2027 Inca Trail permits are not on sale as of 12 Oct 2026; Peru’s Ministry of Culture has not announced a date. 2026 permits went on sale 17 Nov 2025. Inca Trek by Destination Peru holds 2027 dates on deposit.
Peak months (April to October) sell out at release, and shoulder months (January, March, November and December) usually have space. The trail is closed every February. You choose a first-choice date and up to two alternates, pay a US$500 per-guest deposit, and we buy your permits the day the Ministry releases 2027, in deposit order. If we cannot secure any of your dates, you get the nearest alternatives, a full refund or a credit.
Answered by Jared Snow, founder, and our team in Cusco · Last updated: October 12, 2026
are required for every named hiker on the classic trail
your own guide, cook and porters, for your party only
four hiking days, then Inkaterra and a guided Machu Picchu visit
We’ll reply personally and send a proposal. No payment to join the list.
This is an updates and planning list, not a permit reservation or a guarantee of your preferred date.
| 2027 permit release | Not announced as of 12 Oct 2026 (Ministry of Culture) |
|---|---|
| Last release | 2026 permits went on sale 17 Nov 2025 |
| Sells out first | April to October, at release |
| Usually available | January, March, November, December |
| Trail closed | Every February; reopens in March |
| Daily cap | 500 permits a day, guides and porters included |
| How to hold a date | US$500 per-guest deposit; first choice plus up to two alternates; permits bought at release in deposit order |
| If no date is secured | Nearest alternatives, full refund or credit |
| Who buys permits | Licensed operators only; Inca Trek by Destination Peru operates under SERNANP Contract No. 11-2022-SERNANP-DGANP |
Nobody knows yet. As of 12 Oct 2026 the Ministry of Culture has not announced the 2027 release date, and it does not give advance notice. The last release is the best guide: 2026 permits went on sale on 17 November 2025. Permits are sold only to licensed operators, who buy them in each hiker's name, so you cannot buy one yourself and you cannot transfer one. We publish the 2027 date on this page the day it is announced.
For April to October 2027, before the permits are released, which means now. Those months sell out at release, and an operator can only buy a permit for you on release day if it already has your passport details and deposit. For January, March, November or December 2027, a few weeks ahead is usually enough, because those months rarely sell out. Either way, the earlier your deposit is in, the earlier in the order we buy for you.
The Ministry caps the trail at 500 permits a day, guides and porters included, and April through October sell out first, with the dry-season months in the middle of that range going fastest. January, March, November and December usually have space, often right up to the date. The trail is closed in February for maintenance, so there are no February permits in any year. If you want a peak date, the only reliable approach is to have your deposit and passport details with a licensed operator before release day.
If you missed the release and your dates are gone, you have four options. Shift to a shoulder date: January, March, November and December usually have permits available on demand. Shift within the week: a sell-out is by date, and a day or two either side of a popular date is sometimes still open. Hike the 2-day Inca Trail from Km 104 instead: it is a separate route with its own daily permit quota, and Inca Trek by Destination Peru is licensed to run it. Or choose another route to Machu Picchu that does not need a classic Inca Trail permit; we are happy to tell you what we offer, and other operators run good alternatives too.
Yes. The trail closes every February and reopens in March. March is a shoulder month: wetter than the dry season, greener, quieter, and permits are usually available without the release-day rush. Inca Trek by Destination Peru runs its private 5-day Inca Trail in March, with the same crew, camps and Inkaterra finish as in peak season.
There is no fixed list of dates. We hold whatever date you want. Choose a first-choice start date and up to two alternates, pay the US$500 per-guest deposit, and send us each hiker's passport details. On the day the Ministry releases 2027 permits, we buy for every deposited party in the order the deposits came in, before peak dates sell out. We cannot guarantee a permit, because nobody can until the Ministry sells it, but deposit order is how we decide who is bought for first. If we cannot secure any of your three dates, you choose the nearest alternatives we can secure, a full refund of your deposit, or a credit.
Status: As of 12 Oct 2026, the Ministry hasn't announced the 2027 release date yet; 2026 permits went on sale 17 Nov 2025.
Deposit: US$500 per guest, paid when you accept our proposal. The deposit is non-refundable if you cancel or change your booking. Balance: due 60 days before your start date. We buy permits as soon as they're on sale: on release day for 2027 dates, at booking for dates already on sale. If we cannot secure any of your chosen dates, you receive the nearest alternatives, a full refund or a credit. Full booking terms. Comparing formats? Read 4-day vs 5-day and how we look after our own guides, cooks and porters.
The Inca Trail requires permits for named hikers, and availability can limit which dates are possible. Getting in touch early gives us time to discuss the trek, agree a plan and prepare the information needed for booking. Flexibility can help, but no operator can promise a permit before it has been issued.
The release schedule for each year is set by the Peruvian authorities. Contact us for the latest confirmed release information and the steps to prepare your request.
Weather, available permits and your own calendar all matter. Tell us which dates are possible and how comfortable you are with rain, cold nights and changing conditions. We’ll help you compare the options rather than promise one perfect month.
A popular period to consider for the trek. Prepare for cold nights at the higher camps and remember that rain is still possible.
Worth discussing when you have flexibility. Conditions can vary, so they should not be treated as guaranteed quiet, dry alternatives.
More rain can mean slippery steps, reduced views and changes to the plan. We assess the conditions and suitability of each departure with you.
The Inca Trail normally closes for its annual maintenance period. We can discuss a Peru trip without the classic trek and confirm the current official closure arrangements.
Generally drier Transition Wetter Closed
Inca Trek is the trail brand of Destination Peru, our licensed Peruvian operation. Our team handles the permit arrangements and runs the trek with your dedicated guide, cook and porters. We’ll tell you what is confirmed, what is still pending and what we need from you.
Planning and booking support from Salt Lake City; an operating team in Cusco.
US$3,395 per guest for parties of 2 or 3. Solo hikers and parties of 9 or more are individually quoted.
The rules are set by the Peruvian authorities, not by us. More short answers on our Inca Trail questions page.
As of 12 Oct 2026, Peru's Ministry of Culture has not announced the 2027 release date. The 2026 permits went on sale on 17 November 2025. Inca Trek by Destination Peru publishes the 2027 date on this page the day it is announced and buys permits for deposited guests on release day, in deposit order.
No. It does not make a booking or reserve a permit. We will discuss your plans and send a proposal before asking you to make a booking commitment.
Choose your first-choice start date and up to two alternates, and pay a US$500 per guest deposit. We buy your name-locked permits the moment they are released, starting with your first choice. The deposit is non-refundable if you cancel or change; the balance is due 60 days before you hike. If we can't secure any of your dates, we'll offer the nearest alternatives, or you choose a full refund or a credit. Booking terms →
For April to October 2027, book before the release date, because those months sell out at release and an operator can only buy for you if it holds your deposit and passport details that day. For January, March, November or December, a few weeks ahead is usually enough.
Move to a shoulder month (January, March, November, December), try a date a day or two either side, hike the 2-day Inca Trail from Km 104 (a separate route with its own daily permit quota), or take another route to Machu Picchu that does not need a classic trail permit. Inca Trek by Destination Peru runs the 5-day and 2-day Inca Trail and can tell you which options are open for your dates.
Yes. The trail is closed every February and reopens in March. March is wetter than the dry season but quieter, and permits are usually available without the release-day rush. Inca Trek by Destination Peru runs its private 5-day Inca Trail in March.
Yes. If Inca Trek by Destination Peru cannot secure any of your three chosen dates, you choose between the nearest alternatives we can secure, a full refund of your US$500 per-guest deposit, or a credit. The deposit is non-refundable only if you cancel or change your booking.
No. We'll explain which passport information is needed when you are ready to proceed and how to send it. Tell us before booking if you are renewing your passport, so we can check the current procedure.
Treat your permit as specific to the named hiker and the confirmed start date. Ask us before making changes; the applicable rules and any new permit or supplier costs need to be checked. Do not assume a permit can be transferred to someone else.
The classic Inca Trail is booked through an authorized operator. Choose the team you want to hike with before committing to the permit arrangements.
As soon as you have a likely year and travel window. Exact dates are not needed for an initial conversation. We can then explain whether to prepare for release or check permits already on sale.
Plan around the normal annual Inca Trail closure, rather than expecting an exception. We can discuss other ways to visit Peru and confirm the official arrangements for your year.
You don’t need to have the whole trip planned. Tell us what you’re considering, and we’ll help you work out the trek and permit arrangements. We reply within one business day.
