Thank you for the kind words! I hope you make it — Machu Picchu is an amazing place!

It was simply amazing to realize the care and attention to detail the architects must have taken to get everything precisely right for the timing on the solstice!

Since there are the same number of entries ticketed per day, there actually aren’t more crowds on the solstice; there are just more at sunrise, since more people than usual want to be there to see the sun peek over the mountains. And there definitely ARE places where it doesn’t feel crowded. What’s more, if you get an afternoon ticket, just about everyone leaves before closing. So if you stay until they kick you out (which is what we did when we hiked in from the Inca Trail), then you’ll have the place almost to yourself.

Yes!!! It’s such an incredible trip. My husband couldn’t make this trip with me, and the whole time I was there I thought about how much he’d love it.

I’m so glad it was helpful, Yukti! I hope planning a trip to Machu Picchu is less intimidating now.

Yes, booking well in advance is totally necessary. We had our Machu Picchu entry tickets well before we booked airfare!

Many of us who travel WANT to know more about the destination’s culture and history but don’t know where to look. I’m happy some of these details helped you understand a bit about the Incan ties to the winter solstice.

To be honest, the one thing that puts me off is all the crowds. I have a feeling I might be better off going on a different day when it is less busy. Is the area big enough that you can still find quiet spots during the solstice?