Mandor Gardens & Waterfall

"This was a lovely hike near the town of Auguas Caliente. Once you walk out of town, follow the path that’ll lead you on a train track. There are loads of signs so you can’t miss it. The train track is safe as you’ll hear the trains far before you can see it. Plus they are moving very slowly.

It’s about a 30-40 min walk (approximately 1.5 miles) to get to the destination itself. Once you get there, there’ll be a cafe who will provide you with information and grant access to the trail. It is 20 soles pp. the hike has 2 trails, one that is mainly uphill to a viewpoint where you can see Machu Picchu. This trail is bit extensive but nothing too hard. A lot of woods and trees so bring some bug spray. If you forget, the store has small packets you can purchase. It’ll take about an hour or so to do this path. The second path is to the waterfall. The waterfall is amazing. It’s about another 20-30 min but very easy walk.

PS. If you’re lucky, you might get a guide dog who’ll pop out of nowhere to join your hike. They’re super friendly and cute."

Myat Naing

"We visited Mandor as part of our stay in Aguas Calientes, and it was a wonderful experience. From our hotel near the train station, we walked along the railway tracks to reach the entrance. While it might sound unusual, it actually feels quite safe. The trains are loud enough to hear well in advance, and along the way there are small cafés and stalls where you can grab snacks or drinks.
The entrance ticket costs 20 soles per person. At the ticket booth, we enjoyed a nice coffee, and Erwin, who works there, kindly shared the story of how his mother created the place.

Inside, you can easily spend 2.5 to 3 hours exploring. There are two main trails: one leading to the waterfalls, and another to a viewpoint where you get to see a completely different face of Machu Picchu. The view is absolutely stunning and not to be missed!

On top of that, the wildlife made the visit even more special. We spotted different kinds of butterflies 🦋, a variety of birds, and even a black tayra 🥹.

Overall, Mandor is peaceful, scenic, and full of natural beauty a perfect complement to the bustle of Aguas Calientes and Machu Picchu itself. Highly recommended."

Amy Hernandez

"We had a wonderful time on this scenic hike. Having a mixup with our Machu Picchu tickets, we were stuck in Aguas Calientes for a few days, and we wanted to make the most of it. On our second day we decided to hike to Mandor to see the falls

The hike is about 1.5hr outside of Aguas Calientes. You will follow the river out of town. Be careful as there are many buses racing by. And then the majority of the hike is along an active railway, so again, be careful

The views are stunning and you can actually see part of the Machu Picchu citadel on the walk

You will pay about 20s per person at Mandor. You will need to fill out a log, and you will need your passport information for this. There’s a little cafe, and you will be escorted to the gate of the trailhead

Once through the gate it’s only about a mile to the falls. And there is a fork in the hike where you can actually go up into the jungle to get a view of Machu Picchu. This is a little less than a mile of a hike, but it is straight up and through a humid jungle. The views at the end of both hikes are spectacular

If you get the chance, stop at either the Empanada cafe (Quinoa Snack Bar), or the Refugio. The Snack Bar has fresh delicious empanadas, and the Refugio is a vibe. The owner is a lot of fun, there’s great views, tasty food, cold drinks, great music, and a relaxing ambiance"

Nicholas Stevenson