How to visit Cusco’s trails, Inca sites and communities in a way that respects the people who live there and the places you came to see.
Why it matters
Cusco and Machu Picchu welcome visitors from all over the world, and the places that make them special are fragile.
Inca stonework, narrow mountain trails, high Andean grasslands and communities whose daily life continues alongside tourism all feel the effect of how each visitor behaves. Small choices add up.
This page brings together the rules set by Peruvian authorities and the practical habits we recommend. Rules are marked as official and linked to their source; everything else is advice from our team, based on how these places work day to day.
Official rules on this page
Official rules come from Peruvian authorities such as the Ministry of Culture and are linked to their source. They can change, so check them again before you travel.
People
Many of the places you will visit are someone’s home, field or workplace. A little awareness goes a long way.
Culture
For many people in the Andes, mountains, springs and certain rocks are sacred. The high peaks are apus, protective spirits, and offerings to Pachamama, Mother Earth, mark important moments. You may see a guide or a family offer a few coca leaves before a trek begins.
If you are invited to watch or take part, follow your guide’s lead, stay quiet and don’t film unless you are clearly welcome. Celebrations such as Inti Raymi in June and the Corpus Christi processions in Cusco are living traditions, not shows. On the high passes, leave the stone cairns, called apachetas, as you find them.
Inca sites
Inca sites are protected cultural heritage managed by Peru’s Ministry of Culture. At Machu Picchu, the official rules of conduct say that visitors may not, among other things:
According to the Ministry of Culture, breaking these rules can lead to immediate removal from the site without a refund. The same care applies at every Inca site, in Cusco, in the Sacred Valley and along the trails.
Official source
Machu Picchu rules of conduct, Ministry of Culture: the full list has 25 rules. Read it before your visit.
On the trail
The Inca Trail network is fragile: stone paving, drainage channels and stairways built centuries ago share the mountain with cloud forest and high grassland. Peru’s regulation for the trail network (Ministerial Resolution No. 069-2017-MC) limits the number of people per day, closes the network every February for maintenance and recovery, and lists what hikers may not do. Most of the points below come straight from it:
Waste
Nothing should stay behind: food scraps, wrappers, wet wipes, toilet paper and batteries all go back with you. On the Inca Trail, the regulation makes the travel agencies that operate there responsible for separating waste and carrying it out of the Machu Picchu Historic Sanctuary.
Nature
Llamas grazing on the terraces of Machu Picchu, vizcachas on the rocks, condors over the canyons and orchids in the cloud forest are part of what makes the Andes special. The Machu Picchu Historic Sanctuary is a protected natural area as well as a cultural site.
People on the trail
Multi-day treks depend on porters, cooks, horsemen and guides, many of them from communities near the trails. Their work is physically demanding and often at high altitude.
Peru’s porter law, Law No. 31614 (2022), recognizes porters as workers with labor rights. Among other things, it sets a maximum load of 20 kg (44 lb) for men and 15 kg (33 lb) for women; requires employers to provide food, suitable clothing, protective equipment and sheltered places to sleep; requires health and work-risk insurance; sets a minimum daily pay; and makes 18 the minimum age for this work.
Before you go
Some of the most responsible choices are made before you arrive in Peru.
Our position
We ask every traveler to follow these rules, and we plan our trips around them, including realistic pacing with time to adjust to the altitude.
We don’t claim certifications, social programs or environmental labels we don’t have. As we put specific practices in place on our own trips, we will describe them here in concrete terms rather than with slogans.
Official rules last checked on September 30, 2026.
Who we are and how we plan trips from Cusco.
Email, WhatsApp or a short message form.
Inca Trail
A practical packing list for the Inca Trail: layers for cold nights and hot days, boots, rain gear, what to rent in Cusco, documents, and what isn’t allowed on the trail.
Cusco
How high Cusco is, what the altitude feels like, a calm plan for your first 48 hours, why starting in the Sacred Valley helps and how many days to allow before a trek.
Trekking
Salkantay, Lares, the Inca Jungle, Choquequirao and Ausangate compared: days, altitude, difficulty, which ones end at Machu Picchu and how to choose.
Trekking
Two famous day hikes from Cusco compared: altitude and effort, scenery, crowds, weather and fees, whether to do both, and the quieter 7 Lakes of Ausangate.
Tell us how you like to travel. We’ll suggest a pace, routes and timing that suit you and the places you visit.