Before You GoMachu Picchu
Best Time to Visit Machu Picchu (Month by Month)
The best time to visit Machu Picchu is April to October, per Peru's park agency. November to March is the rainy season. The Inca Trail closes every February.
Machu Picchu
The Inca site above Aguas Calientes, reached by train from Cusco or the Sacred Valley and then a bus up the hill.
Sernanp, Peru's park agency, gives April to October as the recommended season at Machu Picchu. It lists November to March as the rainy season. The Inca Trail network closes for upkeep every February, but the citadel stays open. In 2025 the trail did not reopen until 1 April.
The Ministry of Culture caps entry at 5,600 people a day from 19 June to 2 November 2026, and at 4,500 on most other days. Since 22 September 2026 you buy tickets direct on the state site, Tu Boleto, and you have 15 minutes to pay. The Ministry started this as a 30-day trial, so the rules may change. Your ticket names one date, one hour, one circuit and one person. You cannot change the date or the name, and there are no refunds. A guide is recommended but not required.
The Ministry's 2025 price table lists S/ 152 for a foreign adult on the standard routes and S/ 200 for Huayna Picchu. Up to 1,000 tickets a day are sold in person in Aguas Calientes, for entry the next day. Machu Picchu is at 2,430 m, lower than Cusco at about 3,400 m. Chinese and Indian citizens can skip Peru's tourist visa if they hold a US visa with at least 6 months of validity or a green card.
