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INCA TRAIL PERMIT AVAILABILITY

Inca Trail Permit Information and Availability - Updated August 10, 2009

To view Inca Trail Trips, click here

Who Needs a Permit?

In order to trek any portion of the Inca trail to Machu Picchu, you will need a permit issued by the Government of Peru. There are only 500 permits available for any trek departure date. Of these, about 300 are allocated to guides, porters, and cooks; this leaves 200 available for travelers. The permit is issued for the day you start your trek, and is valid for your entire trek. Due to the popularity of the trek, these permits sell out extremely quickly (4 or more months in advance), especially in the busiest months of June, July, August, and September.

How Are Inca Trail Permits Issued?

Inca Trail permits must be purchased in person in Cusco, and are issued on a first come-first served basis. When a permit is issued a passenger's passport number must be attached to the permit, so that only that person can use the permit, and a non-refundable permit fee must be paid. The permit is not transferable to another passenger, and the permit fee is non-refundable.

Trekkers cannot buy these permits independently because they must travel with an official trek operator (non-guided trips are no longer allowed). Thus, travelers need to book their Inca Trail trek with a provider several weeks, if not months, in advance!

It's worth noting that you only need a permit for your trek departure date. Dates with fewer than 100 permits remaining often sell out within a day.

Treks That Don't Require Permits

Inca Trail Permits sold out on your dates? Don't despair, there are a number of fantastic treks on non-permitted Inca Trails that offer solitude, Andean scenery, culture, and Inca and pre-Inca ruins that don't require Inca Trail permits, and are available all summer long. Some of these treks end at or near Machu Picchu, and all can be combined with a visit to Machu Picchu, so don't postpone your Peru trip just because Inca Trail permits are sold out. Local trekking guides and well-traveled trekkers often feel these other trails are actually more interesting than the famous "Inca Trail." Check out these treks here:
http://www.detourdestinations.com/categories/Inca_Trail_Non_Permitted_Treks_350/index.html

Permit Availability (As of August 10, 2009)

Inca Trail permits are now sold out until October 25, 2009, and there is very little space on any date in October. There is very good availability of permits in November and Deember, 2009, and January 2010. The trail is closed every February.

October 2009

Date: Permits Remaining
Sold Out Until August 22
25: 23
26: 0
27: 125
28: 98
29: 141
30: 132
31: 398

*Please note: If there are fewer than 150 permits available for a date, there is a decent chance those could all sell in one day.

To learn more about the Inca Trail, view our Inca Trail Frequently Asked Questions here: Inca Trail FAQ's

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TESTIMONIALS

The Inca trail trek can only be described as magical. I tried my best to be cynical, but it didn’t work. This trip was pure magic and absolutely perfect. The logistics of the trip were impeccable. The ground transportation was on time and they made sure I was able to obtain my boarding pass and pay the airport tax at each leg of the trip. Out on the hike, my guide Oswaldo was fabulous. The food on the trail was amazing. The chef created simple and fresh meals that were bursting with local flavor.

-- Terry B, Inca Trail 5-day with Andean Adventures

Just returned from Costa Rica last night ... trip was a GREAT SUCCESS! We all thank you VERY MUCH for arranging the trip.

-- Bob Fenchel, Custom Costa Rica with Camino Travel

We’ve been home just over a week now and I just wanted to send you a quick note to let you just how fantastically well everything went! Ok, so we did end up paying the full whack (which I’ve decided just not to think about!). However, we had a fantastic guide and everything ran really smoothly and we had a fantastic time. From being collected from the hotel (Vieja Cuba which was lovely) to being looked after once we got to the Galapagos it was all just perfect, so thank you very much for being an important part of our fabulous trip. Cheers Greg !

-- Marayka K., Galapagos Multisport 7-Day Adventure

We had a great time on the Galapagos Cruise. Our guides were very engaging and informative and everything was timed just right. We had the right amount of activity, food and leisure time every day. We are not \"cruising\" people and were apprehensive at first about being stuck on a boat for 7 days but we didn\'t feel \"stuck\" given the number of excursions we had each day and the fact that we snorkeled at least once or twice a day. We also extended our trip on the Islands and stayed at a hotel but definitely would recommend a cruise over staying on the islands. The islands gets very hot and there are lots of mosquitos but on the boat there is shade, wind and no bugs! Great amount of variety of animals and geography we saw. Sad to leave!

-- Wendy K., Galapagos Islands on the Eric, Letty, and Flamingo

WHAT'S NEW

Feb 5, 2010
Do’s and Don’ts of splurging on the Inca Trail
While trekking the Inca Trail is a trip of a lifetime, it doesn’t mean you should blow your entire life savings on one adventure.  Here’s some tips to keep in mind about when to upgrade and when to pinch pennies when planning your Inca Trail trek. DO . . . . Splurge on getting a comfortable [...]

On the Inca Trail

While trekking the Inca Trail is a trip of a lifetime, it doesn’t mean you should blow your entire life savings on one adventure.  Here’s some tips to keep in mind about when to upgrade and when to pinch pennies when planning your Inca Trail trek.

DO . . . . Splurge on getting a comfortable and charming hotel in Cusco.  You’ll be spending quite a bit of time here on your first day in the city while acclimatizing, so you may as well not stay in some dingy hostel.  This may not be considered a “splurge” for some, but you’ll at least want a place somewhat near the Plaza de Armas and the old buildings with Inca stonework is really lovely.

DO . . . . Book a private trek if you’re really concerned with the overall group size and attention you’ll receive from your guide.  While many group treks don’t have more than 10 trekkers, there’s no guarantee that a group departure will stay at four people.

DON”T . . . . buy the spiffiest hiking boots on the market the day before your trek.  No matter how pricey or nice the shoes, they need time to break in (a few weeks, including some hiking and stair climbing).

DON’T . . . Arrive in Cusco expecting to find a great deal on an Inca Trail.  Permits need to be bought months in advance and you absolutely cannot trek the trail without it.  Anyone claiming to provide permits within a few days is probably scamming you.  Before you arrive in Peru, make sure you’ve booked your trek and your permits are confirmed.

DO . . . . get a pisco sour, Peru national drink.  Yes, it’s a mix of raw eggs, lime, cinnamon, and generous amounts of pisco (a type of South American brandy), but the result is surprisingly delicious.  Besides,

DON’T . . . . go for the most expensive hotel just because it’s closer to Machu Picchu.  The site closes at the same time each evening and opens at the time each morning.  Staying in a closer hotel does not mean you get to stay after hours at the ruins.

DO . . . . consider getting an “all-inclusive” tour.  These include at least one night in Lima, one night in Cusco, and internal flights (between Lima and Cusco).  Often, the hassle of doing this on your own proves exhausting for most travelers and local operators usually have an ideal itinerary to offer.

DO . . . . buy some handicrafts that will remind of your amazing journey.  The Sacred Valley and Cusco are famous for high quality woven goods, such as alpaca sweaters and gloves.

DON’T . . . . spend extra on a trek so you’ll have an American (or Canadian or Austalian) guide.  Peruvian guides who speak your language usually make the best guides and the trips tend to be less pricey (no extra flight for the foreign guide).



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