INCA TRAIL TREKKING REGULATIONS 2012
Five years ago the
Peruvian Government proposed many changes to the administration of the Inca
Trail in a bid to protect its fragile eco-structure from over-use. Most of
these proposals have been aimed at reducing the number of trekkers on the
trail, improving the quality of the tour operators and offering a reservation
system whereby trekkers will be forced to make their reservations many weeks
(even months) in advance.
Some of the proposals
were introduced slowly throughout 2001 and 2002 but the Government started to
enforce the majority of the regulations more strictly in 2003. Further
regulations have been introduced at the beginning of 2004 with the main aim of
eliminating poor quality operators. All trekking companies that operate the
Inca Trail must have an operating license which is issued every year at the end
of February.
In 2005, the main
changes made the booking process even more restrictive. Now, the entrance
permits have to be totally paid at the moment of the purchase. This forced the
travel agencies to start the booking once all the payment has been made.
SUMMARY:
We recommend you to
make the Inca Trail reservation (which means paying for the program) far in
advance. In the low season (Oct - Mar). We advise you to make a reservation at
least 5 weeks in advance. In May and September, we recommend you to make a
reservation 6 weeks in advance and for the peak months of June, July and August
we highly recommend a minimum of 6-8 weeks to make a booking. If the entrance
permit has been bought, and then you want to change the date, the only means
for making such change is to buy the permit again.
A DETAILED ACCOUNT OF THE INCA TRAIL REGULATIONS CAN
BE FOUND BELOW:
Inca Trail Park Regulations
The Inca Trail is
part of the Machu Picchu Sanctuary, a protected area managed by the Peru
National Institute of Natural Resources, INRENA.
All visitors must
obey park regulations prohibiting littering, cutting or damaging trees,
removing or damaging stones of ruins and the Trail, removing plants, killing
animals, lighting open fires or camping in the archeological sites (only
authorized campsites can be used).
The following
procedures must be followed:
1. Payment of entrance fees:
a. The only valid document granting
the right to walk the Inca Trails Network - the Machupicchu Historical
Sanctuary Network RED or SHM - is the ticket issued by the Instituto Nacional
the Cultura (INC). This ticket is personal, non-transferable and includes the
entrance fee to Machu Picchu.
b. Payment for the right to use the
RED can only be made in the city of Cusco, and has a cost of S/.246.00 (USD 87.00 approximately) usually included in
the quote an authorized agency provides.
c. Under no circumstances, payment
for the use of the RED will be accepted at its registry and entry control
points.
d. Payment for the right to use the
RED must be made a minimum of thirty (30) days before beginning the trip and
the acquisition must be made under your name.
e. The reimbursement of payment for
the right to use the RED is not possible under any circumstance.
2. Reservations
a. Reservations will be made in the
offices of the Departmental Headquarters of the Instituto Nacional de Cultura
in Cusco, receiving confirmation with corresponding reservation code.
Note: Reservations
will be subject to the daily capacity emitted by the UGM (500 people, including
guides, porters, helpers and visitors), therefore we recommend you to reserve
your place far in advance.
b. The entrance permits can be
bought even 360 days before the trip begins.
c. To buy the entrance permits, the
Tour Operator must pay 100% and provide full names, passport numbers, ages,
nationalities and passport photocopies of all those going on the trip, to the
relevant authorities. The traveler must send this information and documents to
us from his or her home country.
d. Wrong information on travelers
will result in the non-acceptance of their entrance permits, and no
reimbursement of fees will be made in this case.
e. Only people under 28 years old
with valid International Student Identification will be considered as a
student, entitling them to a discount on the RED entrance fee.
