Do You Need to Book the Inca Trail before traveling to Cusco?

The one question that our travel agency in Cuzco receives most frequently is whether or not you should book the Inca Trail beforehand. As most people will tell you, making the arrangements ahead of time is usually best. However, whether it is actually necessary to book in advance and how long in advance you should try to book varies depending on the month:

Some travelers have tighter schedules than others, and that range of flexibility is something that you should take into account. The only time that you can really get away with foregoing a prior reservation would be during the rainy season, during the months of December and January. (We would include February during this time as well, but the Inca Trail always closes in February for maintenance.) The rainy season makes the trails muddy, and the short, frequent rains affects hikers’ ability to enjoy the views. For these reasons, demand is lower during these months, despite the fact that prices are also lower.

There is also a peak tourist season, which lasts from June through August. This is the dry season, so it’s the best time for hiking. Also, even though it’s wintertime in the Andes, these months coincide with North American summer vacation. Because of this, there’s extremely high demand during these months, and many of the dates sell out far in advance! If you are planning on traveling during this period, we urge you to book as soon as possible- three months minimum, and if you can do it four or five months ahead of time, go for it.

For the other months which we’ve not mentioned yet, a good rule of thumb is to reserve around 5-6 weeks in advance.

If you’d like more concrete information regarding when to book, remember that you can check online to see how many Inca Trail permits are available for each day. You can’t, however, purchase these permits yourself. You must book the trail through an authorized Inca Trail operator; travelers cannot hike the trail independently, nor can most agencies access the trail. (Pirwa Travel’s parent company, Inca World, is a licensed operator.)
If you’re preparing to hike the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu, you’ll want to take a few other things into account as well:

(a)    You need to limit the amount of items you’ll be taking with you on the hike, as either you or a porter will need to carry it. Check out our post on what to pack for the Inca Trail, and as for the excess luggage, ask your hostel in Cuzco whether they can store it for you for the four days you’ll be on the trail. Most places offer this service at no additional cost. (Pirwa does!)

(b)   Remember to take steps to acclimatize in Cuzco beforehand- we have an entire post dedicated to how to avoid altitude sickness.

The Inca Trail to Machu Picchu holds such cache for travelers because it’s striking scenery and scattered archaeological sites allows you to immerse yourself in the world of the Andes. Despite the modern option to travel to Machu Picchu by train, there’s something to be said about seeing Machu Picchu as it was meant to be seen- arriving on foot, at the Sun Gate, as first light hits the ruins.