Inca Trail Permits & Availability

To hike the Inca Trail, you need to plan well in advance due to its popularity and limited availability. A number of factors affect its availability, such as the time of year, group size, and regulated spaces by the Peruvian state. In 2023, only 500 trekking permits are issued daily, including permits for your travel team, such as porters, cooks, and guides.

Since there are several requirements to fulfill, there is no fixed time frame for booking the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu entrance ticket. It’s crucial to book in advance, considering the high demand. The dry season, from May to September, is the best time for hiking, but also the busiest, so early booking is recommended.

Check the number of remaining government permits for the Inca Trail in the calendar below:

Last updated: November 22, 2024

1. Check the availability of permits using the calendar above.
2. Choose which Inca Trail tour or package you would like. Select your chosen dates in the booking form (as long as there is still availability), the number of travelers, and click Book Now.
3. Fill out all required information, including the passport information of all travelers, which is required by the Peruvian government in order to secure the permits.
4. After our team has confirmed the reservation, we will send you a payment link to pay the deposit which is equal to 25% of the tour’s total cost. The remaining 75% is due at your tour briefing before the start of the trek.
5. At least one month before the start of the trek, let our team know about any dietary requirements or health concerns as well as your pickup location for the tour.

Why Choose Cusco Native?

At Cusco Native, we have over 15 years of experience operating tours in the region, specializing in the Inca Trail and other treks, and we pride ourselves in being the best option for your visit to Cusco and surrounding areas. We offer not only guided tours and excursion packages at affordable rates, but we distinguish ourselves from many other tour companies in Cusco through our focus on environmental and social consciousness and responsibility. We are proud to pay our employees fair, livable wages and to contribute to local Indigenous communities. This makes us not only the most sustainable Cusco tour option, but also the most ethical one.

Local Business

We are a local Peruvian tour operator with a dedicated team based in the city of Cusco.

Sustainable

We are dedicated to providing sustainable, ethical and responsible travel experiences.

Small Groups

We offer private and small group sizes, allowing us to provide personalized service for our clients.

Experienced Team

We are a licensed Inca Trail operator with over 15 years of experience planning adventures in Peru.

Testimonials

Dear Cusco Native Tours:
I have been reviewing your company in my head from the first moment we arrived in Cusco,... read moreDear Cusco Native Tours:
I have been reviewing your company in my head from the first moment we arrived in Cusco, and were met with a pre-arranged driver to shuttle us to our hotel. That was a perfect introduction to your company. Reliable, trustworthy, organized, on-time, and extremely easy to work with! Claire Williams was our Tour Planner, and she did the best job ever! She heard what I was asking for (Day trip to Machu Picchu, with a Guide for someone with a little difficulty walking a lot) and arranged an Itinerary that was so easily manageable, and with the Guide's she selected, made our trip absolutely perfect!

The evening of our arrival, we met our Tour Guide, Renny. He made arrangements to give us the Cusco City Walking Tour the next day. Promptly arriving when he said he would, we set off on an extremely knowledgeable tour of the City. His English was excellent, and we really became friends by the time we left Cusco. Renny had our Museum/Attraction Tickets at the ready when we arrived at the 2 or 3 Cathedrals/Museums that we toured. So organized, we were able to learn and explore so much with Renny's guidance.

Our Machu Picchu Hiram Bingham Train/Inka Ruins Tour, started at 7:45 am (some trips had people starting at 4:00 am - ugh) with another driver picking us up at our hotel, for the 25 minute ride to the Train Station. Claire Williams knocked this one out of the park! We had such a lovely day, with a semi-private guided tour. The Train, the Bus up to the Ruins, the immediate access to the park (due to Claire pre-purchasing our tickets) was handled in a First Class manner - we were skipping or jumping long lines because of the efficiency of the Hiram Bingham Train Staff as well.

Safely home at our Hotel, had us reaching out to Claire on our last day in Cusco, where she happily arranged for us to have a driver take us out of the City and into the Sacred Valley, delivering us on time to the Airport for our flight home. I can NEVER say enough fabulous things about Claire, Renny, our many drivers, and the way your company treated us as VIP's, when we really are just an older American couple seeing your beautiful country for the first time. Thank you so so much! read less

Elizabeth and Michael Walton

11/07/2024

Michael at Cusco Native Tours helped us to plan our trip to Peru in detail. The service we received was... read moreMichael at Cusco Native Tours helped us to plan our trip to Peru in detail. The service we received was beyond top notch & exceeded all of our expectations. We cannot thank you enough for all the time spent helping us to experience the very best of Peru. All of our guides & drivers were so friendly, helpful & knowledgeable. Thank you Michael to you & your team for making a dream of a lifetime come true with the utmost of customer service. Highly recommended 100%. read less

Len & Karen Dakin

9/17/2024

We did a three week tour that began in Lima and went all the way through Easter Island ( with... read moreWe did a three week tour that began in Lima and went all the way through Easter Island ( with all the bucket list sites such as Machu Pichu along the way) . The tour was excellent, the management was terrific and It ended up being as one of the best adventures I have ever taken. read less

mushtak wasiti

9/14/2024

Start Planning