8 Things to do in Aguas Calientes (Apart from Machu Picchu)

Aguas Calientes, also known as Machu Picchu Town, is the town located at the bottom of Machu Picchu itself. You can stay here overnight or just pop into town for a quick bite to eat before heading back to Cusco.

After visiting (and staying) in Aguas Calientes twice, I’m happy to confirm that I’m a fan of this cute little town. Yes, it’s pretty touristy but it’s a lot of fun with great restaurants, bars and shops for souvenirs.

Although the main charm, is the town itself, there are lots of things to do and see in and around Aguas Calientes. In this guide I have listed all of the things to do in Aguas Calientes and also where to stay, whether it’s worth spending any amount of time there and how long I would recommend.

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Quick Tips for visiting Aguas Calientes

Table of Contents

Best time of year to visit: June / July for the best weather

How long to stay: 1 night

Where to stay: Inti Punku Machupicchu Hotel & Suites is where I stayed which is both affordable and very comfortable

Where to eat: There are so many to choose from but a few good ones are Full House Restaurant, The Tree House Restaurant and Indio Feliz

Is Aguas Calientes Worth Spending Time in?

Seeing Machu Picchu is probably the most touristy thing you can do in Peru. With that, comes crowds, stress and a desperate feeling to just slow down a bit.

I think that spending a night in Aguas Calientes is a great way to break up all the craziness that comes with travelling from Cusco to see Machu Picchu. The only thing is that Aguas Calientes is heavily geared towards tourists visiting Machu Picchu, so you will probably find it to be one of the most touristy towns in Peru.

In saying that, it’s still fun to slow down and enjoy the shops, bars and restaurants. So yes, I think Aguas Calientes is definitely worth spending some time in but probably only 1 night.

The Best Things to Do in Aguas Calientes

Depending on how much time you have in Aguas Calientes, you may only have time to do one of these things while you are there.

Both times I stayed in Aguas Calientes, I was absolutely exhausted after just having down a multi-day hike (the Inca Trail and then the Salkantay Trek), so I honestly didn’t have the energy to do anything except shower, wander around the town and then eat and sleep.

Explore the Town and Artisan Markets

This was really the main thing I did each time I’ve visited Aguas Calientes. The town is very cute, even if it is touristy and it’s a really great place to get some souvenirs if you’ve been holding off until now. You would think that things would be more expensive here, but honestly I didn’t really find that to be the case.

The train runs through the centre of the town which is pretty cool and there’s also a river that runs right through the middle.

There are lots of little streets and alleyways so it’s fun to explore and find cute cafes and bars to hang out in.

*Full House restaurant in Aguas Calientes*

Soak in the Hot Springs

This is a great post hike activity if you have just completed one of the multi-day treks to Machu Picchu. I actually had all intentions to visit the hot springs last time I was in Aguas Calientes after I finished the Salkantay Trek, but I was just way too tired and couldn’t fathom walking anywhere else.

The hot springs are called the Baños Termales and cost 20–25 soles (bring cash) entrance fee. The best time to go is at 6am or after 6:30pm to avoid the crowds (but please check locally for updated opening and closing times), otherwise, you will be sharing one of the small pools with about 30 other people.

It’s about a 10 minute from from the Plaza de Armas.

👉Fun Fact: The name Aguas Calientes means “hot waters” and the town literally exists because of these hot springs.

Visit the Aguas Calientes Waterfall

The Aguas Calientes waterfall is more than 20m tall and can be found about 10-15 minutes walk past the hot springs. You can visit it using the same ticket as your thermal baths ticket as it is located inside the recreation area.

Check out the Butterfly Farm (Mariposario)

Mariposario de Machupicchu is a butterfly research, breeding and interpretation centre in the middle of Aguas Calientes. Guides there will show you around and you’ll learn all sorts of cool things about butterflies.

I didn’t get a chance to visit this as, honestly, I had no idea it existed! It sounds very cool though! I used to love butterfly farms as a kid!

Explore the Allcamayo Waterfall

This waterfall can be found around 1km from the town centre and you do need to pay for an entrance ticket which is around 10 soles (bring cash).

You’ll also see several smaller waterfalls along the way before reaching Allcamayo Waterfall which is around 30m tall.

Visit the Manuel Chávez Ballón Site Museum

A few things to know:

Opening hours: Daily from 9am to 4pm.
Entrance fee: Around 22 soles (USD7) for foreign adults.
Location: Approximately 2km from the town centre.

If you’re interested in learning a little more about the history of Machu Picchu, this museum is a great place to add to your Aguas Calientes Itinerary.

The museum is dedicated to the history archaeology and culture of the Machu Picchu area, with several exhibition rooms displaying artefacts recovered from archaeological excavations around the site. You’ll find everything from pottery and metal objects to historical photographs, maps and information about how the Inca civilisation lived.

There’s also a botanical garden next to the museum.

I’d recommend allowing around an hour or two if you want to explore both the museum and botanical garden. It’s a nice option if you have some spare time before catching your train back to Cusco.

Eat at the Restaurants

One thing I really enjoyed about Aguas Calientes was the food scene. Considering how small the town is, there’s a surprisingly good selection of restaurants, cafes and little eateries to choose from.

You’ll find everything from traditional Peruvian dishes and local favourites to pizza, pasta and international cuisine. There are also plenty of restaurants along the river, with actual views of the river. I remember getting my first ever Pisco Sour with Dave at one of these restaurants on my first trip to Peru.

One of the fun things about Aguas Calientes is roaming around to find cool restaurants, BUT if you need any recommendations, one really cool restaurant to try is Indio Feliz. Just go and check it out and tell me it’s not cool, I dare you.

Another restuarant with incredible food is The Tree House Restaurant.

One of the downsides of the Aguas Calientes restaurants is that they can be a little more expensive than in other parts of Peru, which isn’t surprising considering how touristy the area is.

Enjoy the bars and nightlife

After spending the day exploring Machu Picchu (or finishing one of the multi-day treks), enjoying a Pisco Sour at one of the bars in town is a nice way to celebrate making it to one of the most famous places in the world.

If you’re looking for somewhere to unwind after visiting Machu Picchu, Aguas Calientes has a decent selection of bars and pubs where you can grab a drink and enjoy the evening.

The nightlife here isn’t exactly wild, but there’s a fun atmosphere around town, particularly in the restaurants and bars near the main square and along the river. You’ll find everything from casual bars serving cocktails and local beers to places with live music and karaoke. My friends and I almost went to a karaoke bar but we chickened out and found a much quieter bar haha.

Where to Stay in Aguas Calientes

There is no shortage of places to stay in Aguas Calientes and it can honestly get a little overwhelming trying to decide on somewhere. Last time I was there, I stayed at Inti Punku Hotel and it was perfect. It was right in the centre of town, near the train station and was very affordable and comfy with breakfast included.

If you want to stay somewhere a little more luxury, you might like the look of Casa Del Sol. They are right on the river with some of their rooms having river views! Breakfast is also included.

beds at Inti Punku hotel machu picchu — *Beds at Inti Punku Hotel*

How to Get Around Aguas Calientes

Getting around Aguas Calientes is super easy. Getting there from Cusco is the hard part but if you need help with this, I have a guide all about how to visit Machu Picchu from Cusco.

The town is small and almost entirely pedestrian only, so you won’t need to worry about hiring a car, catching taxis or figuring out public transport.

Most of the bars, restaurants and hotels are within walking distance of the train station and to each other and you can pretty explore the entire town by food with the exception of actually getting to Machu Picchu, which you can also do by hiking but can also catch the bus.