Plan Your Machu Picchu Trip 2026: Full Checklist
This page is the master checklist. It walks you through the entire planning sequence, in the order you should do things, with timing for each step.
The planning timeline
5-6 months before
- Decide your travel dates. Match against the best-time-to-visit guide.
- Book Inca Trail permits if you want to trek (sells out fastest of any Machu Picchu booking).
- Book international flights to Lima.
3-4 months before
- Book Lima → Cusco flights.
- Book your Machu Picchu entry ticket on tuboleto.cultura.pe — choose your circuit and time slot.
- Book train tickets on perurail.com or incarail.com.
- Book your Aguas Calientes hotel (the night before your visit).
- Book Cusco / Sacred Valley accommodation.
1-2 months before
- Buy the Consettur bus ticket online if you want to avoid the morning queue.
- Buy travel insurance with trip-interruption and medical coverage. Required by some Inca Trail operators.
- Confirm your passport will be valid 6 months past your travel dates (Peruvian entry rule).
2-3 weeks before
- Refill any prescription medications you'll need (acute mountain sickness prophylaxis, asthma inhalers, etc.).
- Print backup copies of all bookings.
- Organize your packing — see what to pack.
The week before
- Check weather forecasts for your visit dates (most reliable 7 days out).
- Check the latest exchange rate (PEN/USD). Bring a mix of USD cash and a card with no foreign-transaction fees.
- Notify your bank about international travel.
The minimum viable trip
If you have only a few days in Peru, this is the most efficient sequence:
| Day | Activity | Sleep |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arrive Lima → fly to Cusco. Acclimatize: walk the historic center slowly. Drink coca tea. | Cusco |
| 2 | Sacred Valley day tour (Pisac, Ollantaytambo) — partial acclimatization. | Ollantaytambo or Sacred Valley |
| 3 | Train to Aguas Calientes. Light evening walk. | Aguas Calientes |
| 4 | Early bus + 06:00 or 08:00 entry. Tour Circuit 2. Train back to Cusco afternoon. | Cusco |
| 5 | Fly Cusco → Lima → home (or extend). | — |
Budget estimate (per person, foreign adult)
| Item | Budget | Comfort | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lima ↔ Cusco flight | $80 | $150 | $300 |
| Train round-trip from Ollantaytambo | $160 (Expedition) | $240 (Vistadome) | $600+ (Hiram Bingham) |
| Bus Aguas Calientes round-trip | $24 | $24 | $24 |
| Machu Picchu entry (Circuit 2) | $48 | $48 | $48 |
| Accommodation (4 nights) | $80 (hostels) | $280 (3-star) | $1,000+ (4-5 star) |
| Food (4 days) | $60 | $140 | $300 |
| Cusco ↔ Ollantaytambo transport | $8 (colectivo) | $80 (private) | $120 (private + lunch tour) |
| Total (excluding intl flight) | ~$460 | ~$960 | ~$2,400+ |
Common planning errors
- Booking the train before the entry ticket. What if your preferred entry time isn't available? Book the entry ticket first, then match the train.
- Skipping acclimatization. Cusco at 3,400 m hits unprepared travelers hard. Plan 2 nights minimum before any major activity.
- Booking the morning return train AND a 09:00 entry. You won't make it back in time. Either go later or stay another night.
- Buying tickets through a "Machu Picchu official" Facebook page. The official site is
tuboleto.cultura.pe. Anywhere else is a reseller or scam. - Underestimating the rainy season. January-March is genuinely wet. The site is open but visibility is often poor.