The most important Inca citadel in South America is Machu Picchu, see the most notable information here.
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Country: Peru
City: Cusco
Province: Cusco
District: Urubamba
- Machu Picchu is probably the most impressive architectural achievement of the Inca Empire at its peak. Its gigantic walls, terraces and ramps give the impression of having been carved into the rock scarps as if they were part of it.
- Machu Picchu is a place full of mysticism, it is a monument to divinity, where man feels like a creature of the gods, the overwhelming gaze of his spirit seems to transport him to a magical place where everything is possible, in an unimaginable way. This is where the strange forces of nature transport you to an incomparable cosmic state, which can only be experienced at Machu Picchu.
- Machu Picchu is a World Heritage Site, one of the 7 New Wonders of the World, one of the 100 places you should visit in your life, the lost city of the Incas.
Where is Machu Picchu located?
This beautiful Inca citadel from the 15th century is located in the district of the same name Machu Picchu in the department of Cusco in southern Peru; on the border of the Andes and the Amazon Rainforest.
The ruins are protected and located in an intangible territory of the National System of Natural Areas Protected by the State (SINANPE) whose acronym derives from the words Historical Sanctuary of Machu Picchu.
Altitude of Machu Picchu?
The impressive ruins of Machu Picchu are located at an altitude of 2400 meters above sea level / 7874 feet. Machu Picchu is located 112 kilometers / 70 miles northwest of the city of Cusco. You should know that Machu Picchu is surrounded by several Mountains with different altitudes, the highest of which is the Salkantay Mountain 6371 meters above sea level.
Surface of Machu Picchu
The archaeological complex of the “Lost City” has an area of about 10 hectares. The Historical Sanctuary of Machu Picchu extends over an area of 32,592 thousand hectares, 80,535 acres (325.29 km2, 125.83 m2), a very extensive territory in the province of Urubamba in the department of Cusco. Its coordinates are 13º 10′ 19″ and 13º 14′ 00″ south latitude, and 72º 30′ 5″ and 27º 36′ 33″ west longitude.
General information of Machu Picchu
Machu Picchu means old mountain; It owes its name to the location of the Inca citadel.
The architectural complex was built approximately in the 15th century and according to historians it was built at the request of the Inca Pachacutec.
The exact location is in the district of the city of Machu Picchu, province of Urubamba, 110 km northeast of the city of Cusco.
Machu Picchu was interconnected with the entire Inca Empire by the “Qhapaq Ñan”, a well-known path of the Inca routes.
Its annual temperature is a minimum of 6.2º C and a maximum of 29.5º C.
The citadel has two sectors: the agricultural sector, made up of the platforms, and the urban sector, which fulfilled administrative functions.
The average altitude of the citadel is 2400 meters above sea level.
The mountains of Huayna Picchu and Machu Picchu are ideal for panoramic photographs of the entire architectural complex.
Traveler! Do you plan to go to Machu Picchu? So, keep in mind that it is very important that you plan your trip in advance to have a perfect trip. To ensure this premise, PROMPERÚ is launching the Plan Machupicchu campaign, an effort so that more travelers follow the appropriate recommendations so that visits to our wonder occur without inconvenience. So take note and follow these three tips for your next trip:
BUY YOUR ENTRANCE TICKET TO MACHUPICCHU IN ADVANCE
Since the capacity to Machupicchu has a limit of up to 4,044 visitors per day, it is extremely important that you buy your ticket on the official website of the Ministry of Culture well in advance (at least two months before) of your trip to achieve a quota. Enter here to make your purchase and obtain more information: https://www.machupicchu.gob.pe/.
Remember to take care of our Inka city and respect the rules that are established for the safety and well-being of national and foreign tourists.
READ THIS IF YOU THINK OF GOING TO MACHUPICCHU DURING 2023
Attention, traveler! We have some information that will be very useful for your next visit to Machupicchu:
- Please note that the only official website for acquiring entrance tickets to Machupicchu is: www.machupicchu.gob.pe , and in person at the Ministry of Culture ticket offices located on Calle Garcilaso S/N – Cusco, and at the Cultural Center in Machupicchu town; Remember that once the ticket is purchased, there is no refund or modification of data. Please review your information and entry date carefully before making payment. The ticket is valid only for the date indicated in your reservation.
- 1,000 daily tickets have been made available for purchase in person at the offices of the Cultural Center of the Ministry of Culture in Machupicchu Pueblo for those tourists who arrive without their respective entry tickets. These tickets must be purchased one day before the visit to Machupicchu, presenting the identification documents DNI or Passport (valid), from Monday to Sunday ONLY between the hours of 3:00 pm to 10:00 pm, therefore the visitor must spend at least one night in Machupicchu Pueblo.
- IMPORTANT: It is not possible to purchase the ticket and make the visit on the same day of arrival at Machupicchu town, if the carrying capacity is exceeded, no additional spaces will be enabled.
- Comply with the entry times established on your ticket, and also respect the rules established in the Regulations for Tourist Visits to the Llaqta of Machupicchu.
HIRE ONLY FORMAL TOURIST AGENCIES
To have a satisfactory, complete and safe experience, we recommend that you hire formal tourist services. This way, you can enjoy Machupicchu and your entire trip to Cusco fully and without worries. Always remember to be attentive to possible signs that the service is not formal:
The price of the tour is extremely cheap: keep in mind that tourism agencies normally have a standard price and what varies is the service commission.
History of the agency or service: check the social networks of said agency or service, do they have comments and followers? Look up old experiences to give you an idea of what to expect. Remember that you can also search for the company on the SUNAT page to see that it has no debts.
Confirm the names of the payment accounts: they should be in the name of a company or business owner.