Machu Picchu is the Peru's main tourist destination and a mainstay on bucket lists worldwide. A requisite stop for seasoned travelers, it received more than 1,170,000 visitors last year, more than 2 out of 3 of which were foreigners.
This popularity translates to 2,700 to 3,000 visitors each day; 90% of which enter around 6am and leave by midday, while only 10% visit in the afternoon and stay until 4:30pm. This disparity accelerates the wear and tear on the site, which is literally sinking under the weight.
Currently, admission is US$45 and the ticket is good from 6am to 4:30pm, with minors paying about half-price.
In order to incentivize afternoon visits, Fernando Astete, the director of Machu Picchu Archeological Park, has announced that from this month onwards tickets will be sold in shifts from 8am to 1pm and from 1pm to 8pm. Tickets for the second shift will be cheaper. The exact date of the change hasn't been decided, but it's expected to be around July 15th. The hope is that half or more of visitors will choose to visit the sanctuaries in the afternoon.
