What to Wear to Machu Picchu (and What to Pack): Official Rules 2026

For Machu Picchu, wear layers you can take off as the day warms up, shoes with soft or rubber soles and good grip, and bring a rain jacket or poncho, because umbrellas are not allowed. Everything has to fit in a bag of up to 40 × 35 × 20 cm (16 × 14 × 8 in). This guide explains what to wear in each season, what you can and cannot take into the citadel according to the official rules, and what changes on the train.

Sources: Peru’s Ministry of Culture (official code of conduct for Machu Picchu, visitor regulations RM 070-2017-MC as amended by RM 216-2018-MC, RM 528-2023-MC and the TuBoleto route pages), the Machu Picchu Sanctuary master plan, Law 30884 on single-use plastics, PeruRail and Inca Rail luggage pages, and the US CDC. Checked on 13 October 2026.

Quick answer

• Clothing: light layers (t-shirt, long-sleeved top and a warm layer) plus a rain jacket or poncho.
• Shoes: trainers or light hiking shoes with soft or rubber soles. High heels and hard-soled shoes are not allowed.
• Bag: a daypack of up to 40 × 35 × 20 cm. Larger bags stay outside.
• Not allowed: umbrellas, walking sticks, tripods and selfie sticks, food, aerosols (including spray sunscreen and repellent), drones, alcohol and baby strollers.
• Don’t forget: your original passport, the one you booked the ticket with, and your student card if you used a student rate.

What to wear to Machu Picchu

The Machu Picchu Sanctuary master plan gives the citadel a mean annual temperature of 18 °C (64 °F), very high humidity (80–90%) and about 2,010 mm of rain a year. In practice, an early visit can start cool and misty and end in strong sun at midday, so dress in layers:

• Base layer: a quick-drying t-shirt. Cotton stays wet with sweat and humidity.
• Mid layer: a long-sleeved top or a light fleece for the early morning.
• Outer layer: a rain jacket or a poncho. Umbrellas are not allowed inside.
• Trousers: light, comfortable hiking trousers or leggings. Long trousers also protect your legs from sun and insects.
• Sun protection: a hat with a brim and sunglasses. Peru’s weather service, SENAMHI, recommends a wide-brimmed hat and UV-filter glasses and avoiding the strongest sun between 10:00 and 16:00.

There is no dress code, but costumes, clothing with advertising and nudity are forbidden by the official rules.

What to wear by season

The master plan describes a dry season from April to August and three very rainy months, from January to March. The months in between are a transition between the two. There is no official month-by-month table for the citadel, so we don’t publish one.

• Dry season (April to August): sunny days and cold early mornings. Bring the warm layer for the bus up and the first hour, a hat and sunscreen for midday, and still pack a light rain jacket.
• Rainy season (January to March): rain is likely on most days. Wear quick-drying clothes, a proper rain jacket or poncho and shoes with good grip, because the stone steps get slippery. Keep your passport and phone in a waterproof pouch.
• September to December: pack for both: a light layer, sun protection and rain gear.

Choosing your dates? Read our guide to the best time to visit Machu Picchu.

Shoes for each route

The official rules only allow shoes or trainers with soft or rubber soles. How much grip you need depends on your route. These are the official distances and effort levels from the Ministry of Culture’s ticket website:

On route 3-B, part of the circuit can be visited in a wheelchair or with assistance. Compare the two climbs in Huayna Picchu vs Machu Picchu Mountain, and all the routes in our Machu Picchu tickets guide.

Bag size and where to leave your luggage

Inside Machu Picchu you can only carry a bag of up to 40 × 35 × 20 cm. The official rules say that entering with a prohibited item leads to immediate removal from the site without a refund, so leave anything larger elsewhere. We found no official information on luggage storage at the entrance, so plan ahead:

• PeruRail offers free luggage storage for its passengers at Ollantaytambo station (04:15 to 21:00) and at Machu Picchu station in Aguas Calientes (05:00 to 22:00).
• Inca Rail offers storage only at its Ollantaytambo ticket office.
• If you sleep in Aguas Calientes, ask your hotel to keep your bag while you visit.

On the train, PeruRail allows one backpack of up to 8 kg and 100 cm (height + length + width) or one carry-on of up to 12 kg and 115 cm; Inca Rail allows one bag of up to 8 kg and 118 cm. See how to get to Machu Picchu from Cusco.

Packing list for the day

• Documents: your Machu Picchu ticket and the original ID you booked it with. Foreign visitors use a passport, or a national ID card if they are citizens of the Andean Community or MERCOSUR. Staff can ask for both inside the site.
• Student card: the original, valid card if you bought a student ticket.
• Water: a reusable bottle. It does not appear on the list of prohibited items.
• Sunscreen and insect repellent in cream or lotion, not in aerosol cans: all aerosols are prohibited. The CDC recommends sunscreen of SPF 15 or higher and a repellent with DEET.
• Rain jacket or poncho, hat and sunglasses.
• A warm layer for the early morning.
• Personal medicines and a small amount of cash in soles.
• A camera or phone, without a tripod, monopod or selfie stick.
• A reusable bag for your rubbish: throwing waste is forbidden, and single-use plastic bags are banned in protected areas and World Heritage sites under Law 30884.

Print it: packing checklists for Machu Picchu, the Classic Inca Trail and the Short Inca Trail (PDF, 3 pages), with tick boxes, the 40 × 35 × 20 cm bag limit and the items that are not allowed.

Eat before you go in: food is not allowed inside and, except in cases of force majeure, you cannot leave and come back in with the same ticket.

Hiking the Inca Trail? Your list is longer: see our Short Inca Trail packing list.

What you cannot take into Machu Picchu

The official code of conduct for Machu Picchu lists these items as prohibited:

• Bags larger than 40 × 35 × 20 cm.
• Umbrellas and sunshades, walking sticks, portable seats, tripods, monopods, selfie sticks and other camera stabilizers.
• Food and kitchenware, including plates, cutlery and thermoses.
• Alcoholic drinks and illegal substances.
• Aerosols of any kind.
• Musical instruments, megaphones and speakers.
• High heels and hard-soled shoes.
• Baby strollers.
• Sharp objects and weapons.
• Banners, posters, signs, advertising clothing and costumes.
• Animals, except guide dogs.
• Drones, paragliders and any other aircraft.

Smoking, vaping, lying down, jumping, running, climbing or leaning on the walls and touching the stones are also forbidden.

Exceptions in the visitor regulations

The visitor regulations (RM 216-2018-MC) include three exceptions that the current code-of-conduct page does not repeat. If they apply to you, check at the entrance:

• Walking sticks with rubber tips are allowed for elderly visitors and people with disabilities. Sticks with metal or hard tips are not.
• Baby carriers are allowed if they have no metal frame.
• Shoes must have soft or rubber soles.

Health: sun, insects and altitude

• Sun: use cream sunscreen, a hat and sunglasses, especially between 10:00 and 16:00.
• Insects: long sleeves and trousers help, plus repellent in lotion. The CDC says there is no malaria in Cusco or at Machu Picchu.
• Vaccines: the CDC does not recommend the yellow fever vaccine if you only visit Cusco, the Inca Trail and Machu Picchu. Ask your doctor about your full itinerary.
• Altitude: the citadel is at 2,430 m, lower than Cusco. See Machu Picchu elevation.

Frequently asked questions

Can I bring a backpack into Machu Picchu?

Yes, a bag of up to 40 × 35 × 20 cm (16 × 14 × 8 in). Larger bags are not allowed inside.

Can I bring water into Machu Picchu?

Water is not on the list of prohibited items, so bring a reusable bottle. Single-use plastic bags and other single-use plastics are banned in protected areas.

Can I bring snacks into Machu Picchu?

No. The official rules prohibit food and kitchenware inside the site. Eat before you go in.

Are trekking poles allowed at Machu Picchu?

No. Walking sticks are prohibited. The visitor regulations allow rubber-tipped sticks only for elderly visitors and people with disabilities.

Can I take an umbrella?

No. Umbrellas and sunshades are prohibited. Bring a rain jacket or a poncho instead.

What shoes should I wear to Machu Picchu?

Trainers or light hiking shoes with soft or rubber soles and good grip. High heels and hard-soled shoes are not allowed. For Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu Mountain, hiking shoes are the safest choice.

Is there a dress code at Machu Picchu?

No, but costumes, advertising clothing and nudity are forbidden.

Can I bring spray sunscreen or insect repellent?

Not in aerosol form: all aerosols are prohibited. Use cream or lotion.