Machu Picchu’s layout is more legible with a map in hand. The site splits into an upper agricultural zone — terraces, the Guardhouse, the quarry — and a lower urban zone with the temples and royal residences, separated by a central dry moat.
Peruways’ guided tours follow the official Ministry of Culture circuits, one-way routes designed to manage visitor flow across the site. The ticket you buy determines which circuits you can walk.
Landmarks worth finding: the Temple of the Sun, the Intihuatana ritual stone, the Sacred Plaza, the Royal Tomb (directly below the Temple of the Sun), and the Guardhouse — the viewpoint for the classic Huayna Picchu-behind-the-citadel shot.
Beyond the structures, the ridge itself is part of the picture: the Urubamba River making a horseshoe loop 400 metres below, Huayna Picchu and Machu Picchu Mountain framing the main site, and the Vilcabamba range on the far horizon.
Guides walk you through the connections. See options at Peruways.
