Huayna Picchu

I was lucky to be early so could climb this mountain in relative peace. On the top, which is about 2700m above sealevel, with good weather you have a wonderful view of the former Inca imperial city below.

On a clear day, it is well worth the hike. The views are breathtaking. Can’t recommend this enough. Just be really careful because it is vertical so you don’t wanna be hiking when it’s it’s rainy.

Huayna Picchu, on Circuit 3 of the new Machupicchu trail routes, is spectacular. A spot at the top overlooking Machupicchu is arguably the best breakfast view I have ever had. At a very leisurely pace, the climb up will take an hour. If you are fit you can do it in 25 minutes, but you will likely be held up by much slower climbers. Huaynu Picchu is a perfect compliment as a second circuit after completing Circuit 2. It was a highlight of my day, and I definitely recommend it. BUT... for the love of everyone's sanity, DO NOT GO IF YOU HAVE A FEAR OF HEIGHTS. At least 20% of the route up (and down) is steep enough to be classified as a ladder instead of stairs. On the very top I watched in awe as men and women slithered their way across perfectly stable boulders and inched their way down the trails on their buttocks because they were too afraid to stand up. In all this they placed themselves in far more dangerous situations than a walk would have done. Yes, itbis beautiful. Yes, it is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. But it is also a bloody high peak of a very steep-sloped mountain. Make wise choices.

Huayna Picchu is a stunning peak offering breathtaking views of Machu Picchu. The hike is challenging, with steep paths and narrow trails, but the panoramic vistas from the top are worth the effort. The climb takes about 1 to 2 hours, so wear sturdy shoes and bring water. It's a must-visit for a unique perspective on the Incan city and its surroundings and you need to book in advance to be able to enter.

A hard hike for an incredible view. The hike is just very steep but it is not all that long. Take your time and take it in. It can be a pain to get tickets. Your ticket will include circuit 4 which is amazing.

Beautiful trail . Not so easy. Consider 1h30 to go up and down.

Worth the climb. The views from the top are spectacular, but the hike itself is much fun with some steep stairs. It is actually not that much of a challenging hike, depending on your level of fitness, can be done in 45mins or even less although most people take an hour. Recommend going early, the door opens at 7am, and having returned by 9am there only a dozen people in total but hundred waiting in line to start the hike. You would need to purchase circuit 3 to get access to the trail, so I ended up going up 2 days in a row, with the second visit being for circuit 2, which is the most popular and offers the best view of Machu Picchu.

Climbed this mountain right after arriving to Machu Picchu from the Inca Trai so will give a perspective from that lens. Overall, a worthwhile experience (but skippable) even if you've done the Inca Trail, and I think I would've been much more impressed if I hadn't done the Inca trail. Comments if you've done the Inca Trail: 1. The elevation at the peak of Huayna Picchu is similar to the Sun Gate, which is where you'll first spot Machu Picchu. As such, I felt the view was a bit similar, though admittedly it's in a different direction and you can see other things as well. 2. If you've done the Inca trail and you were keeping pace for all the days, I think you'll be fine. 3. The worry for me on the day was the guide said I was under a time limit (2hrs) so I did not miss the bus and subsequent train. I comfortably cleared the hike in 1.25-1.5 hrs with time to take pictures (though I was a bit rushed for pictures at the very top since there was a massive queue). If you are under no time constraint, I saw lots of people just slowly going up at their own pace. Going up didn't feel too bad and there are metal ropes to hold in the more suspicious (steep) parts of the climb.