Inca Trail Availability & Permits

The Inca Trail is one of the most popular treks in the world, and as such, availability is limited. If you are planning to hike the Inca Trail, it is important to book your trip well in advance. The availability of the Inca Trail is affected by a number of factors, including the time of year, the number of people in your group, and the number of spaces regulated by the Peruvian state.

Only 500 trekking permits are issued per day for Inca Trail treks annually; Inca Trail permits are also required for your travel team such as porters, cooks, and guides; therefore, booking the Inca Trail in advance is essential. because there are multiple needs, to take care of, there is no set amount of time in advance that you must book and guarantee an Inca Trail to Machu Picchu entrance ticket.

WHY TRAVEL WITH ALPACA EXPEDITIONS?

At Alpaca Expeditions, we take pride in being a local company based in Cusco , the tourism capital of Peru. Here, tourism is more than an industry—it’s the lifeblood of the community. Every journey we organize not only connects travelers to the rich history and culture of the Andes but also directly supports local families and fosters sustainable development.

+4

4 ISO Certifications + Green Footprint ISO

The only company with 4 ISO + Green FootPrint ISO, International Organization for Standarization

9001, 45001, 14001, 21101
+31K

31,000+ Excellent Tripadvisor Reviews

The only company with more than 31,000 excellent reviews on Tripadvisor

Join a small group of like-minded travelers
+Impact

Empowering Women

We empower women with real opportunities in tourism through training, employment, and leadership.

See our women’s initiatives
+Care

Inca Trail Porter Welfare

We support our porters with fair treatment, safe working conditions, and real care on every trek.

Learn about porter welfare
+Support

Community Commitment

We support education, local social projects, and create a positive impact beyond tourism.

Explore our community work
+Logistics

Top Hiking Logistics

We provide professional equipment and logistics for safe, comfortable, and well-organized treks in the Andes.

Discover our trek logistics

The best time to hike the Inca Trail is the dry season, which runs from May to September. It is also the busiest time of the year, so it is important to book your trip as far in advance as possible.

Don’t wait until next year – book now to ensure you get your preferred start date.

WHY CHOOSE US?

Alpaca Expeditions is the number one tour operator for treks and tours to Machu Picchu and all-around Peru. Located in Cusco, Peru, we pride ourselves on our dedication to our clients, creating unique adventures and tailor-made tours all led by the most professional guides. We are lucky to have the best clients, who love to share about their experiences and have helped us maintain the number 1 spot on TripAdvisor for 5 years with more than double the amount of positive experiences than any other company.

Check the Inca Trail Availability 2026 – 2027

For the 4, 5, 7 days

The Availability mentioned below is for all Inca trail treks to Machu Picchu, you can choose the best date that fits in your traveling schedule since we have daily departures, we only need two people as a minimum to depart and if you are single traveler contact us and we will be able to accommodate you with one of our set groups.

How do I get an Inca Trail permit?

  1. 1
    Check the calendar below for availability, then click the “book now” button to get started.
  2. 2
    Fill out your personal information and select the type of service and number of passengers for your trip.
  3. 3
    You can also add extra services such as Huayna Picchu tickets, Machu Picchu Mountain tickets, and the ability to upgrade your train tickets.
  4. 4
    Review and accept our service policies before submitting the form; after submitting the form, you will have the option to pay USD 200 per person via PayPal.
  5. 5
    Our commercial department will send you an email confirming your reservation after you make it.
  1. 01

    CHECK INCA TRAIL AVAILABILITY

    Check the calendar below for availability, then click the “book now” button to get started.
  2. 02

    CHECK WITH US

    Confirm Inca Trail availability with our sales team via chat, email, or phone.
  3. 03

    FINALIZE EARLY

    Permits sell out months in advance; book early.

Inca Trail Permit Availability

Check availability & book adventure
available icon available
few remain icon few remain
sold out icon contact us
no hiking symbol

INCA TRAIL FAQS FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS FOR YOUR NEXT ADVENTURE

Inca Trail Hikes Which One Should You Choose?

While our most popular tour is the 4-Day Inca Trail Trek to Machu Picchu, we have Inca Trail trips that range from 2 days to 7 days. Check our tour options below and choose the Inca Trail trek that best fits your interests!

⚡ Likely to sell out
Tour Quick View
Inca Trail (Classic) 4D/3N Group Tour + Vistadome Train Experience
Challenging
4 Days / 3 Nights
1

Day 1: Cusco - Piskacucho Km 82 - Llactapata- Ayapata

2

Day 2: Dead Woman´s Pass - Runcuraccay Pass - Chaquiccocha

3

Day 3: Chaquiccocha - Wiñaywayna

4

Day 4: Wiñaywayna – Sun Gate – Machu Picchu – Aguas Calientes – Cusco

Inca Trail Trek

Inca Trail (Classic) 4D/3N Group Tour + Vistadome Train Experience

per person
$835
4 Days / 3 Nights
Challenging
View itinerary
Tour Quick View
Inca Trail 4D/3N Private Tour
Moderate
4 Days / 3 Nights
1

Inca Trail 4 days |Day 1: Cusco – KM 82 – Ayapata

2

Inca Trail 4 days | Day 2: Ayapata – Dead Women’s Pass – Pacaymayo – Chaquicocha

3

Inca Trail 4 days | Day 3: Chaquiccoha – Phuyupatamarca – Wiñay Wayna

4

Inca Trail 4 days | Day 4: Wiñay Wayna – Machu Picchu – Aguas Calientes – Return to Cusco

Inca Trail Trek

Inca Trail 4D/3N Private Tour

per person
$1,695
4 Days / 3 Nights
Moderate
View itinerary
Tour Quick View
Machu Picchu Inca Trail 5D/4N
Moderate
5 Days / 4 Nights
1

Day 1: Bus to Trailhead and Start Your Inca Trail Hike

2

Day 2: Hike Dead Woman's Pass and Relax in Pacaymayo Valley

3

Day 3: Trek Across Runcu Raccay Pass and Tour Stunning Ruins

4

Day 4: Visit Archeological Sites and Cross The Sun Gate

5

Day 5: The Most Important Day - Machu Picchu

Inca Trail Trek

Machu Picchu Inca Trail 5D/4N

per person
$995 $1,050
5 Days / 4 Nights
Moderate
View itinerary
Tour Quick View
Inca Trail + Salkantay Trek 7D/6N
Challenging
7 Days / 6 Nights
1

Day 1: Cusco –Marccoccasa – Soraypampa

2

Day 2: Soraypampa – Humantay Lake – Ichupata

3

Day 3: Ichupata – Inca Chiriasca Pass – Inca Canal

4

Day 4: Inca Canal – Pauccar Cancha – Wayllabamba – Ayapata

5

Day 5: Ayapata – Warmi Wañusca- Chaquicocha

6

Day 6: Chaquicocha – Phuyupatamarca – Wiñay Wayna

7

Day 7: Wiñaywayna – Sun Gate – Machu Picchu – Aguas Calientes – Cusco

Inca Trail Trek

Inca Trail + Salkantay Trek 7D/6N

per person
$1,195 $1,225
7 Days / 6 Nights
Challenging
View itinerary
social projects alpaca expeditions
Carbon Footprint Alpaca Expeditions 2021
ISO-9001 Alpaca Expeditions
ISO-14001 Alpaca Expeditions
ISO-21101 Alpaca Expeditions
ISO-45001 Alpaca Expeditions

ISO (International Organization for Standardization)

In the pursuit to stand out from the rest, Alpaca Expeditions has obtained four ISOs plus our carbon footprint certificate to date. These achievements result from our efforts to implement the internationally-recognized integrated management system. They also represent our commitment to all of our clients and staff of operating sustainability and responsibility in every way possible.

WHAT OUR CLIENTS SAY
In Tripadvisor

Reviews
5 of 5 bubbles
Alpaca Expeditions
5.0 Out of
5 stars
5 of 5 bubbles
August 20, 2026
5 of 5 bubbles

Day tours: Cusco city tour and nearby archeological sites, Sacred Valley of the incas, Rainbow mountain

Alpaca expeditions organized our full visit to Cusco related to our four day Inca trail hike. That included the daytrips before and after the Inca hike, the inca hike itself and accommodations. They do it perfectly, with good organization, social integrity and great guides and staff.
The deliver quality service, arrive on agreed time with good vehicles and equipment. It is impressive how they can provide excellent food,"in the middle of nowhere" both on the inca trail and on the daytours (where applicable)
The hotels they picked; Rumi Punku in Cusco was a very good choice, and in Ollantaytambo the Tierra Viva was also excellent.
If you are doing the inca trail, we recommend that you stay overnight in Ollantaytambo as the end of the Sacred Valley tour the day before the hike, rather than returning to Cusco. This will save you a lot of driving and a few more hours of sleep....

All the day tours were really good and worth taking. The guide for the two first day tours was Rony, and we appreciated him so much that we requested him to be our guide also for the Rainbow mountain after the Inca Trail! That itself a sign of our appreciation and recommendations. His knowledge and kind personality, with good English made us really enjoying all the day tours. Both Rony and Alpaca is highly recommended!

Ps.
The 4 day Inca trail hike was also amazing!

August 20, 2026
5 of 5 bubbles

Thank you Alpaca Expeditions!

This tour company is the best. We are grateful to them for bringing us to places we will remember for ever. Our guide, Reuben, made sure the trip was educational and full of laughs!

 
August 20, 2026
5 of 5 bubbles

The best experiences in Cusco

We had an amazing experience with Alpaca Expeditions! First the two day Inca trail trek to Macchu Pichu and then to Rainbow Mountain the following day! The guides were super helpful and knowledgeable (shout out to Herlin and Merleni and Elix)! The groups were small with extra attention to inexperienced hikers. Thank you!!

August 19, 2026
5 of 5 bubbles

Amazing

Nilton and Romario were the best guides ever. Everything was super well organized. They pickrd us up in our hotel and carried our luggage to the new hotel we were staying at after the trekking. They gave us all the useful info the day before through videocall si ce we could not make it to the in perdón meeting. It is super worth it and the guides were the best part.

August 17, 2026
5 of 5 bubbles

Unforgettable athletic and cultural experience.

Unforgettable trip in the company of Elisban, accompanied by José. I had the chance to have valuable exchanges with them. I thank them as much for their explanation as for the simple discussions shared with them. I highly recommend it.

Reviews
Google Google Google Google Google
Alpaca Expeditions
5.0 Out of
5 stars
Google Google Google Google Google
March 18, 2026

We had a wonderful time with Juan visiting the Inca sites in Cusco, the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu. Juan is very knowledgeable about the history and prehistory of the Inca civilization. He also knew all the best spots for pictures! We really appreciated his expertise.

March 17, 2026

In general: What an experience! Great guides, chefs, and porters. Alpaca Expeditions is a green company that pays close attention to their carbon footprint, sources their food locally, and has various programs that give back to their community. Bonus: they have a portable toilet that is well maintained and stocked with TP at all times. My personal experience: This is long, but hopefully helpful if you have any reservations about whether you can accomplish this trek! I arrived in Cuzco to acclimate 3 days early…however, I unfortunately succumbed to the altitude on day one of the actual hike and got worse on day 2 and 3. It is not lost on me that I was ONLY able to complete the trek because of the Alpaca team. The chef team, led by Cecilio, were very accommodating to my needs and prepared different teas to try to help me. Our groups guides, Alvin and Yojhan, were beyond encouraging and made sure I was safe the whole time. One of them was always with me even though I took twice as long as the rest of the group. >_< I can’t stress enough how important it is to have the right team supporting you in any situation. Their company’s back bone is stellar, but their actions during the hike showed me their heart is unbeatable.

March 17, 2026

I recently completed the 4-day Inca Trail with Alpaca Expeditions alongside my teenage daughters, and it exceeded every expectation. The weather was perfect all four days, which made the stunning views even better. Our guides, Yojhan and Alvin, were true experts, sharing deep insights into Incan history, the wildlife, and the flora and fauna of the area. They were incredibly patient and answered every question we had about Peru and more. From the start, they encouraged us to keep smiles on our faces and told us we’d become a "super family" by the end—and that is exactly what happened. The "super porters" worked tirelessly, and our chef Cecilio and his assistant cooked incredible meals for us along the way. Everything went perfectly to plan, and we finished the expedition with celebratory toasts and a shared album for photos with our new friends. I cannot recommend this team highly enough!

March 17, 2026

Muy buena experiencia con Alvin y Yojhan haciendo el camino Inka clásico. La comida que nos hizo Cecilio y Angelito estaba impresionante. Repetiría seguro!

 
March 17, 2026

The 4 day Inca trip was the best trip i have had in my lifetime. Beyond the scenic scenery everything has been well planned through. Alvin and Yohan were there for any possible inquries and shared a lot of nice insights along the inca trail. The food was better than any regular meal you can grab in town and was served three times a day by the amazing chef Cecilo and his crew. If you don’t do this trip you miss out.

Meet the AE Trekking Team!

Everyone on the Alpaca Team is from Cusco region, living the traditions and history they share with you while on one of our tours. Our guides are all graduates of university studying tourism, history and english. Our chefs are trained every February by a professional cooking team learning new meals, adding varieties of entrees for all types of eating. And all our porters are from HUARQUI, HUACAHUASI, PATACANCHA, QUISWARANI, CANCHACANCHA, QUEYUPAY, UMACHURCO and CCACCACCOLLO villages, very often working this job on top of maining their farms back at home. Most of our team has been with us for years, as we have the most loyal, hard working, happy employees in Cusco. We know how lucky we are to have the best team trekking and you will immediately fall in love with all the men and women who call Alpaca Expeditions their home.

AE súper porters

AE súper porters

View Profile
Equality Matters

Equality Matters

In these days of women’s empowerment around the world, Peru has fallen very short when it came to empowering Peru women. Especially in our villages and poorer areas, Peru women have been traditionally expected to be quiet and obedient. Peru Women are generally less educated, expected to marry young and raise their children. Very sadly […]
View Profile
Our Guides

Our Guides

Travelling and trekking along the mountains is one of the best activities in the World. Connecting with nature and conquering your own limits to get to the highest points of the creation can’t be beat by anything.But this activity needs to be supported by professionals and for that same reason we have our professional trekking […]
View Profile
Our Chefs

Our Chefs

Trekking along the mountain on your way to conquer Machu Picchu is a once in a lifetime experience. Which won’t be possible to be done without our staff. Our guides and porters make the trek possible and provide all the needed help but the real secret behind our motto ‘’the journey is the destination’’ is […]
View Profile
Recognition & Excellence

TRIPADVISOR RECOGNITIONS

Our goal at Alpaca Expeditions is to create the best experience for all of our clients. We create journeys that are to be remembered for a lifetime. Journeys you can be proud of and can share with everybody around you.

#1
Tour Operator in Peru
31,615+
5-Star Reviews