Rules and prohibitions in Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu is the most visited archaeological site in South America and one of the most regulated in the world. The visitor rules exist to protect a heritage site that is irreplaceable and that mass visitor contact deteriorates in a cumulative and irreversible way. They are not arbitrary or excessive: they respond to decades of observation of how human behavior affects the stone, vegetation, wildlife, and the collective experience of the site. Knowing them before you arrive not only avoids problems at the entrance, but also makes the visit smoother and more respectful.

What you must have to enter

Entry to the site requires three things without exception: the entry ticket purchased in advance through the official portal, the identity document whose name and number must match the ticket exactly, and the company of a certified official guide for the tour of the citadel. All three are mandatory, and the absence of any one of them will prevent access with no possibility of appeal.

The ticket specifies a circuit and an entry time. It is not possible to change the circuit or the time once the ticket has been issued. The maximum grace period for arriving after the printed entry time is one hour. Anyone arriving after that grace period loses the right to enter with no refund.

Re-entry is prohibited. Once a visitor leaves the site after using the ticket, they may not return the same day under any circumstances, even if they have not finished the route.

Prohibited items inside the site

The maximum size allowed for backpacks, bags, or carryalls is 40 by 35 by 20 centimeters. Trekking or travel backpacks that exceed those dimensions must be left at the storage area by the entrance or at the hotel in Aguas Calientes. This is one of the points where the most travelers are caught off guard at the entrance to the site, especially those coming directly from the Inca Trail with their full backpack.

Tripods, selfie sticks, camera stabilizers, and any support equipment for photographic gear are prohibited inside the citadel. This restriction applies even to small tabletop tripods and gimbal stabilizers. Handheld photography is allowed without equipment restrictions as long as no support devices are used.

Umbrellas are prohibited inside the site. A rain jacket or poncho is the only permitted protection against rain.

Solid food is not allowed inside the citadel. Bottled water is allowed, and small snacks such as nuts or energy bars in non-bulky packaging may be permitted, although enforcement of this exception varies depending on the ranger at the entrance. The safest option is to eat before entering and carry only water.

Alcoholic beverages are completely prohibited. Cigarettes, vapes, and any tobacco or nicotine device are also prohibited.

Baby strollers are prohibited. Drones and drone cameras are not allowed. Traditional costumes, costumes of any kind, or any clothing other than regular streetwear or trekking clothes are prohibited.

Prohibited behavior inside the site

Climbing on, sitting on, leaning against, or scrambling over walls, terraces, agricultural platforms, or any Inca structure is one of the strictest and most heavily enforced prohibitions at the site. Rangers intervene immediately in response to any unauthorized physical contact with the stone. The reason is straightforward: repeated human contact erodes and weakens the original materials in a cumulative and irreversible way.

Making graffiti, scratching, carving, or marking the stone surfaces in any way is an offense that can lead to criminal consequences in addition to immediate expulsion. Fines for damage to heritage can amount to several thousand dollars, and in serious cases the Peruvian Penal Code provides prison sentences of between three and six years, along with a permanent ban from archaeological sites in the country.

Shouting, whistling, clapping, or creating excessive noise is prohibited. The site has an atmosphere that the regulations describe as sacred in nature, and authorities intervene when behavior disrupts the peace for everyone.

Undressing, striking inappropriate poses, lying on the structures, or carrying out activities that distort the character of the site, such as fashion shows, public social engagements, or performances of any kind, are explicitly prohibited. This rule responds to past incidents in which visitors carried out acts at the site that generated backlash from local communities and the authorities.

Feeding llamas, alpacas, or any other animal species inside the site is prohibited. The animals in the sanctuary follow a regulated diet, and contact with food from visitors alters both their behavior and their health.

Leaving the marked paths or entering restricted areas is prohibited and can lead to immediate expulsion for both conservation reasons and the visitor’s own safety, since some areas carry a risk of falling.

Removing plants, stones, soil, animals, or any natural or cultural element from the site is prohibited and constitutes a criminal offense.

Smoking, vaping, or lighting any kind of fire is prohibited throughout the entire site.

Wearing high heels or shoes with metal-tipped soles is prohibited because they damage the original stone paving.

The circuit: it must be followed without exceptions

The route inside the site follows the circuit specified on the ticket and cannot be changed or walked in reverse. Rangers supervise visitor flow and redirect anyone who tries to go in the opposite direction or enter areas belonging to a different circuit. The maximum time allowed inside the site is four hours from the moment of entry.

Penalties: what they are and how they are applied

The basic penalty for breaking any rule is immediate expulsion from the site with no right to a ticket refund. A ranger may require a visitor to leave without any further explanation for any observed violation.

For serious offenses such as damage to heritage, graffiti, or acts that compromise the integrity of the site, the Ministry of Culture may initiate legal action that includes fines of up to 53,500 soles and, in the most serious cases, a criminal complaint with the possibility of a prison sentence of between three and six years. A permanent ban from archaeological sites in Peru is another possible consequence in the most severe cases.

The site has high-definition video cameras at the main points and rangers distributed throughout all circuits. Supervision is constant and effective.

Specific rules for the interior mountains

Huayna Picchu Mountain has a minimum age restriction of 12 years old. Visitors must register both their entry and exit at the mountain checkpoint. The average ascent and descent time is three hours. The same general site prohibitions apply in full on the mountain.

Machu Picchu Mountain does not have an official age restriction, but the climb is demanding and minors must always be accompanied by an adult. Entry and exit registration at the checkpoint is mandatory. The average ascent and descent time is two hours.

On both mountains, trekking poles are allowed, unlike inside the main citadel where their use is restricted to older adults and people with reduced mobility.

Tips to avoid problems at the entrance

Check your backpack dimensions before leaving the hotel in Aguas Calientes. Leave your tripod in the room or at the storage area by the entrance. Eat in town before taking the bus up. Bring your physical passport and your ticket either printed or on your phone with the screen clearly visible. Arrive at the site entrance at least 15 minutes before the time on your ticket. And read these rules before you get there instead of finding out about them at the gate, when there is no longer anything that can be changed.

Peru Sites prepares you for a smooth visit

At Peru Sites, we inform all of our clients about the current rules before their visit, and we coordinate luggage, documents, and the official guide so that entry is smooth from the very beginning. If you have questions about what you can bring or how to pack your backpack to comply with the permitted dimensions, write to us before your visit.