Aguas calientes, which means Hot Waters in Spanish, is a small town located in the wonder of the World Machu Picchu. It is nowadays most often referred to as Machu Picchu Pueblo or Machu Picchu Town.
Aguas Calientes is a tourist town
Location:
It is located in the Cusco Region, Urubamba Province. It is the seat of the Machupicchu District. Machupicchu lies at the Vilcanota River. It is the closest access point to the historical site of Machu Picchu which is 6 kilometres (3.7 mi) away or about a 1.5 hours walk.
Description:
Aguas Calientes or Machu Picchu town is at an altitude of 2.040 m.a.s.l / 6.692 ft. It is a small cosmopolitan city. It is well-known for its proximity to Machu Picchu and for its beautiful hot springs. The immense mountains and rivers that surround this town provide a unique landscape. You can do many things in Aguas Calientes: climb the Putucusi mountain, take a walk through the gardens of Mándor or relax in the thermal baths.
Importance of Aguas Calientes:
Machupicchu serves as a terminal for the PeruRail and Inca Rail passenger train service from Cusco. Trains serve locals and tourists arriving from Cusco and Ollantaytambo to visit Machu Picchu.
There are many hotels and restaurants for tourists, as well as natural hot springs which gave the town its colloquial Spanish name. There is also a nice central craft market.
If you are planning to hike Machu Picchu Mountain, you need to spend at least one night here. This way you can get up early in the morning and have enough time to visit the Mountain and Machu Picchu citadel.
Note that there is no transportation in the town. You will have to walk to get to most places.
Activities that you can do while in Aguas Calientes:
Visit the Hot Springs:
The hot springs are near to the downtown area of Machu Picchu town, in the highest part of town. It can be reached following the end of Hermanos Ayar de Aguas Calientes Avenue. It will take from 15 to 20 minutes to get there. Aguas Calientes has 5 small pools and the temperature of the water goes from 38˚C to 46˚C.
These natural springs are attributed to having healing properties in the treatment of rheumatic diseases of all kinds as well as the thermal baths of La raya, Cocalmayo, among others.
The hot springs in Aguas Calientes are the most visited place for tourists.
What to bring for the hot springs?
- Passport or any personal document.
- Cash
- Swimsuit
- Towel
- Some toiletries
- A small bag to put your belongings in.
Opening hours:
From Monday to Sunday: 5:00 to 20:00
Entrance fee:
The entrance fees vary according to the nationality of the people: Peruvian visitors pay 5 soles (2 USD) and foreigners pay 10 soles (3 USD).
Visit Manuel Chávez Ballón Museum:
The museum is called ‘Manuel Chávez Ballón’ in tribute to the work done by this Peruvian archeology in the first years after the discovery of Machu Picchu.
Peruvian Culture Ministry has a platform in which you can check this museum: https://visitavirtual.cultura.pe/
Manuel Chávez Ballón museum is not very frequented.
What is exhibited there?
The museum presents a collection of 250 original objects between stone, metal, ceramic, bone and others; a result of archaeological research in the recent decades in the Inca City of Machu Picchu and the Inca Trail.
Within the collection, one of the many highlights is the lithic artifacts used in the construction of the Inca city. There are nails and rings embedded in astrals and used for mooring the rafters made of straw, and in the roofs of the precincts that were formed by one or more inclined planes or tracks
You can also visit a small botanical gardens with more than 200 orchids.
How to get to the Museum?
It is located on the Hiram Bingham road that leads to Machu Picchu (at kilometer 112). To get there you will have to walk around 20 minutes from the town of Aguas Calientes.
Opening Hours:
From Monday to Friday: 9:00 am to 16:30 pm
Entrance Fee:
The entrance ticket is 22 Peruvian Soles.
Butterfly House:
It is located on the road out to the Manuel Chavez Ballon Museum just before the Municipal campground and a twenty minute walk from Machu Picchu Town.
Butterfly House is home to more than 300 butterfly species.
But, what exactly is the Butterfly House?
The Butterfly House is a local conservation project dedicated to studying local butterfly species as well as increasing butterfly population through a reproduction-and-release program. The project is run by Leonardo Serrano Gutierrez.
How many species of butterfly can you find there?
Butterfly House is home to more than 300 butterfly species.
How to get there?
It is a 20 minute walk from Machu Picchu. It is located on the road out to the Manuel Chavez Ballon Museum just before the Municipal campground.
Entrance fee:
It costs S/.10.00 Peruvian soles.
Located on the way to Machu Picchu climb.
How to get to Aguas Calientes?
There are two ways to get to Aguas Calientes:
- By Train from Ollantaytambo (or Cusco) to the train station in Aguas Calientes. Or
- By bus until Hidroeléctrica and then walking for 2 to 3 hours to Machu Picchu town.
Inkayni Tips:
- Bring your passport or any personal ID.
- Take some cash with you.
- Wear a hat and sunscreen to prevent from sun damage.
- Pack light clothes for sunny days during the dry season.
- Children can travel only under parents supervision.
- Drink water to keep hydrated.
- Buy dried fruits
- Have a camera with you.
“Live with no excuses and travel with no regrets.” – Oscar Wilde
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