Peruvian government has enacted on February 21st 2017, a new law on touring the Inca citadel: the Preservation of the Machu Picchu Citadel Sustainable Use and Touring Act (Peruvian code: Resolución Ministerial 070-2017-MC). This article discusses all complementary regulations regarding such new Machu Picchu tour policy.
These complementary regulations listed below are in principle temporary, from July 1st, 2017 to October 31, 2017.
All tickets bought before the validity of the new Machu Picchu tour policy, that is, before February 21st 2017, will be on for the usual visiting times (those prior to new law).
According to the new Machu Picchu tour policy, visiting will be encouraged for the afternoon shift because of better overall conditions (less visitors); there will also be a reduced ticket price for this shift, starting at 1 pm.
There are two new visiting times for Machu Picchu, and all tours must be organized according to them:
- From 6 am to 12 noon
- 12 noon to 5:30 pm
Now, visitors arriving at Machu Picchu from the Inca Trails and from the West Access between 10 am and 12 noon will be nevertheless allowed to complete their 4-hour visit to the site, and likewise for all other people entering between 10 am and 12 noon, complementary regulations stipulate.
Group visitors can have a number up to 20 persons according to complementary regulations; it is strongly recommended to book your tour in advance.
All visitors will necessarily be led by a guide; the minimum tour duration is 3 hours for any of the three usual Machu Picchu circuits. All misbehavior inside the citadel will be subject to security intervention.
These complementary regulations stipulate that all guides are required to download and fill the Entrance form and the Exit form from the official website (www. culturacusco.gob.pe), without which touring will not be allowed under any circumstance.
Exceptionally, visitors who did the tour with a guide will be allowed to enter by themselves on the following day, after providing the name of the guide and their day-before entrance tickets.
Only people climbing the Machu Picchu and the Huayna Picchu mountains are not required to have a guide; however, according to the new Machu Picchu tour policy, they will be required to have one to tour the citadel itself, either before or after the climbing. The gathering point will be the Roca Sagrada (Sacred Stone) sector.
Under the new Machu Picchu tour policy, for people granted free entrance tickets (eligible according to numbers 2 to 5 of the new law’s Article 17) and only for the second shift, the guiding service is non-obligatory.
Tourists who want to visit Machu Picchu on both shifts the same day, must previously check for availability.
Machu Picchu mountain climbers will have a maximum of 7 hours stay (including the citadel tour), while Huayna Picchu mountain climbers will have a maximum of 6 hours stay (including the citadel tour).
If leaving the citadel while on tour, reentry will not be allowed except for major reasons, complementary regulations specify.
Next November and December these complementary regulations may still apply according to evaluation of their efficacy, and the decision will be made public at a convenient time by Peruvian tourism authorities.
Peru’s Department of Culture Cusco branch asks all tour operators, tourism professionals, guides and public in general to embrace and support the new Machu Picchu tour policy, enacted on February 21st 2017, and these complementary measures that are all aimed at the site’s conservation and the great benefit of all visitors.
So, we are sure your Machu Picchu dream vacation is going to be even better! Contact our professional staff here at TOUR IN PERU.com and book your amazing tour!
