The Inca Bridge at Machu Picchu
The bridge is the narrow wooden section in the lower center of this photo.
What is the Inca Bridge at Machu Picchu?
The Inca Bridge is a narrow section of trail that crosses a cliff where the wooden part can be easily removed to make the trail impassable. Today there are some eucalyptus logs serving as the bridge but 500 years ago it would have been Andean cedar or hardwood brought from the nearby jungle. Machu Picchu is in the cloudforest, on the edge of the rainforest.
There are still ways to get across, if the wood is removed, but it would be extremely challenging.
Why build a removable bridge at Machu Picchu?
The sheer cliff on the west side of Machu Picchu is easily defensible. If anybody was trying to get to Machu Picchu from the west, it would be easy to kick the wooden part of the bridge over the edge and cut the route. If anybody had to flee Machu Picchu, they could take this trail and remove the wood after they crossed, making the route virtually impassable.
Most archeologists agree that Machu Picchu was a pilgrimage site for Incan royalty and only a few dozen people would have lived here year-round. Anywhere that the royal families gathered would have required a certain level of security.
Above my elbow is the gate that you could walk to until 2021.
How close can you get to the Inca Bridge?
You can’t actually get that close. I talked with somebody who said 30 years ago he was able to actually walk on the bridge. About 20 years ago they built the gate that’s near the bridge and then in 2021 blocked off another section of trail so you can only get as close as I am in this photo.
Where is the Inca Bridge at Machu Picchu?
The Inca Bridge is around the back of Machu Picchu, on the west side. You have to buy the 1D Route to see the Inca Bridge because it’s hidden from view of every other route through the ancient citadel.
This is the view of Machu Picchu from the upper terraces on Route 1D.
What is Route 1D at Machu Picchu?
Route 1D takes you to the upper terraces where you get the classic postcard view of Machu Picchu, then around the west side of the citadel to the Inca Bridge and ends at another set of terraces below the ones you see at the beginning.
The trail to the Inca Bridge is quiet and shady. It may be the only place at Machu Picchu without crowds.
Why choose Route 1D at Machu Picchu?
My favorite part of Route 1D is that I only saw five other people. It was peaceful and I heard birds singing, not people shouting over each other in tour groups. I saw a Golden-crowned brush-finch, a Lesser Violetear hummingbird and heard lots more birds. If you want to go to Machu Picchu but don’t want to deal with crowds, choose the Inca Bridge or one of the other routes that’s only available in high season. Also, the trail was entirely in the shade. Most of Machu Picchu has no shade and the sun this close to the equator is brutal.
The old trail to Machu Picchu from the west is now entirely overgrown. The line I drew shows where it used to go.
How long is the hike to the Inca Bridge?
It took only 5 minutes walking from the upper terraces at Machu Picchu to the gate where they check your ticket for Machu Picchu. From there it was another 20 minutes or so to the viewpoint where you can see the bridge. I probably hung out there 20 minutes or so and then walked back, so I’d say you need to plan an hour to go see the bridge.
Route 1D doesn’t take you through the main part of the ruins, but you do get a great view from above.
Which ticket to buy for Machu Picchu?
There are a confusing ten different tickets you can buy for Machu Picchu. Circuit 1 has four options, Circuit 2 has two options and Circuit 3 has another four options. Even more confusing, two of the Circuit 1 options and two of the Circuit 3 options say they’re only available in “high season” without specifying exactly when that is. (It’s June through September).
I appreciated how few people were on the trail to the Inca Bridge and how few were on the upper terraces.
How many tickets are available for the Inca Bridge?
There are four timeslots for Inca Bridge tickets: 7am, 8am, 9am and 10am. At 7am there are 40 tickets available and the other three times have 30 available tickets. That’s a maximum of 100 people per day who can hike to the Inca Bridge. For comparison, Route 2A has ten timeslots, each with 80 tickets plus an extra 600 tickets available to buy in person for a total of 1,400 people per day. Read my blog about buying Machu Picchu tickets in person.
Why did I want to see the Inca Bridge?
In the many times I’ve been to Machu Picchu, I’d never seen the Inca Bridge. That’s reason enough for me. Also, since it’s one of the less popular routes, I didn’t feel like I was taking away a ticket from somebody who has never visited Machu Picchu. More people want to visit Machu Picchu than there are tickets for, on most days. It’s possible to not be able to buy a ticket ahead of time on the Machu Picchu ticket website and then not be able to buy a ticket in person when you arrive. Please buy your Machu Picchu tickets as soon as you have your Peru travel dates!
From the trail to the Inca Bridge you can see Pumasillo, the snowiest peak on the left of this range.
Questions?
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