When planning a trip through several cities in Peru, the order in which you make your reservations matters just as much as the itinerary itself. Some things have limited availability and sell out months in advance, while others can be arranged after you arrive. If you book what is widely available first and leave the limited-capacity items for later, you may end up having to rebuild your entire trip. In this guide, we explain what you should secure first, what can wait, and how far in advance you should book.
The general rule: book limited-capacity items first
Your trip should be built around the dates you cannot easily change. In Peru, those dates are usually two things: your Inca Trail permit, if you plan to hike it, and your Machu Picchu entrance ticket. Everything else, from the train to your hotel in Aguas Calientes, can then be arranged around those dates.
This is the order we recommend:
- Inca Trail permit, if it is part of your trip.
- Machu Picchu entrance ticket, including your preferred circuit and time slot.
- Round-trip train tickets to Aguas Calientes.
- International and domestic flights.
- Hotels in Cusco, the Sacred Valley, and Aguas Calientes.
- Intercity buses and day tours.
Inca Trail permit: the first thing on the list
The Inca Trail has a daily limit of around 500 people, and that number includes guides, cooks, and porters. This leaves relatively few spaces for travelers, and permits for May through August often sell out several months in advance. In addition, the permit can only be arranged through authorized agencies and is issued in the traveler’s name using their passport number, so it cannot be transferred to another person.
If you want to hike the 4-day Inca Trail to Machu Picchu, book it before purchasing any flights. If you do not have that many days or permits for the longer route are already sold out, there is also a 2-day Short Inca Trail, which still requires a permit but usually has greater availability.
If you cannot get a permit
There are trekking routes that reach Machu Picchu without requiring an Inca Trail permit. The best-known option is the 5-day Salkantay Trek, which crosses a mountain pass above 4,600 meters. Other options include the Inca Jungle, which combines biking and hiking, and the Lares route, which passes through local communities. In every case, you will still need a Machu Picchu entrance ticket.
Machu Picchu entrance ticket: choose your circuit and time
Tickets are sold by date, time slot, and circuit, and each combination has its own capacity. This means that simply finding tickets for a certain day may not be enough: the circuit or time you want may already be unavailable. Buy your ticket through the official Ministry of Culture website or through an authorized agency, and avoid buying from resellers on social media.
Tickets that include Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu Mountain have much lower capacity and are usually the first to sell out. If climbing either one is important to you, prioritize that purchase above everything else.
How far in advance should you buy?
| Season | Recommended booking window |
|---|---|
| High season (May to September, Holy Week, year-end holidays) | 3 to 6 months |
| Shoulder season (April, October, and November) | 1 to 2 months |
| Rainy season (December to March) | 2 to 4 weeks |
These time frames are only guidelines. Dates such as Inti Raymi on June 24 or Peru’s Independence Day celebrations on July 28 and 29 may cause tickets to sell out earlier than usual.
Train to Aguas Calientes: book it right after your entrance ticket
Once your Machu Picchu ticket is confirmed, book the train. PeruRail and Inca Rail operate routes to Aguas Calientes from Ollantaytambo and, depending on the season, from areas outside Cusco. During some months of the rainy season, service from Cusco becomes bimodal, meaning you travel part of the way by bus to Ollantaytambo and then continue by train.
Your train schedule should get you to Aguas Calientes with enough time to take the shuttle bus up to Machu Picchu before your entrance time. If you want an early entry, the most convenient option is to spend one night in Aguas Calientes, as in our Machu Picchu train tour with hotel. If you prefer to return the same day, choose an early outbound train and an afternoon return train.
If the trains are sold out
During high season, the most convenient train schedules fill up quickly. One alternative is to travel by road to Hidroeléctrica and then walk for about three hours alongside the train tracks to Aguas Calientes. You can do this independently or take a 2-day Machu Picchu by car tour, which includes transportation and one night in Aguas Calientes.
Would you rather not coordinate permits, entrance tickets, and trains separately? At Incredible Peru Tours, we check actual availability for your travel dates and recommend a combination that is still available.
Flights: book them after your Machu Picchu date is set
If you have not yet purchased your international flight, wait until your Machu Picchu date is confirmed. This helps you avoid arriving in Peru with travel dates that do not line up with available entrance tickets. If you have already bought your flight, work in reverse: look for a Machu Picchu ticket within your travel window and adjust the rest of your itinerary around it.
Domestic flights between Lima, Cusco, Arequipa, and Juliaca are operated by several airlines and generally become more expensive as the travel date approaches. Book them as soon as your itinerary is set. For flights to Cusco, morning departures generally experience fewer weather-related cancellations than afternoon flights.
Hotels: book first where availability is more limited
Not every hotel needs to be booked with the same urgency. Aguas Calientes is a small town with limited accommodations, so it is best to book your hotel there as soon as your train date is confirmed. Cusco and the Sacred Valley offer more options, although hotels in Cusco’s historic center can fill up in June and during Inti Raymi.
In Lima, Arequipa, and Puno, you can generally book with less advance notice. Whenever possible, choose flexible cancellation rates so that if your train or entrance date changes, you do not lose the money you paid for your accommodation.
What you can leave until later
Intercity buses
Buses from Lima to Paracas, Arequipa to Puno, or Puno to Cusco operate daily. Booking a few days in advance is usually enough, except during long holiday periods such as Holy Week or Peru’s Independence Day celebrations, when it is better to book two or three weeks ahead.
Day tours and the Cusco Tourist Ticket
Excursions such as the Sacred Valley or Rainbow Mountain can usually be booked just a few days in advance. The Cusco Tourist Ticket, which provides access to sites such as Sacsayhuamán, Pisac, and Ollantaytambo, can be purchased locally and does not require an advance reservation.
When it makes sense to book everything as one package
If you are traveling during high season, have limited time to organize your trip, or are planning a multi-city itinerary, booking a package can save you from coordinating dozens of reservations that depend on one another. For example, a 13-day package through Lima, Paracas, Colca, Lake Titicaca, and Machu Picchu can be organized with entrance tickets, trains, and transfers already coordinated in sequence. If you have not yet decided where to begin your trip, first review how to plan a route between Peru’s coast and the Andes.
Frequently asked questions about booking a trip to Peru
Can I buy an Inca Trail permit on my own?
No. The permit can only be arranged through agencies authorized by the Ministry of Culture, which must also operate the trek with an official guide.
Can I change the date of my Machu Picchu entrance ticket?
Change conditions are limited and depend on the rules in effect at the time of purchase. Before paying, make sure your date works with both your flights and your train schedule.
What happens if I buy the train ticket before the Machu Picchu entrance ticket?
You risk having a train ticket for a day when no Machu Picchu entrance tickets are available. Secure your Machu Picchu ticket first, then adjust your train schedule to match your entrance time.
Do I need to book the Cusco Tourist Ticket in advance?
No. You can buy it at authorized sales points in Cusco or at the entrance to the included sites.
How far in advance should I book a hotel in Aguas Calientes?
As soon as you have confirmed your Machu Picchu entrance date and train schedule. Accommodation in the town is limited, and the best options tend to sell out first during high season.
Leave your reservations in the hands of a Cusco-based team
At Incredible Peru Tours, we arrange Inca Trail permits, Machu Picchu entrance tickets, trains, and hotels from our base in Cusco. Tell us your travel dates, and we’ll confirm what is available before you purchase your flights.
