Hiking in Huayna Picchu in Peru can be a bit difficult and scary at times, but it is by far one of the best things to do in Machu Picchu, the legendary lost city of the Incas.
This is a must for a hiking trail that will take you to the top of Wayna Picchu (the iconic mountain behind Machu Picchu), and at the top you can see quirky Inca buildings and picturesque views.
Don’t let the nickname scare you too much — although they were called the “stairs of death” (because of their stiffness and tightness), there have been very few accidents here over the years, and overall it’s pretty safe as long as you don’t screw up.
In this guide you will learn how to get to the Huayna Picchu Mountain, how to walk safely on the “Stairs of Death” and everything you need to know before you go!
What Does Huayna Picchu Mean?
The name “Wayna Picchu “comes from the Quechua language and means” young mountain “(“wayna “is young and” picchu ” is mountain).
An alternative spelling for the same name is “Huayna Picchu” and is more commonly used on the Internet these days.
Where Is He?
Huayna Picchu is the mountain behind the famous citadel of Machu Picchu in Cusco, Peru, which was built in the 15th century.
This mountain is sometimes confused with Montana Machu Picchu, another nearby peak that you can hike, but Huayna is actually the iconic mountain that you see right behind the ruins when you first enter the citadel and stand at the famous viewpoint.
To reach Huayna Picchu and start the hike, you must first cross the ruins of Machu Picchu, as the trail starts at the north side of the park.
Huayna Picchu Hike: What to Expect
The Huayna Picchu hike is a scenic trail that takes you to a jungle-covered mountainside via stone steps built by the medieval Inca Empire.
It is somewhat difficult, but completely non-technical, and fit hikers can reach the top of the mountain in 1 hour or less. The steepest staircase is located near the summit at the end of the hike.
Despite its difficulty, this trail is in high demand and is limited to only 400 hikers per day, so you often have to book several months in advance to get a place.
The following details explain each part of the hike and what to expect. It is an unforgettable experience!
* Base
The beautiful scenery starts almost immediately while hiking Huayna Picchu.
Immediately you will have an unobstructed view of the putucusi Mountain and the Urubamba River with a series of dramatic green peaks in the distance.
From there there is really only one way to the top of Huayna Picchu, and many other international hikers have gone in the same direction, so you can’t get lost.
The rest of the hike is a hard climb up Inca stone stairs, although many switchbacks have enough vegetation cover to protect them from the sun.
These stone steps are not in the best condition, but they make hiking a little more manageable than stair-free hikes where you step on dirt or mud.
* Inca buildings
After about 20 or 30 minutes of walking, you will have your first view of the citadel of Machu Picchu behind you in the distance and remind you how high you are already!
At this point, the staircase becomes much steeper and narrower, which allows you to hold a steel cable for greater balance. Stone steps are still quite safe, but their small size makes them somewhat cumbersome.
Here you will also meet your first Inca buildings and terraces on the path you cross to get to the top of Huayna Picchu Mountain.
According to the inhabitants, these structures were inhabited by the priests of Machu Picchu.
Most of these Inca buildings are open to the public, so you can take a walk there and take a break before continuing the Huayna Picchu hike.
Some buildings have windows with stunning views of the Andes Mountains. What would it have been like to live here? Can you imagine?
We wanted to stay longer and spend hours exploring these ruins, but we were too excited to see the grand finale of this hike — the “death staircase” of Huayna Picchu — and the final summit!
* Stairs of Death of Machu Picchu
It’s time for the “Stairs of death”! This epic stone staircase is your last challenge before reaching the top of Huayna Picchu Mountain.
Despite the scary name, you are really not in immediate peril here, and the path is very wide. But don’t get me wrong, the view is dizzying!
There are steep differences in altitude, but they are not as close as it seems. Even if you somehow fell off the stairs, you would end up on one of the grassy terraces and have space left.
It is not clear how many steps there are in total, but many of them are irregularly shaped and rather squat, so you may not always be able to fit your entire foot into them.
The traffic on this staircase goes only in one direction (up), and there are several places where you can leave the path and let other hikers pass, so there is no need to hurry.
These stairs were my favorite part of the whole Huayna Picchu hike. We had to spend most of an hour here, enjoying the view and trying to take photos that captured the dizzying scene.
* Top of the mountain Huayna Picchu
After a short walk past the last stone staircase you will reach the top of the Huayna Picchu Mountain!
The height of the peak is 2,693 meters and you have a spectacular view of Machu Picchu and the zigzag serpentines of the bus road to the citadel.
They are surrounded by the Andes from all sides. You can even see the mountain Huchuy Picchu (which looks tiny at the bottom) and the pointed peak of Montana Machu Picchu.
In my opinion, this is one of the best views in Peru, and if you reach the summit at a busy hour, you may have to queue up here to take photos.
Be careful on the top of the mountain, because even here there are steep slopes, if you are not careful. There’s usually a ranger stationed upstairs to make sure people aren’t doing anything peril.
