Tickets to Machu Picchu can sell out from time to time. But something happened in 2025 that has affected Machu Picchu ticket availability on a scale we have never seen before. The change cannot be attributed only to an increase in visitors, or else trains and hotels would be equally affected by a surge in visitors to Peru. Since the Peru government launched the current Machu Picchu ticket website, Tu Boleto, in August 2024, we have noticed a huge shift in ticket availability. Tickets are selling out a month or two in advance at times of the year when ticket availability was never as issue until a few weeks before. 

The question is, why? I have an explanation that our manager in Cusco and I have been working on for months. We will post it pretty soon. 

We've been buying tickets to Machu Picchu since 2007. So we've not only witnessed significant changes to the entry times, we've lived through the transformation from having one ticket for a full day in Machu Picchu, to one ticket valid for 1 entry per hour to walk on one-way circuits. Then you're done people!  (unless you have purchased another ticket in advance!) Need to take a break to use the toilet? Here's what you need to know about that!

here's the concern for the visitor experience? We are concerned. And Adios Adventure Travel tour guides do their best to provide an exceptional experience.

Why would you want an Inca Trail hiking permit if you just want to get in to Machu Picchu?

That's the million dollar question, grasshopper. There are 250 hiking permits per day that come with 1 entry ticket to Machu Picchu on circuit 3B. You don't have to do the hike. (but in case you do, here's the link to get the details) Check with us if you want to find out availability for hiking permits. But if available, our preference is to arrange a 1 day or 2 day trip to Machu Picchu with tour guide, trains, bus tickets and the whole enchilada. And instead of the hike we can organize a full day to explore the Sacred Valley on the way. We don't sell just the tickets. The only way to be profitable selling just tickets is to sell large quantities. Which we don't do. Adios Adventure Travel offers experiences. Amazing ones!

What should you do before planning your trip to Machu Picchu?

• Check ticket availability for the entire month of the date you want to go. Also check the month before and the month after. This will help you see the trend. Check Circuit 2 (A or B). These are the most popular circuits and they always sell out first because they include access to the upper terraces for the classic view as well as a tour along the longest route of the ancient Inca city.
• Don't be sucked in by super cheap flights to Peru. If you're surprised at how cheap the flights to Peru are, double check Machu Picchu ticket availability. Airlines may be trying to dump their tickets since they know that most travelers going to Peru want to get in to Machu Picchu. And if all tickets are sold out, well it's up to us to put 2 = 2 together.

What can travelers do if all entry tickets and hiking permits to Machu Picchu are sold out?

• the simplest solution is to change your travel dates if at all possible.
• Check the official Peru government website for tickets. Here's the complete URL address (there are some private websites who don't mind if you think you're on the official government website). https://tuboleto.cultura.pe/llaqta_machupicchu
• verify with a live tour operator that all hiking permits are sold out. You can't check this yourself. I got a text from a guy who clicked a button to buy a permit only to find out a few days later it was sold out. When he told me the date he bought the permit online I knew they were sold out. Ask them first. Only licensed tour operators like us can check availability. We're happy to do it. Send email through our contact page with: number of people, 1st choice date you want to enter Machu Picchu (and 2nd choice date) let me know if you booked trains and hotels. (hopefully you didn't!) This will help us give you a speedy accurate reply. 
• Before you buy a hiking permit thinking you're getting a ticket to Machu Picchu, I suggest you verify permit availability by contacting the tour operator directly. Lots of companies have buttons to click and buy. (Even we have them for that hike!) 
• if everything else fails, the only left to do is to go to the village of Aguas Calientes and buy a ticket in person. No one can do this for you. The office in Aguas Calientes is allowed to sell up to 1000 assorted entry tickets to Machu Picchu per day on a first come, first serve basis. I've been told it takes 2 days and you pick up your tickets on the 2nd day. Usually the morning entry times go first. It's best to keep your return train ticket flexible. But in mid-April 2025, we're getting reports that people are spending 2 nights before getting tickets. 
  -Book your train to arrive in Aguas Calientes before 1pm.
  -2pm. Line up to get tickets in the office in the village center. If they sell out before you get tickets, you will get a number to move up in the line the next day. If you do get tickets you may have to return the following day to pick them up. 
  -You can buy bus tickets in person. Bring cash. $24 USD roundtrip. CC accepted by the machine sometimes malfunctions. Bring Peruvian soles.equivalent to $24 USD.
  -Book your return train tickets after you know your entry time to Machu Picchu. Allow at least 2h window to get down from Machu Picchu after you exit before you need to be at the train station. (arrive at least 30 minutes prior to scheduled train departure.)
  -Be flexible. I'm giving you specific details. But can they change? Yes! You bet your sweet baby llama they can!
• Allow extra time and keep your itinerary flexible. We're treading into unmapped trails here folks. Could it take 3 days or even4 days, to get tickets? In theory, yes! It depends on the demand which will be high during holidays and during high season (June-July-August). And the other unpredictable factor? How many desperate people are there? 

What should travelers NOT do if all tickets to Machu Picchu are sold out?

• Do not click and buy an Inca Trail permit online. Always contact the operator and get confirmation for the dates you want before you pay.
• Do not click and buy Machu Picchu entry tickets online. If tickets are not available on the official government website, that means they're not available anywhere.
• Don't buy non-refundable flights to Peru. 
• Do not buy Machu Picchu entry tickets from private parties. There's no way to resell a Machu Picchu ticket. Each ticket is customized with the passport information of the buyer. I've seen them for sale. it's a scam. Or else they're stupid and have no clue. Either way, it will not end well for you. (just to be clear, if you're in Cusco, there is a process to legally transfer your valid ticket to another person. But that's way above my pay grade.)

What are the biggest mistakes people make when buying Machu Picchu tickets? CLICK HERE to read more.

Should you buy Machu Picchu Entry Tickets from a private person?

No. Don't ever do that. All valid tickets purchased online at the Mach Picchu website or from a licensed agency, require every visitor to input their unique passport information There's no way to transfer a Machu Picchu entry ticket with someone's name and passport on it. Every visitor who enters Machu Picchu shows their ticket and the passport they used to purchase the ticket. Both documents need to have matching identification info. If you are in Cusco, there is a way to transfer a valid ticket in person if you have written authorization from the seller. What about getting a refund? It's not likely. But it doesn't hurt to ask right? Contact the Machu Picchu ticket office through the website where you bought your tickets.

How Can Visitors Get Entry to Machu Picchu When Tickets Are Sold Out?

Once tickets are sold out on the official Machu Picchu government website, there are no more tickets anywhere. Tour operators can't stash tickets or hold them until needed. When we buy tickets for our groups, we are buying from the same source as ordinary citizens. If none are available for you, we can't buy them either. 

Perurail.com offers Machu Picchu entry tickets to all passengers who reserve Hiram Bingham luxury train service. However they only guarantee Machu Picchu tickets if you buy more than 30 days from your planned visit. The way things are going now, I would be very careful with any train bookings less than 60 days from arrival. Incarail.com offers upgraded service where they bundle the train tickets with the bus tickets and even with the tour guide. But you are expected to provide your own entry ticket to Machu Picchu. If you're searching for tickets less than 30 days from arrival, always double check if you're told that the entry ticket to Machu Picchu is included. 

At this time, there are two viable options for getting entry to Machu Picchu when all tickets are sold out on the official Peru government website. 

Buy Machu Picchu Tickets in Person in the village of Aguas Calientes. On September 1, 2022, the Peru government authorized the sale of up to 1000 tickets per day to be sold in person in the village of Aguas Calientes. These tickets are for entry on the same day as purchased. You need to be in the village the afternoon before. Spend the night then get in line early. I mean o'dark thirty early. Normally people report it takes 2 days / 1 night.  However there's no way to check availability in advance because tickets are for entry based on the date you show up.. Get there a day earli. I got reports from a couple of groups in early September who tried it and got entry tickets for the next morning. But in nid April 2025, we got reports that some people are spending 2 nights in Aguas Calientes before getting tickets. Best to check with your hotel or other sources in Cusco to get the scoop on the logistics before you head off on a wild ticket hunt! If you read my info above I provided step by step instructions. Please be aware that I'm providing this as a service and I cannot guarantee they will not make changes from time to time. Be flexible. 

Book a 2-Day Inca Trail hike (or substitute a van tour) which includes 1 entry ticket to Machu Picchu. Fortunately, permits for 1 - Day Inca Trail hikes rarely sell out and if they do sell out, it's mostly last minute. But still we're required to buy those permits at least 4 days before the actual date of the trip because that's what the government requires. These permits include 1 entry ticket to Machu Picchu on lower circuits. (Our tour guides report that the tours on the lower circuits are not restricted to 3 or 4 or 5. However that doesn't mean if things get crowded that they won't decide to require ticket holders to stay on their respective circuits.) It's not required to hike the Inca Trail. That's right. We can buy permits for the 2-day Inca Trail and skip the hike. The permits are for a 2-day package trip to Machu Picchu. We have the flexibility to substitue a 1-day Sacred Valley tour by van instead of the hike. Sometimes people ask me if we can just buy the permits and give them the tickets. The cost to do this is higher than buying your own ticket online. We have to send someone in person to buy permits which cost more than ordinary entry tickets. This is why we only offer a 2-day package trip. The package includes the train tickets, tour guide, transportation and bus tickets. It's a much better value than just trying to buy permits and hand over the Machu Picchu entry tickets. Most companies that sell tickets have to sell in volume to cover their costs. We would rather sell fewer tickets and offer memorable experiences. But there are agencies now offering "VIP" entry tickets to Machu Picchu by accessing Inca Trail permits. Keep reading!