Quick Summary: The public Baños Termales at the top of Aguas Calientes (Machu Picchu Pueblo) cost about S/20 (about US$5.80) for a foreign adult and S/10 for Peruvians, the same figures in every dated source from 2023 to September 2026. They open about 05:00, take last entry around 19:30, and limit each visit to about 90 minutes. Expect shared, sulphur-tinted, warm-to-hot pools, not a spa: worth it if you sleep in town and can go at opening or around midday, especially after a trek, and not worth squeezing into a same-day trip from Cusco. For the rest of the town, see our Aguas Calientes guide.
2026 Prices and Opening Hours
We found no 2026 price list published by the district municipality, so the fares below come from the most recent dated sources we could read. They agree with each other: El Comercio (May 2023), Inca Rail's town guide (updated December 2024) and the Hot Springs Guides directory (updated 21 September 2026).
| Visitor | Entry | About, in US$ |
|---|---|---|
| Foreign adult | S/20 | 5.80 |
| Peruvian adult | S/10 | 2.90 |
| Local resident | S/5 | 1.45 |
| Child | No published fare found | Ask at the booth |
- Opening time: about 05:00, every day (Inca Rail; Hot Springs Guides).
- Last entry: about 19:30, with everyone out by about 20:30 (Hot Springs Guides). PromPerú's brochure, dated 2019, gave 05:00 to 19:30; El Comercio in 2023 gave 06:00 to 20:30.
- Time limit: about 1.5 hours per visit, reported by El Comercio in 2023 and by Hot Springs Guides in 2026.
- Payment: cash in soles. A tour operator's April 2026 guide says the ticket booth below the entrance does not take cards, so carry small notes.
Where They Are and the Walk From the Train Station
The baths sit at the upper end of town. PromPerú's Machupicchu Pueblo brochure puts them at about 2,080 m (6,824 ft), slightly above the town's 2,040 m (6,693 ft), and 15 minutes on foot from the main square, Plaza Manco Cápac. Inca Rail says 800 m from town; Hot Springs Guides says about 750 m from the plaza, uphill, 10 to 15 minutes.
- From the train station: walk up to the main square, then keep climbing upstream beside the small river that runs through town to the top. Guides name the street differently (Avenida Pachacútec in some, Avenida Hermanos Ayar in others), but the direction is the same. An agency page puts the baths under 1 km from the station, so allow 15 to 20 minutes.
- No taxis: there are none in town, so everyone walks (Hot Springs Guides).
- Drop your bags first: El Comercio reports that you cannot take luggage in, only your swimwear. Leave backpacks at your hotel.
- Access: the complex is on a hillside with steps and uneven surfaces, and no step-free access has been published (Hot Springs Guides).
If you are still choosing where to sleep, our Cusco vs Aguas Calientes guide covers the trade-offs.
The Pools and How Hot the Water Is
- Number of pools: five outdoor pools, say Inca Rail (2024) and Hot Springs Guides (2026). El Comercio counted seven in 2023.
- Temperature: PromPerú's brochure calls the water a "natural sauna" of sulphurous spring water averaging 32 to 37 °C (90 to 99 °F). El Comercio, Inca Rail and Hot Springs Guides give 38 to 46 °C (100 to 115 °F) across the pools, and one operator guide says the hottest pools sit at the top. Expect a warm bath with a couple of hotter pools, not a scalding soak.
- Colour: a dull yellow or yellowish green from sulphur (El Comercio; Hot Springs Guides). Cloudy water is natural here, not by itself a sign of dirt.
- Facilities: changing rooms, showers, lockers and bar service to the pools (Hot Springs Guides).
- Posted rules: shower first, no swimming, no spitting, no entry with injuries and no ordinary shirts in the water (Hot Springs Guides).
What to Bring, Rent and Leave at the Hotel
- Swimsuit: required. Stalls at the entrance sell or rent swimwear (Hot Springs Guides; an agency page updated in August 2024), at prices none of our sources lists.
- Towel: vendors near the entrance rent towels "for a few extra Soles," says Happy Gringo Tours. A quick-dry towel from home is the safer choice.
- Flip-flops: the stone paths between pools are wet and slippery, the same guide warns.
- Padlock: Hot Springs Guides lists lockers as free with entry; Happy Gringo Tours describes wooden lockers that take padlocks, which vendors rent. Bring a small padlock.
- Cash and water: soles in small notes, and water to drink. Hot Springs Guides advises against alcohol while soaking.
A swimsuit is already on our packing list.
Cleanliness and Crowds by Time of Day
How clean the pools feel depends on when you go. We found no official cleaning or water-change schedule, so we rely on dated sources:
- Hot Springs Guides, September 2026: cleanliness "varies depending on the time of day and visitor numbers." The reviews it cites rate mornings "acceptable to good" and evenings "more mixed." The first hour after the 05:00 opening is the cleanest and quietest; it is busiest from around 14:00, as visitors return from the citadel, and evenings are very crowded on weekends and in high season.
- Happy Gringo Tours, April 2026: the pools rely on natural flow rather than heavy filtration, and the rinse-off rule is enforced. It names about 17:00 to 20:00 as the busiest stretch, and early morning and midday as quieter.
- An agency page, August 2024: says the pools are cleaned and disinfected constantly, but gives no schedule.
The sources differ on when the afternoon rush starts, but the pattern is clear: early morning is best, midday is fine, and late afternoon to closing is the worst time to go.
When to Go Around Your Machu Picchu Visit
- Before a 06:00 or 07:00 entry: no. The baths open about 05:00, the first bus up leaves about 05:30, and most guides put you in the bus queue by about 05:00. See our bus guide.
- Late morning, after an early entry: our pick if you leave town that afternoon. Ride down, drop your bags at the hotel and soak around midday, when operators report fewer people. With the walk each way, the 90-minute limit and changing time, we would want at least three hours free before your train.
- At 05:00 the morning after: the cleanest option if you stay a second night or have a later entry.
- The afternoon you arrive: workable, but it is the busiest window.
- After a trek: this is where the baths earn their reputation. If you finish the Inca Trail or Salkantay with a night in town, go early the next morning.
The last bus down from the citadel leaves about 17:30, so a second night gives you the easiest timing. If you arrive in the morning and visit the citadel that afternoon, our same-day guide shows how tight that day already is; save the soak for the next morning.
Alternatives: Cocalmayo and Hotel Spas
Cocalmayo is a set of open-air pools near Santa Teresa, reached by road. Agency guides describe three or four clear pools at about 38 to 44 °C (100 to 111 °F), at roughly 1,600 m (5,249 ft), with entry at S/10 (about US$2.90) for foreigners and S/5 for Peruvians: an agency page labelled with 2024 prices and a transport operator's March 2026 guide, which adds hours of 05:00 to 22:00 and a colectivo from Santa Teresa of about S/5, roughly 10 minutes. It suits travellers already on the Hidroeléctrica route or the Inka Jungle trek; from Aguas Calientes it is not a side trip. Lares trekkers get their own springs on the trail.
Hotel spas trade the crowd for a much higher price. Inkaterra Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel's 2026 price list shows a spa day pass at US$45 per guest and a 45-minute Andean sauna at US$180 per session for up to four people, and says these services are exclusive to hotel guests. Sumaq Machu Picchu Hotel's Aqlla Spa lists a steam sauna and a jacuzzi, but publishes no prices or policy for non-guests.
| Option | Where | Entry, foreign adult | Hours | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baños Termales | Top of Aguas Calientes, 10–15 min walk from the plaza | S/20 (about US$5.80) | About 05:00–20:00, last entry about 19:30 | Anyone sleeping in town, and trekkers |
| Cocalmayo | About 10 min by road from Santa Teresa | S/10 (about US$2.90) | About 05:00–22:00 | Hidroeléctrica and Inka Jungle travellers |
| Inkaterra UNU Spa | Inside the hotel, Aguas Calientes | Day pass US$45; sauna US$180 per session for up to 4 | By reservation, hotel guests only | Guests who want privacy |
| Sumaq Aqlla Spa | Inside the hotel, Aguas Calientes | Not published | Not published | Guests; ask the hotel |
Who It's Worth It For, and Who Should Skip It
Our position: the Baños Termales are worth S/20 and about two hours if you are sleeping in Aguas Calientes and can go at opening or around midday. They are overrated as an evening plan in high season, when you share warm, cloudy water with half the town, and never worth risking a train for. Think of them as a cheap, basic public bath, not a spa.
- Go if: you have just finished a multi-day trek, you have a free morning or midday in town, you travel on a budget, or you have older children who will enjoy it (Hot Springs Guides lists it as family-friendly).
- Skip if: you are on a same-day return from Cusco, you expect clear water and spa standards, stairs and uneven ground are hard for you, or your only free slot is late afternoon in high season.
- Check first if: you are pregnant or have a heart or blood-pressure condition. Ask a doctor before soaking in water this hot.
FAQ
How much do the Aguas Calientes hot springs cost in 2026?
About S/20 (about US$5.80) for a foreign adult, S/10 for Peruvians and S/5 for local residents, in sources dated 2023 to September 2026. We found no official 2026 tariff, so confirm at the booth.
What time do the hot springs in Aguas Calientes open and close?
They open about 05:00 every day. The most recent source gives last entry around 19:30 and a clear-out by about 20:30; older sources give slightly different hours.
Are the Aguas Calientes hot springs clean?
It depends on when you go. Reviews cited in 2026 rate mornings acceptable to good and evenings mixed, and the yellow colour comes from sulphur, not dirt. Go in the first hour after opening.
Can you rent a towel and swimsuit at the hot springs?
Yes. Stalls near the entrance rent towels and sell or rent swimwear, but no fixed prices are published. Bringing your own is cheaper and more hygienic.
Is there a time limit at the Aguas Calientes hot springs?
Yes, about 1.5 hours per visit, reported in 2023 and again in 2026. If you enter near last entry, you may get less time before closing.
Can you pay by card at the Aguas Calientes hot springs?
Plan on cash. A 2026 operator guide says the ticket booth does not take cards, so bring soles in small notes.
Can you visit the hot springs before a 06:00 Machu Picchu entry?
Not realistically. The baths open about 05:00, the same time most guides tell you to join the bus queue for a 06:00 entry. Go late morning after your visit or at opening the next day.
Is Cocalmayo better than the Aguas Calientes hot springs?
Agency guides describe its water as clearer, and it costs about half as much. But it is near Santa Teresa, so it only suits travellers on the Hidroeléctrica route or the Inka Jungle trek.
Can you use a hotel spa in Aguas Calientes without staying there?
Not at Inkaterra Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel, whose 2026 price list says its spa services are for guests only. Sumaq's spa does not publish a policy for non-guests, so ask the hotel directly.
Limitations
Prices, hours, the time limit and pool counts here come from press, train-operator, directory and agency pages dated 2023 to September 2026, and hold as of October 2026 only as far as those sources go: we found no tariff or timetable from the district municipality, and sources disagree on water temperature and pool numbers. The baths have closed at short notice before, for three days in February 2016 on Civil Defence advice over rockfall risk on the access path (Correo), and Cocalmayo's prices and hours come only from agency pages. Work-around: before you plan your day around a soak, ask your hotel's front desk for the current price, last-entry time and whether the baths are open, carry soles in cash, and check that your train leaves at least three hours after you plan to start.