How to Drive to Machu Picchu: A Complete DIY Guide for Travelers

If you’ve ever wondered how to drive to Machu Picchu, you're in the right place. While most visitors take the train or hike to reach the famous site, driving can offer a unique and scenic adventure. This saved us time and money, so that we were able to experience the world wonder on our tight Peru road trip itinerary.

While many people advise against driving to Machu Picchu, we absolutely loved our decision, and are here to explain the details, so you can decide if it's the right choice for you.

Whether you’re looking for more flexibility or just prefer the idea of a road trip, this guide will help you plan your drive to Machu Picchu with all the essential details. From navigating winding mountain roads to reaching the nearest train station, we’ve got you covered every step of the way.

How to Drive to Machu Picchu: A Brief Intro

Before going into the details of how to drive to Machu Picchu, we're going to share a bit of insight on the topic, so that you can decide if driving to Machu Picchu is the right choice for you.

Can You Go to Machu Picchu on Your Own?

Local tour guides will always push for tourists to go with them on a tour to Machu Picchu, and while hiking to Machu Picchu and taking the train to Machu Picchu are both fun and unique options, it's certainly not the only one!

You can in fact go to Machu Picchu on your own, and this guide is going to detail step-by-step how to do so.

 Can You Drive a Car to Machu Picchu?

Machu Picchu has a small town called Aguas Calientes right next to it, which unfortunately can not be accessed by car.

That being said, you can certainly rent a car and drive as close as possible to Machu Picchu, and then finish the journey on foot or with a train.

The closest point in the Hidroelectrica, which is a train station where people walk on the side of the tracks all the way to Aguas Calientes (or you can also alternatively take the train).

 Is There a Road Up to Machu Picchu?

There IS a road up to Machu Picchu! So how come there are buses in Aguas Calientes but cars cannot access the town?

We honestly felt like we were being lied to the entire time, until we spoke with a local girl who was born and raised in Aguas Calientes.

There are no roads leading to Aguas Calientes, and all of the buses that are in town were actually delivered to the mountain village with a train. There are also no plans to build roads to Aguas Calientes, and this is because the land around it is too fragile, and constructing a road could destroy the site.

Why Drive to Machu Picchu?

So if you can't drive all the way to Machu Picchu, then why would you drive at all? Well, getting to Machu Picchu with the train is very expensive, and the hike to Machu Picchu is very time-consuming. 

So if you are short on time or money, then renting a car can be one of the most budget-friendly options for visiting the world wonder, without having to break the bank.

The journey from Cusco is also a super scenic drive that provides a different perspective of the region's beauty, and is a great option for travelers to consider while visiting Machu Picchu who want to travel on their own schedule, and enjoy the stunning landscapes outside of Machu Picchu.

Driving to Machu Picchu: A Few Things to Keep in Mind

So now you know the reasons for choosing to drive to Machu Picchu, rather than to take the train or doing the trek. But now, let's check out a bit of what the driving situation from Cusco to Machu Picchu looks like.

Is it Safe to Rent a Car and Drive in Peru?

It is absolutely safe to rent a car and drive in Peru! We had such a pleasant rental experience, and even with our small car we were able to comfortably get around to everywhere we wanted to go.

Renting a manual car is typically a bit cheaper, so we rented a manual car, but there are also options for automatic cars if you'd prefer that.

The roads in certain areas can have a lot of construction, so we actually prefer having a bit of a higher clearance vehicle, although it's not 100% necessary.

Is it Worth Hiring a Car in Peru?

The first time we traveled to Peru we relied on buses and tours, and this time, we decided to rent a car. 

Honestly, renting a car in Cusco was a true gamechanger for us, especially as photographers. It allowed us to visit places without the crowds, and explore more of each area rather than going back and forth to Cusco each day.

How to Drive to Machu Picchu

So are you ready to learn exactly how to drive to Machu Picchu? Well, this is a breakdown of what the journey looks like:

 Step 1: Rent a car from Cusco

 Step 2: Drive to Hidroelectrica

Step 3: Park in a safe parking near Hidroelectrica

 Step 4: Walk along the train tracks to Aguas Calientes

 Step 5: Walk or take the bus to Machu Picchu

First- What is the Easiest Route to Get to Machu Picchu?

The easiest route to get to Machu Picchu is to drive through Ollantaytambo, and passing through Santa Maria and then Santa Theresa to get to the Hidroelectrica. At Hidroelectrica, your drive to Machu Picchu ends, and the rest of the way is done on foot or by train.

 Renting a Car from Cusco

Renting a car in Cusco is super easy, and there a ton of different companies to choose from! We booked Wellas Car Rentals on rentalcars.com, and the entire experience was seamless. We even messed up our booking and they let us take our car early to make up for it.

We'd recommend booking as early in advance as possible, so that you can get the best rates and availability of the best cars.

Our rental company was just outside the airport, making it really quick and easy. Make sure to have your license and a credit card to put a deposit on.

 The Road From Cusco to Hidroelectrica

The road from Cusco to Machu Picchu is LONG, but luckily it is a drive that is full of beauty and fun things to see along the way! It can take anywhere from 5-6 hours depending on traffic and construction, but we'd highly recommended breaking up the trip to be able to see some of the things along the way such as Salinas de Maras, Moray, and Ollantaytambo.

We decided to drive from Ollantaytambo, as this area has really cool places to stay and plenty to do in and around it. The place we recommend the most is Skylodge Adventure Suites, which are glass capsules hanging off the side of a mountain!

Up until Ollantaytambo the road is well-paved and very easy to navigate. From Ollantaytambo to Hidroelectrica, the drive is 3 1/2-4 hours, with half of it being well-paved, and half of it going through heavy construction.

 Driving from Ollantaytambo to Hidroelectrica

The drive to Hidroelectrica doesn't pass through a ton of towns, and is very mountainous. While there are a lot of curves (not great for car sickness), the views are just stunning! On the way there we had low clouds so didn't see, but on the way back it was simply breathtaking.

The first major town you'll pass is Santa Maria. This is a great place to stop for a quick bite to eat, or grab anything you may need like water or snacks.

The next part of the drive is from Santa Maria to Santa Theresa. This is when the drive gets a bit intense. The stretch of 45 minutes roughly goes on a dirt road on the outskirts of a mountain, and most of it doesn't have any barriers at all. If you're not used to driving in places like this, it can be a bit unsettling.

We're quite used to roads like this, so just took it slow, honked on curves, and always tried to stay far from the edge.

Something important to note about driving from Santa Maria to Santa Theresa is that there is a ton of construction going on, and the road is actually closed from 1 pm- 3 pm each day. You'll want to keep this in mind so that you don't end up getting stuck like we did.

We were leaving Santa Theresa, and the road closed minutes before we got there, so we had to spend 2 hours at a restaurant. The good thing is we found a really nice family-run restaurant with an extensive menu, two floors, and great wifi, which can be hard to find in places like this!

The road from Santa Theresa to Hidroelectrica is the roughest part, but doesn't take too long and is very scenic. Hang on, because you'll be there in just 25 minutes!

Don't have time to read the whole article and want to save it for later? Just pin it!

 Parking Near Hidroelectrica

When we first decided to drive to Machu Picchu, we shared our plans with a few different locals, and they advised against it.

The area around Hidroelectrica can be quite dangerous, and leaving your car parked next to it can be a recipe for disaster. 

We were determined to find the best solution though, so did some more research and found an incredible parking lot! This family run area is watched at all times, and for just 20 soles we were able to leave it there overnight without having to worry about anything happening to our vehicle while we were at Machu Picchu.

 Walking the Train Tracks of Hidroelectrica

Once you get to hidroelectrica, it's time for a fun walk to Aguas Calientes! The walk is a little over 2 hours alongside the tracks, and is pretty flat the entire time, with a few places to stop for drinks, food, and bathrooms along the way.

Alternatively, you can hop on the train from Hidroelectrica for $39, but it only goes a few times a day, and chances are if you wanted to drive to Machu Picchu over taking the train, this option wouldn't make a whole lot of sense for you.

We ended making it to Aguas Calientes in the afternoon, just in time for the sunset, so we got a hotel room and got the first tickets possible to enter Machu Picchu at 6 am the following morning.

If you really wanted to, you could leave to drive to Machu Picchu VERY early in the morning, and arrive to do Machu Picchu in the afternoon, but we honestly would rather visit early, and not worry about making it there in the same day just in case something were to go wrong.

 The Final Step: Getting to Machu Picchu

Now that you've made it to Aguas Calientes, you just have one last step! You can choose the one hour climb up to Machu Picchu, or you can opt for the bus.

Our first time visiting Machu Picchu we did the trek to Machu Picchu for 4 days, and finished off strong with the last hour to the entrance gate. 

This time, we were too tired, and decided to opt for the bus. It takes about 20-25 minutes, and you're assigned to the bus according to what time you have booked for Machu Picchu. It's $12 USD each way, and tickets can be purchased at the bus station in the center of Aguas Calientes.

So are you ready to experience the breathtaking Machu Picchu? We hope our guide for how to visit Machu Picchu with a car helps you enjoy this unique and fast way to make it to this incredible world wonder.

Want to learn more about Machu Picchu and the fun things to do around it? We have plenty of other Peru travel guides to enjoy, and particularly several other Cusco guides coming up. Make sure to subscribe to our newsletter for all of our weekly updates, as well as exclusive content we give there.

Ready to start planning the perfect Peru road trip? Well, we're here to help! Scratch Your Mapa offers custom travel planning services, ready to create you a customized itinerary, and save you on flights and accommodation. Want to learn more? Send us an email for your free consultation!

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