Machu Picchu sits at 2,430 metres (7,970 feet) above sea level — technically high altitude, but lower than Cusco at 3,400 metres. The real acclimatisation happens in Cusco; the citadel itself feels manageable by the time you reach it.
Peruways’ route is standard: two nights in Cusco for altitude, a Sacred Valley day for Pisac and Moray, train from Ollantaytambo through the Urubamba gorge, Consettur bus up from Aguas Calientes to the citadel gate.
Inside, guided circuits cover the Temple of the Sun, the Intihuatana sun-dial, the Three Windows and the agricultural terraces. The views open across the Vilcabamba range and 500 metres down into the gorge below.
Peruways tailors the pace to the group — slower if altitude is still an issue, longer stops for photographers, extra time at the Intihuatana for astronomy-minded travellers.
Plan the citadel day at Peruways.
