Inca Trail Guidelines and Instructions

Since the year of 2000 the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu is regulated for its protection and conservation of its natural and cultural resources

The Inca Trail to Machu Picchu in Peru, is one of the most famous walks in the world that will take you to see the lost city of the Incas. To be able to live this adventure is the dream of any traveler since you travel the ancient path that the Incas built on the Peruvian Andes, while you must accompany yourself the beauty of the natural landscapes of the Andes, the jungle and the immense valleys, to end your trip in one of the seven wonders of the world; the Iconic Machu Picchu.

This Trail is part of the Historic Sanctuary of Machu Picchu, and for this reason, the government of Peru has a Rules and improve new regulation for the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu, which allows the maintenance and protection of this entire area and its natural and cultural resources, and also guarantees the safety of people, the visitors (Tourist and workers). This allows us as travelers the opportunity to learn more about the availability of permits, prohibitions, times when we should not travel, among other topics that will help us better prepare for this incredible journey.

New regulations for the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu

Over the years the rules have changed due to the increase in the number of visitors to this route and here are some of the new regulations to consider:

	Only a maximum of 500 people per day will be able to access the Inca Trail Trek, an amount that includes guides, cooks and authorized porters. In other words, the total number of tourists is limited to around 200.
	Requests for authorization to enter the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu must be documented and paid (total amount) with a minimum of 48 hours before the date of entry.
	After entering in the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu, the visitor will not be able to extend their stay for the duration indicated on the entry ticket as part of the established itinerary.
	All people entering the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu must identify themselves with their original documents at the checkpoints of the Ministry of Culture.
	For reasons of conservation and restoration, there may be periods of restriction and closure of the use of the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu. Users will be informed 30 days in advance, except in the event of an unforeseeable event of force majeure, in which case it applies without prior notice.
	It is forbidden to use the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu from 7:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m., except in proven exceptional cases.
	All users of the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu, especially representatives of travel agencies, must separate solid waste into organic and inorganic waste and take them outside the historic sanctuary of Machu Picchu.

Groups organized with travel and tourism agencies

The Inca Trail is used through Authorized travel and tourism agencies like Sunrise Peru Trek or Authorized guides. In either case, they must be allowed to operate this route. Groups are made up of visitors, tour guides and support staff (cooks, porters and others), in addition, groups can be made up of a maximum of 42 people.

Availability of permits for the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu

You have to keep in mind that in order to get the permits for the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu either the short or the long version, you have to do it well in advance as only 500 people per day can enter at most. In addition, due to maintenance, conservation and cleaning work, as well as heavy rains, this route is closed in February of each year.

The only way to take an excursion on the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu is through the services of a tourism agency authorized by the Peruvian Ministry of Culture.

Reservations can only be made online. No tourist agency has a greater availability of

Permits to make the Inca Trail Trek.

The demand to access the Inca Trail Trek is so great that you shouldn’t be surprised if the availability of permits runs out in an instant. In this case, there is no way to get more entry permits.

Permits are issued in your name, so they are not transferable under any circumstances. No matter how many customers cancel their Inca Trail reservations, no one else can use these spaces.

About Reservations for the Inca Trail

It is recommended to reserve the entrance to the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu several months in advance because, in addition to the high demand, there is a limit of 500 people per day that includes visitors, guides, cooks and porters.
To confirm your reservation, you must provide the following information:

	Full name:
	Nationality:
	Date of birth:
	Passport number:
	A copy of the passport:
	Full payment (100%):

You can make your reservation from here: Inca Trail Booking

Prohibitions / Restrictions of the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu

Along the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu, there are several archaeological centers and an immense diversity of flora and fauna. All these elements must be respected, so keep in mind that this is what is prohibited on the way:

• Alter or contaminate the landscape of natural, cultural and / or archaeological monuments.
• Camp or spend the night outside of assigned campgrounds.
• Introduce and / or use elements that violate the cultural and natural heritage.
• Make bonfires in archaeological monuments and / or areas close to the natural environment.
• Climb walls, make marks on dirt floors or scratches on archaeological monuments, and / or do any type of graffiti.
• Disturb or affect species of flora and fauna.
• Perform overflights and / or use the airspace without prior authorization from the competent authorities.
• Place public or commercial announcements.
• Traffic and work in an alcoholic state or under the influence of narcotics.
• Entry and transit of motor vehicles
• Transfer tourists from one group to another.
• The abandonment of the group of tourists by the tour guide.
• Obscene acts.

Items not allowed

This is the list of all the things that cannot be transported for the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu. You will find that many of these things are not really necessary while traveling:

• Firearms, hunting and fishing utensils, axes, machetes, hunting knives (with steel blades longer than 7 cm), picks, shovels or other tools.
• Any type of trap to catch animals.
• Fuels such as oil, diesel and gasoline.
• Alcoholic beverages, stimulants, psychotropics, narcotics and other drugs. The
• prohibition of drug use is throughout Peru.
• Drinks and products with glass containers.
• Sound equipment and other noise generators (musical instruments).
• Domestic and exotic animals.
• Metal-tipped canes that do not have rubber protectors, as well as wooden canes from native species.
• Transportation of vehicles such as bicycles, tricycles or others.
• Drones or any type of smaller vessel and professional filming equipment for unauthorized commercial purposes.

Mandatory minimum equipment for guides and agencies.

• Backpacks
• Sleeping bags
• Insulation or mattress
• Tents
• Canteen for water
• First aid box
• Oxygen tank
• Location maps of the Inca Trail network
• Water filters
• Plastic screens to filter sediment from dirty water
• Propane gas burners
• Non-elastic rescue ropes (diameter 9 mm)
• VHF portable radiocommunication equipment configured on the frequency of the radios of the Ministry of Culture, only in case of emergency.
• Deposit suitable for the transport of solid waste.

Solid waste

Travel and tourism agencies, guides and support personnel are required to carry out the separation, transport and final disposal of the solid waste generated during the stay on the Inca Trail and collect it at the exterior site of the historic sanctuary of Machu Picchu.

It is a job that everyone has to do, that is why in companies such as SUNRISE PERU TREK, all their personnel are trained to be able to develop good environmental practices and promote the preservation of this important Trail to Machu Picchu.
These are the rules that, as visitors, we must take into account and respect, because in this way we take care of the historic sanctuary of Machu Picchu, but it also helps us to know what we should and should not do when we are doing it. our visit to this wonder.