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YES, you do!!! It is recommended that you make a reservation for the Inca Trail, check the spots available online and pay for your entrance fee well in advance!
It is very important to book this trek enough time in advance!!!
The number of Inca Trail permits is limited to 500 per day (about 200 tourists and 300 trekking staff such as Tour Guides, Porters, and Cooks). This includes the 4-day treks as well as the 7-day Salkantay Trek to Inca Trail. The estimated numbers are 160 trekkers per day on the 4-day trek, 25 trekkers on the 2-day trek, and 15 on the 7-day trek.
The number of the permits for the Short Inca Trail is 250 per day. In this permit involves trekkers, trekking chef and porters.
A general recommendation on how long time in advance to book it is:
Best time to hike the Inca Trail for you |
Get your Inca Trail Permits |
If you like to hike in December, January, March | 3 – 5 weeks in advance |
If you like to hike in April, October, November | 6 – 8 weeks in advance |
If you like to hike in May, September | 7 – 6 months in advance |
If you like to hike in June, July, August | 6 – 5 months in advance |
In February, the Inca Trail trek is closed due to heavy rain and maintenance. But no worries, you can still visit Machu Picchu, either by train or via Alternative Treks.
Contact us to check on the availability of the Inca Trail.
Click on the button BOOK ONLINE (above and below each tour). Then complete every detail of the form. We will email you all the details later, and if any of the details are misspelled / incorrect, please let us know immediately, as we need to process your booking with 100% correct information. In case of missing/incorrect passport numbers / misspelled names, we will not be able to make any adjustments in official government documents later, so you will not be allowed to enter the Inca Trail !!!
The Inca Trail to Machu Picchu is 42 km (26 miles) long. Campsites along the Inca Trail are assigned by Cusco's office of the Ministry of Culture (Ministerio de Cultura) and that is why it is difficult to determine the exact distance to be covered in a day but expect to walk 6 to 9 hours daily.
Since June 2002, independent hiking on the Inca Trail has been banned! The regulations stipulate that each trekker must be accompanied by a professionally qualified guide. The Ministerio de Cultura is the regulatory body responsible for controlling access to Machu Picchu and the Inca Trail. Operating companies must meet certain requirements to demonstrate that they have professional guides and good-quality camping equipment, radio communications, and emergency first aid including oxygen. Their licences are renewed each year in early March.
There are 250 tour operators of the Inca Trail. Every year, all companies wanting to operate the trail have to get authorization for it. These companies need to present the quality camping equipment for travellers as well as porters. If a company complies, it receives a licence from the Ministery of Culture and the SERNANP.
Tierras Vivas has been a licensed Inca Trail tour operator since 2007!!
No, you need to carry your valid ID (passport) to enter this protected park! Make sure you carry your passport with you and get a Machu Picchu stamp at its entrance.
If the name or passport number does not match your passport or identity document, you will not be able to access Machu Picchu/Inca Trail!!! All your information must be filled out carefully. Otherwise, you need to pay a penalty for the name change! For that reason, we recommend you to double-check when purchasing your ticket!
Yes, there are. You might choose the following routes and check their length and difficulty:
Yes, there is a limit to the number of Machu Picchu visitors: 4,200 per day. (While the Inca Trail is limited by 500 persons per day.)
The shorter Inca Trail is intended for those tourists who have little time in hand or those who just want to take things a little calmer. This trail starts at km 104 and ascends to the ruins of Wiñay Wayna before continuing to Machu Picchu. Since you do not have much time in Machu Picchu on the first day, trekkers commonly spend the night in Aguas Calientes and return to Machu Picchu the next day.
You will visit the Challacancha, Wiñaywayna, Intipata Inca sites, Intipunko (Sun gate) and Machu Picchu
This trail is subject to Inca Trail regulations and hiking permits must be reserved in advance too!
Prices for a 4-day Inca Trail group service typically range from USD 550 to 680 per person, including admission to the Inca Trail and Machu Picchu and a return journey by train. This price includes the Peruvian sales tax which is currently 19%. A discount of USD 30 is commonly provided for students with valid ISIC cards and children under 16. It is a standard service offered by most tour operators in Cusco and involves the most economical way of hiking on the Inca Trail as part of an organized group. Although services may vary from operator to operator, the following services are generally included: private transportation to the Inca Trail trailhead, a professional Guide, an Assistant Guide for groups of over 9 participants, admission (US$ 105 per adult or US$ 52.5 per student), a double tent, a mattress, kitchen equipment, Cook, meals, Porters (to carry tents, food and kitchen equipment only), an Expedition train service back to Ollantaytambo (currently USD 78) and land transport to Cusco.
The following items are usually not part of the Inca Trail service: breakfast on the 1st day, refreshments along the trail, a shuttle bus from Machu Picchu to Aguas Calientes (USD 12), lunch and dinner on the last day.
An Inca Trail in a private group or Inca Trail luxury travel is generally similar to the group service but it is slightly more comfortable. Additional items such as porters to carry your personal items are included in this type of service. Typical prices per person provided by a medium-sized tour operator are:
These prices include entrance fees and return by the Expedition train service from Aguas Calientes to Cusco.
Porters to carry your personal items can be hired separately for between US$ 130 and US$ 150 per 4-day trail.
Tipping is not obligatory in Peru, however, it is a part of the culture.
Generally speaking, if the whole group was satisfied with the service, try to make sure that each Porter takes home an extra US$ 20, the Cook US$ 30, the Guide US$ 50, and the Assistant Guide US$ 30.
Example:
A typical group of 4 persons with 11 Porters (11 x 20 = $220), 1 Cook ($30), 1 Guide ($50) would receive a total of USD$300, which is about US$ 75 per person.
The biggest difference between a responsible company and an irresponsible is how they look after their porters on the trek. Many porters are given very little to eat on the trail. They have to wait to see how much tourists have eaten before left-overs are divided up amongst them! Many porters end the trail tired and hungry! In general, porters sleep together in the group dining and kitchen tents. This is fine because there is warmth in a large group. However, when you are on the Inca Trail, remember not to end up talking all night in the dining tent as there might be tired and cold porters waiting outside to go to bed. You may also notice that very few dining tents have integral floors to keep out the cold and damp. So when it rains the floor becomes like a river running through the tent. Very few porters have sleeping mats or even warm sleeping bags. They usually put one blanket on the ground and cover themselves with another one.
The Quechuas, the native Andean people, have a history of being trampled, first by the Incas, then by the Spaniards, and then by the landowners. Thanks to recent reforms, some Quechua people possess their own land, but only a few. Due to their long history of being dominated by others, they have mostly low self-esteem. It is important to try to involve them in your group. For instance, you might take some coca leaves and share them with them. You can also try to learn a couple of basic Quechua words (ask your Tour Guide, s/he will be surely pleased to help you). Many porters have amazing stories to tell about their traditions and life in their villages. At the end of the trek, do not forget to show them that you appreciate their hard work and thank them verbally as well as by tipping them.
Tipping your Tour Guide and Cook should depend on the quality of the service. If their tips are consistently poor, they will soon receive a message that they need to improve. However, even though the food was terrible and the guide spoke no English (which we hope will not be the case!), the porters were probably still working hard carrying all the heavy camping equipment, so please do not forget to give them a tip. The amount you can pay depends on you. Usually, it is recommended to tip every porter with 50-60 soles (it is a combined tip from everybody in your group). Try to take plenty of small change, so that you can tip porters directly. This is much better than giving money to your cook or guide to be divided later as this is distributed unfairly. Be careful of over-tipping also as it can be often as bad as not leaving any tip. If a porter receives a large tip, he usually ends up drinking in Aguas Calientes or Urubamba for several days and just a little of this amount reaches his poor family, unfortunately. So try to keep your tip in a reasonable amount. Alternatively, if you like to give them something extra, you can give them a gift such as clothes or school equipment for their children, or clothing for them or their wives. They will be certainly grateful!
RELATED: INCA TRAIL PORTERS 2025
The highland region of Cusco has well-defined winter and summer seasons. Winter days (June - August) are very sunny and warm, but the temperature drops near freezing at night. Summer is also called the rainy season (January to March). December and January are two of the nicest months for trekking with only the occasional shower and blooming flowers.
It is very important to take the best backpack cover as the weather on Inca Trail to Machu Picchu changes all the time so we cannot predict if it rains or not. If you do not have one, we recommend that you put clothes, a sleeping bag, and other personal equipment in a plastic bag.
Hiking pants and T-shirts are suitable during the day, complemented by sweaters, fleece, and a waterproof jacket. It is convenient to have light raingear on hand in the daypack (e.g. a rain poncho or jacket and/or rain pants) as the weather changes easily and rains can suddenly occur. At night, warm clothing is required, down jackets can be useful, otherwise a fleece and a jacket. During the third day (if sunny) once in Machu Picchu, convertible hiking pants come in handy since can be switched into shorts if necessary. Machu Picchu has a warm climate, getting cold sometimes at night only. A complete list of necessary items is given below.
You must be fit. It is a common misconception that the Inca Trail must be easy because many people do it… The trail is 43 km long and its completion requires a great deal of physical effort. On the second day, it is climbed nearly 1,200 metres (about 4,000 ft) in the morning. In combination with high altitude (lack of oxygen) and extreme weather (you can easily sunburn in the highland during the day and temperatures can drop to below freezing at night), the trek can be hard work. However, all this suffering will be rewarded by the arrival at the New Wonder of the World!
You definitely need to get acclimatized before heading to the trail!! For this reason, it is advisable to stay a couple of days in Cusco or Sacred Valley before hiking. There are a few things that might help you to handle the altitude better, for example, chewing coca natural leaves or drink “mate de coca”. A piece of great advice is to rest once you just arrive in Cusco, not smoke, not having drinks, only non-alcoholic beverages.
When visiting highland areas such as on the Inca Trail, acclimatization is absolutely necessary to avoid high altitude sickness!
Altitude sickness also called acute mountain sickness (AMS) or locally “soroche” — is a pathological effect of high altitude on humans due to acute exposure to low partial oxygen intake. It basically appears at an altitude above 2,400 metres within 6-12 hours after reaching high altitudes. It manifests itself as a set of nonspecific symptoms acquired at high altitudes or in low air pressure that are similar to flu, hangover, or carbon monoxide poisoning. Being in excellent physical condition does not automatically mean immediate acclimatization and altitude sickness avoiding. There are no specific factors that correlate with a tendency to altitude illness. AMS can progress to high altitude cerebral oedema (HACE) or high altitude pulmonary oedema (HAPE), which can be fatal, so immediate medical help is necessary!!
At high altitude, air density (oxygen and nitrogen molecules number per given volume) decreases as the altitude increases resulting in the fact that physical and mental alertness drops too. Dehydration caused by a higher rate of water vapor lost from the lungs may contribute to the symptoms of altitude illness. The rate of ascent, altitude achieved, amount of physical activity at high altitude as well as individual susceptibility are contributing factors to the appearance and seriousness of the high-altitude illness. Usually, the illness occurs following a rapid ascent (for example, by flying from sea-level to La Paz or Cusco) and can be mostly prevented by ascending slowly. The symptoms are mostly temporary and disappear within a couple of days (2-3) as a general rule.
Acclimatization to high altitude is a process of adapting to reduced oxygen amounts in the atmosphere. This process differs for everybody individually.
Headache, nausea or vomiting, lack of appetite, dizziness, tiredness or weakness, sleepiness or insomnia, shortness of breath upon physical effort, persistent rapid pulse, tingling, nosebleeds, general malaise, excessive flatulence, peripheral oedema (swelling of feet, hands, and face).
Pulmonary edema (fluid in the lungs), cerebral edema (swelling of the brain), fever, symptoms similar to bronchitis, persistent dry cough, shortness of breath even during rest, a headache that does not react to painkillers, increased nausea, unsteady gait or gradual loss of consciousness.
Drink LOTS of LIQUIDS, including the local remedy "mate de coca" (traditional tea made of coca natural leaves), eat plenty of sweets, AVOID drinking alcohol, taking sedatives or any other mind-altering substances, and heavy and hard to digest food (high-carbohydrate meals). Above all, you need to rest! Acclimatization is achieved when the heartbeat is normal at rest, you can eat and sleep well, and have no headache!
The maximum allowed group size is 16 persons. Normally, groups are between 12 and 16 people.
It could be a bit crowded, but with the rules in force, there is plenty of room for everyone.
Toilets have improved a lot in the last couple of years and all of the larger campsites have toilet blocks with flush toilets and running water. On the whole, they are kept pretty clean. If you do need to go to the toilet between campsites, then defecate well away from the trail and water supplies; dig a hole, or cover your feces with a rock, and take the used paper with you in a bag to dispose of it in one of the several bins along the way. There are hot shower facilities at Wiñay Wayna on day 3, although they are usually pretty unclean.
At Tierras Vivas, we are a tour operator and usually, these are what our customers ask before they reserve the trek.
A personal porter is included for your personal belongings. The porters carry a maximum of 7k distributed as follows (5 kilograms of your personal belongings and 2 kilograms of the sleeping bag).
However if you want to bring extra personal equipment, you can hire an extra porter:
14 kg weight bag : US $130
7 kg weight bag : US $65
Of course. The chef will provide you with vegetarian food including fish.
That depends on the category you'd like to book, prices for 3* hotels are around $70 USD and 4* hotels around $150 USD
The Vistadome is the panoramic option of Peru Rail, however we prefer to work with Inca Rail and their panoramic service is call "THE °360"
If you want to start the booking process, please send a copy of your passports, then our sales department will send a payment order for 50% of the total.
Yes, our guides speak English.
Yes, we'll provide warm water every day for personal cleaning.
The cost for the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu 4 Days is $750 USD per person
We provide all transportation door to door. (depending on your hotel location there might be an extra charge).
You'll be at the camping sites of the Inca Trail all the time, there are no hotel in that area, if you want to stay in a hotel in Aguas Calientes, you'll have to stay an extra night there, we can help you to find a hotel if you want, just let us know so we booked the trains for a day latter.
There are no phone signal during the entire hike, however if there is any emergency the park rangers have radios and can share internet connection good enough for Whatsapp texts.
Yes, we provide air mattresses.
If by any chance one or more persons can't continue, our guide will take the decision with the group to continue or go back to the starting point, if the group continues, the person who can't walk will be helped to go back with one of the porters to contact the rangers and deal with the emergency the best way possible.
We provide the Inca Trail permits, however, you are responsible to look over your Passport and visa conditions.
No, the rivers by the Inca Trail are dangerous and too cold to bath in.
We are a Tour Operator, we do not ask other travel agencies to do the operations for us.
Yes, once you complete your reservation and pay
If any of you get covid right before the trek, we'll ask for an official medical report that proves that you have covid, and we can use the prepayment as a credit for a future trek, however there will be a penalty depending on how long before the departure date you cancel. There are a few things like Inca Trail permits that are not refundable.
We need at least 3 people to start a trek, if we dont reach the minimum, we switch dates or add an extra for solo travelers.
We ask for 50% of the total.
Yes, we can provide the late train return to Cusco.
It is the same cost, you don't have to add an extra payment
If you are staying an extra night we can book the 360° at 10:32h or 16:12h.
Yes, MAPI means Machu Picchu town or Aguas Calientes
What people like to do is go to any of the Sacred Valley towns in order to deal better with the altitude, however, a couple of days in Cusco are more than enough to get used to the altitud, so that is completely up to you and how you feel with the altitud.
The coca tea is the best natural way to deal with altitude sickness, rest as much as you can during the first day and avoid eating too much especially red meats.
During the trek we offer coca tea and also carry an oxygen tank with us, our guides are well prepared to deal with any kind of emergency.
During the trek we usually go to bed early in order to start our hikings early in the morning, however you'll have enough sleeping time every day.
Yes, the first portion of the hike will help your guide to understand your physical condition and prepare the rest of the hike. Making sure you enjoy the trail.
Is the transfer by private vehicle to the railway station at Ollantaytambo a direct transfer from a hostel in Cusco?
Yes, we include a toursitic private transportation from your hotel to the Ollantaytambo Train station (round trip)
Is the shuttle to Machu Picchu on the first day $24 USD in total with the trip back?
Yes, each way is $12 USD so $24 USD round trip-
Do you know a recommended guide (fluent in English) to make two days tour with me?
I recommend you to go straight to Cusco and visit the city. there is nothing to see in Lima. However if you want to visit Lima the price for a guide per day is: $120 USD (8 hours per day)
Min is 2 people and max 8 people
The "boleto turistico" cost is $25 USD per person
Pisac, Ollantaytambo and Chinchero
That's unfortunate, don't worry the price is still the same, it will change only if you are 4 or less.
Tierras Vivas Travel offers the best all-inclusive Inca Trail to Machu Picchu tours in Peru.