Getting there
By train from the Sacred Valley to Aguas Calientes, then up to the citadel
Best for
The Inca citadel, cloud-forest setting, Andean cock-of-the-rock, orchids, hummingbirds
The land
A cloud-forest ridge where the high Andes drop toward the Amazon
Good to know
Machu Picchu's cloud-forest setting holds the cock-of-the-rock and many hummingbirds
What it is
Machu Picchu is the greatest of the Inca citadels, on a cloud-forest ridge where the high Andes meet the Amazon — and the cock-of-the-rock displays below.
The most famous archaeological site in the Americas, Machu Picchu sits on a dramatic ridge where the high Andes fall toward the Amazon. Beyond the citadel itself, its cloud-forest setting is rich in wildlife: the Andean cock-of-the-rock displays in the gorges below, with orchids, hummingbirds and tanagers along the slopes — a meeting of human and natural wonder.
The reason to come
Citadel and cloud forest
Machu Picchu pairs the great Inca citadel with cloud-forest wildlife.
The citadel
The greatest of the Inca cities, on its ridge.
Cloud-forest birds
Cock-of-the-rock, hummingbirds and tanagers below.
Orchids
A wealth of orchids on the surrounding slopes.
Worth knowing
Where wonder meets wildlife
Machu Picchu is not only the great Inca citadel but a cloud-forest rich in cock-of-the-rock, hummingbirds and orchids.
When to come — honestly
A year-round citadel.
May – October
Best
The dry season — the clearest views and easiest access.
Year-round
Good
A year-round site; cloud and mist are common.
November – April
Good
The green, wetter season, often misty.
No sheet accommodation is listed here; we arrange the Aguas Calientes or ridge hotels separately. Entry is by timed ticket and can be busy.
Context
The lost city
Machu Picchu adds the great Inca citadel and its cloud-forest wildlife to a Peru trip.
Accommodation is arranged separately, as the portfolio lists none here.
We weave Machu Picchu into the wildlife route, arranging the citadel visit and its hotels separately.
Beyond the obvious
More to Machu Picchu.
The citadel
The Inca city.
Cloud-forest birds
Cock-of-the-rock and hummingbirds.
Orchids
On the slopes.
Why Wild Voyager
We pair the Andes and Amazon without the rush.
Peru's wildlife — Manu, Tambopata, the cloud forest — sits beyond its famous ruins. We build the route so the wildlife leads, with Machu Picchu and the Andes woven in at the right pace.
Handpicked stays
We choose the lodge and guides that fit your goals, not whatever is left.
We time it right
We build your visit around the season and the wildlife that delivers.
Wildlife you may see
Plan your Machu Picchu trip.
Visit the great Inca citadel and its cloud forest. Tell us your dates and we will build the route around it.
Plan a trip