Machu Picchu in 2026: the new rules, explained
Limited daily numbers, three circuits and official tickets only. A planning guide for one of the world's most visited sites.
Machu Picchu, the 15th-century Inca citadel in the Peruvian Andes, is now managed through a rule-bound system rather than a free-roaming one. In a ministerial resolution reported by the Andina news agency on 3 November 2025, Peru's Ministry of Culture set the 2026 daily cap at 5,600 visitors during high season and 4,500 on all other days. High season in 2026 includes 1 January, 2 to 5 April, 19 June to 2 November and 30 to 31 December.
Visitors follow one of three circuits, printed on the ticket. Circuit 1, the Panoramic, includes the upper terraces; the Intipunku gate and the Inka bridge are open only in high season. Circuit 2, the Classic, covers the main designed route and the lower terraces. Circuit 3, the Royalty, combines the designed route with the Huchuy Picchu route in high season. You cannot freely switch circuits once inside.
Tickets are sold only through the official site of the Ministry of Culture. Several travel agencies repeat detailed claims about entry time windows, length of stay and guide rules, and these claims conflict with each other, so rely only on the official ticket site for those details. Entry requires a valid ticket and an identity document or passport. The prices announced for national and Andean visitors (S/ 64 for standard circuits and S/ 112 for mountain routes) apply to a specific category of visitors; international visitors should check the price listed for their category when they book.
A separate ticket is needed for the citadel even if you are walking the Inca Trail. Peru also closes the Inca Trail for maintenance each February. April sits at the end of the rainy season, which means green hillsides, fewer crowds than in July and August, and changeable weather: pack a rain jacket, sun protection and layers.
How to go well: allow time at altitude in Cusco before you travel higher, avoid single-use plastics, and consider a licensed local guide who can explain the site and the communities around it. Book the train and the ticket together, because both are limited.
Prices, dates, permits and rules change — approximate, verify before you travel. Researched from public sources; field verification pending.
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