When Lonely Planet named Peru as its number one destination in its Best in Travel 2026 list, I can't say I was too surprised. I do have to admit to a little smile, though. I've been sending people to Peru for years , and I've travelled all over it myself. I've walked the Inca Trail, and I know how it gets under your skin. Now it seems everyone else has worked that out, too. Peru has the Amazon, the Andes, the Sacred Valley, Lake Titicaca and one of the most exciting food scenes anywhere in the world. But for most people, one place sits at the heart of a trip here, and it's Machu Picchu. So if this is the year you finally go, this is where I'd start… HA's Peru expert, Dawn, at Machu Picchu Planning your visit to Machu Picchu Machu Picchu is one of those places that so many people have dreamt about seeing for years. But these days, visiting is not quite as simple as buying a ticket and turning up. There are timed entrances, three different circuits, individual routes, and limited permits. Then, if you want to walk the Inca Trail, there’s another permit system to understand too. It can all sound horribly complicated when you first start researching it. It really doesn’t need to be, but it’s important to get it right because not every Machu Picchu ticket gives you the same experience. Having recently completed the four-day Inca Trail myself, this is something I feel particularly passionate about. How you arrive, which circuit you choose and how much time you give Machu Picchu can completely change your experience. So, here’s what you need to know. You do not just buy a ticket to Machu Picchu. Since June 2024, Machu Picchu has operated with three main circuits made up of ten different routes: Circuit 1 Panoramic, Circuit 2 Classic and Circuit 3 Royalty. Your ticket will be for a particular route and entrance time, and that will determine which parts of Machu Picchu you can visit. Some routes are all about those wonderful panoramic views. Others will take you further into the archaeological site. Some incorporate additional walks such as Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu Mountain, while routes to places including Intipunku, the Inca Bridge, the Great Cavern and Huchuy Picchu only operate during designated periods. This is why, at Holiday Architects, we don’t start by asking which circuit you want. We’d much rather understand how you want to experience Machu Picchu and work backwards from there. The different routes around Machu Picchu Circuit 1: Panoramic Circuit 1 explores the upper part of Machu Picchu, and it's brilliant for those sweeping views across the citadel and the mountains around it. There are four routes: Route 1A adds a climb up Machu Picchu Mountain. It's a proper hike, and you'll need a good level of fitness, but the views over the citadel and valley are spectacular. Route 1B follows the upper terraces to the classic viewpoint, with very little climbing. It's a good choice if you're short on time. Route 1C takes you up to Intipunku, the Sun Gate, the original Inca entrance to Machu Picchu. It's a moderately steep walk. Route 1D follows a mountainside path to the Inca Bridge. It's a gentle walk without much climbing. What Circuit 1 doesn't give you is a full walk through the main part of the citadel. So while it's wonderful for the big views, it wouldn't automatically be my first choice if you only had one chance to explore Machu Picchu. Circuit 3: Royalty For most first-time visitors, Circuit 2 is where I'd look first. Route 2A is the most complete and popular route. It takes you past temples, fountains, plazas and ceremonial areas, and gives you a real sense of how Machu Picchu worked as a living city. Route 2B covers much the same ground at the same pace, but from a lower starting point. It's a great alternative if 2A has sold out. There are stairs and uneven ground on both, but they're manageable for most people. If you said to me, "Dawn, I'm only going to Machu Picchu once and I want to see as much as I can," this is very often where I'd start. Circuit 3: Royalty Circuit 3 focuses on the lower part of Machu Picchu, including the royal residences and temples, and gives you a different view of the citadel. Route 3A includes Huayna Picchu , the dramatic peak behind Machu Picchu in so many photographs. The climb is steep and narrow, and it's only for fit, confident hikers, but it's one of the most sought-after experiences here. Route 3B explores the royal sector, including the Temple of the Condor, at a more relaxed pace with no mountain climb. This is the route linked to Inca Trail permits (more on that below). Route 3C is a long, demanding hike round to the Temple of the Moon and the Great Cavern, hidden on the far side of Huayna Picchu. Route 3D climbs Huchuy Picchu, Huayna Picchu's "little brother". It's shorter and less intense than Huayna Picchu, but you still get fabulous views. The important thing is that there is not one “best” circuit. But, there is a best one for you, and we can help you find it. Dawn, all smiles with a view of Machu Picchu A few things worth knowing before you go Your ticket doesn't let you wander freely. Each route follows a set path in one direction, and most take around two to two and a half hours. As you might expect, the hiking routes take longer. Once you're inside, you can't switch to a different circuit, and once you leave, you can't go back in. Some routes only run for part of the year. The Sun Gate (1C), the Inca Bridge (1D), the Great Cavern (3C) and Huchuy Picchu (3D) generally run only in the high season, from around June to early November. If one of those is on your wish list, when you travel really matters. That's why I'd never leave the route to chance. Two travellers can visit Machu Picchu on the same day and have completely different experiences, just because of the ticket they booked. The train to Machu Picchu, taken by Radders on our HA Finance team How do Inca Trail permits work? The Inca Trail isn’t something you can just decide to walk last-minute when you arrive in Peru. Access is strictly controlled, permits are limited and everything needs to be arranged in advance through an authorised operator, with traveller information required when the permit is arranged. This is to make sure the preservation of this incredible place is always top priority, exactly the way it should be. The exact release dates and regulations can change from year to year, which is why I’d be incredibly careful about relying on an old article telling you permits always go on sale on a particular date. My advice is simple: if the Inca Trail is important to you, plan early. Once the permits for your dates have gone, they’ve gone. Classic Inca Trail or Short Inca Trail? You absolutely don't have to walk for four days to have that wonderful experience of approaching Machu Picchu on foot. The Classic Inca Trail is the full experience, following ancient paths through the Andes, passing archaeological sites, and walking for four days before reaching Machu Picchu. The Short Inca Trail begins around kilometre 104 of the railway and lets you experience part of the historic trail and approach Machu Picchu on foot, without committing to the full four-day trek and camping. Both are fantastic experiences. It really comes down to you; how active you are and how much you want the journey to become part of the experience. Clare, joining the women of Sundar Rang What walking the four-day Inca Trail taught me I completed the four-day Inca Trail myself, and I was completely blown away. I’ve travelled extensively through Peru and thought I knew the country incredibly well. But after four days on the trail, I felt as though I’d discovered a completely different side of it. Of course, the scenery is incredible. The mountain views, landscapes and wildlife are spectacular, but the experience was about so much more than that for me. Spending time with our guides and porters, learning from them and meeting local people along the way gave me a better insight and understanding of Peru, its history, and its culture that I don’t think you could ever get from a book. And then there was arriving at Machu Picchu. Walking through the Sun Gate and looking down at the citadel is something I’ll always remember. Even thinking about it now, the hairs on my arms stand up. Machu Picchu was below me, covered in a light mist, and it felt almost ethereal. For a moment, I genuinely felt as though I’d stepped back in time. I couldn’t quite believe that what I was looking at was real. After four days of walking to reach it, I also felt this enormous sense of achievement. It was breathtaking, awe-inspiring, and emotional all at once. Having now experienced it myself, I can honestly say that the journey changed the destination for me. I didn’t simply arrive at Machu Picchu, and by the time I got there, I understood so much more about the people, landscape, history, and culture surrounding it. Should you spend two days at Machu Picchu? This is one of those things that doesn’t necessarily make sense until someone explains the permit system to you. Under the current arrangements, Inca Trail entrance permits are linked with Route 3B within Circuit 3. That doesn’t give you the same experience as exploring Machu Picchu on Circuit 2. So, for some of our Holiday Architects clients, I’d absolutely recommend visiting again the following morning . Your first experience is all about the journey and the incredible feeling of arriving at Machu Picchu on foot. Then you can have a good night's sleep, return first thing the next day with your guide on a different circuit, and really concentrate on the archaeology, architecture, and history. It might initially sound excessive to visit twice. I don’t think it is. You’ve travelled all the way to Peru to see one of the world's great archaeological sites, so let us make sure you experience it properly. Dawn at one of her happy places, Machu Picchu What about Huayna Picchu and Machu Picchu Mountain? If you want to add another challenge, there are options. Huayna Picchu, accessed on Route 3A, is the dramatic mountain directly behind the citadel. It is steep, with plenty of steps and narrow sections, so I certainly wouldn’t recommend it to everybody. Machu Picchu Mountain, on Route 1A, is another challenging walk with fantastic views across the archaeological site and surrounding Andes. Would I automatically add one? Absolutely not. After four days on the Inca Trail, another substantial climb might be the very last thing you want. However, if you’re the active sort that likes a challenge, it may well be the icing on the cake for you. This is exactly why we tailor these trips around you, rather than simply throwing every experience into an itinerary. Can you still get that famous Machu Picchu photograph? Yes, but your precise viewpoint depends on the route you’ve booked. If getting that photograph you have imagined for years is important to you, tell us. It might seem like a tiny detail when we are planning your whole Peru holiday, but I promise it will not feel tiny when you are standing there. Radders, our wonderful HA Finance whizz, getting the shot Do you need to book early? Yes, particularly if a particular route or the Inca Trail is important to you. Not all ten routes operate throughout the year, and capacity is controlled across the different routes and entrance times. For example, on designated high-season and peak dates in 2026, the Peruvian Ministry of Culture has set the maximum capacity at 5,600 visitors per day. That doesn’t mean there are 5,600 spaces available on the route you want. Each route and time slot has its own availability. This is why we always want to understand which parts of your trip really matter to you. If walking the Inca Trail and seeing Machu Picchu in a particular way are your absolute priorities, we will plan around those first. So, what is the best way to experience Machu Picchu? There isn’t just one. For a classic first visit, I would usually prioritise a route that gives you both the setting and the archaeology. If you love walking but don’t want four days of trekking and camping, the Short Inca Trail is a brilliant option. If you’ve always dreamt of the full experience, I can’t recommend the four-day Classic Inca Trail highly enough, having done it myself. For particularly active travellers, Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu Mountain can add something completely different. And if you are walking the Inca Trail but also want a more comprehensive exploration of Machu Picchu itself, I’d seriously consider visiting twice on different circuits. Most importantly, don’t rush it. Give Machu Picchu the time it deserves. As a quick cheat sheet: First visit, and you want to see as much as possible: Circuit 2 (2A or 2B) You love a challenge: Huayna Picchu (3A) or Machu Picchu Mountain (1A) You'd rather keep it gentle: Upper terraces (1B), the royal sector (3B) or the Inca Bridge (1D) You've been before: Circuit 3, to see a completely different side of the citadel You're walking the Inca Trail: Route 3B on arrival, then think about Circuit 2 the next morning Machu Picchu, taken by HA's Radders But, let us worry about the circuit numbers! Circuit 1A. Circuit 2B. Circuit 3B. Inca Trail permits. Entrance times. Seasonal routes. You don’t need to understand any of this. That’s our job! What I want to know is much simpler. How have you always imagined experiencing Machu Picchu? Do you want to walk there? Do you love history? Is that famous view something you’ve always dreamt of seeing? Do you want a physical challenge, or would you rather take things at a gentler pace? Tell us that , and we will work out the permits, routes, trains, hotels, and timings that make it happen. Because when you come home from Peru, you should not remember whether you had a 2B or a 3B ticket. You should remember how it felt when you finally saw Machu Picchu.​ Written by Dawn Smith, HA Destination Manager, Peru. Is Machu Picchu on your wish list? Get in touch today to start planning your big adventure. ZEN_HOLIDAY_GET_A_QUOTE ZEN_HOLIDAY_TEL ZEN_HOLIDAY_OPEN_HOURS