Two separate peaks share the Machu Picchu saddle: Huayna Picchu to the north (2,693 m) and Machu Picchu Mountain to the south (3,082 m). Both are hikeable with a permit; both are capped at a few hundred visitors a day.
Huayna Picchu is the famous one — the pointed peak behind the citadel in every postcard. The trail is steep, exposed in sections, and climbs 300 metres on narrow stone stairs the Inca built into the ridge. 1.5-2 hours up and back, with a cave and small temple complex at the top. Permits sell out two to three months ahead.
Machu Picchu Mountain is the longer, less exposed option — 2.5-3 hours round trip, climbing 650 metres on a wider path. The summit view is higher and more open than Huayna Picchu’s but doesn’t carry the same drama.
Both are add-ons to the main citadel ticket (Circuits 1 or 2). You enter the citadel first, then branch off to the mountain gate.
For the booking, Peruways handles both permits and lines them up with your citadel entry hour.
Peru’s two best viewpoints on Machu Picchu are up those two paths — pick one, don’t try both in a day.
