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Check Inca Trail Availability
Make sure the government still has permits available for your start date.
The #1
Tour Operator of Peru
Tour Operator of Peru
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.
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?
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Check the calendar below for availability, then click the “book now” button to get started.
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Fill out your personal information and select the type of service and number of passengers for your trip.
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You can also add extra services such as Huayna Picchu tickets, Machu Picchu Mountain tickets, and the ability to upgrade your train tickets.
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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.
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Our commercial department will send you an email confirming your reservation after you make it.
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Check with us
Confirm Inca trail availability with our sales team via chat, email, or phone. -
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Finalize early
Permits sell out months in advance; book early.
Check Inca Trail availability, find your preferred travel date, and book your permit before spaces sell out. Start planning your unforgettable trek to Machu Picchu today.
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CHOOSE YOUR BEST OPTION
Inca Trail Treks
Inca Trail (Classic) 4D/3N Group Tour + Vistadome Train Experience
per person
$835
4 Days / 3 Nights
Challenging
Inca Trail Treks
Inca Trail 4D/3N Private Tour
per person
$1,695
4 Days / 3 Nights
Moderate
Inca Trail Treks
Machu Picchu Inca Trail 5D/4N
per person
$995
$1,050
5 Days / 4 Nights
Moderate
Inca Trail Treks
Short Inca Trail trek with Camping 2D/1N
per person
$595
2 Days / 1 Night
Moderate
⚡ Likely to sell out
Inca Trail Treks
2-Day Short Inca Trail Trek + Vistadome Train Experience with Hotel
per person
$585
2 Days / 1 Night
Moderate
Inca Trail Treks
Inca Trail + Salkantay Trek 7D/6N
per person
$1,195
$1,225
7 Days / 6 Nights
Challenging
In this video, we’ll be taking a look at one of the most popular hiking trails in the world – the Inca Trail! The Inca Trail is a world-famous hiking trail that leads to the lost city of Machu Picchu in Peru. The trail is about 26 miles (42 kilometers) long, and it takes four days to hike from start to finish.
Inca Trail to Machu Picchu Video
If you’re planning on hiking the Inca Trail, it’s important to have a good map. There are plenty of resources available online and in stores, but we’ve found that the best way to get a feel for the trail is to use an Inca Trail hikers map. This map was created by an Alpaca Expeditions hiker who has completed the trail and provides detailed information on the different sections of the trail. It also includes recommendations on where to stop along the way and what to see.
We’ve detailed our own Inca Trail plan below, and this is the type of itinerary you may expect (note that this only applies to the days spent hiking, not the days spent traveling to/from Cusco and Ollantaytambo).
Day 1: In the morning, go from Ollantaytambo to km.82 and climb to the campground. Distance: Approx. 8.7 miles/ 14 km Elevation: 3,300 metres/10829 ft Difficulty: Moderate dificult day.
Day 2: Early start to hike through cloud forest, up to Dead Woman’s Pass, and back down. Distance: Approx. 7.5 miles/ 12km Elevation: 3,600 metres / 11800 ft Difficulty: Challenging day.
Day 3: Early rise to hike the most photogenic section of the Trail. Distance: Approx. 9.9 miles/ 16 km Elevation: 3,680 metres / 8792 ft Difficulty: Moderate.
Day 4: Early morning (3 a.m.) departure to reach the entry checkpoint and hike for 1-2 hours to the Sun Gate and Machu Picchu. Distance: Approx. 3.1 miles/ 5 km Difficulty: You’re halfway at Machu Picchu, and you should be hopping, skipping, and jumping your way there!
HEALTH + SAFETY ON THE INCA TRAIL
SATELLITE PHONES
Our top goal is your safety, so we’ve invested in dependable satellite phones, which are one of the most vital instruments for any operator running treks into the Andes. This means that every guide on one of our treks will have a fully charged satellite phone, which our clients can use at any time.
Medical Procedures and First Aid
Every Alpaca Expeditions guide is equipped with an oximeter and will monitor your condition as you ascend in elevation.
PASSPORT REQUIREMENTS
Please know that if you are booking with a passport that is set to expire within 06 months of your planned entry date to Peru, you will be required to renew your passport before coming to Peru. Peru authorities will not grant you entry to the country otherwise.
If you are booking your trek with us, and this is your case, please know you will be able to book with us to secure your Inca Trail permits and tickets to Machu Picchu. However, you will be required to renew your passport and update your passport details with us prior to your trip to Peru. Failure to do so may result in the forfeiture of your reserved permits, and tickets to Machu Picchu.
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.
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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
WHAT OUR CLIENTS SAY
In Tripadvisor
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.
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 […]
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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 […]
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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 […]
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INCA TRAIL FAQS FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS FOR YOUR NEXT ADVENTURE
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.
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
31,362+
5-Star Reviews
What a trip!!
First time booking with Alpaca Expeditions (Machu Picchu) and honestly can't recommend them enough. During the booking process they were very helpful and made recommendations that worked very well. They were exceptionally well organised, both before and during the tour, making sure everything went smoothly and informing at all stages which was really reassuring to me as a solo traveller.
The tour itself of Machu Picchu was amazing, the highlight of my trip to Peru so far, my guide Javier was incredibly knowledgeable about the site and the history of the incas. Plus he knew where all the best spots for photos were!! I didnt feel rushed at all, Javier was very easy going, and it was an excellent tour. Looking forward to doing the rainbow mountain with Alpaca later this week and hope to be back one day to do the inca trail. Would use again without hesitation.
Spectacular vistas, adventure with extraordinary guide and porter support.
This was a father-son trip of a lifetime. I couldn’t be happier with the route (which is challenging) for scenery and history, or the guide and support staff. There were 7 hikers in our trip, including my son and I, who were supported by an superbly dedicated and knowledgeable guide, 14 truly amazing porters (who just to watch in action was priceless), and and excellent camp chef.
Trip of a lifetime
This really was the experience of a lifetime and David made sure that we got the most out of it. He knew where to take the best pictures and took pictures for everyone in the group. David was obviously very knowledgeable and passionate about his culture and country. I can’t recommend this tour enough, and would tell people to request David as their guide if possible. Thanks for making this trip so memorable, David.
Best experience and tour
We had an incredible experience with alpaca expeditions. Guides were professional, food was the best food we have had our whole trip and the walk was full of different environments with the guys giving beautiful cultural experiences as well. Sergio and Yeferi our guides truly made our experience. With so much knowledge and energy and laughter brought to every day. This trip is challenging but you can go at your own pace and the guides are very supportive in ensuring everyone is able to achieve the hike.
Best Trek of Our Lives!
It was my partner’s dream for a long time to hike the Inca trail. We started talking about doing it last winter and bought our flight tickets once we were able to confirm with Alpaca Expeditions for our dates in July. We had a phenomenal team of guides (Jimmy and Hans), wonderful team of porters led by Samuel. The chef, Mijael definitely wowed us the entire meals. We wouldn’t trade this experience for anything else. Hans exceeded our expectations as we were a Deaf couple, and Hans used whiteboard to communicate with us. It was overall an inclusive experience! 10/10 would do it again with them!