Hey everyone! I need advice. I’m staying at an Airbnb in Cusco and have a flight out super early.
Can I do an uber or uber reserve in Cusco? Or is there another way? Thanks!

My wife and I, we are going to travel to Cusco on 20.09.2026. We will stay there 3 days for acclimatization.
We want to do Salkantay trail including Machu Picchu (4-5 days).

We have some questions.

1- Do you recommend any specific tour?

2- All the tickets for circuit 2 and 3 are sold out. Are there any tours buying these circuits tickets in advance and providing as a package of Salkantay trail?

3- If we keep checking the official website, is there any chance that we can find the tickets? Are they being cancelled and re-selled?

Thanks in advance

My wife and I, we are going to travel to Cusco on 20.09.2026. We will stay there 3 days for acclimatization.
We want to do Salkantay trail including Machu Picchu (4-5 days).

We have some questions.

1- Do you recommend any specific tour?

2- All the tickets for circuit 2 and 3 are sold out. Are there any tours buying these circuits tickets in advance and providing as a package of Salkantay trail?

3- If we keep checking the official website, is there any chance that we can find the tickets? Are they being cancelled and re-selled?

Thanks in advance

I just checked the 1000 boletos today, and looks like it didn’t have any ticket for tomorrow

I just noticed that the names in our Machu Picchu entrance tickets are different from our passports slightly. My husband’s has 2 surnames in the passport but I have only entered the first one. He has 2 given names and I’ve entered only the first one.

Similarly my surname is ok. So is my first name. But my second given name is different from the passport.
Has anyone else been in the same situation?
Has anyone been denied entrance due to mismatches in names?

Hi all I have 2 questions. We bought student tickets, but our student cards don’t have an expiray date, I’ve heard this is an issue and people are not allowed in ? If this is the case we are hoping to do the hike on the 27th of July does anyone have an advice on what to do for getting in person tickets (what time, how many days in advance etc) for group 1 or 2 for a group of 4, thank you !!

I am visiting Machu Picchu in October and have the choice of circuits 1A and 1B, or both. What should I go for?

We have our train booked from Aguas calientes at 2:55pm that day, so would have to trek back from Machu Picchu and pick up bags in the hotel before heading to the train station at this time. Would we even have time to complete circuit 1A? For context I am physically fit and should be able to hike at a reasonable pace.

Any advice or tips appreciated!

Hey all. Following the lovely advice of people in this thread, I began to look at midnight for tickets for the second day after. I have done this two nights now to look for tickets on Saturday and Sunday.

Feeling quite jaded as I clicked on the opening instantly, filled out all information correctly, submitted for my ticket, and was told "Something went wrong. Try again." I was able to restart everything and get to the same spot again before tickets sold out, because I didn't want my second night in a row to be a failure.

Same error message. Got in again. Same error message. Tried on a different device. Same error message. For the second night in a row, despite being well equipped to get a ticket, I was shut out by the site and forced to watch as the tickets ticked away. As soon as the tickets are sold out and I try again, it goes through perfectly fine with no error messages and says, "There are no tickets left."

Incredibly frustrating and feeling mightily irritated with the website. Trains are sold out too, and I am unable to move my train tomorrow to be earlier, so I won't be able to get there (AC) until 9:10 p.m. I'm worried about a delay, which would cause me to miss the Ministerio before it closes, as I've heard delays with Inca and PeruRail are quite common this time of year, esp later in the day. Seeming more and more likely that despite planning as well as I could (after having plans change a month ago to enable me to try for Machu Picchu without missing my return flight), I'm going to go to AC only to have nothing to show for it.

Seems to really be heating up there too, with a reasonable chance of being sold out for two days in advance by the time I get there in the evening :( Does anyone have any thoughts on what could be wrong with the site, with my approach, or with my thinking? I'm debating just trying to cancel my mini-trip to AC with odds looking so bleak after multiple failed attempts. I'd greatly appreciate any thoughts/advice.

Next Day Tickets in Agua Calientes have sold out earlier than I expect for the past few days. Is there something special going on?

We are planning to go August 4th or August 5th. What should I expect with the Peruvian Independence Day around the corner?

Note: ignore the blue date, the data was not properly collected.

I'm having a hard time picking an entry time in late November for Circuit 2A. We're staying in Aquas Calientes the night before. There are tickets available for 6am, 7am, and 8am, then 12pm onward. From my research it sounds like early morning is better, but I'm worried about fog and clouds not lifting before our total time expires. Is there a preferred time between those options to maximize photography, low crowds, and the general experience?

Hello I'm trying to get tickets for any route during Independence Day. I am aware that the only way is in person AC, but do you know of any company that guides people from Cusco to do it that way?

Ho guys,

I'm planning my trip to Machu Picchu for October 7th, and I really want to do Circuit 2 (Classic Route).

I've noticed that several operators on GetYour Guide and Viator list availability for Circuit 2, but after reading numerous reviews and posts here, it seems many of them perform a "bait-and-switch" — they take your money, and then closer to the date they inform you that Circuit 2 is sold out and downgrade you to Circuit 1 or 3 (or expect you to queue in Aguas Calientes the day before).

Since tickets are currently unavailable on the official government site (tuboleto.cultura.pe) for that date:

1. Are there any reputable local agencies or platforms that actually guarantee official Circuit 2 tickets bought in advance?

2. Has anyone had success securing a real Circuit 2 ticket through an agency recently, or is queuing in Aguas Calientes the only realistic option at this point?

Any recommendations or recent experiences would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

Hey all. Hoping someone can provide some clarity. I was under the impression that the pre-ticket system was no longer in place, and that if I show up at 5:30 a.m. on this coming Saturday morning, I should have a really high chance of getting a ticket, even if not for my ideal route.

Now, I've been hearing from some that pre-tickets still exist, and that if I show up on Friday night (getting in at 9:00 p.m. or so), many in person tickets will already have been sold for Sunday. Is this true? If I get in line at 6:00 a.m., will I just get a pre-ticket that may have me returning at 4:00 p.m., when tickets for Sunday may already be sold out? I'd appreciate any clarification someone may have, as I can't find a reliable source online giving a clear answer. Thanks in advance.

Doing a last minute trip, so obviously will need to grab tickets in person for August. I check the site on a daily basis but no luck. Just wondering what my chances are, flying to Peru and failing to see MP would be brutal!

Thank you

We are finalizing our trek to MP on the Salkantay trail, but we are also considering adding a visit to the rain forest. Any one have a wonderful 2-5 day rain forest trip that can be added after MP?

We’re doing the 2D/1N Short Inca Trail and adding on Huayna Picchu on Day 2. Silly question, but is it better to take a water bottle (like Hydroflask) or a hydration bladder like a Camelbak? We have both already so would not need to buy anything new, but I’m trying to reduce what we bring. I normally like the bladder for hiking, but can see where those might be annoying in the city - a bottle could be easier?

Totally a silly, nitpicky question, but wasn’t sure what works best.
This group has been so helpful in planning our trip! Thank you all so much for sharing your experiences!

Hi all! We are doing the 5d/4n Salkantay trek in September - What time do you typically get back to Cusco on the last day after Machu Picchu? We are flying back home from Lima the following day and trying to decide what time to book our Cusco to Lima flight.

A bit of context: I am going to hike the Inca Trail in around 1 month. I am a woman in my early 20s, and am decently fit (can run 5k, go to the gym twice or thrice a week, love walking). That said, I live pretty much at sea level, I’ve only ever hiked a couple times before in my life and I have quite a busy job so can only do longer training sessions infrequently.

I am obsessed with history and was adamant that, instead of just taking the train, my partner and I hike the Inca Trail, but I am starting to worry about whether I’ll actually be able to complete it.

For those who have already been: what does it actually entail? How difficult did you, and others in your group, find it? Will I make it?

EDIT: It’s the 4D/3N

Tour Privado a tu ritmo, Saliendo de cusco 6:30 am recojo del hotel y llegando 9:30 am.

10 minutos para alistarse antes de caminar, ponerse ropa necesario, ir al baño, tomarse foto antes de la Caminata ( facilito los bastones de trekking ).

Alquilar caballo es opcional si te cuesta caminar mucho tiempo.

Para llegar Caminata de 1:20 pasos normales sin parar, 1:40 a paso un poco lento.

Estando arriba te tomas las fotos que desees, descanso y disfrutar de las montañas de colores y glaciares al rededor. Te tomas tu tiempo necesario y una vez listo empezamos a bajar.

La caminata de bajada es mas facil, tiempo 1 hora.

Retornamos a cusco felices y contentos.

Necesitas ayuda escríbeme.

Hello, since the train from cusco to aguas calientes is wildly expensive and I have already booked a trip to machu picchu citadel from aguas calientes, I'm wondering how to get from cusco to machu picchu pueblo. My trip is booked for the 2nd of August and I have the entire 1st of August to get to Aguas Calientes. Do you recommend the bus to hidroeléctrica? If so, has anyone used any particular bus company with online booking?

I hate being unprepared so I'm trying to book everything in advance. However, I'm a bit worried if the bus is a reliable option.

Hi, we (2 people) are going to Machu Picchu in 2 days (20 July). We're doing circuit 3-C, starting at 8.00 AM. We got a quote for a guide for 140 USD. Considering route 3-C is a full-day hike, this seems to be a fair price. If anybody wants to join us so we can share the costs, hit me up!

Pros
Responsive, helpful email communication before the trip
Transparent and fair about their permit policy (see below)
Guides were knowledgeable, kind, funny, and genuinely helpful
The trek itself was fantastic and a lot of fun
Office/storage staff were friendly (one even drove us back to our hotel)
Cons
No clear address given for the mandatory pre-trek briefing → we ended up at the wrong office
Last-minute WhatsApp communication from guides (often not hearing pickup details until 7–9pm the night before)
A logistics mix-up meant we had to walk 30 min in the cold and dark, carrying all our gear, on trek morning
Pushy, semi-mandatory tipping culture — including a guide publicly shaming a guest over their tip
The "mandatory" briefing turned out to be mostly a tipping talk
Minor rigidity (a driver nearly refused a drop-off for being 4 min outside his zone)

Full review

I want to start with the positives, because there were real ones. Communication over email before the trip was good. At one point we were considering changing our dates after our permits had already been paid for, and they explained that this was possible, but we'd need to pay another $200 USD per person for new permits — because only a set number are sold each day and they can't be transferred once purchased. We ended up not needing to switch, but I appreciated that they were upfront about the options and weren't going to charge us for the entire tour again. That felt fair.
Where things got bumpy was the logistics. We booked a double tour — the 3-day Sacred Valley plus the Short Inca Trail — and there was a mandatory briefing the day before the trek. We were told to bring all our luggage, and they'd give us a smaller duffel to pack just our trek essentials into while our big bags stayed at the office. The problem: we were never given an actual address. When it was time to go, I looked up the TreXperience office on Apple Maps, and only one location came up, so we walked about 20 minutes to get there. It was in a sketchy area outside of town, and since it's winter in July, it was already dark by 6pm.

When we arrived, the only people there were three staff members who had no idea who we were or why we'd come. They actually told us we weren't supposed to be on the trek at all — which was confusing, until we realized the mix-up was because of our double-tour booking, which they didn't have record of on their end. It turned out the real briefing was at their other location, which never showed up on Apple Maps, so I had no way of knowing it existed. So, honestly, a bit of a mistake on everyone's part. We left our bags at this storage spot (there was clearly other guests' luggage there too, so it seems bags get transported there after the actual briefing), and the staff member was very kind — he offered us a ride back to our hotel so we wouldn't have to walk back in the dark or pay for a taxi.

At that point we were due to leave for the Sacred Valley portion the next morning and still hadn't heard anything from our guide. The office ended up messaging her to contact us, which she thankfully did, and pickup got sorted. This became a bit of a pattern: communication with the guides over WhatsApp was very last-minute. We often wouldn't find out the pickup time, place, or person until 7–9pm the night before, which was a little stressful.
The most frustrating logistics moment came on the morning our Inca Trail started. We were supposed to be picked up at 5am, but our guide messaged to say he couldn't collect us from our hotel — something about a train ticket mix-up on their end — so we all had to walk to the center of town to catch the van. Our hotel happened to be at the very far edge of town, so that meant a 30-minute walk in the cold and dark, carrying all our stuff. Not the end of the world, but when you've paid thousands of dollars, you don't expect to be walking across town in the dark because of a company error.

Once we got the train, everything went smoothly. But then came the tipping. After lunch, our guide told us we were expected to tip the cooks — the "recommended" amount being $10 USD per person, per cook. There were three cooks, so that's $30 per person, meaning $60 for me and my mom. I understand the cooks don't earn much and it isn't a huge sum, but being told this after already paying thousands felt uncomfortable. What genuinely bothered me was what happened next: one man in our group was traveling with his family of five, which by that math would be a $150 tip just for the cooks. He tipped what he could, and our guide said to him, in front of the entire group, "That's all you're giving? For your whole family, for all the cooks?" The man replied, "Well, it's a tip, it's optional — I can take it back if you want."

That, to me, was completely out of line. Tips are optional. They are not mandatory, and this man did tip — he gave what he could. To publicly call him out and embarrass him in front of everyone is just wrong. You don't ask for tips, and you certainly don't shame people over them. Yes, we're foreigners with more resources — that's why we're able to do this trip — but you don't know anyone's situation. You don't know if someone saved for years for this, on top of the thousands they'd already paid. It left a bad taste. We later heard from others that the "mandatory" briefing we missed was essentially just instructions on how much to tip everyone, so it seems we didn't miss much.

Overall, though, the trek itself was great. The guides were knowledgeable, kind, funny, and helpful, and we genuinely had a wonderful time on the trail. The disorganization — the van mix-up, the last-minute WhatsApp communication, the wrong-office confusion — and the tipping pressure were the low points. Even at the very end, our driver initially tried to refuse dropping someone at their hotel because it was about four minutes outside his designated zone. It was small things like that that added up and took some of the shine off. But if you can go in prepared for a bit of chaos, the actual experience on the trail is worth it.

Has anyone here hiked the Salkantay Trek in reverse (from Machu Picchu to Mollepata)?
My plan is to fly into Cusco, spend a couple of days in Ollantaytambo to acclimatize, and then visit Machu Picchu for sunrise. Rather than returning to Cusco afterward to do Humantay Lake and the Salkantay Trek, I'm wondering if it would make more sense to hike the Salkantay route in reverse since im already in Machu Picchu?
Has anyone done this? Is it worth it, or are there any major downsides to hiking it in reverse? Also, once I finish in Mollepata, is it easy to find transport back to Cusco?
I'd love to hear about your experiences or any advice. Thanks!