Machu Picchu Mountain tops out at 3,082 metres (10,112 feet), which puts the summit about 650 metres above the citadel. The climb is the quieter cousin to Huayna Picchu — longer but gentler, and the view at the top is wider.
Expect 1.5 to 2 hours up through cloud forest and rocky switchbacks, with none of the near-vertical sections that make Huayna Picchu infamous. The trail is well cut, the drops are not sheer, and the final 10 minutes open onto a stone terrace at the peak.
From the top you look down on the citadel in the saddle below, the Urubamba winding south, and the full Vilcabamba range on the horizon. It is the best wide shot of Machu Picchu from any legal vantage point.
Altitude is the one thing to prepare for. Two nights in Cusco or Ollantaytambo before the climb will make a real difference.
Peruways can bundle the Machu Picchu Mountain permit (capped at 400 a day, split across two morning windows) with the train, bus and entry ticket.
