I'm planning a trip to Machu Picchu, and it appears that a few months ago they instituted a new website to book tickets. Has anyone booked their tickets independently through this new system? I just want to know if I'm likely to have any problems. It seems from what various travelers have posted on Reddit, the previous system was a mess, with people's passport information and other key details sometimes showing up incorrectly, and then when the Peruvians switched to the new website, they made it impossible for people who had booked on the old site to download their tickets... so I'd appreciate hearing about any recent experiences with the new system!

Also, it seems that tickets for 2025 have not yet gone on sale - is there a usual time when that happens? I'm planning to go in late February, so in the middle of the low/rainy season - that means I shouldn't worry that entries will sell out, right?

Finally, does anyone have any suggestions about what circuits to do? I called the Peruvian tourist office today in Cusco, and the lady I spoke with recommended Circuit 2 and possibly adding on Circuit 3B as a second circuit the same day. Is that doable, or too much to handle?

Thanks for any and all insight!

I have a friend who recently bought tickets on the new website and it worked fine. I think she did 2A one afternoon and 3A the next morning. I personally would just do 2A, the Wayna Picchu part of 3A is just a lot of walking upwards/stairs and in February I would imagine that it can get wet with the rain. There are videos in YouTube that will give you an idea of how it is and then decide if it's something that you want to do.

I don't think that the availability of the tickets will be a big problem for February, I can't say when the tickets will go on sale, usually for the new year they delay it a lot (last year even more so because of the issues regarding the website changeover). If I hear about it I'll mention it here.

​​​​​​As I mentioned, I agree that circuit 2A is the preferred one for a first visit. Good luck in the rest of the planning.

Thanks! Is 2A the "ruta designada"? (Which is a weird name - aren't they all rutas designadas?)

It's called 'ruta cl�sico dise�ada'. It's just a name, who knows the reasoning behind it ...

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Visited MP some years ago, so no experience with the new system. What circuit you do depends largely on a) your physical condition and b) what you are truly interested in.

Most of the walking around the Citadel itself is not very physically challenging, lots of uneven stone steps, but on predominantly flat, firm surfaces (some gravelly/dirt paths). But highly technical hiking boots/shoes or expensive walking shoes are not required. Normal sturdy walking shoes are fine - I witnessed more than a few young kids (locals!) wearing flip flops (highly discouraged - especially because it is slippery everywhere when wet).

The problem is that it is at altitude, about 2400 meters (~8,000 ft) - so folks used to living close to sea-level get winded much more easily than they expect. So without knowing your age and physical condition, but since you already seem aware of the conditions and are going anyway, I am going to assume you are in typical, reasonable, normal shape (you don't get winded climbing one flight of stairs in a house/office building) which means you should be able to do all circuits (with caveats for Huayna Picchu - read on).

Huayna Picchu is a technical climb and you do need to be good shape - it is steep, very few handrails (and not where you really want them) and has lots of uneven size steps - few are the same size as stairs at home. And you do need good walking shoes/light hiking boots for that, especially since you are going when it is guaranteed to be wet. Unless you are a professional athlete you will definitely feel the "burn" in your thighs and hamstrings - especially on the way down. But the views of the citadel from HP is something few people experience... (less than 10% of daily visitors are even permitted to climb HP). Lots of portions where there are steep dropoffs with no handrails and very narrow paths - this is not a hike for anyone who suffers from vertigo.

Best kept secret: hike Huchuy Picchu - it is the small "mountain" next to HP - only 100 meters. Almost no-one hikes this, it is an easy walk, and gives you awesome views from above the Citadel without the challenge of HP. It does require the same extra ticket as for HP.

On the other side of the Citadel, the trail to Intipunku (the Sun Gate) is doable by just about everyone in normal reasonable condition. Again, good walking shoes are recommended - uneven stone paths, roots, some unpaved areas - all of which are slippery in the wet. But not at all technical.

So, which circuit? Assuming physical condition is not an issue - then it comes back to, "what is purpose of your visit?" If it is for bucket list hikes, then do any of the C1 or C3 routes including HP. If it is to see and learn about the culture, history and magic of this mysterious place, then the C2 routes are the thing because the focus is the Citadel.

The other question is what time to enter. Even though the entire place is capacity and timed-entry controlled, it still gets crowded. So, my recommendation (which I learned from professional MP tour-guides) is to do the C2 routes in the afternoon of your first day, then do HP or Intipunku early morning of your second day. This is because most tourists (and the school groups) get there first thing in the morning and get tired, hungry and leave by 2pm. This means it is MUCH less crowded in the afternoon making it much more relaxed and enjoyable. The Citadel takes about 2-3 hours, so get a 1pm entry.

Have fun, it is a most magical place!

The dates that tickets for 2025 are going on sale have been released. February will be out on January 13th, 9am.

This website is the flamingest dumpster fire that ever flamed. I have never seen anything so dysfunctional. Honestly, it's an embarrassment to all of Peru. While I now have a ticket (although I'm half-expecting them to send me an email in a week saying, "sorry, our bad - it's canceled!"), the whole experience has left a very bad taste in my mouth. I spent close to an hour on the phone today on hold with the ministry of culture and then getting disconnected, asking poor employees of iPeru in Cusco to help me, sending emails and Whatsapp messages... and nothing worked. I tried on Chrome and Edge, with equally bad results.

Finally I get home about 11 hours after making the first attempt to reserve and book, and lo and behold - I was actually able to buy the ticket! But only on Edge. On Chrome, it didn't even show up in my cart. I don't understand anything.

Someone in a position of authority really needs to fix this situation. This is an absolutely awful introduction to Peru for tourists, and I wouldn't be surprised at all if people got so disgusted with this ticket situation that they just gave up on visiting Peru altogether.

If you are using Chrome do you have the Third Party Cookies unblocked? I find that often fixes many issues.

Yes the online booking platform for Machu Picchu tickets is very hit-and-miss! Sometimes it works fine and other times it doesn't work at all! With regards to the circuits here is a brief description:

Circuit 1: Higher terraces and Machu Picchu Mountain, The Sun Gate, and Inca Bridge. The focus of these circuits is the surrounding panoramic views. some of the circuits are also seasonal (Only in dry season from April to September). This is the most strenuous circuit and involves steep climbs, often up huge Inca steps. For people, who are physically fit and are more interested in the views of the surrounding valleys and the location of Machu Picchu.
Circuit 2: The Classic route. Where you get to see most of The archaeological site and temples (Middle section). This is the older classic route. This is the best value for money. You don't get quite as high as on Circuit 1 however there are still some spectacular viewpoints for those classic Machu Picchu Photos. This is more for the people who prefer archaeology of the site and visit the principal temples of Machu Picchu
Circuit 3: The lower terraces, This is the best circuit for anyone with mobility issues or suffering from altitude. This is the least comprehensive section, however Circuit 3A is the route you need to climb Huayna Picchu. This is the circuit for those who don�t want a hard hike around Machu Picchu.
Hope this summary helps!

The new booking system is much more stable than the old one, most people booking directly now are not having the passport mismatch or disappearing ticket issues that happened during the transition, just make sure the name you enter matches your passport exactly and download the PDF immediately after purchase instead of relying on retrieving it later. Tickets for the following year usually start appearing in batches toward the end of the current year and then continue to open month by month, so keep checking because they do not always release everything at once, and even in February entries can still sell out since daily visitor caps are strict regardless of season. Circuit 2 is the classic and most complete route, so it is the best choice if this is your first visit, while adding 3B the same day is only realistic if you are comfortable with a long day, have an early entry time, and are already acclimatized to the altitude, otherwise it can feel rushed and you lose time just enjoying the site, so many travelers prefer doing one circuit well instead of stacking them.