Day 1: Machu Picchu Day
Machu Picchu at Dawn
Take the first bus from Aguas Calientes to Machu Picchu (S/ 24 one way, S/ 48 return, 25 min). Buses depart from 5:30am. Enter at 6am for the least crowded experience. The first sight of the citadel from the Sun Gate viewpoint or the classic terraced overview is genuinely breathtaking — Inca stonework perched on a mountain ridge 2,430m above sea level, wrapped in cloud forest. Follow the guided circuit (1.5–2 hours) through temples, plazas, and residential quarters.
Huayna Picchu or Temple Detail
If you booked the Huayna Picchu add-on (S/ 200 extra, limited to 200 people per slot), climb the steep trail (1–1.5 hours up) for an aerial view of Machu Picchu below. Vertigo-inducing but unforgettable. Without Huayna Picchu, spend time examining the Temple of the Sun, Intihuatana stone (astronomical instrument), Room of Three Windows, and the agricultural terraces that fed the city.
Hot Springs & Dinner
Return to Aguas Calientes by bus and soak at the thermal baths (S/ 20) at the top of town — natural hot springs surrounded by cloud forest. The pools range from lukewarm to hot. After a day of ruins and climbing, the warm water is heavenly. Dinner at Indio Feliz (S/ 25–45) — widely regarded as the best restaurant in town with French-Peruvian fusion, or Toto's House for buffet Peruvian food (S/ 35–50).
