Jan
weeksusually enough
Best forquiet trail, green valleys
Avoid ifyou hate walking in rain
Permitsusually available weeks ahead
Check Jan datesDry April–October · rain November–March · closed February
Best Time for Inca Trail Tours
TL;DR: May, September and early October for dry trails and thinner crowds; June to August for the driest skies and the fullest permits; November to January if you want the trail quiet and green and do not mind rain; never February, because it is closed.
Check dates
sells to one traveller · non-refundable
May · Septhe months we would pick for the classic trail
April–October is the dry seasonJune–August is driest and books 5–6 months aheadFebruary the trail is closed3 °C at night on day two in the dry season
Pick a season, then a month
Inca Trail Weather by Month
Feb
Closedall month
Best for—
Avoid if—
Permitsnothing is sold for February
Mar
weeksusually enough
Best forwildflowers, orchids, few people
Avoid ifyou need dry stone under your boots
Permitsusually available weeks ahead
Check Mar datesApr
2–3 mobook ahead
Best forgreen and drying out, shoulder prices
Avoid if—
Permitslasts into the new year
Check Apr datesMay
4–5 mobook ahead
Best forclear mornings, before the crowds
Avoid if—
Permitsgone within weeks of release
Check May datesJun
5–6 mobook ahead
Best fordriest skies, Inti Raymi in Cusco
Avoid ifyou want a quiet Sun Gate
Permitsgone within days of release
Check Jun datesJul
5–6 mobook ahead
Best fordriest month, coldest nights
Avoid ifyou have not booked 5–6 months ahead
Permitsgone within days of release
Check Jul datesAug
5–6 mobook ahead
Best fordry, busiest month
Avoid ifyou want a quiet Sun Gate
Permitsgone within weeks of release
Check Aug datesSep
4–5 mobook ahead
Best fordry, crowds thin out
Avoid if—
Permitsgone within weeks of release
Check Sep datesOct
2–3 mobook ahead
Best forwarm, first showers, permits for next year go on sale
Avoid if—
Permitslasts into the new year
Check Oct datesNov
weeksusually enough
Best forgreen again, easy permits
Avoid ifyou dislike afternoon rain
Permitsusually available weeks ahead
Check Nov datesDec
weeksusually enough
Best forquiet, warm, misty citadel
Avoid ifyou need dry views
Permitsusually available weeks ahead
Check Dec datesDry season, on the classic trail
Temperatures by Trek Day
Nights on the day of the pass drop to 3 °C; afternoons at the citadel reach 27 °C. Pack for both.
Day 1
10 °C night23 °C day
Day 2 · the pass
3 °C night20 °C day
Day 4 · Machu Picchu
10 °C night27 °C day
The short version
Best Time for Inca Trail Tours, Season by Season
The trail has two seasons and one closed month. April to October is dry, with June, July and August the driest, coldest at night and the most booked. November to March is the rainy season: green, quieter and wet in the afternoons. February is closed for maintenance, on both the classic and the short routes.
| Season | Months | Trail | Book ahead |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dry | April–October | dry stone, clear mornings | 4–6 months for the classic trail |
| Peak | June–August | driest skies, coldest nights, fullest camps | 5–6 months; June and July go within days of the release |
| Rain | November–March | afternoon rain, green valleys, fewer people | weeks to two months |
| Closed | February | no one walks the trail | nothing is sold |
May, September and early October are the months most people who know the trail would pick: dry stone underfoot, thinner crowds than midsummer, and permits that last a few weeks after the October release rather than a few days.
Short trailThe two-day trail from Km 104 follows the same seasons, but its permits last longer: two to four months ahead is usually enough outside July and August.
Check dates · $798sells to one traveller · non-refundable
November to March
Inca Trail in the Rainy Season
The rainy season is not a reason to skip the trail; it is a reason to pack differently. Rain comes mostly in the afternoons, the valleys are at their greenest, orchids flower along the lower sections and the campsites are half empty. Permits are easy: a few weeks ahead is usually enough, outside the Christmas and New Year weeks.
- A real rain jacket, not a poncho alone; the stone steps are slippery when wet.
- Waterproof bags inside your pack for sleeping clothes and electronics.
- Boots with grip for the descent after the pass and the stairs to the Sun Gate.
- Expect cloud at the Sun Gate; the view at sunrise is less certain than in June, and often clears later in the morning.
Closed all month
In February the whole trail closes for maintenance, both the classic and the short routes. Nothing is sold for that month; Salkantay and Inca Jungle stay open.
Honest minus
If your only dates are in February, no Inca Trail tour can take you.
Check dates · $798sells to one traveller · non-refundable
When to book for your month
Inca Trail Permits by Travel Month
Permits for the following year go on sale in October, and they sell out in a predictable order. The operators we compare expect the 2027 release in October 2026; the exact date had not been published when we checked.
| You want to walk in | Classic 4-day | Short 2-day |
|---|---|---|
| June, July | within days of the October release | 2–4 months ahead, tighter than usual |
| May, August, September | within a few weeks of the release | 2–4 months ahead |
| April, October | lasts into the new year | 2–3 months ahead |
| November–January, March | usually weeks ahead | a few weeks ahead |
| February | closed | closed |
Book for your month
Reviewed Treks for Every Season
Two classic treks for March to January, and three routes that also run in February:
- Machu Picchu: 4-Day Inca Trail Hike & Panoramic Train
- Read the review — our pick: sells to one at the listing price, 7 kg porter, toilet tent, Vistadome back.
- From Cusco: 4-Day Inca Trail Guided Trek to Machu Picchu
- Read the review — the close second: 123 reviews at 4.9, 7 kg porter, Expedition train back.
- Cusco: 4-Day Inca Trail to Machu Picchu with Accommodation
- Read the review — the Inca Jungle, not the Inca Trail: 862 reviews, bike and hot springs, from $470.
- From Cusco: 4-Day Inca Jungle Adventure to Machu Picchu
- Read the review — bike, raft and zipline in groups of ten; $560 each for two, $1,040 alone.
- Cusco: 4-Day Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu, Panoramic Train
- Read the review — the Salkantay Pass, glamping, a hut and a hotel, Vistadome back, $564.
By format
Best Month for Each Kind of Trek
- Classic, 4 days
- May or September: dry, and permits last longer than in June to August.
- Short, 2 days
- April to October; two to four months ahead is usually enough outside the peak.
- One day
- Any open month; the dry season gives the best view from the Sun Gate.
- Salkantay
- May to September, the dry months; it runs in the rainy season too.
- Inca Jungle
- All year, including February.
In February the Inca Trail is closed, so the only way to arrive on foot is an alternative route. The Salkantay trek with the Vistadome is the one we would book.
Check dates · $798sells to one traveller · non-refundable
Timing questions
When to Go FAQ
May and September, for most people: dry stone, clear mornings and fewer people than June to August. If you want the driest skies and do not mind booking five to six months ahead and sharing the Sun Gate, June and July are the peak.
Yes, if you pack for rain. The trail is green and quiet, permits are easy to get, and rain falls mostly in the afternoons. The risk is cloud at the Sun Gate and slippery stone on the descents.
For maintenance. The whole trail, classic and short, closes every February and nothing is sold for that month. It reopens on 1 March.
The listings give 10–23 °C on day one, 3–20 °C on the day of the pass and 10–27 °C at Machu Picchu in the dry season. Nights at the second camp are the coldest; a warm sleeping bag matters more than a heavy jacket.
October 2026 is expected. The ministry had not published the exact date when we checked; operators take bookings as soon as permits are released.
November, December and March, outside the holiday weeks. The rainy season halves the crowds, and the short trail is quieter than the classic route in every month.
Sometimes. Cloud often covers the citadel at dawn from November to March and lifts later in the morning. The dry-season months give the best odds of a clear sunrise at the Sun Gate.
Layers for nights near freezing at the high camps and warm afternoons in the valley, a sun hat and sunscreen, and a rain jacket anyway. The dry season is dry, not rainless.
Yes. Permits that sell out within days for June and July last for weeks from November to March, and the campsites are noticeably emptier.
Inti Raymi fills Cusco on 24 June, in the middle of the peak season. If you want to combine it with the trail, book the trek five to six months ahead and your Cusco hotel even earlier.
Whatever month you pick
Machu Picchu: 4-Day Inca Trail Hike & Panoramic Train
Check dates
sells to one traveller · non-refundable
Updated 29 Sep 2026 · listing prices as of 28 Sep 2026, checkout prices checked on GetYourGuide 26–29 Sep 2026.