LIMA — Peru tourism officials are reminding agents and travellers that the new visiting hours for Machu Picchu are divided into two periods: from 6 a.m. to 12 p.m., and from 12 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.

The new rules, announced last year, aim “to ensure sustainability and proper care so that generations to come will also be able to visit it in a tangible way.”

Visiting Machu Picchu is one of the most aspirational experiences for world travelers and the Inca citadel is also one of the most visited and photographed destinations in all of South America.

With more ways to access the mountain top citadel and UNESCO World Heritage Site (including luxury rail services), Peru has evolved Machu Picchu’s visitor-access times to ensure that visitors can access the site year-round, but also ensure that it does not make the list as an endangered UNESCO site.

Despite its location, and relatively only recent discovery, Machu Picchu is easy to visit, says tourism officials. More than 40 daily flights connect the city of Cusco (the gateway to the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu) with Lima, Arequipa, Puno and Puerto Maldonado. There are also seasonal flights to Trujillo.

Once in Cusco, visitors are encouraged to take the train to the district of Aguas Calientes. From there, it’s a short bus ride to the citadel of Machu Picchu.

“For those who love hiking and adventure, you can also trek there by following the Inca Trail. For this, it is recommended to plan the trip months in advance, as the journey takes several days and the Inca Trail usually closes in the month of February for maintenance.”

Goway sent out an update in May 2017 about the new visiting hours.

For more information see peru.travel.