Best Time to Visit Machu Picchu: Least Busy Days and Hours

Machu Picchu busyness by day

Here is how busy the Historic Sanctuary of Machu Picchu is on each day of a typical week. On Monday at 6 AM it is at 35% of its busiest hour of the week.

100% is the busiest hour of the week. A lower number means quieter: at 25% it is a quarter as busy as that hour.

The widget below shows every hour of the week at the sanctuary.

Best time of day to visit

The forecast covers 6 AM to 3 PM every day. On Monday it rises from 35% at 6 AM to 45% at 7 AM.

From there it builds steadily through the morning. By 12 PM it is at 90% on most days and 95% on Wednesday.

The peak comes at 1 PM and 2 PM on every day except Friday. On Friday, 1 PM alone reaches 100%. At 3 PM it eases only a little. There is no quiet afternoon slot.

If you cannot make 6 AM, aim for before 9 AM. Later in the morning, the calmest two hours are 8 AM to 10 AM, at 55% and 65% on Monday.

Weekdays vs weekends

Weekdays and weekends average the same, 70%. Wednesday is the busiest day, averaging 75%.

The busiest hours of the week are equally busy: Wednesday at 1 PM, Wednesday at 2 PM and Friday at 1 PM. Wednesday and Saturday start a little busier, at 40% at 6 AM. The other five days start at 35%.

Best time of year to visit

The dry season, roughly May to September, is the busiest time to visit, with June to August the peak months. The rainy season, roughly November to March, is quieter. The Inca Trail closes every February for maintenance.

Nearby alternatives

Mandor. Mandor works on a different rhythm. It is at its low on Wednesday, at 15% from 12 PM to 2 PM, right when Machu Picchu peaks. Its busiest hours are Sunday at 8 AM and Saturday at 3 PM. Avoid Sunday, which is very busy all day. On Saturday, go early: 7 AM is quiet. If you visit the citadel early on a Wednesday, Mandor fits well in the early afternoon.

Butterfly Zoo - Mariposario of Machu Picchu. The Mariposario is at its lowest on Monday at 9 AM (25%). Its busiest hour is Saturday at 3 PM. On every day, its first hour, 9 AM, is its calmest.

Plan your visit

• Aim for the earliest time you can. At 6 AM, the site is at its calmest of the day on all seven days.
• Skip Wednesday and Saturday mornings if you can. They are at 40% at 6 AM, and the other days at 35%.
• Avoid 1 PM and 2 PM. Every day is very busy in those hours.
• Entry uses tickets for a set date and hourly time slot, and daily visitor numbers are capped. Huayna Picchu and Machu Picchu Mountain tickets are limited, so book well ahead.
• Most visitors arrive by shuttle bus from Aguas Calientes or on foot via the Inca Trail. Check the official Machu Picchu site for tickets, entry times and current rules.

How we measured

These numbers are BestTime forecasts, built from anonymized mobile device signals from a sample of visitors, combined with real-world signals such as weather, events and holidays. Busyness is a percentage of the sanctuary's own busiest hour of the week (100%), not a head count. The forecasts describe a typical week and do not cover seasons, holidays, special events or queues. Read more about how the forecasts work.

Next steps

• Browse all busy times guides.
• Sign up for free to see predicted live data for the current hour, based on real-world signals such as weather, events and holidays.