What is Huayna Picchu?

The Huayna Picchu mountain is the summit that stands out in the classic postcard photo of Machupicchu. It stands at a height of 2,667 meters above sea level (300 meters higher than Machupicchu). The Incas built roads to its top. This walk is one of the most preferred routes for tourists in Machu Picchu.

Huayna Picchu is a Quechua word that means ‘young mountain’. Getting to the top is a challenge because its paths extend for approximately 2 kilometers. The almost two thousand stone stairs have slopes that reach up to 60 degrees.

The Incas built terraces, enclosures and even temples along Huayna Picchu. One of the most famous buildings is the Temple of the Moon, also called The Great Cavern. This enclosure is built inside a cave (the Incas believed that caves communicated the world of the living with the world of the dead).

Currently the walk to the top of Huayna Picchu is a very popular hiking route in Machu Picchu. To enter its paths you must buy the ticket ‘Machu Picchu with Huayna Picchu’.