Going to a new country is such an exciting experience, especially if it involves an adventure like trekking to Machu Picchu.
With such a long and fascinating history, it is a shame that many trekkers arrive at the ‘Lost City’ knowing very little about the Incas, their empire, and the extraordinary archaeological site that is Machu Picchu.
The aim of my article is to inspire you to take some reading material on your flight to Peru, and subsequent trip to Machu Picchu.
Below, I have highlighted some of my favourite Machu Picchu books. From great Inca Trail guidebooks to seminal works on the history of the Inca and Machu Picchu, there is a Machu Picchu book here for every type of reader.
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Machu Picchu Books - How to Choose some Excellent Reads
Choosing a good Machu Picchu book can sometimes be thwarting. If I were pushed to recommend one, it would be Mark Adam’s super fun, yet brilliantly researched book, Turn Right at Machu Picchu. This Machu Picchu book provides fascinating insights on the ‘Lost City’ and its incredible allure in popular culture.
For a great overview on Cusco, the Inca Trail and the alternative routes to Machu Picchu, I recommend Alexander Der Stewart’s Trailblazer Guide. Alternatively, if you want a truly detailed guidebook on the city itself, then you cannot go wrong with The Machu Picchu Guidebook: A Self-Guided Tour by Ruth Wright and Alfredo Zegarra.
Brilliant Inca Trail Guides
The Machu Picchu Guidebook: A Self-Guided Tour
The Machu Picchu Guidebook: A Self-Guided Tour by Ruth M. Wright and Alfredo Valencia Zegarra is super detailed and excellently presented. This guidebook is my recommend choice for all Machu Picchu trekkers. It has some great pics inside as well!
Inca Trail: Cusco & Machu Picchu
If you are trekking any of the alternative Inca Trails (like the Santa Teresa Trek, Choquequirao Trek, Vilcabamba Trail, Vilcabamba to Choquequirao etc.) – then the Inca Trail: Cusco & Machu Picchu by Alexander Der Stewart is the perfect Machu Picchu book for you!
Ultimate Peru Travel Guides
Lonely Planet: Peru
I don't often like Lonely Planet Guides, but their most recent edition - Lonely Planet: Peru - is really quite fantastic. If you are planning to do some extensive travel in Peru after or before your Machu Picchu trek, then this guide will prove invaluable.
Please Note: If you're looking for a more recent version of the Lonely Planet: Peru guide, you can also check out the 2021 Lonely Planet Peru 11 (Travel Guide) by Brendan Sainsbury.
Peru: National Geographic Adventure Map
If you are planning on doing any backpacking, general trekking in the Andes, motorbiking or general touring in Peru, then the Peru: National Geographic: Adventure Map from National Geographic is the best one out there.
Machu Picchu Books – History and Insights
Turn Right at Machu Picchu: Rediscovering the Lost City One Step at a Time
Turn Right at Machu Picchu: Rediscovering the Lost City One Step at a Time by Mark Adams is by far my favourite book on the Inca Empire, its famous trail, and the ruins of Machu Picchu. It's a fascinating and funny read as well as an intensely personal account of one man’s exploration of the Lost City.
The White Rock: An Exploration of the Inca Heartland
This quote by Publishers Weekly says it all about The White Rock: An Exploration of the Inca Heartland by Hugh Thomson: “So entertaining and appealing is Thomson’s story of his exploration of the Inca empire that readers will wish they could take off and follow in his footsteps.” It's an incredible Machu Picchu book!
The Serpent, The Puma, and the Condor: A Tale of Machu Picchu
After traveling to Machu Picchu with an Inca shaman, Ph.D. professor Gayle Marie felt compelled to denounce the notion of conquistadors as national heroes. Her resulting novel, The Serpent, The Puma, and The Condor: A Tale of Machu Picchu, is a fictionalized account of the Spanish invasion of Peru, told from the Inca perspective. It left me hanging on the edge of my seat - absolutely brilliant!
The Last Days of the Incas
In this highly acclaimed book, The Last Days of the Incas, Kim MacQuarrie re-creates the 16th-century Spanish and Inca struggle for what has become modern-day Peru. I have only heard great things about this book.
Lost City of the Incas
Hiram Bingham's (the discoverer of Machu Picchu) Lost City of the Incas is not my favourite Machu Picchu book, but it's certainly a classic and seminal piece on the region, which still makes it worth reading.
Amazing Machu Picchu Photographic Coffee Table Books
Stone Offerings: Machu Picchu's Terraces of Enlightenment
Over 100 incredible pictures have been taken of Machu Picchu during the June and December Solstices. Mike Torrey's Stone Offerings: Machu Picchu’s Terraces of Enlightenment is truly beautiful and a great coffee table book. It can even be used to spark conversations about your Machau Picchu trek.
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Tags: Machu Picchu Books, Inca Trail Guidebooks, Peru Travel Guides, Guidebooks Machu Picchu
References: (1) Good Reads, (2) Lonely Planet
Disclosure: All the Machu Picchu books mentioned above (except Kim MacQuarrie’s "The Last Days of the Incas") have been read and reviewed by our team at Machu Picchu Trek. I am confident that you will enjoy them and find them useful. The links I have provided in this article will link you directly to Amazon. If you click these links and buy the book, Machu Picchu Trek will get a small commission from Amazon. This doesn’t affect the price you pay but does go a small way to helping us maintain this free resource for readers such as yourself.
I want to do day hikes by myself in and around the Sacred Valley, possibly from a base at a hotel in the village of Ollaytatambo(sp.). I am an experienced hiker, and am wondering: is this a problem–are there good maps and reasonable trails? My plan is to spend 5-7 days, taking a different hike each day, and returning to my hotel each afternoon–probably in late May–what do you think–and is there a good book and/or map I can buy in advance? Thanks for your help!
Hi David, there are a number of relatively well marked day hikes in and around the Sacred Valley area, but as a rule of thumb I would encourage you to take a local guide for general safety reasons and wayfinding.
I have recently published a historical novel that takes place during Pizarro’s invasion of Peru. The Serpent, The Puma, and The Condor: A Tale of Machu Picchu, is told from the Inca perspective and would be of interest to people traveling to the sacred city. It is available from both Amazon and Seattle Book Company, and I would love to see it added to your reading list. You can learn more about my book by checking out my website. Thanks!
Hi Gayle, We will add it to our list soon.
I am hoping you will consider adding my historical, multi-cultural novel, The Serpent, The Puma, and The Condor: A Tale of Machu Picchu, to your list of books about Machu Picchu. This obsessively well-researched novel takes place during Pizarro’s invasion of Peru, and was written after my travels to Cusco, Cajamarca, and Machu Picchu with shamans, historians, and astronomers. The story is told from the Inca perspective and incorporates many Inca traditions and religious beliefs that have been passed down by way of oral history. My book has, thus far, won three medals: 2019 IPPY Gold Medal for Best First Novel; 2019 National Indie Excellence Award for Multicultural Fiction; and 2019 Next Generation Indie Book Awards for Multicultural Fiction. I would be happy to provide you with a free copy for your consideration. The book is available in both hard cover and paperback, and can be purchased through Barnes & Noble, and Amazon. You can learn more about my book — and about me — from my author website: https://gaylemarieauthor.com. Thank you for your consideration!