Missed the Inca Trail permits? Here’s what’s actually still open to you
If you’re reading this because the Classic or Short Inca Trail permits for your dates are sold out, the short answer is: Huchuy Qosqo doesn’t require a permit at all, has no daily quota, and can generally be booked with far less lead time. It won’t put an Inca Trail stamp in your metaphorical trekker’s passport, but it’s a real multi-day trek to a real Inca site, and it can be combined with Machu Picchu on its 3-day version. For the full picture of the site itself, our guide to Huchuy Qosqo’s history is worth a look before comparing routes.
Why the Inca Trail runs out of permits in the first place
The Peruvian government caps daily entries to the Classic Inca Trail at a fixed number, split between trekkers, guides, and porters, and permits are tied to your passport — they can’t be transferred to someone else or moved to a different date once booked. During the high season months, permits for popular dates can sell out three to six months in advance. If you want the specifics on how that booking process works and what months tend to sell out fastest, our guide on how to book Inca Trail permits covers it directly — this article won’t repeat that detail.
Comparing the two treks side by side
| Huchuy Qosqo | Short Inca Trail | |
|---|---|---|
| Permit required | No | Yes, government-issued and quota-limited |
| Booking lead time | Can often be booked days to weeks ahead | Typically needs months ahead in high season |
| Duration | 2 or 3 days | 2 days |
| Distance | Roughly 12-18 km depending on the version | Around 12 km |
| Maximum altitude | Around 4,300-4,450 m | Around 2,700 m |
| Reaches Machu Picchu | Only on the 3-day version, via train from Ollantaytambo | Yes, on foot, entering through the Sun Gate |
| Indicative price range | Generally lower than the Short Inca Trail | Generally higher, due to the permit fee |
| Daily quota | None | Fixed, sells out in high season |
Check current pricing and availability on the tour pages for Huchuy Qosqo, 2 days and 1 night and the Short Inca Trail to Machu Picchu, 2 days and 1 night, since both shift with season and demand.
What Huchuy Qosqo offers that the Short Inca Trail doesn’t
Because there’s no quota and the route isn’t part of the main Inca Trail network, Huchuy Qosqo sees a fraction of the foot traffic. Our guides regularly walk groups through the site without passing another tour, which almost never happens on the Short Inca Trail during peak months. The landscape is also genuinely different: instead of following the railway corridor down into cloud forest, Huchuy Qosqo climbs into high puna grassland, crosses a high mountain pass, and only descends into greener terrain on the way down into the Sacred Valley. If solitude and a quieter Inca site matter more to you than the Machu Picchu approach itself, this is the stronger pick.
What the Short Inca Trail offers that Huchuy Qosqo doesn’t
The Short Inca Trail’s entire appeal is the ending: entering Machu Picchu through Inti Punku, the Sun Gate, on foot, with the citadel appearing below you rather than arriving by bus from Aguas Calientes. Along the way, it also passes Wiñay Wayna, an Inca site with terraces and ceremonial baths that Huchuy Qosqo’s route doesn’t include. For travelers who specifically want to say they walked an Inca Trail into Machu Picchu, this is the only one of the two that delivers that.
Other alternatives worth a mention
If neither of these two fits what you’re looking for, it’s worth knowing there are other permit-free or lower-demand routes into the region. Our guide to alternative routes to Machu Picchu runs through several, and if you’re still weighing the Inca Trail experience against an alternative route in more general terms, our Inca Trail versus alternative route comparison covers that broader decision.
How you actually reach Machu Picchu on each route
On the Short Inca Trail, you walk directly into the Machu Picchu archaeological site through the Sun Gate on day two, no train involved. On Huchuy Qosqo, the 2-day version doesn’t reach Machu Picchu at all — it ends in the Sacred Valley. The 3-day version reaches Machu Picchu by train: you finish the trek, transfer to Ollantaytambo, and take the tourist train to Aguas Calientes, entering the site the same way most non-trekking visitors do. If you specifically want a Machu Picchu entrance stamp memory of walking through mountains, only the Short Inca Trail gives you the walk-in ending; Huchuy Qosqo’s 3-day version gives you the trek plus a standard Machu Picchu visit, not a walk-in one.
An honest recommendation by traveler profile
If getting into Machu Picchu on foot through the Sun Gate is the whole point for you, the Short Inca Trail is worth waiting for or booking as far ahead as you can — Huchuy Qosqo won’t substitute for that specific experience no matter which version you pick. If your priority is a genuine multi-day trek with fewer other travelers and you’re flexible on how you reach Machu Picchu (or don’t need to go at all), Huchuy Qosqo is the better use of your time and budget, especially if your dates are close and Inca Trail permits are already gone. If you want both — a quieter trek and a Machu Picchu visit in the same trip — the 3-day Huchuy Qosqo itinerary is the practical way to get there without the permit constraint, and our Huchuy Qosqo 2 vs 3 days comparison breaks down that choice in detail. Once you’re through either route, it’s worth checking our Machu Picchu circuits guide to plan which part of the site to prioritize on entry, and if you want the full day-by-day on the Short Inca Trail itself, our Short Inca Trail 2-day guide covers it directly.
Frequently asked questions
Can I reach Machu Picchu without an Inca Trail permit? Yes. Machu Picchu itself only requires an entrance ticket, not a trekking permit — the permit system applies specifically to the Inca Trail routes. Huchuy Qosqo’s 3-day version reaches Machu Picchu by train after the trek, with no permit required for the trekking portion.
Is Huchuy Qosqo easier or harder than the Short Inca Trail? Huchuy Qosqo climbs considerably higher, above 4,300 meters compared to roughly 2,700 meters on the Short Inca Trail, which makes altitude the bigger challenge on Huchuy Qosqo. Neither route is technically difficult; both mainly demand cardiovascular fitness and comfort with multi-hour walking days.
How far in advance can I book Huchuy Qosqo? Because there’s no government quota, Huchuy Qosqo can usually be booked with days to weeks of notice rather than months, though confirming a spot earlier is still recommended in peak season when group departures fill up.
Does Huchuy Qosqo end at the Sun Gate like the Short Inca Trail? No. Huchuy Qosqo’s 2-day version doesn’t reach Machu Picchu at all, and even its 3-day version arrives by train, not on foot through the Sun Gate. That specific walk-in entrance is unique to the Inca Trail routes.
Which trek has fewer people on the trail? Huchuy Qosqo, by a wide margin. It isn’t subject to a fixed daily quota and sees a fraction of the foot traffic that the Short Inca Trail carries during high season, when its own permit allocation is fully booked.
Is Huchuy Qosqo cheaper than the Short Inca Trail? Generally yes, largely because the Short Inca Trail’s price includes a government permit fee that Huchuy Qosqo doesn’t have. Check current rates on both tour pages, since pricing shifts with season and group size.
What if both of these are sold out or don’t fit my dates? There are other lower-demand routes into the region worth considering. Our guide to alternative routes to Machu Picchu runs through several options beyond these two, in case neither one lines up with your travel dates.
