How to get Inca Trail Permits

The Inca Trail is one of Peru’s most famous treks, and every year thousands of foreign visitors are lured to the Andes to experience the magic, beauty and outright challenge of hiking this legendary trek. Unlike other treks in Peru, the Inca Trail is a protected zone, and trekking is only possible once you have secured a government permit. Paul Jones, a Peru vacations expert takes a closer look at how to get Inca Trail Permits.

Who Controls the Permits

A department of the Peruvian Government called La Dirección Regional de Cultura (DRC) is in charge of issuing all Inca Trail Permits. Permits are limited to 500 per day (including guides, porters, chefs and trekkers).

Who Can Buy the Permits

Only DRC approved Inca Trail operators are allowed to purchase permits. To purchase your permit, the Inca Trail operator will need to provide your full name, a valid passport number, sex and date of birth. This information must be correct at the time of booking, as errors cannot be corrected afterwards. If you need to renew your passport before you travel, make sure that you take a good colour copy of it, and bring both the old and new passports with you. See our related article on The Top 5 Inca Trail Operators.

How to Check How Many Permits Are Available

You can view the amount of Inca Trail permits available on the DRC website at www.machupicchu.gob.pe. Please note that as with many Peruvian websites, the information shown may not be the most accurate or up-to-date. Take what is written with a pinch of salt! Contact an authorised Inca Trail operator for the most accurate information.

1)      Close the advisory message when the page first opens.
2)      Click on the English language flag in the top right corner.
3)      Click on the tab ‘Queries.’
4)      In the drop-down menu called ‘Archaeological Centre’ select ‘Camino Inca.’
5)      Then in the other drop-down menus select the year and month that you want to hike.
6)      The results will automatically be displayed in the window.

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A Word of Warning

It’s not just the question of how to get Inca Trail permits; it’s more of a question as to when you can get them. The Inca Trail is really popular, and permits are often sold out several months in advance. Therefore, if you are considering hiking the trek, you must plan with several months of anticipation.

This article ‘How to Get Inca Trail Permits’ was brought to you by the Peru travel information experts at TheOnlyPeruGuide, the most comprehensive Guide to Peru on the internet.