Machu Picchu sits at 2,430m (7,970ft) — high, but not as high as most people assume. The citadel is actually several hundred metres lower than Cusco, where almost everyone starts the trip. That matters more than it sounds.
At this altitude the air carries roughly 25% less oxygen than at sea level. Some travellers notice it as a mild headache or shortness of breath on the stairs; others don’t feel it at all. The usual advice applies — hydrate, skip heavy meals, go easy on alcohol the first 24 hours — but the real trick is to acclimatise in Cusco (3,400m / 11,150ft) before dropping down to Machu Picchu. If you can handle Cusco, Machu Picchu will feel like relief.
The payoff is the view and the stonework. Terraces, temples and the Intihuatana sit on a saddle between two peaks, with the Urubamba gorge wrapping around three sides.
For a bundled booking that handles train, entry and the shuttle up from Aguas Calientes, Peruways keeps three inventories in one checkout.
Plan the altitude in and the day works. Skip it and the stairs do the talking.
