Inca Trail Cancellations

James Bustamante( Travel Writer )

James Bustamante is Native to New York but born to Peruvian parents. He has been traveling throughout Latin America since early 2003 and finally made his home in Peru. James has made his way by eating and traveling through almost every country in Central and South America.

www.journeymachupicchu.com

Last Updated on July 25, 2023 by James Bustamante

The Inca trail to Machu Picchu is one of the most popular and sought-after treks in the world.  Thousands of travelers arrive every day with the intention of booking this Machu Picchu Hike on the spot.  

Booking this hike for the same day or within a week of arrival is not very likely. Under most circumstances, it is downright impossible. I’ve personally taken phone calls where travelers have asked from their hotel in Cusco if they could book the classic 4-day Inca trail for the next day.  

Once we explain that the government issues 500 daily spots for the trek, and you usually have to book them well in advance (several months in some cases), the follow-up question is always, “Well, do you think there will be any Inca trail cancellations?”.

Check for Inca trail availability here: Inca trail availability

The answer to this is mostly simple.  Can there be Inca trail cancellations?

Of course, we have this happen several times a year.  Some travelers just can’t make the dates, or something suddenly comes up. Let’s take the following example:

If we have 5 cancellations from travelers coming from the USA in September due to unforeseen circumstances.   The problem with eventual Inca trail cancellations is that the permits issued by the local government are non-transferable.  

Exceptions for Transferring Inca Trail Permits

This means that we cannot issue the same permit for a completely new traveler. There have been times in the past when this rule was “bent,” but in general terms, it is highly unlikely.  

One of the few situations where the Inca trail permit was transferable to another traveler was when are related to each other.

An older sister was transferring her Inca trail permit to the younger one due to medical reasons.  This case was an exception and was still barely accepted by the Peruvian Ministry of Tourism.

Canceling the Inca Trail

Now, on the other hand, some travelers will want to cancel their Inca hike in case they have some unforeseen issues arise.  

The most likely scenario will normally be that the traveler wants a refund issued. Depending on the agency, this is possible to some degree. Since booking the Inca trail means having a permit issued for the agency, the cost for this permit will probably not be refundable.  

If you cancel early on enough, though, you might receive a partial refund, most agencies will look at a 45-day time frame.  This means as long as you cancel 45 days before your trek, you might be able to get a partial refund.

If the Inca Trail were part of a Peru tour package, you would probably receive a refund for the rest of the trip but most likely not the Inca Trail portion.

So just to close this out, if you are looking for the Inca trail, take some time out a few months before you travel and make sure there are permits available.  

A phone call or an email to a Machu Picchu Travel Agency can save you quite a bit of time and frustration.  

Frequently Asked Questions About Inca Trail Cancellations