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Major city · Peru

Aguas CalientesMachu Picchu Pueblo

Sleep one night here only if you hold a Machu Picchu ticket: it is the closest bed to the gate, but Ollantaytambo is cheaper and quieter.

Weather
see forecast
Currency
PEN
Best months
Apr–Oct (dry season)
avoid Jan–Mar (heavy rain, landslide risk)
Airport
CUZ
Nights
1
Not field-verifiedbasic guide
Print / PDF guide
3 pages, for the metro and roaming-off days
Map
Google Maps Apple Maps Street View
Rules in force · 7Above 2,500 m (Bogotá, Quito, Cusco, La Paz) keep the fir…
  • South America ↗Above 2,500 m (Bogotá, Quito, Cusco, La Paz) keep the first day light; sleep lower where you can (Sacred Valley before Cusco) and descend if headache comes with vomiting or confusion.
  • South America ↗A yellow fever certificate is required on arrival in French Guiana, and asked for on some routes into Bolivia, Paraguay, Suriname and Guyana, or when arriving from Amazon areas — vaccinate at least 10 days before travel and carry the card.
  • South America ↗Overnight buses are the norm in Argentina, Chile and Peru, but pick top-tier companies and keep valuables on your body; on-board thefts from overhead racks are the common loss.
  • Peru ↗Check entry rules for your passport with Peru's migration authority (Migraciones) or a Peruvian consulate; keep the entry record you receive, as hotels may ask for it.
  • Peru ↗Machu Picchu entry is by timed ticket for a named circuit, with daily caps; in high season tickets sell out weeks or months ahead. Buy tickets only from the official Ministry of Culture seller or a licensed agency.
  • Peru ↗The classic Inca Trail needs a permit booked through a licensed operator, often months ahead; the trail closes every February for maintenance.
  • Peru ↗Altitude sickness is common above 2,500 m: ascend gradually, rest on day one, and ask a doctor before travel if you have heart or lung conditions.

Aguas Calientes (officially Machu Picchu Pueblo) is a pedestrian-only town on the Urubamba river with no road in: you arrive by train or on foot. Everyone bound for Machu Picchu passes through it, and most sleep one night. It is the most expensive bed in the Sacred Valley and the only one within walking distance of the ruins.

Essentials

Quick answers and what things cost

Quick answers

The questions people ask first about Aguas Calientes, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.

Cost cheat-sheet

2026 desk estimate · check

Typical prices for the everyday things, as ranges. Your currency is shown next to the local price.

  • CoffeeCoffee or bottled waterShops charge about double Cusco prices.S/ 5–12
  • Sit-down mealSet menu (soup, main, drink)S/ 10–15
  • Metro or bus rideMachu Picchu shuttle bus, returnS/ 45
  • Museum or sight ticketThermal baths entryS/ 10 for Peruvian nationalsS/ 20
  • Budget bedHostel dorm bed, a night, per personPEN 35
  • Mid-range bedDouble room with private bathroom, a night, per roomPEN 180
  • High-end bedDouble room with private bathroom, a night, per roomPEN 420

A day, not counting the bed: Budget PEN 90 · Mid PEN 170 · High PEN 350

Local prices, with USD next to them (rates 2026-09 (approximate); change it in the header). Ranges are desk estimates: check locally. Every price and the budget calculator →

Decide

What it is known for, and when the weather works

At a glance

What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.

Machu Picchu access pointThermal bathsPutucusi hikeCloud-forest birds
Airports
CUZ Alejandro Velasco Astete, Cusco (No road to Aguas Calientes: fly to Cusco, then train from Ollantaytambo or Poroy.)

Weather and climate

Forecast from Open-Meteo · averages rounded

Aguas Calientes: next 7 days

Loading forecast…

Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.

Air quality

Loading…

Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.

Jan

21°C

12°C

20 rd

Feb

21°C

12°C

18 rd

Mar

21°C

12°C

17 rd

Apr

22°C

11°C

12 rd

May

22°C

10°C

8 rd

Jun

22°C

9°C

6 rd

Jul

22°C

9°C

6 rd

Aug

23°C

10°C

7 rd

Sep

23°C

11°C

9 rd

Oct

23°C

12°C

13 rd

Nov

22°C

12°C

15 rd

Dec

21°C

12°C

18 rd

High / low °C · rd = rain days

Arrive & move

Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in

Getting around

The town is compact and pedestrian-only; everything is a 5–15 min walk. The only vehicles are the shuttle buses up to Machu Picchu (about 25 min) and a few work trucks. Bring a small bag: you walk from the station to your hotel.

See & do

Day-trips, door to door

Day-trips

Door-to-door, not ride time

Machu Picchu

go

Door to door: About 40 min by bus

Shuttle bus from the town, about 25 min, or walk up about 1.5 h

Timed entry by ticket; the last entry is 16:00 and visitors leave by 17:00. Buy ahead: the ticket office in town stops selling same-day tickets at 14:30.

Putucusi

caution

Door to door: About 1 h each way

Short walk along the tracks downstream, then a steep trail with wooden ladders

About 300 m of climb; the trail has been closed for rehabilitation at times. Start early and be down before dark.

Gardens of Mandor

go

Door to door: About 1 h each way

Follow the tracks downstream toward Hidroeléctrica, about 114.5 km

Private garden and waterfall; foreigners pay S/ 10 entry.

Machu Picchu museum and botanical gardens

go

Door to door: About 30 min

Across the bridge at the bottom of the road up to the ruins

A short stop if you have a spare half-day.

Eat & sleep

Which area to sleep in

Where to sleep

Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.

Near the train station

Handiest with bags; market stalls and the handicraft market are right outside.

Up the hill toward the baths

Quieter, cheaper small restaurants, 5–10 min walk from the plaza.

Riverside, downstream

Closest to the trail up Putucusi and the walk to Mandor; a little further from the buses.

Practical

What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card

Cost per day

2026 estimate, excluding the bed unless stated
Budget
S/ 90–150 excl. bed
Mid
S/ 150–280 excl. bed
High
S/ 280+ excl. bed

Trip budget

2026 estimate · converts to your currency
Double room with private bathroom1 × 1 night × PEN 180PEN 180
Food, local transport, entries2 × 1 day × PEN 170PEN 340
Shuttle bus up and down to Machu Picchu2 × PEN 45PEN 90
Thermal baths entry2 × PEN 20 · S/ 10 for Peruvian nationalsPEN 40
One-hour massage2 × PEN 40PEN 80
eSIM, about a week of data2 × PEN 30PEN 60
Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurgePEN 79
Trip total≈ PEN 435 per person per day, bed includedPEN 869

2026 estimate in soles; flights, Machu Picchu entry and train fares excluded. Your choices stay in this browser.

Prices of common things

Set menu (soup, main, drink)S/ 10–15
Pizza or trout main in a sit-down placeS/ 25–50
Coffee or bottled waterShops charge about double Cusco prices.S/ 5–12
Bottled water, 1.5 LS/ 6–10
Thermal baths entryS/ 10 for Peruvian nationalsS/ 20
Machu Picchu shuttle bus, returnS/ 45
Machu Picchu entry, adultOne-day validity; buy ahead.S/ 152

2026 estimate; check locally.

Watch out

Safety

The town itself is small and safe to walk at night. The real risks are the river, the train tracks, altitude on the Putucusi ladders and rain-season landslides that close the rail line.
  • Restaurant bills sometimes add 10–15% as 'tax' or 'servicio' on top of the quoted price: agree the total before you sit, and pay only what was advertised.
  • '4-for-1' happy hours usually mean small drinks at four times Cusco prices, not four full cocktails.
  • Alcohol sales are restricted after 23:00; some bars ignore it, but do not count on it.
  • Most places take Visa only; carry soles for tickets, baths and small meals.
  • Walking on the train tracks is prohibited and dangerous, especially in tunnels and on bridges.

Emergency numbers

Police
105
Fire
116
Ambulance (SAMU)
106

Pocket card

One page · print or save as PDF

Fill in, then print or save as PDF

Stays in this browser only; nothing is sent anywhere.

Aguas CalientesMachu Picchu Pueblo

Pocket card · Voykit

My bed tonight

—

—

—

A esta dirección, por favorTo this address, please

Emergency

  • Police105
  • Fire116
  • Ambulance (SAMU)106

Embassy

No embassies in town; the US, UK and other embassies are in Lima, with consular agencies in Cusco.

My embassy: —

Fare anchors (2026 estimate)

  • Shuttle bus, town → Machu Picchu, one way: about S/ 22–25, 25 min
  • Train Ollantaytambo → Aguas Calientes: from about US$ 35 one way, 1 h 45 min
  • Machu Picchu entry, adult: S/ 152, one day

Say or show

  • ¿Cuánto cuesta? — How much is it? (KWAN-toh KWES-tah)
  • La cuenta, por favor — The bill, please (lah KWEN-tah por fah-VOR)
  • Sin tax, sin servicio — No tax, no service charge (seen tax, seen ser-VEE-syoh)
  • ¿Dónde está el bus a Machu Picchu? — Where is the bus to Machu Picchu? (DON-deh es-TAH el boos ah MAH-choo PEE-choo)
  • Tengo una reserva — I have a reservation (TEN-goh OO-nah reh-SER-vah)
  • Ayuda — Help (ah-YOO-dah)

Carry your passport: it is asked for when buying Machu Picchu tickets.

Deep dive

What this guide covers so far, and its sources

Not a trip line yet

This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for Aguas Calientes. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.

What we know, and what is coming

On this page

  1. Best months: Apr–Oct (dry season) · avoid Jan–Mar (heavy rain, landslide risk) · month by month →
  2. 1 airport and 3 areas to sleep in
  3. Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
  4. Cost per day in 3 bands
  5. 4 day-trips, door to door
  6. 5 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers

Coming as the guide grows

  1. Train-and-bed contract for CUZ arrivals: last train times, Ollantaytambo vs Poroy stations, and the walk from the station to the hotel.
  2. Four walking clusters with rescue anchors: station and markets, plaza and ticket office, baths hill, riverside trails.
  3. Place pages with verified cutoffs (Machu Picchu gate, ticket office, baths, Mandor) and eat pages with last orders.
  4. Rainy-season fixtures so gates A–D can go green when Peru Rail runs only from Ollantaytambo.

Meanwhile

Back to Peru

Sources