Travel Advice How to ensure you get your Inca trail permit 8th August, 2022

That might sound a bit abrupt, but if you’re hoping to trek Peru’s legendary Inca Trail you really can’t afford to hang around before applying for a permit. There’s also another point we need to stress, and one as a traveler you need to understand:

The number of visitors that are allowed to make the famous four-day trek that culminates in arrival at Machu Picchu is limited to just 500 per day. If that sounds harsh, it’s because the Peruvian government wants to protect the trail from erosion so that it can enjoyed by future generations. And, if you think about it, you wouldn’t really want to be shuffling along the Inca Trail in the company of thousands of others would you?

OK, OK, What’s the rush for my Inca Trail permit?

First, don’t panic. As an authorised tour operator Kandoo Adventures specialise in Inca Trail treks (and other Peru treks too). Get in touch with us now and we’ll do everything in our power to get you one of these precious Inca Trail permits. Remember: time is of the essence!

Here’s a bit of reassurance though; we’ve been booking  people onto treks to Machu Picchu for over a decade now and we’ve yet to fail to get hold of the trekking permits we need. We’re not saying it couldn’t happen, but if you help us to maximise your chances (I’ll tell you how in a minute) the odds of you making that once-in-a-lifetime trek are very good.

Firstly, set a date on which you’d like to do your Inca Trail trek. Check out our open group availability on your chosen trip to see if any of our pre-arranged dates line up with you calendar. You may need to book a private trek if you are dead set on a particular date. Contact us if you need to arrange a private trek.

Secondly, get your details together. In order to obtain an Inca Trail permit you’ll need to provide your full name, just as it appears in your passport, your passport number, your date of birth, nationality and your passport’s expiry date (your passport should be valid for a minimum period of 6 months from the date you’ll arrive in Peru).

Once you've done that all you need to do now is get in touch with us to book your trip, and we’ll do the rest. By which we mean we’ll apply for a permit for you, not that we’ll come round and do your packing or choose some nice walking boots for you etc.

Kandoo Adventures has a great track record for nabbing Inca Trail permits but it’s worth re-emphasising that the permit allocation system is essentially first come, first served. There are no cast iron guarantees. Frankly, we’ll be gutted if we can’t get you a permit, but it doesn’t mean the end of the road for an outstanding Peruvian trekking adventure. You have options.

If your heart is truly set on trekking the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu our best advice would be to apply again for the following year at the earliest opportunity. But if you want to get out there sooner and experience some of the magnificent trekking that Peru has to offer, there are alternatives.

It’s also worth mentioning that, even if you can’t get onto the Inca Trail this time around, that doesn’t mean you can’t visit Machu Picchu itself, which is open all year round. But let’s not worry about that just yet. You have things to do. Preparations to make. An Inca Trail trip to book.