Huayna Picchu — the sharp green peak behind the citadel in every classic Machu Picchu photo — is sometimes nicknamed “Face Mountain” for the profile its ridge throws against the sky from certain angles. It’s the harder of the two summit hikes at the site.
The trail climbs around 300 metres of near-vertical granite steps in roughly an hour, with cables bolted into the rock on the two most exposed sections. The payoff is a view down onto the citadel from directly above, with the Urubamba curling around 1,000 metres below.
Permits are capped at 400 per day in two time slots (7–8am and 10–11am), and you need the Circuit 4 entry ticket. In the dry season (May–September) permits sell out weeks ahead.
Peruways locks in the Huayna Picchu permit with the entry ticket, train and Consettur bus in a single booking. See the options at Peruways.
