Machu Picchu sits on a saddle between two peaks at 2,430 metres, and the layout is less obvious on the ground than it looks in photos. A good site map helps — the three ticket circuits each cover a different section, and you cannot double back once you commit to one.
Peruways publishes a visitor map that marks the Sun Gate, the Temple of the Sun, the Intihuatana, the Royal Tomb and the main terraces, with the current one-way circuits overlaid. It makes it easier to plan which ticket to buy for what you want to see.
The map is paired with notes on timing — when the ridge is clearest, where the bottlenecks form in high season, and which viewpoints read best in morning or afternoon light.
Start planning at Peruways, where the map sits alongside the entrance tickets, train bookings and shuttle times.
