Machu Picchu Tickets Circuit 2A
Circuit 2A Classic
$65.10 per adult$40.95 child 3–17Check dates →
Machu Picchu entrance ticket · 2 h 30 max stay · Moderate to challenging · Circuit 2, Classic · full citadelEntrance ticket · 2 h 30 max stay · Moderate to challenging
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Each circuit is a separate official ticket with its own route and entry times. Prices per adult, card fee included.
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About this circuit
The most photographed route through Machu Picchu — the one you've seen in every postcard. Walk the 13 official stops of the Designed Route: the Temple of the Sun viewpoint, the Temples Plaza, the Intiwatana, the Sacred Rock and the Temple of the Condor. Take the classic panoramic photo from the Lower Platform, with Huayna Picchu rising behind the citadel.
Machu Picchu Circuit 2: every route compared →
Walk the route before you book itAll 13 stops of the official route, in order, with what to look for at each→Machu Picchu Circuit 2A Classic ticket prices 2026
| Fare | Foreign visitors | Peru & Andean Community |
|---|---|---|
| Adult (18+) | $65.10 | $36.75 |
| Student (18–24, valid card) | $40.95 | $26.25 |
| Child (3–17) | $40.95 | $26.25 |
| Under 3 | Free | Free |
Per person, in US dollars, card payment fee (5%) included. The Peru & Andean Community fare is for citizens of Peru, Bolivia, Colombia and Ecuador.
Machu Picchu tickets sold out on your dates? What actually works →
Key features
What you'll see
- The classic panoramic viewpoint from the Lower Platform — the photo every visitor takes home.
- Temple of the Sun, the most sacred Inca structure on the site.
- The Sacred Rock and the Temple of the Condor, the two landmarks at each end of the city.
- Walk among original Inca walls that have stood for over 500 years.
Who this ticket is for
- First-time visitors who want the photo they came for and the Inka city in a single ticket.
- Anyone who has 2 h 30 and average fitness: the only climb is the one up to the platform at the start.
- Travelers who will visit once and want the route that covers the most: 13 official stops.
Circuit 2A at a glance
The facts you need before you book, from the Ministry of Culture's official route map and its 2026 rules.
| Official name | Circuit 2 (Classic) · Route 2A, "Ruta diseñada" |
|---|---|
| Maximum stay | 2 h 30, one-way, no re-entry |
| Entry times | Every hour from 6:00 to 15:00 (Peru time); your ticket fixes one |
| What you see | The Lower Platform (the postcard view) and 12 landmarks of the city: Temple of the Sun viewpoint, Sacred Plaza, Intiwatana, Sacred Rock, Temple of the Condor and more |
| Effort | Medium to high, as the Ministry rates it: one climb at the start, up to the platform; the rest goes downhill through the city, about 2.5 km round trip |
| Price | $65.10 adult · $40.95 child 3–17 · under 3 free (card fee included) |
| Huayna Picchu? | Not included — that is Circuit 3A, a separate ticket |
| Daily limit | 4,500 visitors a day across all circuits, 5,600 on high-demand dates |
Sources: Ministry of Culture route map 2-A; R.M. 000285-2025-MC (daily capacity 2026).
Is Circuit 2A still available?
Share of 2A entry slots already sold out, by month. We recount every official slot every hour.
All routes on the live availability board → · If 2A is gone, 2B walks the same city for the same price.
The route, according to the official map
Circuit 2A — Designed Route. The full city route: 13 official stops through the Inka llaqta in 2 h 30. Official limit: 2 h 30 max stay. The route is one-way with no backtracking; the order below is the order you walk it.
- 1Lower Platform
The first stop after the entrance climb and the only viewpoint on this route: the whole citadel opens below you with Huayna Picchu behind — the frame on every postcard of Machu Picchu.Good to know: Route 2A stays on the lower platform; the Upper Platform (landmark 2) belongs to the Circuit 1 routes. - 3Dry MoatThe great trench that separates the agricultural terraces from the urban sector. Crossing it is the moment you enter the Inka city itself.
- 4Temple of the Sun ViewpointThe route does not enter the Temple of the Sun: it passes at the official viewpoint that looks down on the only curved building in Machu Picchu, raised over a natural cave.
- 5Granitic ChaosThe quarry of the city: half-carved granite blocks abandoned mid-work, as if the stonemasons had just stepped away.
- 6Temples PlazaThe main religious sector, home to the Temple of the Three Windows — its openings face the sunrise over the Vilcanota range.
- 7Intiwatana PyramidThe famous "hitching post of the sun", a carved ritual stone at the highest point of the urban sector. Access is often limited to the morning hours.
- 8Sacred Rock
A monolith carved to mirror the silhouette of the mountain behind it. This is the northern end of the route, where the path turns back down the eastern side of the city.Good to know: The Huayna Picchu trailhead starts by this rock, but it belongs to Circuit 3 tickets — not to 2A. - 9Twelve NichesAn enclosure of twelve trapezoidal niches — one of the clearest examples of Inka niche architecture in the city.
- 10Eastern QolqasThe granite storehouses — qolqas — that kept the food supply of the city, built along the eastern slope.
- 11Water Mirrors ComplexTwo carved stone basins believed to have reflected the night sky for observation — also known as the "mortar room".
- 12Temple of the Condor
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. - 13Pisonay SquareThe small plaza named after its native pisonay tree, on the way out of the urban sector.
- 14Archaeological ReserveRoofless rooms and corridors on the way to the exit — your last look back at the citadel. There is no re-entry once you leave.
Compared with Circuit 2B Lower Terrace
| Circuit 2A Classic | Circuit 2B Lower Terrace | |
|---|---|---|
| Postcard platform | Yes — first stop | No |
| Landmarks inside the city | 12, the full urban sector | The same 12 |
| Climb at the start | Up to the platform, then down | Along the lower terrace, no platform climb |
Getting up to the entrance
Bus from Aguas Calientes
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 →On foot
A steep stone stairway from the Aguas Calientes bridge, about 1 h 30 up. Leave earlier than your entry time: you still have to queue at the gate.
Questions about this ticket
- How much is a Machu Picchu Circuit 2A ticket?
- $65.10 per adult and $40.95 for children aged 3 to 17, card fee included. Children under 3 enter free.
- Is 2A or 2B better?
- For a first visit, 2A: it starts at the Lower Platform, the classic postcard viewpoint, and then walks the same city as 2B. 2B enters along the lower terrace and is often easier to book.
- Does Circuit 2A include Huayna Picchu?
- No. The Huayna Picchu climb is only on Circuit 3A, a separate ticket with its own daily quota. 2A is the city and the postcard platform.
- Is 2 h 30 enough to see everything?
- It is the official maximum stay for this route, and the route is one-way, so the time is designed around the 13 stops. Groups with a guide typically use most of it; on your own you will finish with time to spare.
- Can I go back to the platform at the end?
- No. The route is one-way with no backtracking; the platform is the first stop and the exit is at the far end of the city. Take your photos before you go down.
- Where is the classic Machu Picchu photo taken on 2A?
- At stop 1, the Lower Platform, right after you climb from the entrance. It is the only elevated viewpoint on 2A and the route is one-way, so take your photos there before you go down into the city.
- How long does Circuit 2A take?
- The official maximum is 2 h 30. The route is designed around its 13 stops: groups with a guide use most of it, and on your own you will finish with time to spare.
- What if Circuit 2A is sold out on my date?
- Check Route 2B first: it walks the same 12 landmarks of the city for the same price and only skips the climb to the platform. If the whole of Circuit 2 is gone and your dates cannot move, our 2-Day Tour takes you from Cusco to Machupicchu Pueblo, registers you at the Ministry's in-person sale and hands you a Circuit 2 entrance; the entry day is set by the Ministry, not by us. See the 2-Day Tour →
- Is Circuit 2A good for children and older travelers?
- Yes, if stairs are manageable: the Ministry rates it medium to high effort, about 2.5 km round trip. The only climb is the short one up to the platform at the start; the rest of the route goes downhill. Children under 3 enter free, and 3 to 17 pay the child fare.
- Do I need a guide for Circuit 2A?
- Since the September 2026 rule update a licensed guide is recommended, not mandatory: the route is signposted and one-way. A guide explains what you are seeing at each stop; you can add one when you book.
- Can I leave and come back in?
- No. There is no re-entry once you pass the exit, and the restrooms are outside the gate.
What's included
Your Circuit 2A entrance for the date and entry time you choose, issued in your name with your passport number.
Not included: the bus up from Aguas Calientes ($24 round trip), the train and a guide (optional, you can add one at checkout). What a Machu Picchu ticket includes