Huayna Picchu

Huayna Picchu is the tall mountain behind Machu Picchu. You can hike to the top for a wonderful overview of Machu Picchu. The hike is strenuous with lots of stone steps and the higher altitude can cause you to lose your breath quickly. Only 300 people are allowed to do this hike each day and it is recommended to get in line early. The trail opens at 7 am. You can do the hike then or collect a ticket to enter at a later time. We chose to hike early to avoid the heat.

The hike begins at a gate near the Sacred Rock. You sign in and out. They go through your daypacks and confiscate any food items you brought. However, they do number them and you can get them back after your hike. This is to reduce the amount of litter on the trail. Make sure to bring plenty of water – a half liter bottle is not enough.

Huayna Picchu also has some terraces and ruins of buildings on top of the mountain. It is quite amazing to see the ruins and to see Machu Picchu from Huayna Picchu. The guidebook says the Huayna Picchu hike takes 1-2 hours but they don’t take into account the many rest breaks and time to wander the ruins once you get there. The trail to the Moon Temple is a side branch off the trail to Huayna Picchu. This adds another 1-2 hours.

The Wayna Picchu or Huayna Picchu is the highest mountain in Machu Picchu and it's almost 2,700m above sea level.

Climbing this mountain is free. You just have to show your park's entrance and sign a book when you are going in, so they can keep track how many people are visiting it and when they are leaving.

Daily they allow 400 visitors. The park closes at 5pm, but Wayna Picchu closes at 3pm, so you'd have time to visit the rest of the complex. Around 10am there is a guardian who won't let the visitors staying to long at the top, so other visitors can enjoy the site.

I highly recommend to climb first the Wayna Picchu and then visit the rest of the complex. So, you can avoid the guardian and spend some time breathing the air at the top of Machu Picchu. Also, you wouldn't be so tired and could relax just walking around the Inca City.

Climbing the Wayna Picchu would make your Machu Picchu experience even better and will give you the greatest view of Machu Picchu and its surroundings.

No trip to Machu Picchu is complete without hiking to the top of Huayna Picchu, the mountain in the background. Though fairly strenuous you will be rewarded with a SPECTACULAR 360 degree view, as if you were at the top of the world. Hiking to the top and back can easily be accomplished in 2 hours, though I would recommend going in the morning while it is cooler. Not many people make it to see Machu Picchu, but even fewer take this hike and see an aerial view of Machu Picchu rarely seen by others. I was 55 and out of shape when I hiked to the top. It was tough and I had to stop several times, but I would do it again in a heartbeat!!!