Can travelers really reserve exclusive excursions, private access, VIP trips and luxury tours to Machu Picchu? It's probably not what you think which is why I want to explain the latest travel trend to Machu Picchu. I see videos and tours from companies offering exclusive private access to Machu Picchu. With all the tickets to Machu Picchu sold out for the entire summer of 2025, there is a spotlight on companies who seem to have an endless supply of tickets when no one else does. Do agencies have access to a private stash of entry tickets?  it's my aim to clarify the process for getting tickets to Machu Picchu so you can see for yourself what's happening. 

Are there special VIP tickets to Machu Picchu?

No. All tickets to Machu Picchu are purchased on the same government website that everyone has access to. This is the one and only place to buy entry tickets to Machu Picchu. All other sellers are buying them here as well. There's nothing wrong with paying extra to have someone else buy your Machu Picchu entry tickets. It's perfectly acceptable as long as you know what you're getting. Sellers promising entry to circuits that are sold out, may be trying to reel in desperate travelers with promises of the holy grail. Entry tickets to Machu Picchu! Who cares if you have to pay a little extra? But you may find out later that you are being shepherded to the village of Aguas Calientes to wait in line to buy your ticket in person. All tour operators, hotels, tour guides, travel agencies, moms, dads, teachers, presidentas of countries, and anyone who can type, has access to the official Machu Picchu website to buy tickets. There are 10 circuits to choose from. All visitors to the official website have equal access to view availability for all 10 circuits, unless you translate the page to English! (see my tip below)  All circuits are open to everyone but some hikes are only open during the high season.. There are no other special tickets or private circuits. Here's the link to the official website: (this will take you off the Adios Adventure Travel website.)

https://tuboleto.cultura.pe/llaqta_machupicchu

Tips:

we noticed that if you translate the official Machu Picchu website to English, the display of available tickets may be different than the Spanish version. Switch back and forth between English and Spanish if you're not sure you're seeing all tickets that are available.

if the tickets you want are sold out on the official government website, and you have a seller promising to get you those exact tickets, do your diligence and contact a real person at the company who can explain how that works. Exactly. 

When all tickets on the official government website are sold out, people start looking for alternative places to buy tickets. Sold out is sold out. No one can stock up on "blank" Machu Picchu tickets. Travelers cannot cancel or resell their tickets. Up until June 1, 2025, we could buy Inca Trail hiking permits that come with 1 entry ticket, and just use the entry tickets to get in to Machu Picchu when all tickets on the official website were sold out. And now they done took away the Machu Picchu entry tickets that come with Inca Trail hiking permits. So no one can use that any more. The only option is to fly to Peru and go in person to the village of Aguas Calientes and stand in line to buy entry tickets. The office in the village is allowed to sell up to 1000 assorted tickets every day directly to the visitor, on a first come basis. Tour guide and hotel staff cannot wait in line for you. It usually takes 2 days / 1 night in the village and is estimated to have 90% success rate. I have no idea what that percentage means. Does that mean 10% of the people who go to the village can't get an entry ticket to Machu Picchu? Who would risk doing that? 

Is there a waiting list for tickets to Machu Picchu?

No. There's never been a waiting list for cancellations to Machu Picchu, and no such thing exists. If people don't show up, their spots go empty. The only time we've seen the government issue refunds on tickets is when Machu Picchu was closed due to circumstances beyond anyone's control. This happened at the beginning of the pandemic and during a week-long protest in Janaury 2023. There have been a couple of mudslides in the last 2 years or so where trains were not able to operate for a day or two, and travelers could not get to Aguas Calientes. Their tickets may have qualified for a refund. But if you make an error when buying your entry tickets, or have a situation come up after you buy your tickets, I would not expect to get a refund. If I made a mistake, I would check availability for the correct ticket and buy it immediately if it was available. Then I would decide if it's worth my time to go through the hassle of trying to get a refund for the first ticket. 

What do companies and agencies mean by "Luxury Tours" or "VIP Access" to Machu Picchu?

This was hard for me to wrap my head around because this is the kind of service Adios Adventure Travel and other tour operators, have always offered. But we did not call it "luxury" or private access. What we're seeing now, in my opinion is a "rebranding" of services that have been available even before I started in this business 18 years ago. Travel agencies and companies can present their packages and services any way they choose. With a shortage of online tickets to Machu Picchu, I'm seeing an uptick in these somewhat devious offers. Is it illegal to sell these packaages? Probably not. There's no industry standards that must be adhered to. Luxury packages offered may vary slightly from company to company, but it is likely to include private tour guide, roundtrip train tickets, entry tickets to Machu Picchu, roundtriip bus tickets and some companies may throw in a meal, or things like drinking water. Private Luxury trips can be customized with particular train service, and private excursions, but otherwise, the packages being offered are pretty standard. But do these packages include entry tickets to Machu Picchu when all the tickets are sold out online? Hopefully you can guess the answer. It's no. 

VIP access may imply that there's a special ticket to Machu Picchu, or an exclusive route inside the park available only to those who are willing to pay the cost for the VIP package trip. Well, folks. That's not the case. I believe some agencies are highlighting the entry tickets to the hikes (when available) I mentioned above as if they are exclusive trails. As I mentioned, these trails are open to anyone who wants to buy the ticket and you do not need a tour guide or any other special documents besides your passport and the actual ticket, to enter. You can go on your own if you can buy a ticket online. These trails are a great way to get away from the crowds. You don't need a luxury tour operator for that. And again, the question is, Do these packages include entry tickets to Machu Picchu when all the tickets are sold out? 

Can companies sell you a Machu Picchu package trip when entry tickets are sold out online?

I believe there are companies doing this. If they are, here's what you need to realize. There are no secret or hidden or pre-stocked entry tickets. The only way to get tickets to Machu Picchu after they sell out online is to go in person to the village of Aguas Calientes. If companies are offering packages when all tickets online are sold out. It means they are likely setting up the logistics for you to go to the village of Aguas Calientes and wait in line to buy your own tickets. Up to 1000 assorted tickets are for sale each day on a first come basis. Anyone can go to the village and do this. There's nothing wrong with getting help. If a company is transparent with you about the fact that you're going to stand in line in the village to buy your own tickets, that's different than agencies who may be obscuring that little detail. I'm not saying there's no benefit from the hand-holding aspect. But at least they should be up front about it. 

Whatl's all the hype about private access and exclusive tours at Machu Picchu?

In my opinion this recent emphasis on exclusive services to Machu Picchu, is a response to the limited number of Machu Picchu entry tickets available online. As I explained in my previous blogs, I believe there has been a deliberate move to reduce the number of tickets available online to force visitors to show up in person to buy tickets (in cash!) in the village of Aguas Calientes. (According to my 10 years of tracking ticket availability at Machu Picchu, I'm estimating a 40-50% reduction in tickets available online in 2025, than in 2024.) This takes a minimum of 2 days / 1 night and all tickets are paid for in cash. Let me repeat. All tickets are paid in cash. I'm going to leave that for you to interpret. Not to mention that all these visitors need hotels, meals, coffee and other services when traveling overnight.

The luxury tour does not mean that you have access to areas of Machu Picchu that are not avaialble to other visitors who hold the same tickets as you. It's possible that other visitors, especially independent travelers, will be at a disadvantage of not being familiar with secluded nooks and special spots. But these spots are not exclusive. There is no "luxury" entry ticket to Machu Picchu. The "luxury" is choosing a good company who provides an excellent tour guide to navigate the various steps to get you to the middle of nowhere. If you want a luxury trip to Machu Picchu, it's out there and travelers should enjoy themselves. Just make sure that authentic advance-purchase entry tickets to Machu Picchu are included.

Is it possible to escape the crowds at Machu Picchu?

There's 2 strategies we use to make our Machu Picchu guided tours more enjoyable, depending on the level of activity you want. 

• if you enter the Machu Picchu main gate on the exact hour with all the other ticket holders in your time slot, just let them go ahead, Take your time getting through the beginning section until you're "between" the crowd that entered with you and the hour of entry for the next time slot. 
• buy an entry ticket with a hike. Note that all hikes come with a circuit. For instance !A-!C-1D come with a hike and access to circuit 1. Note that none of the route 1 circuits include access to the ancient Inca city. This is the panoramic route. On circuits 3A-3C-3D, each comes with time to explore circuit 3 before beginning your hike. Buying a ticket for a hike is a great way to escape the crowds. The trails have limited hikers and you're more likely to have moments of solitude on a hike than in the main circuits. If you're worried about completing the hike, you can turn around any time. Of course Circuit 2 does not offer any hikes. 
• Hiring a private tour guide in advance is a great way to navigate the varous steps needed to get to Machu Picchu. If you have the budget, hire a tour operator to book trains, buses, entry tickets and a private tour guide. (CLICK HERE to see more about Adios private tour guides)
• bus lines in the village of Aguas Calientes are separated by the entry time. Make sure you get in the correct line. 

What's the single best tactic you can implement to enhance your trip to Machu Picchu?

• you may save heaps by buying your own entry tickets, train tickets and bus tickets, but splurging on the cost to hire a private tour guide in advance may be the most importatn tactic to upgrade your experience at Machu Picchu. Depending on your logistics, hiring a private tour guide adds a buffer of protection as you make your way through the various steps to get to Machu Picchu. I'm not talking about one of the "pickup" tour guides in the village of Aguas Calientes. I'm talking about an experienced professional tour guide who may travel with you from Cusco (if you buy a package tirp) or meet you in the village of Aguas Calientes and accompany you on the bus. They have the time to spend with you, and they can accompany you on a hike if you ask in advance. Private tour guides are there to mitigate problems and interface with authorities on your behalf. 

Is Machu Picchu more crowded than in previous years?

This topic is deep and I've written several posts about it. I've been tracking Machu Picchu tickets every year for over 10 years. You might be surprised about what I found  out. CLICK HERE to read more.