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Frequently asked questions
Everything about permits, tickets, altitude, payments and what to pack.
General
For the Inca Trail, four to six months ahead for May to September. Machu Picchu tickets for popular dates sell out weeks ahead, especially with Huayna Picchu. Day tours can usually be booked a day or two before.
Spend at least two nights in Cusco (3,399 m) before trekking, drink plenty of water, eat light and avoid alcohol the first days. Coca tea helps. Start with the city tour or the Sacred Valley, which is lower.
April to October is the dry season with the clearest skies. June to August is the busiest period. November to March is greener and quieter but rainy; the Inca Trail closes in February.
Yes. Group departures have a maximum of 12 travelers, and every tour can be booked as a private service for your group only.
Yes. Your original passport is checked on the Inca Trail, at Machu Picchu and on the train. It must be the same one you used to book.
Yes. We can add 3-star or higher hotels in Cusco, the Sacred Valley and Aguas Calientes, plus airport pickups. Add them in the booking form or ask on WhatsApp.
Payments and cancellations
You reserve online with a deposit (30% or 50% depending on the tour) by card through Izipay or by PayPal, and pay the balance at the briefing in Cusco in cash or by card. You can also pay 100% online.
Banks and PayPal charge us a commission on card payments. We pass on a 5% fee only on the amount you pay online; there is no fee for cash at the briefing.
Cancellation is free up to 30 days before the tour, except for Inca Trail permits, Machu Picchu tickets and train tickets already issued, which are non-refundable. Read the full payment and cancellation policy for details.
Yes. Card payments are processed by Izipay with 3-D Secure and PayPal processes its own payments. We never see or store your card number.
Inca Trail
Choose another date in the live calendar or consider the Salkantay, Lares or Ancascocha treks, which also end at Machu Picchu and need no Inca Trail permit.
No. Permits are personal and non-transferable. Make sure each name and passport number is exactly as it appears in the passport.
It is moderate to challenging. The hardest part is the climb to Dead Woman's Pass (4,215 m) on day 2. Most active people complete it if they acclimatize in Cusco for two days first.
Salkantay Trek
It reaches a higher pass (about 4,630 m) and has longer days, so it is more demanding in altitude. In exchange it has fewer people and needs no permit.
No trekking permit is needed, so you can book at short notice. You only need a Machu Picchu entrance ticket for the last day, which we buy for you.
Nights at the first camp, below the pass, can drop below 0 °C in the dry season. Bring warm layers, a hat and gloves; we provide sleeping bags rated for the cold on request.
Machu Picchu
Circuit 2 (classic) gives the iconic postcard view and the main temples. Circuit 3 includes Huayna Picchu. Circuit 1 climbs Machu Picchu Mountain. Check spaces with the Machu Picchu ticket button.
There is no road to the citadel. You take a train from Poroy (near Cusco) or Ollantaytambo to Aguas Calientes, then a 25-minute bus up to the entrance. Our tours include the train, bus and tickets.
Yes. The full-day tour leaves Cusco before dawn and returns at night. It is a long day; if you have time, two days with a night in Aguas Calientes is more relaxed.
Alternative Treks
Lares, Ancascocha and several Sacred Valley hikes finish with a train to Aguas Calientes and a guided visit to Machu Picchu. Ausangate and Choquequirao are separate trips.
Lares is the gentlest option. Ausangate and Choquequirao are demanding and best for experienced hikers. Tell us about your fitness and we will suggest the right route.
Traditional Tours
The city tour and the Sacred Valley are gentle and help you acclimatize. Leave Rainbow Mountain and Humantay Lake, which go above 4,000 m, for after your second or third day.
Yes, from hotels in the historic centre of Cusco. We confirm the exact pickup time by WhatsApp the evening before.
Peru Packages
Yes. Every package is a starting point: we can adjust hotel category, add free days or swap activities before you confirm.
It depends on the package and is stated in its "What's included" list. When they are not included, we can book them for you at the airline fare.