Mandor

This was a lovely hike near the town of Auguas Caliente. Once you walk out of town, follow the path that’ll lead you on a train track. There are loads of signs so you can’t miss it. The train track is safe as you’ll hear the trains far before you can see it. Plus they are moving very slowly. It’s about a 30-40 min walk (approximately 1.5 miles) to get to the destination itself. Once you get there, there’ll be a cafe who will provide you with information and grant access to the trail. It is 20 soles pp. the hike has 2 trails, one that is mainly uphill to a viewpoint where you can see Machu Picchu. This trail is bit extensive but nothing too hard. A lot of woods and trees so bring some bug spray. If you forget, the store has small packets you can purchase. It’ll take about an hour or so to do this path. The second path is to the waterfall. The waterfall is amazing. It’s about another 20-30 min but very easy walk. PS. If you’re lucky, you might get a guide dog who’ll pop out of nowhere to join your hike. They’re super friendly and cute.

We visited Mandor as part of our stay in Aguas Calientes, and it was a wonderful experience. From our hotel near the train station, we walked along the railway tracks to reach the entrance. While it might sound unusual, it actually feels quite safe. The trains are loud enough to hear well in advance, and along the way there are small cafés and stalls where you can grab snacks or drinks. The entrance ticket costs 20 soles per person. At the ticket booth, we enjoyed a nice coffee, and Erwin, who works there, kindly shared the story of how his mother created the place. Inside, you can easily spend 2.5 to 3 hours exploring. There are two main trails: one leading to the waterfalls, and another to a viewpoint where you get to see a completely different face of Machu Picchu. The view is absolutely stunning and not to be missed! On top of that, the wildlife made the visit even more special. We spotted different kinds of butterflies 🦋, a variety of birds, and even a black tayra 🥹. Overall, Mandor is peaceful, scenic, and full of natural beauty a perfect complement to the bustle of Aguas Calientes and Machu Picchu itself. Highly recommended.

We had a wonderful time on this scenic hike. Having a mixup with our Machu Picchu tickets, we were stuck in Aguas Calientes for a few days, and we wanted to make the most of it. On our second day we decided to hike to Mandor to see the falls The hike is about 1.5hr outside of Aguas Calientes. You will follow the river out of town. Be careful as there are many buses racing by. And then the majority of the hike is along an active railway, so again, be careful The views are stunning and you can actually see part of the Machu Picchu citadel on the walk You will pay about 20s per person at Mandor. You will need to fill out a log, and you will need your passport information for this. There’s a little cafe, and you will be escorted to the gate of the trailhead Once through the gate it’s only about a mile to the falls. And there is a fork in the hike where you can actually go up into the jungle to get a view of Machu Picchu. This is a little less than a mile of a hike, but it is straight up and through a humid jungle. The views at the end of both hikes are spectacular If you get the chance, stop at either the Empanada cafe (Quinoa Snack Bar), or the Refugio. The Snack Bar has fresh delicious empanadas, and the Refugio is a vibe. The owner is a lot of fun, there’s great views, tasty food, cold drinks, great music, and a relaxing ambiance

Hiking along the train tracks to Mandor was so much fun. There were restaurants along the way, right by the tracks. When we arrived in Mandor, it cost S/20 to access the waterfalls.

Birdwatching in Aguas Calientes: Andean Cock-of-the-Rock We had done a 4-day Inca Trail Trek and stayed in Aguas Calientes for an extra day with limited time for birdwatching. We decided to go to Mandor Gardens and this was a great decision! The walk along the train track took about 90 mins with lots of bird species on the way. At the gardens we paid 40 soles entry for 2 people and proceeded up the trail for 20 mins where we'd been told Andean Cock-of-the-Rock is seen or heard daily. We got great views of one individual male, saw one other and heard several more. If you're in Aguas Calientes and want to see Andean Cock-of-the-Rock I highly recommend this place. As well as the lovely quiet trails, the veranda by the cafe had four hummingbird feeders where we saw another four different species of hummingbird (Long tailed Sylph, Chestnut-breasted coronet, White-bellied Woodstar, and Bronzy Inca). Great place for birdwatching, highly recommend asking the friendly staff for sighting tips.

I loved this place, it was so peaceful and relaxing and I could connect with the nature around

Saw 4 total cock of the rock birds! The waterfall is beautiful. Difficult to get to as you've got to walk down train tracks for a bit, but when you get to the hostel and coffee shop you've arrived. Grab some coffee - they pick it themselves, and it's also where you pay the entrance fee.

We visited May 24th, the gardens and waterfall are open and well worth a visit. The tourist info shop in Aguas Calientes said they were closed but is definitely open and the family that runs the place is great and could use all the support from tourism. They were closed for a few months in late 2024, early 2025 due to landslides but are now 100% open. Enjoy!