More than 100 years have passed since Machu Picchu was scientifically discovered and made known to the world, and then it was declared a Wonder of the World on July 7, 2007. This Inca Sanctuary is visited by thousands of tourists a day, so the number of visitors was limited in order to preserve this Inca Sanctuary for the future generations. Climbing mountain Huayna Picchu used to be totally free, but now the numbers were limited to 400 people per day. The first 200 people start hiking at 7am, and the second 200 people start hiking at 10am.
The high demand for Machu Picchu tickets 2026 and Huayna Picchu Mountain tickets has made the spots run out quickly, and also because the tickets are bought online and only with authorized agencies. The Ministry of Culture created a new alternative of the Huayna Picchu mountain, the name is "Machu Picchu Mountain," and it is right off of this mountain. If you want to do Machu Picchu or Huayna Picchu mountains, you have to book them way in advance. Climbing Huayna Picchu mountain takes 2 hours return trip and Machu Picchu mountain takes 3 hours return trip.
There are different ways to arrive at Machu Picchu. The most famous way is through the majestic Inca Trail, which has different routes depending on how many days you want to spend on the trek. Other options include alternative hikes such as the Inca Jungle Trek, the Salkantay Trek, the Choquequirao Trek, and the nine-day hike from Choquequirao to Machu Picchu. All of these alternative hikes end in the town of Santa Teresa, then continue to the town of Hydroelectric, and finally arrive in Machu Picchu. The least tiring option is to take the train. The Inca Rail is a good choice because the tickets are inexpensive and the seats are comfortable. The Peru Rail is the most popular train and has many departures, but it is important to buy tickets in advance to avoid inconveniences.
Over the years, the number of tourists visiting Machu Picchu has grown significantly, making it more difficult to visit the Inca city. Because of this increase in visitors, the Ministry of Culture has changed how people access the site, introducing new routes. These routes are now called "circuits," and each one provides a unique experience within the Inca city.
In total, there are three new circuits, each designed to offer a unique view of the archaeological site. They are also distributed according to strict protection and conservation guidelines established by UNESCO. Below is a list of the new circuits:
| Machu Picchu circuits 2026 | Machu Picchu Route |
| Circuit 1 Machu Picchu | Route A: Circuit 1 Machu Picchu Mountain |
| Route B: Circuit 1 Panoramic | |
| Route C: Circuit 1 IntiPunku - Available high tourist season | |
| Route D: Circuit 1 Inca Bridge - Available high tourist season | |
Circuit 2 Machu Picchu | Route A: Circuit 2 Classic |
| Route B: Circuit 2 Lower Terrace | |
| Circuit 3 Machu Picchu | Route A: Circuit 3 Huayna Picchu |
| Route B: Circuit 3 Royalty | |
| Route C: Circuit 3 Great Cavern - Available high tourist season | |
| Route D: Circuit 3 Huchuy Picchu - Available high tourist season | |
Thanks to careful planning, our goal is to preserve the cultural and natural heritage of Machu Picchu while improving the visitor experience. This allows visitors to explore the iconic site in an organized manner while respecting the surroundings. Next, we will tell you about each of the new routes that have been established.
This circuit's route has been redesigned. Previously, it provided a full guided tour of the Inca citadel; however, the new policy has introduced alternative routes. These routes offer stunning views of Machu Picchu from the Guardian's House and allow visitors to explore iconic sites such as Inti Punku, the Inca Bridge and the summit of Machu Picchu Mountain.
This circuit offers the most comprehensive Machu Picchu experience, covering many of the site's highlights, including the popular photo spot below the Guardian's House. The circuit also features a 4-hour round-trip hike to the top of Machu Picchu Mountain.
With this ticket, you can explore the upper terrace of the Inca citadel and take the classic postcard photo of Machu Picchu from the Guardian's House. You can also explore the Guardian's House area for the best panoramic views of Machu Picchu.
This ticket includes a tour of the upper terrace of Machu Picchu, where you can take the classic postcard photo from the Guardian's House sector. It also includes a three-hour hike (between ascent and descent) to the Sun Gate, or Intipunku. The Incas used this place to observe the winter solstice.
This entrance ticket allows you to explore the upper terrace of Machu Picchu, including the iconic view from the Guardian's House. The walk to the Inca Bridge, a structure set along the mountain's edge that connects Machu Picchu with the rainforest communities below, takes approximately two hours (between ascent and descent).
If you want to explore the Inca citadel of Machu Picchu thoroughly, the Circuit 2 ticket is your best option. This traditional route allows you to explore every corner of this archaeological wonder. Due to its high demand, however, we recommend booking your ticket well in advance.
This tour offers the most comprehensive view of Machu Picchu, including the iconic perspective from below the Guardian's House. You will explore the interior of Machu Picchu on a 3-hour walk.
This route closely follows Route 2-A, offering a unique detour to the lower terrace of the Guardian's House. Along the way, you'll have the opportunity to explore significant archaeological sites, including the Temple of the Condor and the scenic Temple of the Sun viewpoint.
The Machu Picchu Circuit 3 allows you to explore the lower part of the Inca city for two and a half hours. Due to high demand, the number of tickets is limited to 100 per day and is divided into two different time slots. With this ticket, you will have the opportunity to climb either Machu Picchu Mountain or Huayna Picchu Mountain and enjoy panoramic views.
This route allows you to explore the lower section of the Inca citadel and includes a three-hour round-trip hike to the top of Huayna Picchu. From the summit, you can enjoy unmatched views of Machu Picchu and the surrounding archaeological remains.
This ticket allows you to visit enclosures built exclusively for Inca royalty. However, it does not include the classic Machu Picchu photo. From the agricultural sector, though, you can take a similar photo to the one on the postcard. The walk lasts approximately three hours, during which you will learn about and appreciate Inca history.
This ticket allows you to visit exclusive places in Machu Picchu, such as the Temple of the Condor, the Water Mirrors, and the Sacred Rock, among others. You will also have the opportunity to explore the mysterious Temple of the Moon, which is located inside a natural cave on Huayna Picchu Mountain. However, it does not offer the classic view of Machu Picchu.
In addition to the tour of the Inca royal sector, this ticket allows you to hike to the top of Huchuy Picchu Mountain, the small mountain next to Huayna Picchu Mountain. However, the ticket does not include the iconic photo of Machu Picchu.
In 2026 there are 3 types of official tickets:
| Schedule | |||
| Circuit 1 | Machu Picchu Mountain | 1 | Entry from 7 a.m. |
| 2 | Entry from 9 a.m. | ||
| Upper terrace | 1 | Entry from 6 a.m. | |
| 2 | Entry from 7 a.m. | ||
| 3 | Entry from 8 a.m. | ||
| 4 | Entry from 9 a.m. | ||
| 5 | Entry from 10 a.m. | ||
| 6 | Entry from 11 a.m. | ||
| 7 | Entry from 12 p.m. | ||
| 8 | Entry from 1 p.m. | ||
| 9 | Entry from 2 p.m. | ||
| 10 | Entry from 3 p.m. | ||
| IntiPunku | Inca Bridge | 1 | Entry from 7 a.m. | |
| 2 | Entry from 8 a.m. | ||
| 3 | Entry from 9 a.m. | ||
| 4 | Entry from 10 a.m. | ||
| Circuit 2 | Classic Route | Lower Terrace | 1 | Entry from 6 a.m. |
| 2 | Entry from 7 a.m. | ||
| 3 | Entry from 8 a.m. | ||
| 4 | Entry from 9 a.m. | ||
| 5 | Entry from 10 a.m. | ||
| 6 | Entry from 11 a.m. | ||
| 7 | Entry from 12 p.m. | ||
| 8 | Entry from 1 p.m. | ||
| 9 | Entry from 2 p.m. | ||
| 10 | Entry from 3 p.m. | ||
| Circuit 3 | Huayna Picchu Mountain | 1 | Entry from 7 a.m. |
| 2 | Entry from 9 a.m. | ||
| Royalty | 1 | Entry from 6 a.m. | |
| 2 | Entry from 7 a.m. | ||
| 3 | Entry from 8 a.m. | ||
| 4 | Entry from 9 a.m. | ||
| 5 | Entry from 10 a.m. | ||
| 6 | Entry from 11 a.m. | ||
| 7 | Entry from 12 p.m. | ||
| 8 | Entry from 1 p.m. | ||
| 9 | Entry from 2 p.m. | ||
| 10 | Entry from 3 p.m. | ||
| Great Cavern | 1 | Entry from 8 a.m. | |
| 2 | Entry from 9 a.m. | ||
| Huchuy Picchu Mountain | 1 | Entry from 9 a.m. | |
| 2 | Entry from 11 a.m. |
There are three types of Machu Picchu tickets. Each one offers a unique experience. You can take a leisurely stroll through the Inca citadel or go on an extreme adventure and climb Huayna Picchu mountain.
Regardless of the type of ticket you purchase, you will be able to experience and appreciate the incredible engineering feat that is the Inca masterpiece.
| MACHU PICCHU ENTRANCE FEES | Foreign Any Nationality | Andean Community | |||||
| Adult | Student | Child | Adult | Student | Child | ||
Circuit 1 Machu Picchu | Route A: Machu Picchu Mountain | $ 63 | $ 40 | $ 37 | $ 35 | $ 25 | $ 25 |
| Route B: Panoramic | $ 48 | $ 25 | $ 22 | $ 20 | $ 10 | $ 10 | |
| Route C: IntiPunku | $ 48 | $ 25 | $ 22 | $ 20 | $ 10 | $ 10 | |
| Route D: Inca Bridge | $ 48 | $ 25 | $ 22 | $ 20 | $ 10 | $ 10 | |
Circuit 2 Machu Picchu | Route A: Classic | $ 48 | $ 25 | $ 22 | $ 10 | $ 6 | $ 6 |
| Route B: Lower Terrace | $ 48 | $ 25 | $ 22 | $ 20 | $ 10 | $ 10 | |
Circuit 3 Machu Picchu | Route A: Huayna Picchu | $ 63 | $ 40 | $ 37 | $ 35 | $ 25 | $ 25 |
| Route B: Royalty | $ 48 | $ 25 | $ 22 | $ 10 | $ 6 | $ 6 | |
| Route C: Great Cavern | $ 63 | $ 40 | $ 37 | $ 35 | $ 35 | $ 25 | |
| Route D: Huchuy Picchu | $ 48 | $ 25 | $ 22 | $ 20 | $ 10 | $ 10 | |
How to Secure Your Entrance to Machu Picchu for the 2026 Season? Planning a trip to Machu Picchu requires advance planning, especially regarding the purchase of tickets.
The official sale of tickets for the 2026 season will begin, as usual, in December 2025 through the Ministry of Culture's platform (tuboletocultura). It is fundamental to understand that it is not possible to buy tickets at the entrance gate of the citadel, so buying online is the only guaranteed way.
Due to high demand, theMachu Picchu 2026 Tickets usually sell out months in advance, especially for the most requested circuits and time slots. The current visit system is based on defined circuits with strict entry times, which makes careful planning essential.
Therefore, we recommend securing your Machu Picchu Entrance fee as soon as the official sale opens for the 2026 season, thus guaranteeing access to this Wonder of the World.
In 2026, there are 3 types of Machu Picchu Entrance fee. All include a visit to the Inca City and all its archaeological sites.
There are 2 ways to buy tickets Machu Picchu: in person at an authorized office in Cusco or from any country through the internet. To buy the ticket, the visitor must go to the authorized offices and make the purchase with their passport, identity document or university card. The authorized offices are:
How to buy the Machu Picchu Entrance fee Online 2026?
To buy the ticket online, the tourist must enter the official sales website of the Ministry of Culture of Peru and buy the tickets. Another option is to do it through the website of an authorized tourism agency. The steps to follow are those:
Now you will learn the way step by step of buying your Machu Picchu Entrance Ticket.
From the middle of 2011 the option of buying tickets through the Internet was enabled. But you also have the option to buy when you arrive in Cusco or Aguas Calientes. The problem is that the vast majority of travelers are buying via internet. Then those who leave to buy when arriving in Peru, either because they do not have a credit card or because they do not know exactly when they will be in Machu Picchu, risk not getting tickets for the desired date. Although with Machu Picchu there is usually no problem. Since there is a limit of 2,500 people per day, the authorities (unfortunately) do not control, and the citadel has received more than 4,000 visitors per day, which is a real madness, not only for the bad experience of the traveler to have so many people in the citadel, but, that for the conservation of the same.
Cusco: This option is still valid, you can buy the entrance to Machu Picchu and Huayna Picchu in Cusco, with the option to pay in cash or international credit card.
Aguas Calientes: You can also buy in Aguas Calientes, but you can only pay in cash. Do not forget that buying in Peru is very likely not to get entry to Huayna Picchu.
Now the most important information if you want to be one lucky of Visit Machu Picchu and buy the entrance ticket to Machu Picchu before:
STEP 1:
Go to the official website https://tuboleto.cultura.pe/, and the main page of "Tu Boleto Cultura" will appear. You will see several sections, such as Machu Picchu, the Kuélap Archaeological Complex, the Chavín National Museum, and other places. However, to book any of these places, you need to register on the platform first. To do this, go to the top right and click on the registration icon.
STEP 2:
Once on the login platform, look for the option "Register here".
STEP 3:
Fill in all the fields indicated on the page. Note: You must validate your email with the verification code sent to your email. Afterwards, you will create your account on "Tu Boleto Cultura" and then proceed to book your ticket to the Inca city.
STEP 4:
After registering and logging into the system, you will see a series of sections in the right sidebar where you will need to choose the circuit you want to visit, the route of the tour, the visit date, the entry time and your origin. Note: In the "Select your origin" section, you must choose whether you are a foreigner, Peruvian, local resident, or Andean Community - CAN (Countries: Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru).
Very important:
STEP 5:
Then, the price will be updated according to the visitor's origin. Then you just have to add people according to the General, Student (not older than 25 years), and minor (from 3 to 17 years) boxes. To finish this process, you must click on the add to cart button, which will take you to another window to perform a series of steps.
STEP 6:
After adding to the cart, you will go to a new section where the price of the tickets and the number of visitors will be detailed. You will also need to enter the data of each visitor, according to the box indicated on the page.
STEP 7:
Once all the fields for each visitor have been completed, you must click on the save option.
STEP 8:
Having completed this process, we select the "continue" option.
STEP 9:
In this window, you'll see that your booking is confirmed. You'll see a booking number, the tour you chose, and the date and time of your visit to Machu Picchu. Once you've checked everything, you can pay.
STEP 10:
At the end of this process, you'll see the payment options on the "Tu Boleto Cultura" platform. You have two options:
1) How did you buy the Machu Picchu Entrance Ticket for 2026? Buying the Machu Picchu 2026 entrance is easy. Only follow the following steps:
2) What documents to use to buy the Machu Picchu entrance? To buy the Machu Picchu entrance online you must send
3) How to access the university discount in Machu Picchu? The entrance Machu Picchu offers special discounts for university students. To access the discount, students must meet the following requirements:
4) How to buy the entrance Machu Picchu with a discount for children? The entrance Machu Picchu offers discount for children and teenagers. To access this discount, the following requirements must be met:
5) How to get the entrance to the Huayna Picchu mountain? To get a ticket to climb Huayna Picchu Mountain, you need to book Circuit 3 Machu Picchu - Route A: Huayna Picchu, 2 or 3 months in advance. To book the ticket online you must follow the following steps: Remember that if you do not buy your Huayna Picchu ticket months in advance, you will not find tickets available.
There are two ways to purchase Machu Picchu tickets for 2026:
a. In person at an authorized office in Cusco
b. Online from any country
To buy the ticket, the visitor must go to the authorized offices and make the purchase with their passport, identity document or university card.
The authorized offices in Cusco are:
To purchase a ticket online, simply visit the "Tickets to Machu Picchu" website and select the ticket type and date that you prefer. Remember, you can purchase tickets for 2026 with us. You can also receive discounts on the price of your ticket.
The steps to follow are those:
Machu Picchu offers discounted admission to university students, minors, and citizens of the Andean Community of Nations (CAN): Peru, Colombia, Ecuador, and Bolivia.
Tickets purchased in person in Cusco can be paid for with cash or credit/debit card.
The main payment methods for online payment at Ticket Machu Picchu are:
One of the main problems when purchasing a Machu Picchu entrance ticket is availability. To ensure a visit to this Wonder of the World, each type of ticket must be purchased well in advance.
For example, if tourists want to visit during the first few months of the year, it's recommended that they buy their tickets online at the beginning of 2026. This way, you can guarantee your entry to the Inca city.
If you buy your 2026 Machu Picchu ticket in person in Cusco, especially during the first few months of the year, it is likely that tickets will no longer be available.
1) When exactly will the 2026 Machu Picchu tickets go on sale?
According to the Ministry of Culture of Peru's rules, tickets will go on sale in December 2024. The exact date is uncertain, but it will likely be around the middle of the month.
2) I can't buy Machu Picchu tickets for 2026! What should I do?
If you cannot buy your ticket for 2026, it is best to purchase it through TuBoleto.Cultura.pe. There, you can purchase tickets for any date in 2026. You can check availability.
3) How do I get tickets for the first days of January 2026?
If you plan to visit the Inca citadel in early January, it's best to buy your ticket in late December 2025 or early January 2026. Tickets for the first days of the year sell out quickly.
Does Machu Picchu close for one day in 2026?
No, Machu Picchu is open every day except in the event of an emergency.
5) How do you hire a tour guide in Machu Picchu?
In 2026, it is recommended that you enter Machu Picchu with a tour guide. You can hire one online or at the entrance gate of the Inca site.
6) Will the prices of the Machu Picchu ticket be the same in 2026?
Yes, the rates are the same as in previous years.
7) Is it safe to buy tickets online?
Online purchasing is still the primary method of ticket purchase. Tu Boleto Cultura is an authorized agency with internet security systems.
+51 84 226 547
+51 912 891 560
Av Tupac Amaru PP-10B, Santiago, Cusco, Peru 
info@salkantaytrekmachu.com
www.salkantaytrekmachu.com
