The lower city plus the climb up the peak behind the citadel, with 6 hours inside.
Circuit 3A is the Waynapicchu route. On the official map it walks the lower sector of the Inka city — Temple of the Sun viewpoint, Pisonay Square, Temple of the Condor, Water Mirrors, Eastern Qolqas and Twelve Niches — reaches the Sacred Rock and climbs Waynapicchu, the peak behind the citadel. Maximum stay: 6 hours. It does not go up to the panoramic platforms or the upper temples.
The facts you need before you book, from the Ministry of Culture's official route map and its 2026 rules.
| Official name | Circuit 3 (Royalty) · Route 3A, Waynapicchu Mountain |
|---|---|
| Maximum stay | Up to 6 hours, one-way, no re-entry |
| Entry times | 7:00, 9:00 or 10:00 (Peru time); your ticket fixes one |
| What you see | The lower Inka city (Temple of the Condor, Water Mirrors, Twelve Niches), the Sacred Rock and the summit of Huayna Picchu at 2,693 m (8,835 ft) |
| What you don't see | The panoramic platforms (the postcard view), the Temples Plaza and the Intiwatana |
| Effort | Challenging: about 260 m of very steep stone steps, narrow in places, typically 2–3 h round trip |
| Price | $81.90 per adult (card fee included) · we sell it to adults only (18+) |
| Daily limit | A small daily quota, the first route to sell out; 4,500 visitors a day across all circuits |
Sources: Ministry of Culture route map 3-A; R.M. 000285-2025-MC (daily capacity 2026).
Share of 3A entry slots already sold out, by month. We recount every official slot every hour.
All routes on the live availability board → · If your date is gone, Machupicchu Mountain (1A) is the other summit climb and usually has times left.
Follow the trail — tips by travelers who were just there
The official viewpoint over the only curved building in Machu Picchu, raised on top of a natural cave. The routes look down on it — nobody walks inside the temple.
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The small plaza named after its native pisonay tree, in the lower urban sector.
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A natural rock formation completed with Inka stonework into the shape of a condor in flight — head carved on the floor, wings rising behind.
Good to know: Fountains in this sector still run on the original Inka spring channels.
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Two carved stone basins believed to have reflected the night sky for observation — also known as the "mortar room".
The granite storehouses — qolqas — that kept the food supply of the city, built along the eastern slope.
An enclosure of twelve trapezoidal niches — one of the clearest examples of Inka niche architecture in the city.
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A monolith carved to mirror the silhouette of the mountain behind it, at the northern end of the city — and the point where the mountain trails begin.
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The steep peak that stands behind the citadel in every photo. The trail starts by the Sacred Rock and climbs carved stone steps to 2,693 m — around two to three hours round trip, with a strictly limited daily quota.
No tips here yet — be the first to leave one.
Same price, two different climbs: the famous steep stairway, or a longer, steadier trail to the higher summit.
| 3A · Huayna Picchu | 1A · Machupicchu Mountain | |
|---|---|---|
| Summit | 2,693 m (8,835 ft) | 3,082 m (10,111 ft) |
| Climb · typical hike | ~260 m, very steep · 2–3 h | ~650 m, steady · 3–4 h |
| Exposure | High, narrow steps, cables in places | Lower, wider trail |
| Also includes | The lower Inka city | Both panoramic platforms |
| Under 18 · sells out | Adults only · first | Child fare · later |
About 25 minutes up the Hiram Bingham road; buses leave from the town from early morning. Your entry ticket does not include it.
Or have us book it with your ticket →A steep stone stairway from the Aguas Calientes bridge, about 1 h 30 up. Before Huayna Picchu, the bus saves your legs for the climb.
Short but very steep: about 260 m on carved stone steps, narrow in places with cables to hold, typically 2–3 hours up and down. It is not for anyone uncomfortable with heights.
Not the postcard one: 3A does not go up to the panoramic platforms. From the summit you see the citadel from above, from the opposite side. The postcard view is on Circuit 1 and Circuit 2A.
We sell 3A to adults only (18+), because of the steep, exposed steps. For a family, Machupicchu Mountain (1A) has a child fare and a wider trail.
It is the first route to go. On 1 October 2026, 71% of its November entry slots were already sold out. Check the live board above for your month and book as soon as your dates are fixed.
Machupicchu Mountain (1A) is the other summit climb, for the same price, and usually has times left. If you mainly want to be at Machu Picchu on fixed dates and everything is gone, our 2-Day Tour takes you to the Ministry's in-person sale in Machupicchu Pueblo for a Circuit 2 entrance; the entry day is set by the Ministry.
See the 2-Day Tour →No. There is no re-entry once you pass the exit, and the restrooms are outside the gate.
Official Ministry ticket · real-time availability