Inca Trail Permits 2027: How and When to Book

By our guides in Cusco · Updated 31 October 2026 · 10 min read

How the permit system works

Peru's Ministry of Culture controls access to the Inca Trail with a daily permit limit. That limit includes porters, cooks and guides as well as hikers, so the number of tourist places each day is smaller than most people expect. The Classic 4-day trail and the Short 2-day trail have separate permits.

Permits can only be bought by licensed Inca Trail operators like us. When you book, we buy the permit in your name using your passport details. That's why we ask for your passport at checkout.

When do permits sell out?

These are patterns, not guarantees. Our live permit calendar on the Classic Inca Trail page shows how many places are left on each day, so you can check your exact dates before you book.

Passport rules you need to know

• The name and passport number on your booking must match the passport you bring on the trail.
• If you renew your passport after booking, tell us and bring both passports.
• Permits can't be moved to another date or another person once issued.
• Students under 26 need a valid ISIC card to receive student pricing where offered.

Your date is sold out — what now?

• Short Inca Trail (2 days): separate permits, daily departures, still ends at the Sun Gate.
• Salkantay Fusion Inca Trail: two days around Salkantay, then the 2-day Inca Trail.
• Lares Fusion Inca Trail: two days in Lares, then the 2-day Inca Trail.
• Salkantay or Lares: no permit needed, book as little as 3 days ahead.

How to book your Inca Trail permit with us, step by step

• Choose your trek: the Classic Inca Trail (4 days) or the Short Inca Trail (2 days).
• Check live availability on our permit calendar. Green dates have permits; red dates are sold out.
• Pick a departure day. The Classic Inca Trail leaves on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday; the Short Inca Trail leaves daily.
• Enter the passport details of every hiker exactly as they appear in the passport.
• Pay the 30% deposit (or full payment if the trek is less than 61 days away).
• We buy your permit and send you confirmation by email.

We confirm availability before you pay, so you never pay for a date that is already full. If the government system shows the last permits disappearing while you book, our team in Cusco will contact you on WhatsApp straight away.

How many Inca Trail permits are there per day?

The Ministry of Culture sets a daily limit for people starting the trail. That total includes porters, cooks and guides, so only part of the limit goes to hikers. In practice, this means the tourist places for the most popular dates are gone long before the season begins. The Short Inca Trail has its own separate limit, and the Machu Picchu entrance ticket is issued together with your permit.

The limit is the reason the trail stays clean and quiet. You will meet other groups at campsites and rest stops, but on the stone path itself you often walk alone with your group for long stretches.

Inca Trail permits 2027: month by month

January is in the rainy season, with fewer hikers and green landscapes, so permits often last longer. February is closed. March and April bring the end of the rains and growing demand. May is one of the best months, with dry weather and clear skies, and it sells out early. June, July and August are the busiest months of the year because of the dry season and summer holidays in the northern hemisphere; book as early as you can. September is still dry and popular. October and November are shoulder months with good conditions and better availability. December brings rain and the holiday season, so dates around Christmas and New Year fill quickly.

What is included with your permit

• The government Inca Trail permit in your name.
• Your Machu Picchu entrance ticket for the day you arrive.
• A licensed, professional guide for the whole trek.
• Porters, trail chef, tents, meals and camping equipment.
• The return train from Aguas Calientes and the bus down from Machu Picchu.

You don't need to buy anything separately. If you want to climb Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu Mountain, those tickets are also limited, so tell us when you book.

Inca Trail permits for students and children

Students under 26 may qualify for a lower permit fee if they bring a valid ISIC student card that matches the passport name. Children can hike the Inca Trail with their parents; we recommend the Short Inca Trail for younger children and the Classic route for active teenagers. All children need their own passport and their own permit.

Common permit mistakes to avoid

• Booking with a nickname or a missing middle name: the name must match the passport exactly.
• Booking with an old passport and travelling with a new one without telling us.
• Waiting for flight prices to drop before booking the permit: the permit sells out first.
• Planning an Inca Trail trip in February, when the trail is closed.
• Buying from an unlicensed seller: only licensed operators can buy permits.

Why book your permit with a local operator

We are a local operator based in Cusco, with our own guides, trail chefs and fairly paid porters. When you book with us, there is no middleman between you and the team that walks the trail with you. That means faster answers, a clear price and a crew that we train, equip and look after ourselves.

Sold out? How to still walk into Machu Picchu

A full date is disappointing, but it is rarely the end of the story. The fastest fix is often to move your trip by a day or two: because the Classic Inca Trail departs on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday, the next departure may still have places. Our calendar shows every date at once, so you can compare quickly.

If your dates are fixed, the Short Inca Trail is the next best option. It uses its own permits, departs every day and still follows the original Inca path through Wiñay Wayna to the Sun Gate. You sleep in a hotel in Aguas Calientes and visit Machu Picchu the next morning with your guide.

If you want a longer adventure, the Salkantay Fusion Inca Trail and the Lares Fusion Inca Trail give you two days in the high mountains or the villages first, and then join the Short Inca Trail. And if you prefer no permits at all, the Salkantay Trek and Lares Trek can be booked just 3 days ahead, any day of the year, including February.

Whatever you choose, message our Cusco team on WhatsApp with your dates. We check live availability and give you honest options within hours, not days.

One last tip: book your Inca Trail permit first and your flights second. Flights to Cusco are easy to change or rebook; an Inca Trail permit for a busy date in June or July is not. Once the permit is secured, the rest of your Peru trip is simple to plan around it.

Questions hikers ask us