How Far in Advance Should I Book an Alternative Route to Machu Picchu?
Alternative routes to Machu Picchu are excellent options for travelers looking for an authentic trekking experience in the Peruvian Andes. Unlike the Inca Trail, these hikes offer less crowded trails, spectacular landscapes, and a deeper connection with nature.
Among the most popular alternative routes are the Salkantay Trek, Lares Trek, Ausangate Trek, and Choquequirao Trek with an extension to Machu Picchu. Each route offers unique experiences, allowing travelers to explore impressive mountains, high-altitude lakes, traditional Andean communities, and a great diversity of flora and fauna.
One of the most special aspects of these treks is the opportunity to sleep under the stars in the middle of the Andes, surrounded by remote landscapes far from the crowds.
After completing your 3, 4, or 5-day trek, you will arrive at Machu Picchu through Aguas Calientes. In general, travelers who hike alternative routes arrive at the citadel earlier than those entering through the Inca Trail, allowing them to enjoy a more relaxed visit.
Entrance to Machu Picchu is included in most of our trekking packages. However, it is very important to book in advance to secure availability for the best visitor circuits. We recommend booking at least 3 to 6 months in advance. If you can plan your trip 8 months or even one year ahead, even better, as this significantly increases your chances of obtaining the best available circuit to visit Machu Picchu.
Why Is It Important to Book in Advance?
After the pandemic, the Peruvian Government implemented a circuit system to organize the flow of visitors inside Machu Picchu. There are currently three main circuits:
- Circuit 1: Panoramic viewpoints
- Circuit 2: The most complete and requested circuit
- Circuit 3: Route through the lower section of the citadel
Circuit 2 is the most requested because it allows visitors to explore a large part of the citadel and access some of Machu Picchu’s most iconic areas. Due to its high demand, tickets often sell out quickly.
For this reason, we recommend booking your trip at least 4 to 6 months in advance. If you plan to travel during the high season, booking 8 to 12 months ahead is the best option to secure availability for your preferred circuit.
Currently, the number of tickets for Circuit 2 is limited, so availability may sell out long before your travel date.
At Alpaca Expeditions, we manage entrance tickets as soon as we receive your booking confirmation, with the goal of securing the best available circuit for your Machu Picchu experience.
Which Circuit Is Included in Alternative Routes to Machu Picchu?
Alternative routes include treks such as:
- Salkantay Trek
- Lares Trek
- Ausangate Trek
- Choquequirao Trek + Machu Picchu
- Huchuy Qosqo Trek
- Inca Jungle Trek
The assigned circuit will depend mainly on availability at the time of booking.
Our priority when booking Machu Picchu tickets is:
- Circuit 2 — 2A or 2B
- Circuit 3 — especially 3B
- Circuit 1
What Is the Best Circuit to Visit Machu Picchu?
Our main recommendation is Circuit 2, either 2A or 2B.
This route offers the most complete experience inside Machu Picchu, allowing visitors to explore a large part of the citadel and discover its most important areas from an archaeological, historical, and scenic perspective.
For this reason, Circuit 2 is considered the best option for travelers arriving at Machu Picchu after completing a trekking route.
What Do Circuits 2A and 2B Include?
Circuits 2A and 2B allow visitors to explore almost the entire citadel of Machu Picchu.
They are ideal for travelers who complete alternative routes such as:
- Salkantay Trek 5 days / 4 nights
- Lares Trek
- Ausangate Trek
- Choquequirao Trek
- Other adventure routes that end at Machu Picchu
Most of these travelers arrive from Aguas Calientes and are looking for a complete visit that allows them to fully appreciate this Wonder of the World.
Why Do We Recommend Circuit 2?
One of the greatest advantages of Circuit 2 is that it includes access to the famous viewpoint at the Guardhouse, also known as the Watch Tower, where travelers can take the most famous panoramic photos of Machu Picchu.
This is the place where the classic images seen in magazines, documentaries, social media, and postcards around the world are taken.
In addition, this circuit allows visitors to explore a large part of the citadel, making it the best option for those who want a complete Machu Picchu experience.
Differences Between Circuit 2A and Circuit 2B
The differences between these two routes are minimal. One of the variants includes an additional terrace near the main viewpoint area. However, the overall experience, the areas visited, and the photo opportunities are practically the same.
For this reason, both Circuit 2A and Circuit 2B are excellent options for visiting Machu Picchu.
AMAZING
Just completed the 5 day Inca Trail, began with 4 friends & ended with 4 amazing new friends too! It’s the experience of a lifetime & Alpaca travel take care of every detail, from the pre trek briefing to escorting you to the train at the end. The porters are absolute hero’s who work incredibly hard with such good natured dedication. The campsites become home because they make them so. The chef Julian produced meals I’d have been proud of creating in a full kitchen! Different at every meal time but unfailingly delicious & fresh throughout - even a birthday cake for one of our group. Last, but very much not least was Ismael our guide who brought the whole group together as a family. His knowledge of the mountains, the wildlife, the Incas was endless & his pride in his culture really shone through, he’s a superstar! Oh ….& the walking - that’s tough at times but 100% worth it!! Thank you Alpaca for the experience of a lifetime.
An amazing experience!
An amazing experience made all the more enjoyable by our guide Ismael, Chef Julian and an awesome inspiring team of porters. We did the 4night/5 day Inka Trail. Ismael made the logistics easy for us. We had regular briefings to ensure that we knew what we were expected to do. Ismael was friendly, fun, caring and incredibly knowledgeable about the Inka era. He shared this knowledge with passion. Julian produced an amazing range of food at every meal, whilst the porters carried everything that was needed to keep us comfortable for camping. They greeted us with big smiles and congratulations when we arrived at lunchtime and overnight campsites. It felt like we were a real team. ¡Muchas gracias otra vez!
Best experience.
We had the most incredible experience on the Salkantay Trek, and so much of that was thanks to our amazing guides, Adolfo and Emerson. They were both incredibly kind, knowledgeable, patient, and encouraging throughout the entire trek. They made us feel safe and supported every step of the way, while also keeping the experience fun and memorable. Their knowledge of the mountains, local culture, and history added so much to the trip, and you could tell how passionate they are about what they do. Salkantay is definitely challenging, but Adolfo and Emerson made the hard moments feel manageable and were always checking in to make sure everyone was doing okay. By the end of the trek, it truly felt like we had been travelling with friends rather than just guides. The food was also absolutely amazing throughout the trek. Alejandro and his staff did such an incredible job preparing delicious meals every day, and we were constantly impressed by the quality and variety of the food, especially considering we were out in the mountains. This was one of the highlights of our trip to Peru and an experience we will never forget. We feel so lucky to have had Adolfo and Emerson leading us, and Alejandro and his team taking such great care of us along the way. We would recommend them without hesitation to anyone doing the Salkantay Trek. Thank you all for such an unforgettable adventure!
Sacred Valley tour
We did the Sacred Valley of the Incas tour with David Condori Villanueva and he was very friendly and knowledgeable. He also gave us time to explore a little on our own while thoroughly explaining the history and significance of each place. The Llama and Alpaca farm was a huge highlight and delightful surprise also.
An Incredible Journey
Where do I start? This has been an unforgettable experience. It wasn't easy, but with such a slick operation from the porters and our incredible chef, Julien, we were almost swept along. As for our guide, Ismael, I've never had the pleasure of being with such a knowledgeable, passionate, funny, caring person. His love and pride in his hone country shone through, deservedly so. I've no idea how he remembered so much information. But what he told us was relevant to where we were and luckily repeated and affirmed as necessary. He has a bright future, I'm sure.