Inti Punku (Sun Gate)
Inti Punku
The final gateway on the Inca Trail into Machu Picchu, where you first look down on the entire ancient city, and where hikers greet the sunrise.
The Sun Gate sits on a ridge southeast of the ancient city and marks the end of the Inca Trail. Its stone doorway faces the city. Travelers who have hiked the trail for four days usually arrive here early in the morning and see the full panorama of Machu Picchu for the first time. Visitors who do not hike the trail can walk round trip from the upper part of the site in about 1.5 to 2 hours, with about 300 meters of climbing, but they need a specific route ticket that includes the Sun Gate (ticket rules change often, so check the official website). Along the way you pass Inca-era checkpoints and terraces, which look completely different from inside the city. Clouds and fog often cover the site at dawn, so waiting patiently often pays off when the clouds clear.
Opening hours
By ticket route time slot
Nearby sights
- Machu Picchu Mountain
- Manuel Chávez Ballón Site Museum
- Machu Picchu
- Aguas Calientes (Machu Picchu Pueblo)
- Huayna Picchu
- Inca Trail to Machu Picchu
- Salkantay Trek
- Humantay Lake