explore the Catarata de Mandor (Mandor Waterfall). There were several nice waterfalls, but the best activity was the 1.2 km hike to the Mirador de Mandor. We were pleasantly surprised with one last viewpoint of Machu Picchu from across the mountain. If you have the time or are hiking back to Hidroeléctrica, it would be worthwhile to stop here.

It's highly recommended to book your Machu Picchu tickets online ahead of time. If you're taking the train to Aguas Calientes, you should book those tickets at the same time as booking Machu Picchu. There are actually 3 ways to get to Machu Picchu. There's the infamous Inca Trail 3 or 4 day hike, which brings you to Machu Picchu through the Sun Gate on Circuit 3. This way takes the most advance planning, as it needs to be booked several months in advance and needs a tour guide. The traditional way to get to Machu Picchu is to take the train from Cusco or Ollantaytambo to Aguas Calientes. For those on a tight budget, you can take a bus to Hidroeléctrica, and then hike 2 to 3 hours along the train track to Aguas Calientes. We hiked this route in reverse for a bit for some sightseeing, and there were more people doing this hike than I would have thought.

From Aguas Calientes, there are 2 ways to get to Machu Picchu. Most people take the bus, but it's also possible to hike up to the entrance. There's no need to buy bus tickets ahead of time, as they do not sell out. You buy the bus tickets at the Consettur building either the night before or the morning of. We took the bus up all 3 times, but we hiked down 1 day for the experience. It took us about an hour to hike down at a leisurely pace, plus another 20-minute walk into Aguas Calientes.

#Peru #Andes #Hiking #Ollantaytambo #AguasCalientes #MachuPicchu
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Chapters
0:00 Introduction
1:53 Circuit 2 - Lower Terrace Route
4:06 Circuit 1 with Inka Bridge Add on
6:35 Circuit 3 with Huchuy Picchu Add On
11:19 Day 4 Waterfalls, Butterfly Garden Mirador de Mandor