Quick Summary: Machu Picchu's visitor rules come from the Ministry of Culture's regulation for the Llaqta (the Inca city), amended in 2018 by RM 216-2018-MC and most recently on 11 September 2026 by RM 334-2026-MC, plus a 25-point conduct list on machupicchu.gob.pe. In short: no food, umbrellas, tripods, selfie sticks, drones, strollers, aerosols or bags larger than 40 x 35 x 20 cm, and your ticket only works with the original ID it was issued to. On the standard routes you get 2 hours 30 minutes inside with no re-entry, and any breach can mean immediate removal without a refund. This guide is for anyone packing for the citadel; for the gate itself, step by step, see the Machu Picchu entry process.
Where the Rules Come From
Two official texts matter. The first is the Ministry of Culture's visit regulation for the Llaqta, approved by RM 070-2017-MC. Its list of banned objects and behaviour is Article 19, rewritten by RM 216-2018-MC on 7 June 2018. Later resolutions changed the circuits and time limits (RM 528-2023-MC), the penalty article (RM 508-2023-MC) and the late-entry window (RM 207-2024-MC). On 11 September 2026, RM 334-2026-MC rewrote the ticket and ID articles.
The second is the Ministry's 25-point conduct list (English version), last updated in August 2024. In places it is stricter than the 2018 article, and where the two differ, we say so. It names Ministry park rangers and the National Police as the authority inside the site.
Allowed, Not Allowed and Allowed With Conditions
"No." is the conduct list; "Art." is the regulation.
| Item | Status | What the rule says |
|---|---|---|
| Bag up to 40 x 35 x 20 cm (16 x 14 x 8 in) | Allowed | Anything larger is banned (No. 1; Art. 19.2) |
| Food and kitchenware | Not allowed | The English list names plates, cutlery and thermoses (No. 2; Art. 19.1) |
| Drinking water | Allowed with conditions | Not on the banned list; no plastic bags, straws, polystyrene or litter (No. 22) |
| Alcohol and drugs | Not allowed | Nor entering under their influence (Nos. 3 and 4) |
| Tripods, monopods, selfie sticks, gimbals | Not allowed | Any stabiliser or extension for photos or filming (No. 5) |
| Drones and paragliders | Not allowed | No overflights of any kind (No. 25) |
| Walking sticks and trekking poles | Allowed with conditions | Rubber tip, older visitors or people with disabilities only (Art. 19.2); the 2024 list bans sticks outright (No. 5) |
| Umbrellas and sunshades | Not allowed | No. 5; Art. 19.1 |
| Rain poncho or jacket | Allowed | Not on either list |
| Baby strollers | Not allowed | No. 14; Art. 19.1 |
| Baby carriers | Allowed with conditions | Only carriers without metal frames (Art. 19.1) |
| Heels and hard-soled shoes | Not allowed | Only soft or rubber-soled shoes or trainers (No. 13; Art. 19.1) |
| Aerosol cans, such as spray sunscreen or repellent | Not allowed | No. 8 |
| Portable seats and stools | Not allowed | No. 5 |
| Knives, sharp objects, weapons | Not allowed | No. 15 |
| Speakers, megaphones, instruments | Not allowed | No. 10 |
| Animals | Allowed with conditions | Guide dogs only (No. 6) |
| Banners, posters, costumes, advertising clothing | Not allowed | No. 16 |
| Handheld personal photos and video | Allowed | Advertising shoots banned; promotional filming only if authorised (Art. 19.2) |
| Smoking, vaping, any fire | Not allowed | No. 21 |
Bags, Food, Water and Plastics
- Bag size: the limit is 40 x 35 x 20 cm, a set of dimensions rather than a litre rating. A litre rating tells you nothing about height, so measure the pack. Salkantay Trekking's January 2026 packing guide describes a small paid cloakroom near the entrance with limited space. We could not confirm its fee from an official source, so plan not to need it.
- Food: rule No. 2 bans entering with food and kitchenware, full stop. Article 19.1 says the same. Eat in Aguas Calientes or before you reach the gate.
- Water: neither the regulation nor the conduct list bans water. Carry it in a plain reusable bottle. The English list counts thermoses as kitchenware, so leave an insulated flask at your hotel.
- Single-use plastics: Ley 30884 of December 2018 (Article 3.1) bans plastic bags, plastic straws and expanded polystyrene food and drink containers in natural protected areas and World Heritage sites. Machu Picchu is both: a protected historic sanctuary and, since 1983, a mixed cultural and natural World Heritage site. The law does not name plastic bottles.
For clothes, layers and documents, see our packing list.
Walking Sticks, Umbrellas, Strollers and Shoes
- Walking sticks: Article 19.2 bans sticks with metal or hard tips and allows rubber-tipped sticks for people with disabilities or older visitors. The 2024 conduct list simply bans walking sticks. If you are a fit hiker with trekking poles, leave them behind. If you need a stick to walk, fit a rubber tip and expect to be asked about it.
- Umbrellas: banned in both texts. Bring a poncho or rain jacket and a hat.
- Strollers: banned. Article 19.1 allows baby carriers, but only without metal frames, so a metal-framed hiking carrier does not meet the text.
- Shoes: no heels or hard soles. Trainers and rubber-soled walking shoes meet the rule.
Tickets and ID: The Name Has to Match
The September 2026 rewrite of Article 15 says:
- Named ticket: it is issued with your name and full ID number and is valid only for the date, hour, circuit and holder shown. No date changes, no name changes. A passport number can be corrected once, and only for an obvious error.
- Original ID: foreign visitors show a valid passport, carné de extranjería, diplomatic ID, or national ID for Andean Community and Mercosur citizens. If yours is lost or stolen, a police report is accepted.
- Checks: since December 2023, gate staff must match the ID number and entry hour against the ticket, and park staff must also request them inside the site (Article 17.1).
- No-shows: an unused ticket is void, with no rescheduling or refund except for proven force majeure.
- Guides: the September 2026 text still says a guide is recommended, not required. Guided groups are capped at 16 visitors under Article 18.2 as written in 2018.
The resolution allowed a setup period plus a 30-day trial run, so expect some bedding-in through late 2026.
One-Way Routes, Entry Windows and Maximum Stays
The site runs on three circuits and ten routes, explained in our circuit comparison. Article 10, as rewritten in 2023, requires you to walk the circuit on your ticket and bars you from cordoned or signed restricted areas. The Ministry's 2026 circuit panels mark each route with arrows from the entrance to the exit.
Entry is at the hour on your ticket. Article 15-A, as amended in May 2024, allows 30 minutes' grace in low season and 45 minutes in high season. In 2026 high season runs to 2 November, so from 3 November the grace drops to 30 minutes. The Ministry's May 2024 entry table allows no late entry at the mountain controls.
Maximum stays, from the Ministry's route maps:
- 2 hours 30 minutes: Routes 1-B, 2-A, 2-B and 3-B, the standard visits. Article 16 sets the same limit.
- 3 hours: Route 1-D (Inca Bridge).
- 3 hours 30 minutes: Route 3-D (Huchuypicchu).
- 4 hours: Route 1-C (Sun Gate).
- 6 hours: Route 3-A (Huayna Picchu).
- 7 hours: Routes 1-A (Machu Picchu Mountain) and 3-C (Great Cavern).
The 2023 resolution gives slightly shorter totals for the mountain routes, so treat the map figures as a ceiling. Article 16 caps the 14:00 and 15:00 entries at 17:30, and overstaying means immediate removal.
Toilets and Re-Entry
There are no toilets inside the citadel, as the state tourism board's PROMPERÚ visitor leaflet notes; operator guides place them outside, by the main entrance. Article 16 bans re-entry except for force majeure. The leaflet, based on 2019 information, made an exception for mountain tickets, and we could not confirm that it still applies. Use the toilets right before you scan your ticket.
Behaviour That Gets You Removed, and What Happens Next
- Walls and stones: climbing or leaning on walls, and touching, moving or taking stones (No. 18).
- Leaving your route: straying from your circuit or entering cordoned areas (No. 23; Art. 10).
- Disorder: jumping, running, lying down, undressing or causing a commotion (No. 17). Yes, that covers the jumping photo.
- Noise: clapping, shouting, whistling or singing (No. 11).
- Events: dances, fashion shows, ceremonies, what the list calls "social commitments", and obscene acts (No. 20; Art. 19.2).
- Nature: feeding animals, llamas included, and picking or disturbing plants (Nos. 7 and 19).
- Marks and mess: graffiti and litter (Nos. 9 and 22).
- Phones: using apps in narrow passages or outside the explanation areas (No. 12).
Penalties: Article 20, rewritten in December 2023, means immediate removal without a refund, and the Ministry's Cusco office (DDC Cusco) starts legal action where it applies. Guides and agencies are also reported to the regional tourism authority and to INDECOPI. Article 10 adds a sanctioning procedure for entering restricted areas. The regulation does not publish a fine scale for tourists.
Serious damage is a crime. Article 226 of the Penal Code punishes depredating or removing archaeological monuments with three to six years in prison. In January 2020, after six tourists were found in a restricted area of the Temple of the Sun, five were expelled from Peru with a 15-year entry ban and the sixth faced trial over a dislodged stone, AFP reported.
Our Take: The Rules People Most Often Get Wrong
Our position: pack to the strictest reading of the text. Removal comes without a refund, and many packing lists, some from tour operators, repeat rules that are not in the official text.
- "Small snacks are fine." The text bans food without exception. Eat before the gate.
- "Rubber tips make trekking poles legal." Only for older visitors and people with disabilities, and the 2024 list goes further.
- "Plastic bottles are banned." We found no official text that says so. Plastic bags, straws and polystyrene are banned. Bring a reusable bottle anyway.
- "Pack an umbrella for the rain." Umbrellas are banned. A poncho is not.
- "Monopods are OK." The English list names monopods.
- "You get about four hours." On a standard route you get 2 hours 30 minutes.
- "A guide is compulsory." The September 2026 text recommends one; it does not require one.
For the other changes since 2024, see what's new at Machu Picchu in 2026.
FAQ
Can I bring food into Machu Picchu?
No. Rule No. 2 of the Ministry's conduct list bans food and kitchenware, and Article 19.1 of the regulation says the same. Eat in Aguas Calientes or before you reach the gate.
Are plastic water bottles banned at Machu Picchu?
Not by name. Ley 30884 bans plastic bags, straws and polystyrene containers at World Heritage sites and protected areas, and the conduct list bans litter. A reusable bottle avoids any argument at the gate.
Can I use trekking poles at Machu Picchu?
Not if you are a fit hiker. Article 19.2 allows only rubber-tipped sticks, for older visitors and people with disabilities, and the Ministry's 2024 list bans walking sticks outright.
Can I bring an umbrella to Machu Picchu?
No. Umbrellas and sunshades are on both the regulation and the conduct list. Bring a poncho or rain jacket and a hat instead.
How big can my backpack be at Machu Picchu?
No larger than 40 x 35 x 20 cm (16 x 14 x 8 in). The limit is by dimensions, not litres, so measure a hiking daypack before you travel.
Are there toilets inside Machu Picchu?
No. Operators place the toilets outside, by the main entrance, and re-entry is banned except for force majeure, so go just before you scan your ticket.
Can I leave and re-enter Machu Picchu on the same ticket?
No. Article 16 bans re-entry except for force majeure. Older official material allowed an exception for mountain tickets, but we could not confirm it for 2026.
Does the name on my Machu Picchu ticket have to match my passport?
Yes. Since September 2026 the ticket carries your name and full ID number and is valid only for its holder, and staff must match the ID number at the gate. Bring the original document, not a copy.
Is a guide required to enter Machu Picchu?
The regulation, as rewritten in September 2026, recommends a guide but does not require one. Some operators describe a guide as compulsory, so check your ticket terms.
Limitations
This guide reflects the official texts as of October 2026: the regulation as amended through RM 334-2026-MC and the conduct list last updated in August 2024. The two differ on walking sticks, the new ticket rules were still in their trial period, and seasons, grace periods and maximum stays can change by resolution at short notice. We could not confirm the cloakroom fee, whether mountain tickets still allow re-entry, or how strictly staff treat single-use water bottles. Work-around: before booking, re-read the conduct list on machupicchu.gob.pe and the terms shown on tuboleto.cultura.pe, and pack to the stricter of the two texts.