In this article
- Quick answer
- Machu Picchu availability right now
- Dry season and rainy season
- How busy Machu Picchu is, month by month
- Official high season and daily capacity
- Huayna Picchu and Machu Picchu Mountain: when to go
- The Inca Trail: best months and the February closure
- Visiting in the rainy season
- Best time of day
- How far ahead to book
- Tours by season
- Frequently asked questions
The best time to visit Machu Picchu depends on what matters more to you: dry weather, fewer people, or a ticket for Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu Mountain. This guide explains the seasons with official data, shows how busy each month really was in 2025, and includes the live availability of tickets and Inca Trail permits, so you can see today which dates are still open.
Sources: Peru’s Ministry of Culture (Ministerial Resolutions 528-2023-MC and 285-2025-MC), SERNANP (Presidential Resolution 336-2016-SERNANP), the Machu Picchu Historic Sanctuary Master Plan, MINCETUR DataTurismo and PeruRail. Checked on 6 October 2026.
Quick answer
- Driest months: April to August, the dry season according to the Sanctuary’s Master Plan.
- Best balance of weather and crowds: April and May. They are already in the dry season, and in 2025 they had about 137,000 and 139,000 visitors, against more than 158,000 in July, August and October.
- Busiest months: October, August and July. The official high season of 2026 runs from 19 June to 2 November, with up to 5,600 visitors a day.
- Quietest months: February, December, March and January, in the rainy season. The Inca Trail is closed every February; Machu Picchu itself stays open.
- Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu Mountain: book them first, whatever the month. They have only 400 and 350 places a day.
Machu Picchu availability right now
Tickets and permits are sold for one date and one route, and the popular ones sell out first. This table reads the official sale and shows the next date with space for each ticket, plus the in-person sale in Machu Picchu town. Each row shows how old its reading is.
Live availability · read from the official ticket sale
| Ticket or permit | Next date with space | Next 30 days | Last reading |
|---|---|---|---|
| Machu Picchu citadel (Circuit 2) | Nov 1 · 201 left | 25 of the next 30 days sold out | 20 min ago |
| Huayna Picchu (route 3-A) | Nov 17 · 1 left | 30 of the next 30 days sold out | 19 min ago |
| Machu Picchu Mountain (route 1-A) | Oct 28 · 23 left | 20 of the next 30 days sold out | 26 min ago |
| Inca Trail 4 days (permits) | Oct 18 · 44 left | 16 of the next 30 days sold out | 18 min ago |
| Short Inca Trail 2 days (permits) | Oct 24 · 31 left | 19 of the next 30 days sold out | 17 min ago |
In-person sale in Machu Picchu town for Oct 8: Citadel: sold out · Huayna Picchu: sold out · Machu Picchu Mountain: sold out (5 hours ago)
When we checked on 6 October 2026, the first dates with online tickets were 28 October for Machu Picchu Mountain, 1 November for Circuit 2 and 16 November for Huayna Picchu. In high season, plan on booking these routes more than a month ahead.
Dry season and rainy season
Machu Picchu sits at about 2,430 m (7,970 ft), almost 1,000 m lower than Cusco, on the edge of the cloud forest. The Sanctuary’s Master Plan describes a dry season from April to August and three months of heavy rain from January to March. It records an average of about 2,010 mm of rain a year, humidity of 80–90% and very heavy cloud cover, typical of the cloud forest.
From September the rains return little by little, and from January to March they are at their heaviest. Rain can fall in any month, so pack a rain jacket all year.
The national weather service, SENAMHI, has a weather station inside the Machu Picchu citadel (2,563 m), measuring since 1964. For an up-to-date forecast before you travel, check SENAMHI’s forecast for Machu Picchu.
How busy Machu Picchu is, month by month
The number of visitors per month tells you more about crowds than any “peak season” label. These are the official 2025 figures for the Machu Picchu Historic Sanctuary (the citadel plus the Inca Trail):
| Month | Season | Visitors in 2025 | Good to know |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | Rainy | 111,545 | Heavy rain. Trains from Cusco usually run as bus + train (see below). 1 January is high season. |
| February | Rainy | 79,806 | The quietest month. The Inca Trail is closed; Machu Picchu is open. |
| March | Rainy | 102,218 | The Inca Trail reopens on 1 March. In 2027, Holy Thursday and Good Friday fall on 25–26 March. |
| April | Dry | 136,876 | Green landscapes as the rains end. Easter week was high season in 2026 (2–5 April). |
| May | Dry | 139,078 | Dry and fewer visitors than in July–October. A very good month. |
| June | Dry | 130,796 | High season starts on 19 June. Inti Raymi in Cusco on 24 June. Huayna Picchu was closed all of June 2026. |
| July | Dry | 158,522 | Peak months, with Peru’s national holidays (23, 28 and 29 July). |
| August | Dry | 160,884 | Peak. The month with the most Peruvian visitors in 2025. |
| September | Rains return | 150,664 | Still very busy. High season continues. |
| October | Rains return | 162,479 | The busiest month of 2025. High season lasts until 2 November. |
| November | Rains return | 115,437 | Fewer visitors after 2 November and more showers. |
| December | Rains return | 94,045 | Quiet until the last days: 30–31 December are high season. |
Source: MINCETUR DataTurismo, with Ministry of Culture figures (data available as of 23 September 2026). Total for 2025: 1,542,350 visitors.
Official high season and daily capacity
The Ministry of Culture sets how many people can enter each day. In 2026 the limit is 5,600 visitors a day in high season (1 January, 2–5 April, 19 June–2 November and 30–31 December) and 4,500 the rest of the year (Ministerial Resolution 285-2025-MC). The 2027 dates and capacity have not been published yet; we will update this guide when they are.
High season also opens four routes that do not run the rest of the year: 1-C Intipunku (Sun Gate), 1-D Inca Bridge, 3-C Great Cavern and 3-D Huchuy Picchu. If you want one of them, travel between June and early November. Our Machu Picchu tickets guide explains every circuit and route.
Huayna Picchu and Machu Picchu Mountain: when to go
- Huayna Picchu (route 3-A): 400 tickets a day, with entry at 07:00 or 10:00 and up to 5 h 30 min in total. Steep, narrow stone steps.
- Machu Picchu Mountain (route 1-A): 350 tickets a day, with entry at 07:00 or 09:00 and up to 6 h 30 min in total. A longer climb on a wider path.
Both have the same small number of places all year, so in the busiest months they can sell out weeks ahead, Huayna Picchu especially. In the rainy season the stone steps are wet and slippery and the summit is often in cloud; in the dry season they are safer, but harder to get. Routes can also close for conservation work: Huayna Picchu was closed for the whole of June 2026.
About 1,000 tickets a day are sold in person in Machu Picchu town, normally for the next day, including Huayna Picchu and the Mountain. The live table above shows what is left today, but don’t build your trip around it: in high season the queues are long and only 50 tickets per mountain are sold in person.
On our tours you can add Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu Mountain for USD 80, subject to availability. Not sure which one? Read Huayna Picchu vs Machu Picchu Mountain.
The Inca Trail: best months and the February closure
By regulation, the Inca Trail network closes every February for the recovery of the ecosystem and maintenance (Article 10 of Presidential Resolution 336-2016-SERNANP). In 2026 it was closed from 1 to 28 February and reopened on 1 March. The exact 2027 dates are confirmed by the Ministry of Culture in January.
The rainy season can extend closures. In 2025 the closure was extended to 31 March after heavy rain and landslides, and on 31 March 2026 the Km 104 access, where the Short Inca Trail starts, was closed temporarily after a landslide at Chachabamba.
For hiking, the best months are the dry season, April to August, and early September. Permits for those months sell out far ahead. See the live dates for the 4-day Inca Trail permits and the Short Inca Trail permits, and compare both treks in Short Inca Trail vs Classic Inca Trail.
Visiting in the rainy season
The rainy months have real advantages: fewer people, greener mountains and easier last-minute tickets for the citadel. Plan for these points:
- Trains: PeruRail’s Poroy station in Cusco usually closes from around January to April. Trains then leave from Ollantaytambo, with a bus connection from Cusco (Wanchaq station). Allow extra time.
- Landslides: heavy rain can cut roads and railway sections. On 25 January 2026 a landslide at km 114.7 interrupted the Machu Picchu–Hidroeléctrica railway; the service was restored the next day.
- Gear: rain jacket or poncho, shoes with good grip and a dry bag for your phone. Umbrellas are not allowed inside Machu Picchu.
- Views: clouds can cover the citadel at any time of year and then clear. Use the full time your ticket allows.
Best time of day
Citadel routes have entry slots every hour from 06:00 to 15:00, and the site closes at 17:30. On a day trip from Cusco, your slot depends on your train times; if you sleep in Aguas Calientes, you can choose more freely. An early slot does not guarantee a clear view: Machu Picchu is in the cloud forest, and cloud can come and go at any hour.
Altitude matters too. If you arrive from sea level, starting in Machu Picchu (2,430 m) or the Sacred Valley before sleeping in Cusco (3,399 m) helps you adapt. Read our guide to altitude sickness in Cusco.
How far ahead to book
- June to October: book as early as you can, especially Huayna Picchu, Machu Picchu Mountain and the Inca Trail.
- April, May and November: book the citadel a few weeks ahead and the mountains earlier.
- December to March: the citadel often has space a few days before; the Inca Trail is closed in February.
- 2027: the Ministry of Culture has not announced the 2027 ticket sale yet. For reference, 2026 tickets went on sale on 17 November 2025. You can reserve a 2027 tour with us now with a 40% deposit, and we buy your tickets as soon as sales open.
Tours by season
- Short on time, any month: Machu Picchu Day Trip from Cusco, by train, with entrance and guide.
- A calmer visit: Machu Picchu & Sacred Valley, 2 days, with a night in Aguas Calientes, at the foot of the citadel.
- Dry season trek: the Classic Inca Trail, 4 days, or the Short Inca Trail, 2 days (both closed in February).
If you are coming in June, combine your trip with the Inti Raymi in Cusco. To plan the journey, read How to get from Cusco to Machu Picchu.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best month to visit Machu Picchu?
May is a very good choice: it is in the dry season (April to August) and in 2025 it had about 139,000 visitors, against more than 158,000 in July, August and October. April is similar, with greener landscapes after the rains.
What is the rainy season at Machu Picchu?
The heaviest rain falls from January to March, according to the Sanctuary’s Master Plan. From September the rains return gradually. Rain is possible in any month.
Is Machu Picchu open in February?
Yes. Machu Picchu is open all year. What closes in February is the Inca Trail network, for maintenance. You can reach Machu Picchu by train.
When is Machu Picchu most crowded?
In 2025 the busiest months were October, August and July. The official high season of 2026 runs from 19 June to 2 November, with up to 5,600 visitors a day, plus 1 January, Easter week and 30–31 December.
When is the best time to climb Huayna Picchu?
In the dry season (April to August) the steps are drier and safer, but tickets are harder to get; book as early as possible. Check the live availability table on this page and remember that the route can close for conservation work, as in June 2026.
Is it worth visiting Machu Picchu in the rainy season?
Yes, if you are flexible: there are fewer visitors and greener landscapes. Bring rain gear and allow extra time, because rain can affect trains and roads.
What is the best time of day to visit Machu Picchu?
Early slots are popular, but there is no hour that guarantees a clear view: cloud can come and go at any time. Choose a slot that fits your train, and use the full time your ticket allows.
How far in advance should I book Machu Picchu?
For June to October, as early as possible, especially for Huayna Picchu, Machu Picchu Mountain and the Inca Trail. In the rainy season the citadel often has space a few days before.
