Machu Picchu

From the Sun Gate

Even from as far away as the Sun Gate, you can usually see tourists covering the walkways and terraces like ants. The place was practically deserted when I saw it from the Inca Trail on Wednesday and again when I visited on Thursday.

Where there are normally hundreds of people

There used to be 5,000 people allowed in Machu Picchu every day, plus the hundreds more who arrived at Machu Picchu by hiking the Inca Trail. When we visited, the fourth day that it was reopened after the pandemic, there were no crowds and we saw very few other people besides the park rangers.

First photo op

This is the first place that people coming into Machu Picchu usually encounter a line for the photo op spot. Just a few months ago, in February, I waited in a long line to get my photo taken next to this building with my friend Amanda.

Top terraces

This wide terrace is usually covered with groups of tourists, all waiting to stand near the edge to get their photo taken with Machu Picchu spread out below them.

Empty anthill

The sandy area in the bottom center of the photo is usually so covered with tourists that you can’t see the ground.

Social distancing enforcement

The largest terrace, where guides usually take more time to tell their groups about the history of Machu Picchu, was empty when we visited. Though we were the only ones there, the park rangers made sure we were sitting on the white stones placed to ensure that groups maintain social distancing.

My favorite angle

This was my sixth time at Machu Picchu and I love taking photos of the archeological site from this angle. Every other time the walkways and terraces have been covered with people.

The main entrance

This doorway is the main entrance to the “urban” area of Machu Picchu, leading from the agricultural terraces. Normally there is a long line of people here, waiting to have their photo taken in the doorway and also hundreds of people on the other side, photobombing everybody else.

The effect of seven months of closed borders

The Peruvian government closed borders and all tourist attractions on March 15th, 2020. This is the fourth day that Machu Picchu has been open again, but Covid regulations still prevent most people from visiting.

Lonely llamas

The llamas of Machu Picchu are famous and few people come through here without a few selfies with llamas. Their real purpose is to mow and fertilize the grassy terraces and I wonder if they will be even more shy than usual, when people do return to Machu Picchu and want their pictures taken with the llamas.

Classic doorway shots

I just couldn't get over the sight of every crowded choke point at Machu Picchu completely deserted.

Formerly crowded spots

On the right of this photo is the Temple of the Three Windows, which usually has several groups trying to get close enough to see over and around each other.

Inca architecture

I absolutely loved being able to take photos of all of my favorite spots, without other tourists photobombing the perfectly carved stones I’m trying to get.

The sundial

This is one of the more popular places in Machu Picchu, which recently was closed in the afternoons to protect it from the hoards. Now, with so few people, most of these popular spots are accessible all day.

Just us and the park rangers

To the left you can see a park ranger with his mask on. I am positive that they are happy to be back at work, after Machu Picchu being closed for over seven months. I am also positive that their jobs are much easier now, with so few people to keep an eye on.

Temple of the Condor

This is another one of my favorite places at Machu Picchu. The giant V of bedrock forms two giant wings, with the body and beak of the condor carved into bedrock below. Only the white granite collar of the condor was placed, rather than carved. I have never before been able to get a shot like this without other tourists blocking at least part of the condor.

The fire from September

This dry season was especially terrible for wildfires. The air was smokey from another fire when I took this picture, but you can still see that the slopes across from Machu Picchu are blackened. When the fire happened in September, it was difficult to get fire fighters to such an isolated place and I was afraid that the fire would spread much closer to Machu Picchu. Thankfully, it was controlled in time and didn't get close enough to damage the archeological site.

Walking down

On Wednesday, after hiking the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu, it took over half an hour to buy bus tickets down to Aguas Calientes, because the employees couldn't figure out the new system. On Thursday, we were told that it would take an hour and a half. That's about how long it takes to walk down to Aguas Calientes, so we hit the stairs. This wall, and the Inca stairs, are original. Obviously, nobody took a shuttle bus 500 or 600 years ago.

In 2024 there is a new website for buying Machu Picchu tickets here.

Machu Picchu and the Inca Trail were closed for the State of Emergency and Covid-19 from March 15 to November 2, 2020.

I had the amazing good fortune to be able to hike the Inca Trail on November 4th, 2020 and visit Machu Picchu on November 5th with a group of friends. All but one had never visited Machu Picchu before, though all of them have sat through more than seven months of isolation, quarantine and lockdown in Cusco. I was so happy to be able to join them for their first time at this amazing UNESCO World Heritage site, especially since it was free! The Peruvian government opened both the Inca Trail from KM104 and Machu Picchu for free the first two weeks of November, with a very limited number of permits and tickets. Initially, the government announced that both would be free to November 15th, but that has now been extended through mid-December. The full Inca Trail, starting at KM82, is still closed while the Ministry of Tourism and park rangers try to figure out how to safely open campgrounds during a global pandemic.

As part of reopening, there are tons of new restrictions and Covid protocols. Nothing went smoothly and it seemed to me that they were using the first couple weeks to try to iron out the issues with their new systems. Having done both the Inca Trail and Machu Picchu before several times, the difference was impressive. New Covid protocols have changed almost every aspect of both the Inca Trail hike and the Machu Picchu tour.

Besides not seeing a single other person on the trail, the most surprising thing for me was to see so much vegetation growing on the trail. Nobody has been walking on it for over seven months and it showed.

Starting the Inca Trail at KM104

There are new flags along the trail to show people how to socially distance while they wait in line at the first checkpoint.

New signs - with masks

The usual signs about not littering and respecting the flora and fauna now feature people wearing masks.

Chachabamba

This is the first archeological site on the Inca Trail from KM104. A park ranger kept an eye on us to be sure that we kept our masks on and socially distanced while we visited the site.

New signs along the trail

At resting points and other places along the trail were reminders about wearing masks and how far apart we need to be while hiking.

Wiñay Wayna checkpoint

The benches are marked so that people can’t sit too close together and there are clear lines to show us how far apart we need to be while waiting to have our Inca Trail permits checked.

The town of Aguas Calientes has also undergone drastic changes. I was fascinated by all of the news signs around town and the ways that businesses were trying to change to make it possible to reopen. I hope that all of their changes will make it as safe as possible to open when the pandemic is far from over.

Arriving at Machu Picchu

Though we hiked the trail on Wednesday, we saved our Machu Picchu tickets for Thursday morning, when we would have more time to visit the citadel. At the entrance to Machu Picchu are signs for the new regulations: you must wear both mask and face shield, no eating or drinking, don't touch surfaces and if you cough or sneeze you should cover your mouth with your elbow.

The shuttle between Machu Picchu and Aguas Calientes

Like all transportation in Peru, new Covid regulations prohibit people from sitting together on public transportation. Consettur is the shuttle bus company that takes people up and down from the town of Aguas Calientes to the Machu Picchu citadel.

The new Aguas Calientes hospital

The Peruvian government wanted to open Machu Picchu months ago, but the people of Aguas Calientes protested because they had no clinic or hospital. Aguas Calientes is only accessible by train, there are no roads. Anybody who needs to be evacuated can only leave by train or helicopter. The hospital isn't finished, but at least they started it before they opened Machu Picchu.

New restaurant Covid regulations

Only a handful of restaurants were open when I visited Aguas Calientes. Even most of the ones that are clearly preparing to open with the new Covid regulations are still closed. New sinks outside of restaurants are only one part of the way that people are trying to get ready for when tourists do come back.

Social distancing on public benches

All around Machu Picchu and Aguas Calientes, the benches are marked so that only two people can sit at each.

New Covid souvenirs

Souvenir shops that used to sell Machu Picchu souvenirs now sell masks and face protectors. They also now have to post a long list of the new Covid protocols.

Obligatory mask use

All around town are reminders that we must wear masks at all times.

Disinfecting arrivals

At the point where you disembark the train, there is a plastic chamber that you have to walk into and wait while an air filter and disinfectant mist are supposed to decontaminate you. I have no idea how effective that really is, but they are trying everything they can to make reopening Machu Picchu as safe as possible in a global pandemic.

How to get there

You need to drive from Cusco to Ollantaytambo. There are bus, van and taxi options. You can also take the train but it actually takes longer than driving. From Ollantaytambo, the only way to get to Aguas Calientes is by train. On this trip we took the train to Aguas Calientes, then walked back along the train tracks to the start of the km104 trail.