Machu Picchu Travel Guide: Sights, Food & the Hiram Bingham Train

Machu Picchu sits on a narrow saddle of rock some 2,430 metres above sea level, high above a hairpin bend of the Urubamba River in Peru’s Cusco region. Built around the middle of the fifteenth century, most likely as a royal estate for the Inca emperor Pachacuti, the citadel was abandoned within a few generations and never found by the Spanish conquistadors. Local farmers always knew it was there, but it was the 1911 expedition of Yale lecturer Hiram Bingham that introduced it to the wider world, and today it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the most recognisable places on Earth.

Getting there is part of the magic. From Cusco, the old Inca capital roughly 75 km away as the condor flies, travellers descend into the Sacred Valley and board a train that follows the Urubamba through ever-steeper cloud forest to the small town of Aguas Calientes at the foot of the mountain. From there, buses zigzag up the Hiram Bingham road to the gates of the citadel. Travelling with Palace Tours, you can make that journey in true style aboard the Belmond Hiram Bingham, a polished 1920s-style luxury train with dining cars, live Andean music and an open-air observation car, or fold Machu Picchu into a longer Peru itinerary that takes in Lima, Cusco, Lake Titicaca and the high Andes.

What to see in Machu Picchu

• The Temple of the Sun – A curved, beautifully fitted granite tower built over a natural cave, with windows aligned to the June solstice sunrise. It is the finest example of Inca stonework at the site.
• Intihuatana Stone – A carved ritual stone on a raised platform, often described as a solar clock or “hitching post of the sun”. It is one of very few such stones that survived the Spanish period intact.
• Temple of the Three Windows – Part of the Sacred Plaza, its massive trapezoidal windows frame views across the valley and illustrate the precision of Inca masonry without mortar.
• The Agricultural Terraces – Hundreds of stepped terraces cling to the mountainside, engineered with layered stone, gravel and soil for drainage. They are a big reason the citadel has survived centuries of heavy rain.
• Huayna Picchu – The steep peak behind the ruins seen in every classic photo. A limited number of permits allow a short, vertiginous climb on ancient stairways to the Temple of the Moon and a bird’s-eye view of the citadel.
• The Sun Gate (Inti Punku) – The traditional entrance for hikers arriving on the Inca Trail. A gentle uphill walk from the site rewards you with a sweeping, end-on view of Machu Picchu.
• The Inca Bridge – A short trail along a sheer cliff leads to a gap in a stone path once bridged by removable logs, a reminder of how carefully the Incas controlled access to the site.
• The Sacred Valley – Most journeys include the valley below Cusco, with the terraced fortress of Ollantaytambo, the hilltop ruins and market at Pisac, the circular terraces of Moray and the salt pans of Maras.

What to eat in Machu Picchu

Peru is one of the great food nations of the world, and the Andes have their own distinctive flavours. Look out for trout from mountain rivers and lakes, alpaca steaks, and hearty soups such as sopa de quinua and chupe. Potatoes come in astonishing variety here, along with choclo, the large-kernelled Andean corn often served with fresh cheese. Adventurous eaters can try cuy, roast guinea pig, a traditional celebration dish in the Cusco region.

To drink, try chicha morada, a sweet purple corn drink spiced with cinnamon and clove, or the restorative mate de coca tea that hotels offer to help with altitude. The national cocktail, the pisco sour, is everywhere, and a slice of Peruvian chocolate or a bag of roasted cancha corn makes an excellent souvenir snack. Aboard the Hiram Bingham, lunch and dinner are served as multi-course menus showcasing these Andean ingredients.

Shopping & crafts

Aguas Calientes has a large craft market near the railway station, and the Sacred Valley markets, especially Pisac, are famous for textiles. Look for alpaca and baby alpaca knitwear, hand-woven textiles made with natural dyes by Quechua weaving cooperatives in villages such as Chinchero, silver jewellery, and painted ceramics. Buying directly from weavers supports traditions that go back long before the Incas.

Best time to visit

The dry season, roughly May to September, brings clear skies and the best views, though it is also the busiest period. April and October are excellent shoulder months with fewer visitors and greener landscapes. The rainy season runs from about November to March; mornings are often misty and atmospheric, but afternoon showers are common. The Inca Trail closes every February for maintenance, while the citadel itself stays open year round.

Good to know

• Entry to Machu Picchu is by timed ticket and circuit, and daily numbers are capped. Book well ahead, especially for Huayna Picchu, and let Palace Tours arrange tickets with your rail journey.
• Cusco lies at around 3,400 metres, higher than Machu Picchu itself. Many travellers start in the lower Sacred Valley to acclimatise gently, rest on arrival and drink plenty of water.
• Bring your passport: it is required to enter the site, and you can get a souvenir Machu Picchu stamp at the entrance.
• Pack layers, a rain jacket, sunscreen and insect repellent. Large backpacks, walking poles without rubber tips and drones are restricted inside the site.
• Rail journeys have luggage limits on some services, so a small overnight bag is ideal if you are continuing from Cusco.

Ready to see it for yourself? Speak to a Palace Tours travel specialist on 1-800-724-5120 (US/Canada), WhatsApp +1-786-408-0610 or +1-609-580-1372 internationally, and we will build your Peru journey around the Hiram Bingham train and Machu Picchu.