Everything you need to know before you book

You can book directly through our website by selecting your tour, date, and group size, then completing payment online. Once payment is processed and availability is verified, we send your booking confirmation with the details you need for your trip. If you would prefer help planning your itinerary, you can also reach out to us directly before booking.

For Machu Picchu experiences, we recommend booking at least 2 to 3 months ahead, since entrance tickets, trains, and hotel space are limited and demand is high, especially in peak season. Day tours around Cusco and the Sacred Valley are more flexible and can often be booked just a few days in advance, though earlier booking still gives you the best chance of securing your preferred date and vehicle.

Some of our services depend on limited or externally controlled inventory, such as Machu Picchu entrance tickets and train seats, so a date can occasionally be unavailable. If that happens, we let you know as soon as we verify availability and help you find the closest alternative date or itinerary that works for your trip.

Most of our regular departures welcome solo travelers up to small groups of around 15 people, and there is no minimum: you can book for just yourself. If you are traveling with a larger party or want a fully private departure, contact us and we will arrange the right vehicle and pricing for your group.

Yes. Many of our travelers pair a half-day experience like Maras & Moray with a Cusco City Tour on the same trip, or combine a Sacred Valley tour with a Machu Picchu departure. Let us know what you would like to see and we will help you sequence your bookings so the logistics and timing work smoothly together.

It depends on the tour and how far in advance you book. For all our Machu Picchu experiences, when you book with enough advance notice we purchase your entrance ticket and send you explicit confirmation once it's secured — your ticket is assured. Our Machu Picchu Full Day Tour is designed mainly for travelers who already hold a valid entrance ticket or whose availability has been verified with us in advance, while our 2-day Machu Picchu Tour by Train and Sacred Valley & Machu Picchu packages include the entrance ticket as part of that same advance-confirmation process. The 2-day tour also covers one additional case: if you need to travel on dates too close-in for us to confirm availability through the normal process, it's the option that gives you a chance at a ticket, subject to availability at that point. Always check the inclusions listed on your specific tour before booking.

Machu Picchu entrance tickets and train seats are limited and controlled externally by the site administration and rail operators, not by us. We verify all of these components together before confirming your complete itinerary, which is why Machu Picchu bookings can take a little longer than simpler day tours.

Your circuit is determined by the official entrance ticket issued for your date and entry time, and we confirm the assigned circuit with you before travel. Circuits generally cannot be changed once the ticket has been issued.

Yes, a Vistadome upgrade is available as an add-on for one compatible train segment on eligible Machu Picchu tours, subject to train availability and schedule compatibility. The upgrade does not change your Machu Picchu entrance ticket, assigned circuit, or guided visit.

Yes, optional tickets such as Huayna Picchu or other mountain circuits can be requested when you book, subject to availability and an additional cost. These climbs do not include a guide by default;" let us know in advance if you would like a guided ascent.

We monitor your connections and keep you informed throughout your journey. Railway and road delays caused by weather or other operational conditions are outside our direct control, but we coordinate the available options and support you in reaching Machu Picchu as smoothly as possible.

Yes, you can request a cancellation, and the refund you receive depends on how far in advance of your departure date we receive your request, and which cancellation policy applies to your tour — Limited Capacity (Machu Picchu, Inca Trail, Salkantay) or Flexible (full-day and half-day tours). Full details are available in our Changes, Cancellation & Refund Policy, and your booking confirmation will indicate which terms apply to your specific tour.

Cancellation requests must be sent in writing to info@peruisepic.com by the person who made the reservation. The effective date of your cancellation is the date we receive your written request, so we recommend contacting us as soon as your plans change.

In most cases, yes, subject to availability for your new date. A change fee applies, along with any fare difference or non-recoverable cost created by the change, so we recommend contacting us as early as possible to give us the best chance of accommodating your new date.

It depends on the tour. Our full-day and half-day tours (Flexible policy) include a free-cancellation window: if you cancel within 24 hours of booking, you receive a full refund with no fee, since your payment has not yet settled with our payment processor. Machu Picchu, Inca Trail and Salkantay departures (Limited Capacity policy) do not have a free-cancellation window, because your deposit secures non-transferable permits and tickets we purchase on your behalf immediately after booking.

We understand that travel plans can change unexpectedly. Contact us as soon as possible in writing at info@peruisepic.com so we can advise you on your options. Standard cancellation terms apply based on when we receive your request, though mandatory consumer-rights protections that cannot be excluded by policy will always be respected.

It depends on which cancellation policy applies to your tour. Under our Limited Capacity policy (Machu Picchu, Inca Trail, Salkantay), refunds of your balance paid range from a full refund 8 or more weeks before departure, down through 40% (4–8 weeks), 20% (5–27 days), 10% (48 hours–5 days), and no refund inside 48 hours or for a no-show — your deposit is never refundable. Under our Flexible policy (full-day and half-day tours), refunds range from 100% within 24 hours of booking, 96% from 24 hours up to 14 days before your tour, 50% (14 days–72 hours), and no refund inside 72 hours or for a no-show. Check your booking confirmation or our full Changes, Cancellation & Refund Policy for the exact tiers that apply to your reservation.

Yes. Non-recoverable third-party costs already committed on your behalf, such as entrance tickets, train fares, permits, or hotel penalties, are deducted from any refund you are due. For Limited Capacity tours, your deposit is always excluded from any refund. For Flexible-policy tours, the 4% payment-processor fee charged by PayPal or Izipay is not returned to us after the first 24 hours, so it cannot be refunded either.

Approved refunds are processed within 10 business days through your original payment method. Please note that your bank or payment processor may require additional time to display the funds in your account.

Refund percentages vary because we apply two different cancellation categories. Limited Capacity applies to Machu Picchu, Inca Trail and Salkantay departures, where we purchase non-transferable permits, entrance tickets and train seats on your behalf well in advance — so refunds are more limited the closer you get to departure. Flexible applies to our full-day and half-day tours around Cusco, which don't depend on the same advance-purchased permits, so we're able to offer more generous refund terms, including a full refund if you cancel within 24 hours of booking. See our full Changes, Cancellation & Refund Policy for the exact tiers of each category.

You have two ways to pay: pay your total trip price in full at booking, or — for Machu Picchu, Inca Trail and Salkantay departures — pay a US$ 250.00 deposit now and the remaining balance 5 days before departure. Balances can be settled in cash in Peru with no additional fee, or by card through PayPal or Izipay, which carries a 5% processing fee. Your bank or card issuer may also apply its own separate fees, which are outside our control.

All prices on our website are shown per person in US dollars, with no hidden fees added at checkout.

No. Every price we display is per person with no hidden fees added at checkout. The only additional charges are optional extras you choose to add, such as a train upgrade or an additional entrance ticket, and any fees your own bank may apply separately to the transaction.

Your reservation is confirmed once payment is successfully processed and we have verified availability for every component of your service. We then send a confirmation with your itinerary, pickup details, and any instructions you need before travel day.

Straightforward services like airport transfers and equipment rentals can typically be confirmed right away. Multi-day tours and any experience that includes Machu Picchu, since it depends on limited entrance tickets, train seats, or hotel space, require us to verify that availability before we can confirm your full itinerary.

Because Machu Picchu entrance tickets, and other availability-dependent bookings, are released in limited daily quotas, we confirm each booking individually rather than by a fixed universal turnaround time. After you book, our team verifies ticket availability, train connections (where applicable) and any other connected services before sending your final confirmation -- this keeps every confirmation accurate rather than promising a generic response window that availability doesn't always allow us to guarantee. If your travel dates are close (within the next few days), please contact PERU IS EPIC directly before booking so we can check availability and confirm your timeline with you first.

We ask for the full legal name of every traveler exactly as it appears on their passport, since this is required for Machu Picchu entrance tickets, train tickets, and other official permits. For airport transfers, we also need your flight number and arrival or departure details so we can plan your pickup accurately.

For services like airport transfers and equipment rentals, you will typically receive a mobile voucher with your booking. For guided tours and Machu Picchu experiences, your confirmed booking details are what our team and guide use to manage your reservation, so a separate printed ticket generally is not required.

Most of our regular day tours run as small shared-group departures, typically with up to 15 travelers and a professional bilingual guide. A private version is available for many of these tours at a per-person rate that becomes more economical as your group grows, and our airport transfers are always private.

A private tour gives you a dedicated vehicle and guide, more flexibility around timing, and a pace tailored to your group, which can be especially valuable for families, honeymooners, or travelers with specific needs. Pricing for private service is shown per person and generally decreases as more travelers join your group.

Yes. Our standard private pricing covers smaller group sizes, and for larger private groups we are happy to arrange a tailored quote. Contact us directly with your group size and preferred dates and we will put together the right plan for you.

Yes, Cusco sits at approximately 3,400 meters (11,150 feet) above sea level, and most of the destinations we visit in the region range between roughly 3,400 and 3,800 meters. Some experiences reach considerably higher, such as Humantay Lake at about 4,200 meters and Rainbow Mountain at about 5,200 meters.

Yes, we recommend spending at least one to two days in Cusco to acclimatize before attempting high-altitude hikes such as Rainbow Mountain or Humantay Lake. Arriving well-rested and hydrated makes a noticeable difference in how the altitude feels on these routes.

Difficulty varies by experience. Our Cusco City, Sacred Valley, and Machu Picchu tours are rated easy, involving uneven stone paths and stairs rather than sustained hiking. Humantay Lake is rated moderate due to a steady uphill climb, and Rainbow Mountain is rated moderate to challenging, mainly because of the altitude rather than the distance covered.

On Rainbow Mountain and Humantay Lake, local horse services are often available for part of the route. These are arranged and paid for locally and directly, and some walking is always required even if you use a horse for part of the ascent.

Our higher-altitude tours, such as Humantay Lake and Rainbow Mountain, include a first-aid kit and emergency support, and our guides are attentive to how the group is coping with the conditions. If you have a pre-existing health condition or are concerned about the effects of altitude, we recommend consulting your doctor before booking a high-altitude experience.

Yes. It reaches a higher maximum altitude (4,650 m at the Salkantay pass) and covers more distance across 5 days, so we recommend it for travelers with prior trekking experience.

Yes, hotel pickup is included for most of our tours, covering eligible hotels in Cusco's Historic Center and nearby areas. Your exact pickup time is confirmed before departure once all the components of your tour, such as entrance tickets or train schedules, are finalized.

If your accommodation is on a restricted or narrow street, we will confirm a nearby meeting point that is easy to reach on foot. This alternative point is communicated to you in advance so there is no confusion on the morning of your tour.

Pickup times vary by tour. Machu Picchu departures typically start very early, around 3:30 to 4:30 AM, while high-altitude hikes like Rainbow Mountain and Humantay Lake usually begin around 4:00 to 5:00 AM. Sacred Valley and Cusco City tours generally start later, around 7:30 to 9:00 AM. Your exact time is confirmed with your booking.

Yes, we offer private pickup from Cusco Airport to your accommodation and private drop-off from your accommodation to the airport. For pickups, our driver meets you in the public Arrivals Hall after you collect your luggage, and we monitor your flight for routine schedule changes.

We monitor the flight number you provide at booking and adjust automatically for routine airline delays. If your flight is significantly changed, cancelled, or reassigned a new flight number, please let us know as soon as possible so we can update your pickup accordingly.

Normal luggage is included according to the capacity of your booked vehicle. If you are traveling with oversized items or an unusually large amount of luggage, please let us know in advance so we can arrange the right vehicle.

Our Cusco City Tour, Sacred Valley tours, and Maras & Moray tour are suitable for families comfortable with a full or half-day schedule and some walking on uneven, archaeological terrain, with children supervised closely near steps and viewpoints. High-altitude hikes like Rainbow Mountain and Humantay Lake are more physically demanding and reach significant elevation, so we recommend contacting us to discuss suitability for younger travelers before booking those specific experiences.

Some of our tours offer discounted pricing for children, which typically requires a copy of the child's passport at the time of booking. Discount eligibility and rates can vary by tour, so please check the specific tour page or contact us to confirm what applies to your booking.

We don't apply one universal minimum age to every high-altitude hike, because suitability depends on the specific route, its maximum altitude, the acclimatization schedule, and each traveler's health, hiking experience and (for minors) the level of guardian supervision available during the trek. Families traveling with a minor on a high-altitude hike such as Rainbow Mountain, Humantay Lake, the Inca Trail or Salkantay should contact PERU IS EPIC before booking so we can assess the specific itinerary together and confirm whether it's a good fit.

Most of our tours operate year-round, though Rainbow Mountain is best from May to October and Humantay Lake from April to October, when trail conditions and weather tend to be more favorable. Outside these windows the routes can still operate, but conditions may be more variable.

Yes, our professional guides are bilingual in English and Spanish across all of our tours.

We recommend allowing at least one to two days in Cusco to acclimatize before attempting any high-altitude hike, plus additional days depending on how many experiences you want to include, such as the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu. Combining a realistic acclimatization period with your sightseeing plans makes for a much more comfortable trip.

Yes, many travelers combine experiences such as a half-day Maras & Moray tour with a Cusco City Tour, or a Sacred Valley day with a separate Machu Picchu departure. Tell us what you would like to see and how many days you have, and we will help you plan a sequence that fits together smoothly.

We recommend your original passport or photo identification, comfortable walking shoes, layered clothing for changing temperatures, light rain protection, a sun hat, sunglasses and sunscreen, a reusable water bottle, and cash for entrance tickets, meals, or purchases that are not included in your tour.

Yes, we recommend carrying cash for any entrance tickets not included in your tour, for meals and drinks that are not covered, for tips, and for optional local services such as horse rides on certain hikes.

For these routes, we recommend warm base and outer layers, a waterproof jacket or poncho, supportive hiking shoes with good grip, a hat, gloves and a scarf or neck gaiter, high-SPF sunscreen and sunglasses, at least one liter of water, a personal snack, and any personal medication you may need.

Yes, we offer an adjustable pair of trekking poles as a rental add-on, currently compatible with our Rainbow Mountain and Humantay Lake tours. Poles are delivered at the beginning of your tour and help with balance and reduced knee impact, though they do not remove the effects of altitude, distance, or incline.