Machu Picchu sits at 2,430 metres (7,970 feet) — high enough to notice on the stairs but low enough that most visitors who’ve spent even a day acclimatising in Cusco won’t struggle.
Cusco itself is the harder leg: at 3,399 metres (11,152 feet), it’s roughly 1,000 metres higher than the citadel. Fly in from sea level and spend at least two nights there, or in the lower Sacred Valley (around 2,800 metres), before heading up to the ruins. By the time you reach Machu Picchu you’re actually descending.
Mild symptoms — headache, light nausea, broken sleep the first night — are normal and resolve within 48 hours. Drink extra water, go easy on alcohol the first day, and skip the big meals until you’ve adjusted. If you want pharmaceutical backup, acetazolamide prescribed in advance is the standard.
For bookings that build acclimatisation into the itinerary, see Peruways.
Peruways’ standard Peru itineraries put the Cusco acclimatisation nights before any strenuous activity.
