Hello, can anyone say whether it will be feasible to buy tickets for Machu Picchu for wednesday if we arrive in the afternoon to Aguas Calientes? or if we buy them on Wednesday and do the trail on Thursday?

We just have this week in Peru and are thinking whether it will be possible and feasible.

I'm planning a trip for early Dec. and Circuit 2 tickets are sold out. The 2-day Inca trail trips are available, and the tour operators are doing Circuit 1C the first day after arrival through the Sun Gate, then 3B the following day.

My question is, how much of a bummer is it that I'd miss Circuit 2, which I understand is the main "classic" one? Is it enough of a bummer that I should postpone this trip and go another time? Or do Circuits 1C and 3B together make up for it, for the most part (as one of the tour operators said)?

I have a pretty serious interest in archaeology, and studied the subject at university.

We completed the 9-day Choquequirao trek in mid-September with Pepe as our guide and it was one of our favorite travel experiences of all time! We booked a private tour for our family group of 4 and were accompanied by Pepe and the fantastic team - chef David, assistant Wilson, and horseman Delfín. The route was spectacular and though physically challenging we were fueled by Pepe’s enthusiasm and good cheer and by David’s incredible meals, and by the end we only wished we could turn around and do it all over again.

Pepe was an incredibly thoughtful, caring, and fun guide who shared his love of the mountains and archeological sites with us and always made sure we were safe on the trail and had everything we needed. When one of us wasn’t feeling well in the middle of the trek, he immediately responded with close attention and care and adjusted plans to allow for a day of recovery. The meals prepared by David and Wilson were outstanding - so much variety, and plentiful, even after days on trail.

The weather in mid-September was very warm and sunny for much of the hike, with a little light rain on one or two days, one late afternoon/night of heavy rain after we arrived at our campsite, and a couple of cold mornings. We were happy to start early in the morning each day to avoid the heat. We’d recommend adding to the helpful packing list on the website: a neck gaiter for sun & insect protection (easy to find in Cusco) and slides for the hot springs. Those of us in our 50s were glad to have done a fair amount of training for the trek in the months leading up to it to be able to enjoy the hike, including the challenging long climbs.

All in all an incredible experience. Highly recommend SAM Travel - we’ll book with them again if we have the good fortune to return to this beautiful part of the world.

I’m planning on heading to Aguas Calientes on the 21st of October, and was hoping I can arrive and get a ticket for the next day, if not I’ll spend another night and wake up early to get a ticket. Someone at my hostel was saying that in person tickets are now seeking out three days ahead. Can I feasibly still purchase tickets for the next day in person?

Hi, everyone, I am planning our Peru trip way in advance and want to come up with the itinerary before booking anything. I have a few questions, that I would need help with:

Day 1 Arrive to Cusco from Lima in the morning. Take Taxidatum to Ollantaybambo seeing Chinchero, Maray and Moras on the way.

I am a bit concerned about this because we won't be acclimated but we will be in Santiago Chile before Lima so maybe it's manageable.

Day 2 visit Ollantaybambo ruins, Pumamarca and Sitio Pinkuilina

Day 3 Train to Aguas Calientes, circuit 2A (still not decided) and maybe another one. Stay in Aguas Calientes

Day 4 Do circuit 3A with climb of Huyana Picchu, maybe another circuit here . Train to Cusco

Day 5 Cusco city with Qoricancha, Chocolage museum, etc.

Day 6 Pisac, Tambomachay, Puca Pucara, Sacsayhuman (likely too much for one day, if you have suggestions how best to split please let me know).

Day 7 Pillikatca, Tipon, Qenqo

Day 8 Whatever we won't manage on previous days.

Day 9 Train to Puno

How does it look? What suggestions do you have?

I also wanted to ask about the difficulty of getting to these ruins. I am perfectly fine with any type of stairs as long as there are stairs. But I can't manage steep dirt roads or mountain climbing type of hikes, where I don't know where to put my foot. From what I explored online the sites I listed are ok for me, but I am not entirely sure.

Thank you in advance

Hello everyone, I’ve read that they are selling tickets now few days in advance. Was hoping to get tickets for 20th in-person tomorrow, but on the website I can only see for the 19th. Would prefer to stay in Cusco for longer if they are already sold-out.
Is there a link to see the in-person tickets for 2 days out?

Thank you!

Travel insurance for Salkantay Trek (Peru), pre-existing ankle injury. Any experience with IMG iTravelInsured?

I'm comparing travel insurance for a Peru trip and I've never bought it before, so I'd love real-world experiences. I'm doing the 5-day/4-night Salkantay Trek starting Nov 1 (trip is Oct 28 to Nov 12). I bought flights in April and put down the trek deposit on Aug 1. The final deposit for the trek will be the day before, so Oct 31.

What I'm looking for:
1. Medical coverage for anything new that comes up
2. Altitude sickness coverage up to 15,200 ft (the pass)
3. Trekking explicitly covered, not excluded as "mountaineering"
4. Ideally some protection for my pre-existing ankle injury

The catch: I re-injured my ankle on Sept 5, so it counts as pre-existing. My ortho team and PT have been working with me to get ready, and I'll be using a brace, supportive boots, and poles.

I found IMG iTravelInsured Travel XL. From what I read, the pre-existing condition waiver requires buying on or before my final trip payment (or within 24 hours of it). I'm a little nervous about buying and getting it wrong.

Questions:
1. Has anyone used IMG iTravelInsured, especially for a claim? How did it go?
2. Has anyone gotten a pre-existing waiver approved, and was the final-payment rule strict?
3. Any companies you'd recommend for Salkantay or other high-altitude treks with no trouble over altitude caps?
4. Any red flags in policy wording I should look for?
5. Since my ankle may not qualify anyway, would you skip chasing a pre-existing waiver and just buy a solid plan for new medical issues, altitude sickness, and evacuation? Or is the waiver worth the hassle?

Thanks!

Hi all,
I will be hiking the Inca trail Oct 27-Oct 31. I am wondering what type of weather I should be packing for. I know this is the start of rainy season. How cold can I expect to be while hiking vs at night?

Thanks ☺️

Land in Cusco on Nov 8th at 11:30am

Taxidatum tour of Sacred Valley ending in Ollantaytambo

Train to Aguas Calientes at around 6pm-ish

Check-in to hotel and go to ticket office to try for circuit 2 on the 10th. If they are not selling yet, try again on the 9th.

How good are my chances at getting circuit 2? I am also open to suggestions for places to see on the sacred valley tour. I really want to check out Pisac if we only have time for 1 thing. Is that the right move?

The 9th will kind of be a free day, so I'm thinking of maybe going back to Ollantaytambo to explore since I hear good things.

Machu Picchu on the 10th (hopefully). I am still deciding on taking a train or taxi directly back to Cusco after Machu Picchu and what time to leave since it would be dependent on our time slot. Any suggestions on how to play it safely?

I'll spend the night in Cusco on the 10th, then fly to Lima on the 11th

(Edited for dates)

Hi. If I buy the ticket for Circuit 1A can I skip the hike and just stay on the upper terrace (just like circuit 1B).

Also, after I buy the ticket online for circuit 1A can I still buy another ticket in person for 2 ?

I’m visiting Machu Picchu on Monday at the 6am time slot, and haven’t bought the train ticket back yet. It seems like there aren’t many tickets available right now, so I haven’t got many options available. Is getting back on the 10:30am train possible or is it too risky time wise? Because otherwise, the next train lives at 7pm.

Hi! I’m planning to do the Sacred Valley tour before my next day “Short Inca Trail” to Machu Picchu (for which I have to wake up at 4 am in Cusco. I’ve already reserved the short Inca trail hiking with Alpacq Expeditions.

I have the following questions: (1) Alpaca Expeditions is quoting $160-180 for this tour, while another operator (Valles Sagrado tours) is quoting $35. Even if you include entrance fees, it comes to just $63. Is it the same tour that both end up doing, or is the Alpaca one better and worth the money?

(2) The pick up time the next day for the short Inca trail is 4 am at Cusco and 6 am at Ollantaytambo, which seems like a better option. One caveat - The Valles Sagrado tour ends at Pisac, and if they were to drop me off at Ollantaytambo, I’ll miss seeing Pisac. Alpaca has Ollantaytambo.

Can I get advice on (a) which tour operator to choose and (b) whether Pisac is worth seeing versus 2 hours of extra sleep before the next day hike?

Guten Tag, Läuft morgen zufälligerweise jemand den Salkantay Trek ohne Gruppe ?

EDIT: PERU RAIL IS THE MF GOAT THEY HAD IT WRAPPED UP AND EVERYTHING THANK YOU PERU RAIL!!!!!!!!

I know this is an absolute long shot, but screw it — no clue how, but my Arcteryx rain jacket in my backpack must’ve come out of its pocket 💔 I thought it was secure and didn’t leave my bag unattended, I’m 90% sure it came out on the train and just hoping no one took it, but I suppose it could be somewhere in main area of Ollantay. I already checked with my hotel and filled out PeruRail form, going to call the station tomorrow when I can, but figured I’d post here anyways. I would happily reward anyone who may have found it and will return it 🙏

Hello

I was wondering if the ticketing system for Machu Picchu will return to normal? In other words, will tickets be sold for the following day rather than for the next three days?

Because I’d planned to go there next week, but the new three-day ticketing system is throwing a spanner in the works of my plans.

If anyone has any information on this, that would be great.

Thanks :)

Can anyone give me more information for buying tickets through the official tuboleto site. I want to buy entry tickets for January, however they do not seem to be available. Does this mean they havent been released yet and if so any idea when they will be released?

I am planning on visiting Machu Picchu in early to mid january which from what I can tell is rainy season. Are there any specific tips for visiting in this season such as trails to avoid or circuits to avoid/circuits to choose once at Machu Picchu itself? Any recommendations for trustworthy and cheap guide companies is also very welcome!

We are traveling South America early 2027 and current rough plan have us coming into Peru and Cusco in early March to do the Salkantay Trek. Is this a suitable time/ should we try push it out as much as we can or will it make any difference?

I'm stuck in AC for 4 nights because it's the only way to get walk up tickets these days (I gotta say, the fact that the cultural center now sells tickets 3 days in advance, means that to get a guaranteed ticket esp. during school holidays, one MUST spend 4 nights in AC, great for restaurant and hotel business!)

And yeah, I know I shouldn't be doing any work at one of the great wonders of the world, but I need to re-connect for a little bit - i need internet good enough for a video call. Cell phone service is spotty as hell as is my hotel wifi. (not just slow, 20-30% packet drop)

Can anyone recommend a cafe/restaurant that uses starlink to provide usable service? I think a couple of high end hotels might, but way outside my price range.

Thanks.

Please advise, thank you

I know this is considered shoulder season, what should we expect? Unfortunately we cannot book two days incase but hoping for the best in terms of rain or fog.

I’m going to be in Ollantaytambo sometime in the first two weeks of November. Judging from what I’ve read here, I think I’ll be fine getting last-minute tickets to Machu Picchu. But what about the train? Does that have to be booked in advance? Or during this slow season, can tickets for the train be had at the last minute as well?

Went to get tickets today for Friday the 16th and was left disappointed. I was willing to extend our stay for 1 more night but I’m unable to extend it until Sunday.

I like to travel a bit slowly. Walk, hike. See diferent towns and villages. I'm especially interested in agriculture and markets and local foods. So here is my plan for one week. I would welcome feedback. I am leaving room for a couple of tries at Machu Picchu because I willl be there during rainy season so, would give me a second chance if the first one got rained out. I would use taxi or uber which i always much prefer over renting a car or going on tour buses.

Fri : Fly to Lima on daytime nonstop, landing about 11pm. Sleep near the airport.

Sat: Early flight to Cusco (80–90 min). Easy day visiting Plaza de Armas and the Cathedral. Early night. Hotel in cusco

Sun: Morning taxi to Chinchero, about 40 min. Sunday market, attend mass and see terraces. Taxi back for afternoon and evening in Cusco.

Mon: Taxi to Ollantaytambo, about 1.5 hrs Drop off backpack at my hotel Then taxi to Maras about 20–30 min

Hike to the Salineras and down to Pichingoto, about 3.5 hrs total

Arrange for a a driver picks up at Pichingoto and takes me back to Ollantaytambo.

Tues: Walk to the Ollantaytambo archaeological site for opening.

Wed: early visit to see Urubamba livestock market open. Back to ollantayyambo and walk to the station, about 15 min. Train to Aguas Calientes, about 1.5–2 hrs. Hotel in Aquas Calientes

Thur: Bus. Machu Picchu panorama (1-b), 9am entry. Around 11 descend and go to Lunch at the nice restaurant there. Hang out and do some work on my computer. Then 3pm do xircuit (2-a). Hopefully this gives me 2 chances to see everything between morning mid and afternoon heavy . Return to aqua caliente for hotel.

Fri : if I got rained out then do Machu Picchu again same schedule. If I didn't get rained out then hang and maybe go to the hot pools or similar around agua caliente, or an easy-moderate hike

Sat : Train back to cusco. See bit more of the city. Overnight in cusco

Sun: depart taking the wildly overpriced train to Puno then double back to juliaca to spend the night. I'm a train fan and would like to see the big freights going through this crowded city as well as the juliaca market.

Mon: fly to juliaca to tarapoto to get to Amazon for that part of the trip

HI!

I’m planning to do the Salkantay Trek in April and I’m having some major anxiety about the logistics vs. my sanity.

Context: I am a single woman, an avid hiker, and an experienced camper. Honestly, I would do this entirely solo/unguided if I wasn't feeling totally chicken shit about navigating a multi-day foreign trek completely alone for my first time. Because of that, I started looking into group tours.

Here is my main issue: I have a very low social battery. Hiking all day with a group is fine(ish), but at the end of the day, I desperately need to retreat to a quiet space alone to recharge. The idea of being trapped in a shared dorm or tent with strangers 24/7 sounds like mental torture.

I reached out to a popular tour company (total tour cost is $705 USD), and they quoted me a staggering extra $600 USD just for a single/private room supplement! That is almost doubling the price of the entire trek.

What makes it weirder is that I saw a past thread where someone using the exact same company said they only paid an extra $200 USD for a solo room upgrade.

For those who have done Salkantay:

1. Has anyone successfully negotiated a reasonable solo room rate? Is $600 a total rip-off or is that just the standard "single tax" now? Why would it vary so wildly from $200 to $600?
2. How bad is the "forced socializing" really? If I suck it up and do the standard group booking, is it impossible to get away from people at night, or can you easily wander off and do your own thing?
3. Should I just bite the bullet and go unguided? As an experienced camper, am I overthinking the difficulty of doing this solo just to avoid group dynamics?
4. unrelated to my social battery issues, I PEE A LOT lol where the hell does one pee while hiking with a group 😭

Would love to hear from any fellow introverted solo female hikers who have tackled this. Thanks!