How Short Inca Trail permits work
The Short Inca Trail starts at Km 104 and is part of the Inca Trail network protected by Peru’s Ministry of Culture. Every hiker needs a personal permit, and permits can only be booked through a licensed Inca Trail operator such as Salas Travel. Access to the Km 104 route is limited to 250 people per day, including guides and staff. When the permits for a date are gone, nobody else can hike that day.
- Personal and final: the permit carries your name and passport number. Once it is issued, the date cannot be changed, transferred or refunded. Only the passport number can be updated if you renew your passport.
- Original passport required: it is checked at the Km 104 checkpoint, at the Machu Picchu entrance and when boarding the train.
- Closed in February: the Inca Trail closes every February for maintenance.
- Machu Picchu included: with our Short Inca Trail tour, the Inca Trail permit and your Machu Picchu entrance are both included and secured when you book.
When to book
The best months to hike are April to October, and demand peaks from May to August. For those months, book several months in advance: the dates with the fewest spaces are shown in red in the list above. From November to January there is usually more availability, but it is also the rainy season.
To book, choose a date with permits, send us the traveler details exactly as they appear in each passport and pay the USD 150 deposit. Once the permits are issued, your date is guaranteed.
How to book your Short Inca Trail permit, step by step
- Choose a date in the calendar above. Pick a day that still shows permits. If you are flexible, note one or two backup dates in case your first choice sells out while you book.
- Book the tour and pay the USD 150 deposit. Book our Short Inca Trail 2 days (USD 569 on our website) or the Inca Trail 1 day (USD 399). Permits are not sold on their own: they come with a tour run by a licensed operator.
- Send your passport details. For each traveler we need the full name, passport number, nationality and date of birth, copied exactly from the passport. Students over 18 also send a copy of a valid student ID.
- We buy your permit from the Ministry of Culture. Licensed operators reserve and pay for Inca Trail permits on the state ticketing platform (tuboleto.cultura.pe). We buy your Machu Picchu entrance at the same time.
- You receive your confirmation. Once the permits are issued, we send you the confirmation and your date is guaranteed.
Passports must match. The name and passport number on the permit must be the same as in the passport you carry on the trail. A missing letter or a wrong digit can cause problems at the Km 104 checkpoint, so check the copy you send us before you send it.
Passport rules for your permit
- Carry the passport you booked with. Bring the original, not a copy. Rangers compare it with the permit at Km 104, and it is checked again at the Machu Picchu entrance and on the train.
- If you renew your passport: you can book with your current passport. When you receive the new one, send us a copy and we will update the passport number on your permit before your trip. Do this as soon as you have the new passport. If the update is not made, you risk losing the permit.
- Bring both passports if you renewed. If you still have your old passport, carry it as well as the new one, in case a checkpoint still shows the old number.
- The name cannot change. Only the passport number can be updated. The traveler on the permit must be the person who hikes.
- Recommended validity: travel with a passport that is valid for at least six months after the day you arrive in Peru. The UK government’s travel advice for Peru lists this six-month rule; check your own country’s guidance too.
Cancellations and date changes
Inca Trail permits are issued for one date and one passport. Once issued, they cannot be changed, transferred to another person or refunded. This is a Ministry of Culture rule, and no operator can make an exception.
- Changing your date: the original permit is lost. We have to buy a new permit for the new date, and only if that date still has permits available.
- Cancelling: the cost of the permit cannot be recovered. Ask us for the full booking conditions of the tour before you pay the deposit.
- Before you book: confirm your flights and travel dates first, and consider travel insurance that covers trip cancellation.
What if the permits are sold out?
If your date shows no permits in the calendar above, these are the options we can still offer:
- Inca Trail 1 day: the 1-day Inca Trail starts at the same Km 104 and uses the same 250 daily spaces. If the Short Inca Trail is sold out on your date, the 1-day hike is usually sold out too. It can still work on a nearby date. Note that the return train is usually at 6:20 p.m. (it varies by season), so there is no time for Huayna Picchu.
- Machu Picchu by train with a guided tour: no Inca Trail permit is needed. You travel by train to Aguas Calientes and visit Machu Picchu with a guide. You still need a Machu Picchu entrance ticket, which also has a daily limit, so book early in high season.
- Classic Inca Trail 4 days, if available: the Classic Inca Trail has its own quota of 500 people per day, including staff, so it can have permits when Km 104 does not. It is a much harder trek: about 40 km, a pass at 4,215 m (Warmiwañusca), three nights of camping and a minimum age of 8. Price: USD 780.
- Other treks: the Lares Trek 4 Days does not use Inca Trail permits, so it does not sell out the same way. If you want a long trek to Inca ruins without crowds, the Choquequirao Trek 4 Days is another option that needs no Inca Trail permit.
2027: book your space now
We are already taking bookings for 2027. Reserve your space by paying 40% of the tour price and sending us your passport details: you are first in line, and we buy your permit from the Ministry of Culture on the day sales open for your month. Your date is guaranteed once the permit is issued.
The Ministry has not yet announced when 2027 Inca Trail permits go on sale. In recent years, sales for the next season opened in November and were released in stages, one month at a time, starting with January:
| Permits for | Sales opened | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 season | November 4, 2024 | January first, then March, April and the rest of the year on the following days |
| 2026 season | November 17, 2025 | Released by month through late November 2025 |
| December 28–31, 2026 | July 15, 2026 | Early release announced as an exception by the Decentralized Directorate of Culture of Cusco |
| 2027 season | Not announced yet | Operators expect late October or November 2026. We are already taking reservations. |
High-season dates can sell out within hours of release, so reserving now gives you the best chance of hiking on the date you want. Book your 2027 Short Inca Trail.
Inca Trail rules for 2026
- Same-day entry to Machu Picchu: under Ministerial Resolution 000306-2025-MC, hikers who arrive on foot from the Inca Trail enter Machu Picchu the same day through circuit 3-B. These entries have a limited daily quota and are reserved and paid in advance through licensed operators. On our Short Inca Trail tour, your guided visit of Machu Picchu is on day 2.
- February closure: the whole Inca Trail network, including Km 104, closes every February for maintenance. In 2026 it closed on January 31 and reopened on March 1.
- Daily quotas: 250 people per day on the Km 104 route (1-day and 2-day hikes) and 500 per day on the Classic Inca Trail. Both numbers include guides, porters and staff, so the real number of hikers is lower.
- Conservation surcharge: the Machu Picchu conservation surcharge introduced in May 2026 does not apply to visitors who enter through the Inca Trail network.
- Peruvians and Andean Community citizens: they pay the same national rate, lower than the one for other visitors.
Frequently asked questions
How many Short Inca Trail permits are there per day?
The Km 104 route allows 250 people per day, and that number includes guides and staff. That is why dates in the high season sell out early.
Can I buy a Short Inca Trail permit myself?
No. Inca Trail permits are only sold to licensed operators, who book them on behalf of each hiker. When you book the tour with us, we secure your permit and your Machu Picchu entrance.
Can I change the date or the name on my permit?
No. Once the permit is issued, the date and the name cannot be changed and the permit cannot be transferred or refunded. If you renew your passport, send us a copy and we will update the passport number.
Is the Short Inca Trail open in February?
No. The Inca Trail, including the Short Inca Trail from Km 104, closes every February for maintenance. It reopens on March 1.
How up to date is the availability on this page?
Permit availability is checked automatically several times a day. Spaces can change quickly, so we always confirm your date before you pay the deposit.
What do I need to book my permit?
The full name, passport number, nationality and date of birth of each traveler, exactly as they appear in the passport. Students over 18 must also send a copy of a valid student ID to receive the student discount.
Can I hike with a different passport from the one I booked with?
Only if we updated the passport number on your permit before the hike. Send us a copy of the new passport as soon as you have it, and carry both the old and the new passport on the trail.
If I cancel, do I get the permit money back?
No. Inca Trail permits are non-refundable. If you move your trip to another date, we have to buy a new permit for that date, and only if permits are still available.
What can I do if the Short Inca Trail is sold out on my date?
Check nearby dates first. If Km 104 is full, the 1-day Inca Trail is usually full too, because both use the same quota. Other options are Machu Picchu by train with a guided tour, the Classic Inca Trail 4 days if it has permits, or a trek without permits such as the Lares Trek.
Can I book the Short Inca Trail for 2027 now?
Yes. We are already taking 2027 bookings: you reserve your space by paying 40% of the tour price. The Ministry of Culture had not announced the 2027 sale date as of October 2026 (in 2024 and 2025 sales opened in November); we buy your permit as soon as your month opens, and your date is guaranteed once the permit is issued.
Does my permit include entry to Machu Picchu?
Yes. Since Ministerial Resolution 000306-2025-MC, hikers arriving from the Inca Trail enter Machu Picchu the same day through circuit 3-B. With our Short Inca Trail tour, your Machu Picchu entrance is included and your guided visit is on day 2.