The Inca Trail is capped at 500 people a day, porters included, and closes in February. Other treks need no permit, and the train still gets you to Machu Picchu.
The short answer
If the Inca Trail is sold out, book the Quarry Trail or Salkantay for a multi-day trek without a permit, Lares for a quieter route through villages, or Inca Jungle if you prefer biking to a high pass. For close dates, check the one- or two-day Inca Trail in case a permit is left for your date, or go to Machu Picchu by train.
Most of these tours cannot be refunded, so decide before you pay.
A permit for the four-day Inca Trail is booked for one date with your passport details, and operators cannot add places to a full day. What they can sell is a different trek on the same dates, the short Inca Trail if a permit is left, or Machu Picchu by train.
Treks that need no Inca Trail permit, the one-day Inca Trail for dates where permits are left, and a train day trip.
| Photo | Tour | Instead of the Inca Trail | Days | Highest point (listing) | To Machu Picchu | Cancellation (listing) | Reviews ↕ | Price ↕ | Book |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Classic Salkantay trek Salkantay Trekking | Salkantay, no permit | 5 | Salkantay Pass, 4,630 m | Walk to Aguas Calientes, bus up | All sales final | ★ 5.0 (5,403) | $760 per person | Book now |
|
Full-day group tour of Machu Picchu Peru Andes Top | Train, no hiking | 1 | No pass | Train to Aguas Calientes, bus up | Non-refundable | ★ 4.7 (2,394) | $332 per person | Book now |
|
Inca Jungle trail with mountain biking Inkas Destination Tour Operator | Inca Jungle | 4 | Abra Málaga, 4,316 m, by vehicle | Walk from Hidroeléctrica | All sales final | ★ 4.9 (912) | $430 per person | Book now |
|
Lares Valley trek with hot springs Alpaca Expeditions | Lares, no permit | 4 | Pass height not given | Train to Aguas Calientes, bus up | All sales final | ★ 5.0 (711) | $650 per person | Book now |
|
Inca Quarry Trail to Machu Picchu TreXperience | Quarry Trail, no permit | 4 | Charkahuaylla, 4,450 m | Train to Aguas Calientes, bus up | All sales final | ★ 5.0 (236) | $840 per person | Book now |
|
Inca Trail to Machu Picchu in one day TreXperience | Short Inca Trail, permit needed | 1 | Not given | On foot through the Sun Gate | All sales final | ★ 5.0 (89) | $550 per person | Book now |
Prices and ratings are loaded from GetYourGuide and Viator once a day; on treks the price shown is the cheapest option, which may leave out the sleeping bag, the hiking poles or the return train class you want.
Pick the day you want to go, or the first and last day you are in Cusco. We read the booking calendar of each tour and show the ones that still take bookings. For Machu Picchu and the Inca Trail, book early: entry tickets, trains and trail permits are limited.
In the next 7 days, 7 of 8 tours on this page still have places.
Days: 4 days
Days: 5 days or more
Days: 4 days
Days: 4 days
Days: 2 days
Days: Day trip
Days: Day trip
Days: 2 days
Open a card for the itinerary, the pickup, what is included and what is not, as the operator gives them.
Racca, Charkahuaylla at 4,450 m and the Cachiccata quarry, two nights in tents, train to Aguas Calientes, Machu Picchu on day four.
Pickup around 7:00 a.m. and a drive into the Sacred Valley to Racca. Day one is about 3 hours past the Pachar petroglyphs and the Ñaupa Iglesia shrine to lunch in Soccma, then 3 hours uphill to the Perolniyoc waterfall and camp near the Q'orimarca site. Day two climbs 4 hours to Charkahuaylla (4,450 m), the highest point, with an offering ceremony, lunch by a lake, a second pass at Buena Negra (4,370 m) and the descent to the Intipunku sun gate and camp at Choquetacarpo (3,600 m). Day three is all downhill to the Cachiccata quarry and community, then a bus to Ollantaytambo for dinner and the train to a 3-star hotel in Aguas Calientes. Day four is a 2 to 3 hour guided tour of Machu Picchu, the bus down and the train and bus to Cusco.
Machu Picchu entry is not included: buy the ticket yourself well in advance, or add it as an option when you book, also well ahead. The same goes for Huayna Picchu and Machu Picchu Mountain. The train is round trip with one way on the Vistadome; the listing does not say which leg. The Machu Picchu bus up and down and airport transfers are included. The first breakfast and the last lunch are not included, and mattress, sleeping bag and poles are optional extras.
Hotel pickup in Cusco or the Sacred Valley, including Airbnbs, around 7:00 a.m. Ends with train and bus back to Cusco.
Taken from the tour listing on GetYourGuide or Viator, checked on 12 November 2026. What a tour includes, above all the Machu Picchu entry and the train class, can depend on the option, so read the option text before you book.
Humantay Lake and the Salkantay Pass, nights in domes, a hotel in Aguas Calientes before Machu Picchu. From age 12.
Pickup around 5 am, breakfast in Mollepata and the start at Challacancha (3,800 m), then about 7 km to the Sky Camp at Soraypampa (3,900 m) and a round trip to Humantay Lake (4,200 m). Day two crosses Salkantay Pass (4,630 m), the highest point, and descends to Collpapampa (2,850 m). Day three runs through the Santa Teresa valley, with a vehicle to La Playa and a coffee farm, to the domes at Lucmabamba (2,000 m). Day four climbs an Inca path to Llactapata (2,700 m), drops to Hidroeléctrica and continues on foot along the tracks, or by paid train, to a 3-star hotel in Aguas Calientes. Day five is a 2-hour guided tour of Machu Picchu, then the train to Ollantaytambo and transport to Cusco.
Machu Picchu entry is included (Circuit 2 if you book 5 months ahead, otherwise 3, then 1), as is the bus up, but not the bus down. The return is on the Expedition or Voyager train. Options add a Machu Picchu Mountain, Huayna Picchu or Huchuy Picchu ticket. Horse rides on days one and two cost extra. The listing admits children from 12 with an adult, while the booking data only has an adult band from 18.
Hotel pickup in Cusco between 4:30 and 5 am; the operator recommends a hotel in the center.
Taken from the tour listing on GetYourGuide or Viator, checked on 12 November 2026. What a tour includes, above all the Machu Picchu entry and the train class, can depend on the option, so read the option text before you book.
Villages of the Lares valley and two nights camping, then the Expedition train and a hotel night before Machu Picchu.
After hotel pickup in Cusco the hike begins with 2 hours uphill to the village of Kiswarani, where the horsemen hold a llama ceremony, and camp is next to a small lagoon. Day two starts around 5 a.m. with a 3 to 4 hour climb to Pachacutec (Condor) Pass and about 3 hours down to Cancha Cancha for a second camp. Day three is 4 hours downhill past farms into the Sacred Valley; the day's heading also names Huaran, the Maras salt mines and Ollantaytambo, before the train to Aguas Calientes and a hotel night. On day four a 25-minute bus takes you up for a guided tour of about 2 hours, followed by the train to Ollantaytambo and a drive to your hotel in Cusco.
The inclusions name all entrance fees for the Lares Valley and Machu Picchu, with Circuit 2, 3 or 1 depending on availability, and the Expedition train in both directions. The title mentions a hot spring and the day-one heading says thermal baths, but the itinerary text does not describe a stop there. A personal porter carries up to 7 kg. Sleeping bag, trekking poles and air mattress are not included but can be rented.
Pickup from your hotel in Cusco; tell the operator where you stay after booking. Briefing at the operator's office at 6:00 p.m. the evening before.
Taken from the tour listing on GetYourGuide or Viator, checked on 12 November 2026. What a tour includes, above all the Machu Picchu entry and the train class, can depend on the option, so read the option text before you book.
Bike descent from Abra Málaga, walks via Santa Teresa and Hidroeléctrica, train back to Ollantaytambo. From age 8.
Pickup at 6 a.m. and a drive via Ollantaytambo to Abra Malaga (4,316 m), where you get a full-suspension bike and protective gear for a descent of about 3 hours and 55 km to Huamanmarka. A van continues to Santa Maria, and you walk to an eco house in Pispitayoc. Day two follows an Inca path through orange, coffee and coca plantations to the Huacarcasa viewpoint, lunch in Quellomayo, the Cocalmayo hot springs and Santa Teresa. Day three is about 3 hours on foot to Hidroeléctrica and 3 more hours to Aguas Calientes. Day four covers Machu Picchu and the return via Ollantaytambo to Cusco; the listing gives no further detail for that day.
Rafting and zipline are optional activities at extra cost, and the Cocalmayo hot springs entrance is not included. Machu Picchu entry is listed as included, as is the train from Machu Picchu to Ollantaytambo; the train class is not named. The inclusions list nights in Santa Maria, Santa Teresa and a hostel in Aguas Calientes, while the day-one itinerary names a homestay in Pispitayoc. Minimum age is 8.
Hotel pickup at 6 a.m. A representative visits your hotel between 7:00 and 7:30 p.m. the evening before.
Taken from the tour listing on GetYourGuide or Viator, checked on 12 November 2026. What a tour includes, above all the Machu Picchu entry and the train class, can depend on the option, so read the option text before you book.
Km 104 to the Sun Gate on day one, a 4-star hotel in Aguas Calientes and a guided visit on day two. Inca Trail permit needed.
Pickup at 4 am in Cusco and the train from Ollantaytambo to Km 104, where the hike starts. After about three hours you reach Wiñay Wayna for lunch, then continue to the Sun Gate and down to Machu Picchu, before the bus to Aguas Calientes and a night in a 4-star hotel. On day two an early bus goes up for a 2-hour guided tour; after lunch in town you take the train to Ollantaytambo and the driver returns you to your hotel in Cusco.
The title promises Vistadome. For tours through January 2027 you go out on Expedition and return on Vistadome; from March 2027 it is Expedition both ways. Inca Trail and Machu Picchu entry are included. Not included: breakfast on day one, lunch on day two, and a single room supplement for solo travelers. Pickup is also possible in Urubamba or Ollantaytambo.
Hotel pickup in Cusco at 4 am, or in Urubamba or Ollantaytambo; send the hotel name after booking.
Taken from the tour listing on GetYourGuide or Viator, checked on 12 November 2026. What a tour includes, above all the Machu Picchu entry and the train class, can depend on the option, so read the option text before you book.
Expedition train to the trailhead and back, Inca Trail and Machu Picchu tickets included. Inca Trail permit needed.
Pickup around 4 am in Cusco (5:30 am in the Sacred Valley), 1.5 hours to Ollantaytambo and 1.5 hours on the Expedition train to Km 104 at Chachabamba, reached around 8 am. After the passport check you hike about 4 hours to Wiñay Wayna for a guided visit and lunch, and reach the Sun Gate around 2 pm. An hour's walk down leads to the viewpoint and an afternoon guided tour on Circuit 1.
Around 5 pm you head down to Aguas Calientes for the 6:20 pm Expedition train and a private van, back in Cusco around 9:30 pm. Inca Trail and Machu Picchu entry are included (the excluded list also says 'entrance fees', which conflicts), as are breakfast, lunch and the bus down.
Pickup from hotels, Airbnbs and other places in Cusco and the Sacred Valley; wait in the lobby at 4 am in Cusco.
Taken from the tour listing on GetYourGuide or Viator, checked on 12 November 2026. What a tour includes, above all the Machu Picchu entry and the train class, can depend on the option, so read the option text before you book.
About 12 hours from Cusco, Expedition, Voyager or Vistadome by option, bus and entry included.
Pickup in Cusco's historic center, about 1.5 hours by tourist bus to Ollantaytambo station and about 1 hour 45 minutes by train to Aguas Calientes. A bus takes you up to the gate in about 25 minutes for a guided visit of the citadel of about 2 hours. After the bus back down there is free time for lunch on your own, then the train and the bus return you to Cusco.
The option sets the train and the route inside the citadel. The standard options travel on Expedition or Voyager, the panoramic ones on Vistadome or 360, with route 2 or 3 depending on availability. Two options with Circuit 5-1 (Expedition or Vistadome) visit the citadel from the upper part. Machu Picchu entry is included in all of them. Pickup is at 4:00, 6:00 or 8:00 am depending on the train.
Pickup from hotels in Cusco's historic center. Wait in the hotel lobby or at the agreed meeting point; on the Circuit 5-1 options be ready 10 minutes early, as drivers wait no more than 5 minutes.
Taken from the tour listing on GetYourGuide or Viator, checked on 12 November 2026. What a tour includes, above all the Machu Picchu entry and the train class, can depend on the option, so read the option text before you book.
The Sacred Valley on day one, a night in Aguas Calientes, Machu Picchu the next morning; train class by option.
Day one runs through the Sacred Valley by van: an alpaca and weaving stop, a valley viewpoint, the Pisac terraces and market, a buffet lunch and Ollantaytambo, then the train to Aguas Calientes and a night in a hotel there. On day two the guide takes you up by bus for a 2.5-hour visit of the citadel, followed by free time in town, the train back and a transfer to Cusco.
The options set hotel and train: a 2-star hotel with a standard train both ways, or a 3-star hotel with either a Vistadome return or the Vistadome Observatory outbound and a Vistadome return. Circuit 2 is requested first, subject to Ministry availability. The listing names 'entrance fees' under both included and not included; the option texts say the Machu Picchu ticket is part of the package. The listing is marked as a private tour, while the options speak of a small group.
Meeting steps from your hotel at a nearby corner or landmark; for lodgings outside the pickup zone, at the fountain on Plaza Regocijo. Time and place come by WhatsApp at least 72 hours before. Airport pickup is possible if your flight lands by 6:40 am on day one.
Taken from the tour listing on GetYourGuide or Viator, checked on 12 November 2026. What a tour includes, above all the Machu Picchu entry and the train class, can depend on the option, so read the option text before you book.
The Inca Trail is the only trek near Cusco that needs a permit. It is limited to 500 people a day, and guides, porters and cooks are counted in the same quota, so far fewer places are left for hikers. Each permit is booked with the hiker's name and passport number, and a ticket with a wrong name or number cannot be transferred or refunded. Operators report that dates can sell out up to six months ahead, the dry months and the end of the year first. In 2026 the culture office in Cusco even opened sales for the last days of December in mid-July.
February is closed every year for maintenance. In 2026 the route was shut from 31 January and reopened on 1 March. A tour sold for February will not walk the Inca Trail.
The Quarry Trail is the nearest in feel: a route from Racca in the Sacred Valley over Charkahuaylla at 4,450 m, past the Perolniyoc waterfall to the Inca quarry of Cachiccata and a Sun Gate of its own. It needs no permit and sees few trekkers. On the TreXperience tour you sleep two nights in tents, take the train from Ollantaytambo to Aguas Calientes on day three and visit Machu Picchu with a guide on day four. The Machu Picchu ticket is not included: buy it yourself well in advance, or add it as an option when you book, also well ahead.
The Salkantay tours are higher and longer, with a pass at 4,630 m and a night near Humantay Lake. Salkantay Trekking asks for a high level of fitness, a minimum age of 12 and two days in Cusco beforehand, and advises booking about five months ahead to get a Machu Picchu slot. The Lares tours go through farming villages, end by train and are the quieter option. All three are sold as final, with no refund.
The Inca Jungle tours replace the high pass with a bike descent from Abra Málaga, which you reach by vehicle. The walking days are lower and warmer, through Santa Teresa and along the railway from Hidroeléctrica to Aguas Calientes. Children from 8 can join the tour compared here. In the rainy season this route is the one most exposed to landslides; in January 2026 the authorities discussed restricting it.
Check the short Inca Trail first. The one-day version from Km 104 and the two-day version with a night in Aguas Calientes also need an Inca Trail permit, so ask for your exact date before you plan around them. They end at the Sun Gate, like the classic route.
With no permit left and no wish to camp, go by train. The day trip by train takes about 12 hours from Cusco, with the train from Ollantaytambo, the bus up and a guided visit. A two-day tour adds the Sacred Valley and a night in Aguas Calientes, which leaves more time at the site and an earlier start the next morning; see the tours with a night in Aguas Calientes. Machu Picchu tickets themselves also run short in the dry season: in May 2025 the culture office in Cusco said online tickets were gone until mid-August.
The heights and the days to allow before a high trek are on the page about altitude; rain and closures on the page about seasons. For days, nights and arrival at Machu Picchu side by side: treks compared side by side.
Operators report up to six months ahead, the dry season and the end of the year first. The trail is limited to 500 people a day, including guides, porters and cooks.
Yes. The Quarry Trail, Salkantay and Lares need no permit. The Inca Jungle listings name none either.
Yes, the one- and two-day versions from Km 104 are part of the Inca Trail network and need a permit too. Check availability for your exact date on the tour.
Not for a date that is full: the daily quota is fixed. What operators can offer is a different date, a different trek or the train.
No. The Inca Trail network closes every February for maintenance. In 2026 it was closed from 31 January and reopened on 1 March.
The train. The day trip from Cusco takes about 12 hours, or you stay a night in Aguas Calientes on a two-day tour.
Days, passes, nights and the way into Machu Picchu for each trek.
One or two days from Km 104, with its own permit.
The high alternative with domes, glass cabins or tents.
A long day from Cusco with train, bus and a guided visit.
Heights of the passes and the days to spend in Cusco first.
Dry season, rainy season and the February closure.
Two questions, and the finder suggests a tour from Cusco with two alternatives.
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