If you’re wondering what to do in Aguas Calientes, the famous gateway to the Inca citadel, you’ve come to the right place. This small town, surrounded by mountains and cloud forest and officially known as Machu Picchu Pueblo, offers much more than just a stopover or a place to spend the night.
Whether you’re staying overnight before visiting the Inca llaqta of Machu Picchu or you have a few free hours after your tour, you’ll find plenty of places to explore on your own. In this backpacker’s guide, we’ll show you the best local attractions, from relaxing hot springs and an on-site museum to walks through waterfalls, a butterfly house and trails surrounded by lush nature.
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1. Visit the Manuel Chávez Ballón Museum
This museum is located at the foot of the mountain, right at the beginning of the pedestrian trail leading up to the Inca citadel. It is just a 15 to 20-minute walk from the centre of Aguas Calientes and, because of its location, it is often overlooked by most visitors, making it a peaceful and fascinating place to explore.
The museum honours Dr Manuel Chávez Ballón, a pioneer of Cusco archaeology who dedicated more than 30 years to researching the area. Inside its exhibition rooms, you’ll find an educational collection of original artefacts discovered during archaeological excavations, including pottery, metal tools, textiles and stone implements. Interactive maps and audiovisual displays also answer the key questions every traveller asks before visiting the site: How was Machu Picchu built? Who lived in the citadel? What was its true religious and administrative purpose?
💡 Backpacker’s Tip: Visiting this museum before heading up to the Inca llaqta will completely change your perspective, helping you better understand everything you’ll see among the ruins. As an added bonus, your ticket usually includes entry to the charming Botanical Garden located right next to the museum.
- Price: Adults: approximately S/25 | Students: approximately S/15 (a valid student card is required, and payment must be made in Peruvian soles).
- Location: On the pedestrian trail to Machu Picchu (approximately a 15-minute walk from the town centre).
- Opening hours: Monday to Sunday, 10:00–16:00. (To confirm opening times on public holidays, call +511 958194475.)
2. Explore the Botanical Garden Museum
Right next to the Manuel Chávez Ballón Museum you’ll find this fascinating botanical garden covering more than 1,600 m². It’s the perfect place to relax in the heart of nature before or after your walk to the Inca citadel.
Here, you can admire around 100 species of orchids on display, selected from the more than 420 species that grow naturally throughout the Machu Picchu Historic Sanctuary. Alongside its remarkable variety of native plants, ferns and trees, don’t miss the famous Waqanki orchid (a Quechua word meaning “you will cry“). Don’t worry—its name has nothing to do with sadness. It comes from the tear-like shape of its flowers and the Inca legend associated with it. Many botanists consider it one of the most beautiful orchids in the world.
💡 Backpacker’s Tip: Admission to the Botanical Garden is already included with your Manuel Chávez Ballón Site Museum ticket, so there’s no need to pay anything extra to visit it.
- Location: On the pedestrian trail to Machu Picchu (approximately a 15-minute walk from the town centre).
- Opening hours: Monday to Sunday, 10:00–16:00. (To confirm opening times on public holidays, call +511 958194475.)
3. Visit “Wasi Pillpi”, the Butterfly House
Located along the trail to the Site Museum, just a 15 to 20-minute walk from the centre of Aguas Calientes and immediately before the municipal campsite, you’ll find Wasi Pillpi (“Butterfly House” in Quechua). If you’re looking for a relaxing activity surrounded by nature while supporting sustainable local tourism, this is a stop you shouldn’t miss.
This conservation project was founded by Leonardo Serrano Gutiérrez, a local resident who, together with a team of volunteers, researches and protects eight native butterfly species found within the protected area of Machu Picchu. During the guided tour, you’ll walk through the breeding garden and observe the butterflies’ entire life cycle, from eggs and caterpillars to chrysalises and fully grown butterflies fluttering around you. You’ll also learn fascinating facts about their behaviour, including why darker-coloured species absorb more sunlight to regulate their body temperature.
💡 Backpacker’s Tip: By visiting Wasi Pillpi, you’ll not only enjoy a unique educational experience but also directly support a non-profit community project. Many of the butterflies raised here are later released to help restore the local ecosystem.
- Price: Adults: approximately S/10 | Children: Free (payment must be made in cash and in Peruvian soles).
- Location: On the pedestrian trail to Machu Picchu, near the Manuel Chávez Ballón Museum.
- Opening hours: Monday to Sunday, 08:00–17:00. (To confirm opening times on public holidays, call +511 973 621 266.)
4. Mandor Gardens and Waterfalls
If you have a free morning or afternoon in Aguas Calientes and want to escape the busy tourist crowds, a visit to the Mandor Gardens and Waterfalls is the perfect way to reconnect with nature.
The journey begins with a walk of around 1 hour alongside the railway line towards Hidroeléctrica, where you’ll enjoy the scenery of the cloud forest, the Vilcanota River and the impressive surrounding mountains. Once you reach the entrance to this private ecological reserve, you’ll pay the admission fee and continue along a well-marked trail for approximately 30 to 40 minutes, surrounded by orchids, giant ferns, butterflies and exotic birds, including the iconic Andean cock-of-the-rock. The walk ends at a beautiful crystal-clear waterfall, where you can relax and cool off.
At an altitude of just 2,400 m above sea level (compared with 3,400 m in Cusco), the route is mostly flat, easy to follow and rich in oxygen, making it a pleasant and gentle hike. Allow 3 to 4 hours in total to enjoy the experience at a relaxed pace.
💡 Tip Mochilero: Lleva repelente de mosquitos, bloqueador solar, agua en botella reutilizable y snacks ligeros. Si te da hambre en el camino, dentro del predio de Mandor hay un pequeño restaurante ecológico donde ofrecen almuerzos locales.
💡 Backpacker’s Tip: Bring mosquito repellent, sun cream, a reusable water bottle and some light snacks. If you get hungry along the way, there’s a small eco-friendly restaurant inside the Mandor reserve serving local lunches.
- Price: Approximately S/20 (cash payment in Peruvian soles only).
- Location: View the location on Google Maps here.
- Opening hours: Monday to Sunday, 08:00–17:00. (To confirm opening times on public holidays, call +511 940 188 155.)
5. The Handicrafts Market
Located just outside the PeruRail and Inca Rail train stations, the Aguas Calientes Handicrafts Market is the ideal place to buy souvenirs before returning to Cusco. It’s a colourful maze of stalls where dozens of local artisans sell alpaca wool garments, including jumpers, hats, chullos (traditional Andean knitted hats) and ponchos, as well as silver jewellery, Andean musical instruments, paintings and replicas of Inca pottery.
As it is the last shopping stop before boarding the train, the market is often quite busy. Its greatest advantage is the wide variety of souvenirs available in one place, making it easy to buy gifts for friends and family without having to carry them during your walk to the Inca citadel.
💡 Backpacker’s Tip: Bargaining is common in this market, but always do so respectfully. If you’re buying several items from the same stall, don’t hesitate to ask for a discount—this is a very common practice in Peru. Also, keep in mind that most vendors prefer cash payments in Peruvian soles. Card payments and digital wallets often incur an additional surcharge of 5% to 10%.
6. Hot Springs
If you’re spending at least one night in the town or you’ve just completed a demanding trek such as the Salkantay Trek or the Inca Trail, this is an almost essential stop. In fact, these natural springs are the reason why the town became known as Aguas Calientes.
The pools are fed by volcanic hot springs, with water temperatures ranging from 37°C to 45°C. Thanks to their high mineral content, including sulphur and calcium, they are ideal for relaxing your muscles, relieving fatigue and restoring your energy after several days of mountain trekking.
The complex also features changing rooms, showers and a small open-air bar where you can enjoy an ice-cold beer or a cocktail while taking in the scenery of lush vegetation and towering rock walls.
💡 Backpacker’s Tip: To avoid the crowds and enjoy the cleanest water, it’s best to visit early in the morning (from 05:00 onwards) or late in the afternoon. Don’t forget to bring your own towel, flip-flops and swimwear to save money. If you forget them, you can rent or buy them from the stalls on the way up.
- Price: Foreign visitors: approximately S/25 | Peruvians: approximately S/15 (pay directly at the ticket office in cash and in Peruvian soles only).
- Location: At the end of Pachacútec Avenue (approximately a 10-minute walk from the town centre).
- Opening hours: Monday to Sunday, 05:00–20:00.
7. Putucusi, the Happy Mountain
If you’re looking for a free, challenging adventure with spectacular panoramic views of Machu Picchu from a unique angle, reaching the summit of Putucusi (2,560 m above sea level) is the perfect challenge.
The trail takes you deep into Cusco’s cloud forest, surrounded by wild orchids, ferns and exotic birds. Don’t underestimate it, though. Although the hike is relatively short, it is physically demanding and can be quite intimidating. The ascent includes almost vertical sections of rock where you’ll need to use fixed steel cables and ladders attached to the mountainside. Once you reach the summit, you’ll be rewarded with breathtaking views of the Inca citadel and the Vilcanota River valley.
⚠️ Important Backpacker’s Warning: Access to this mountain is entirely at your own risk. Although hiring a guide is not compulsory, it is strongly recommended because of the demanding and potentially dangerous terrain. Keep in mind that the wooden ladders and safety cables have deteriorated significantly in recent years, making parts of the route unstable. Before attempting the climb, always check the current trail conditions in the town and never attempt the ascent during rainy weather, as the rocks become extremely slippery.
🎒 What should you pack?
- Trekking footwear: Walking shoes or boots with excellent grip and traction (essential to avoid slipping on the rocks).
- Non-slip gloves: Essential for holding firmly onto the steel cables and wooden ladders.
- Waterproof jacket or rain poncho: The weather in the cloud forest changes quickly.
- Sun protection: Sun cream, sunglasses, and a cap or hat.
- Insect repellent: Essential to avoid mosquito bites.
- Water and snacks: Bring at least 1.5 litres of water along with nuts or energy bars to keep your energy levels up during the climb.
💵 Practical Information
- Price: Free admission.
- Location: The trailhead is approximately a 10-minute walk from Aguas Calientes, following the railway tracks.
- Opening hours: Open 24 hours a day (however, climbing is only recommended during daylight hours, between 06:00 and 15:00).
