Planning a hike to Machu Picchu via the Inca Trail is defined by one main factor: the availability of permits. The route is strictly regulated with a limit of 500 spots per day, of which only about 200 are for travelers. The rest are assigned to the mandatory support staff (guides, cooks, and porters). This limitation makes booking in advance not a recommendation, but an essential requirement to secure a spot.
It is fundamental to understand the reservation timeline. The sale of permits for the entire 2026 season opens during the month of October 2025. This is the most important period of the year to check the Inca Trail availability, as the most requested dates, especially for the high season (May to September), sell out in a matter of hours or days.
To manage a reservation for the Machu Picchu trek in 2026, it is mandatory to do it through an authorized travel agency. The process requires contacting the agency with the desired dates and the passport details of the travelers. The agency will verify the availability in real time on the official system and will proceed with the purchase of the permit.
Every year thousands of people are attracted to the City of Cusco by the energy of the Andes Mountains, but only a few can experience the magic of feeling this energy, by traveling one of the most amazing walks in the world, an Inca Trail of 500 years of antiquity. Machu Picchu is a center of beauty, mysticism, spirituality, challenge, and history, built by the legendary Inca civilization. Unlike other walks in Peru and the world, the Inca Trail is a protected area. We are experts in trips to Machu Picchu so we will indicate the way to obtain the permits for the Inca Trail.
The fact that the availability is released 3 months before, makes the most adventurous people have entered a kind of competition to get one of the 200 daily incomes to Machu Picchu Inca Trail Hike.
Keep in mind that of the 500 tickets available, 300 belong to the trekking support team, so only 200 people will end up entering Inca trail every day.
| Month | Date Availablity | |
| January | 1; 2; 3; 4; 5; 6; 7; 8; 9; 10; 11; 12; 13; 14; 15; 16; 17; 18; 19; 20; 21; 22; 23; 24; 25; 26; 27; 28; 29; 30; 31. | |
| March | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9,10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31. | |
| April | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9,10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30. | |
| May | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9,10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31. | |
| June | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9,10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30. | |
| July | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9,10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31. | |
| August | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9,10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31. | |
| September | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9,10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30. | |
| October | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9,10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31. | |
| November | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9,10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30. | |
| December | 1; 2; 3; 4; 5; 6; 7; 8; 9; 10; 11; 12; 13; 14; 15; 16; 17; 18; 19; 20; 21; 22; 23; 24; 25; 26; 27; 28; 29; 30; 31. |
The Inca Trail is the most popular hike in Peru and all of South America. The Inca Trail connects the city of Cusco to Machu Picchu. You can cover the distance of 45 kilometers within 3, 4, 5 and 7 days. The Inca Trail is tightly regulated. Hikes are only allowed with guides, cooks, and porters. In addition, the Inca Trail has to be booked months in advance, especially in the high season, which severely limits your flexibility. There are five versions of trails and these connect the lost City of the Incas "Machu Picchu"
Yes, the Inca Trail allows the daily entry of 500 people. Of that total, 300 are for the trekking support team, leaving only 200 daily spots for tourists who want to reach Machu Picchu via this route. Due to the limited availability of spots, it is essential to purchase tickets in advance. It is recommended to book at least 6 months in advance. Additionally, those who want to secure their entry for the following year should buy their tickets starting in October, when official sales begin.
To secure a permit and be able to Get to Machu Picchu via this route, booking 6 to 8 months in advance is recommended. The sale of permits for the Inca Trail 2026 will open in October of this year. This means that the most forward-thinking travelers are already managing the purchase of their entrance tickets to the Inca Trail 2026, especially for the high season (May to September). Waiting until the last few months is a risk that will very likely result in not finding availability.
Available Versions of the Inca Trail
There are mainly two versions of the trek, designed for different traveler profiles:
There is no way to enter the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu if it is not through an authorized travel agency. We have years of experience operating this fantastic route. To reserve a space, contact us.
With ticket sales for the Inca Trail starting this year, there is a risk that many people will be surprised and left without being able to reserve one of the permits to get to Machu Picchu in 2026. As operators of Machu Picchu, we recommend reserving permits 8 months before.
To buy the Inca Trail permits, you must provide your full name, passport number (current), sex, and date of birth. All the information provided to reserve the Inca Trail must be exact; Any error in the passport number or the name could cause them to prevent you from entering the Inca Trail. "If after reserving the Inca Trail (6 months before) change your passport, you must bring both passports with you, the old and the new".
If you no longer have time to book the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu then you will have to settle for getting to Machu Picchu by one of the most amazing train routes on the planet through the Sacred Valley of the Incas. But in the same way; Machu Picchu tickets must be reserved in advance. If you did not get the income for the Machu Picchu 4 day hike but still want an amazing walk, try some of the short treks in Machu Picchu; the Machu Picchu mountain + Huayna Picchu ticket (Circuit 3 Route A) offers one of Machu Picchu's most amazing experiences; however, to get these tickets, you must check the availability of Machu Picchu tickets at least 4 months in advance.
The high season on the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu is from May to September because this time coincides with vacations in the Western Hemisphere. These months probably offer the best trekking conditions with a dry and sunny climate. However, as we said before, you should reserve the permits many months before. April, October, and November are also great months to make the Machu Picchu trek. There are fewer hikers, although it is likely that at least one day it rains during the trek.
It is also easier to find available permits, although they must still be booked months in advance. The rainy season goes from January to March, and if you decide to come during this time, expect some frequent rains. However, it is perfectly safe to do the walk, with the equipment - waterproof - adequate. Again, it is much easier to get permits for any Machu Picchu hiking tours this time of year.
The Inca Trail to Machu Picchu closes the month of February of each year, due to the fact that it is the rainiest month, and it is used for maintenance for the conservation of the paths of the road. However, all alternative routes are open during this month.
With the availability released earlier than usual, there is a risk that many people will be surprised and left without being able to reserve one of the Inca trail permits for 2026. As operators of Machu Picchu, we recommend reserving permits 8 months before.
We are aware of what it means to operate in one of the most amazing places on earth. That is why we ask you to help us reduce to the maximum the negative impact of our passage through the place; In case you did not know, the Incas built the Inca trail so that it would not alter the natural landscape around it, like Machu Picchu, and we would have to keep it that way.
The Inca Trail to Machu Picchu is considered one of the most fascinating walks that exist; This will take you directly to Machu Picchu, considered the main destination of the world; no cube list does not contain it. We must protect the Inca road to Machu Picchu, this place has all the characteristics to become the fifth biosphere reserve in Peru, so help us protect it; so that people who have not seen it yet can do so. The Historic and Natural Sanctuary of Machu Picchu houses more than 500 types of orchids, some of which can only be seen in this place; more than 600 types of birds and other rare animals, such as the cock of the rocks and the spectacled bear, both in danger of extinction; of the latter, you can see puppies walking among the buildings of Machu Picchu.
There are many walks that can be excellent alternatives if you did not manage to reserve the permits to travel the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu. Salkantay, Lares, and Ausangate are some of them, and although they do not end directly in Machu Picchu, they will give you the opportunity to see it. However, if your main objective is Machu Picchu, you can reserve Machu Picchu tickets in advance.
The best alternatives Hike to Machu Picchu are the following:
The Inca Trail system reopened on 24 June and you can book the Inca Trail to start on July 15th. There are only 250 spots available each day and Short Inca Trail are 150 spaces available. It is strongly recommended to purchase permits as soon as possible!.
The Inca route are open are the following
A quick explanation of Inca trail availability: when the Inca Trail is fully booked, it means no travel agency can book it. This is because the booking system of the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu is managed by the Regional Office of Culture Cusco!
In case you did not know, only 500 people can get the permits to travel the Inca Trail every day; of these 500 people, only 200 will end up entering the Inca City of Machu Picchu; the other 300 people, belong to the support team that is needed during the walk; guides, porters and cooks. If the permits have sold out, so you have to look for a different date. If there are no permits available no travel agency will be able to offer you one. Agencies cannot buy permits in advance to sell later either. The permits can only be bought with the tourist's name and passport number and they cannot be changed after. Once bought, the space is gone and even if the person cancels, the space remains unavailable.
To secure a permit to enter the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu, you must book many months before. 8 months is the anticipated reservation time we recommend, but it is possible that the measure of releasing the availability for the Inca Trail 2026, months before, has people start to book entrance tickets to the Machu Picchu trail 2026 from now on. The complete release is scheduled for October, and the main concern is that 80% of the permits are sold before Christmas.
The only way to reserve a space on the Inka Trail is through an authorized travel agency months in advance. The Peruvian government ensures the welfare of each of the passengers, requiring them to be part of an excursion group led by a guide and with the help of support staff, so they can not do the trek on their own, and because of our experience, we are your best option.
To buy the Inca Trail permits, you must provide your full name, passport number (current), sex, and date of birth. All the information provided to reserve the Inka Trail must be exact, any error in the passport number or the name could cause them to prevent you from entering the Inca Trail Trek. "If after reserving the Machu Picchu trek (6 months before) change your passport, you must bring both passports with you, the old and the new."
You can see the permits available on the "Ministry of Culture" page and many other pages; however, this should be verified by the Agency with which you contract. The Inca Trail to Machu Picchu, since the amount of available income, may vary between the time you check availability and choose the travel agency. Contact us if you wish to book any Inca Trail Hikes.
Important
As you can see, the main problem is not "how to get the permits for the Inka Trail", but rather "when to reserve them"; since you do not book your tickets in advance, you will have to enter Machu Picchu by train.
+51 84 217 551
+51 997 434 941
Av Tupac Amaru PP-10B, Santiago, Cusco, Peru 
info@incatrailmachu.com
www.incatrailmachu.com
