The information shown below is taken directly from the government trek permit database and shows the real-time availability of trek permits for the Inca Trail. Trek permits are required for the classic 4-day Inca Trail, the shorter 2-day Inca Trail and the 7-day Salkantay / Inca Trail trek. Alternative treks such as Lares Valley, Ausangate, Choquequirao, and the SALKANTAY 5-day Inca Trail via Santa Teresa do not require trek permits. The government issues a maximum of 500 trek permits for each day. Since trekking staff are also included within this limit of 500 persons this means that, on average, about 200 trek permits are allocated to tourists and about 300 allocated to guides, cooks and porters.

How to use this data base: First you will realise that the information given below is in Spanish! The data base is mainly used by the trekking agencies in Cusco to decide when they need to close their groups and buy the trek permits. However you don't need to know much Spanish in order to check how many trek permits are still available on the date that you want to do the trek.

Step 1: http://www.inc-cusco.gob.pe/ 

Step 2: Click (RCI NAHUI)

Step 3: (ingresar como invitado) and then click (disponibilidad camino inka 2008) continue. (elija el mes para disponibilidad) and then (ver disponibilidad )

Interpretation of the Results: If the number of spaces available is zero then it basically means that all the trek permits have been sold out and no matter how many companies you contact, none of them will be able to offer you space on the Inca Trail. Even if companies have cancellations regulations prevent them from filling these spaces with other clients. This may sound ridiculous but the system has been designed to prevent "wealthy" companies buying up all the spaces in advance using made-up names and passport numbers and then cancelling them nearer the time only to fill the cancelled spaces with real clients. The number of remaining spaces does not fall steadily, rather it falls exponentially. That it to say that the number of spaces remains between 300 and 500 for quite along time but as it starts to fall below 250 more companies decide to buy permits for their groups and the rate that the spaces drop starts to increase. Often the last 100 spaces can sell out in a day or so. For example just because there may be 160 spaces available on the day that you want to start the trek, by the time you find a suitable trekking company and send them your trek deposit, it doesn't mean that there will still be 160 spaces left! So it is highly recommended to book your Inca Trail as far in advance as possible.