Aguas Calientes (Machu Picchu)

Where to stay

Budget hostels cluster on Calle Lloque Yupanqui and the side streets just north of the train station, putting you a five-minute walk from the Hermanos Ayar bus terminal where the Machu Picchu buses load at 5am. A few cheaper options sit across the Urubamba River on the quieter bank, though you'll pay for the extra walk when you're moving fast in the dark.

Getting around

• Book your Machu Picchu entrance ticket at ticketmachu.gob.pe well before you arrive. Daily capacity is capped by circuit and time slot, and June and July sell out months in advance on the government site, which is the only legitimate place to buy.
• The bus from Hermanos Ayar to the ruins costs a set fee round trip. If you have an hour and want to skip it, the signed hiking trail from town climbs to the citadel entrance on foot and is nearly empty before 6am.
• Every restaurant along Avenida Pachacutec charges tourist prices. Eat at the stalls inside the Mercado de Artesanias on Avenida Imperio de los Incas instead, where a full plate of food runs a fraction of the cost.

When to go

Hostels are cheapest and easy to find November through March (wet season, bring waterproofs). June through August fills up weeks out, with prices doubling around Inti Raymi in late June.