Hiking Machu Picchu

You can hike other treks in the Cusco MP area without prior boooking and cheaper, including backpacking and camping on your own: Lares, Salkantay, Choquequirao, Ausangate treks.

I was just there last year, and you only need to book Machu Picchu if you want to climb up one of the 2 specific mountains - Machu Picchu Mountain or Huayna Picchu. The main site itself you probably don't need to book in advance.

If you have some time, you could walk around Cusco and see what deals are being offered there, you might be able to negotiate a lower cost. I did my Machu Picchu trek with Puma Salkantay and it was arranged by a guy called Edwin - you can whatsapp and arrange to meet him in Cusco to find out more about the trek. He helped me and a friend arrange our experience - that we took the bus and walked to Aguas Calientes, stayed overnight (the accom was very basic, don't expect anything fancy), did a short guided walking tour in Machu Picchu before we wandered around on our own. He also arranged for us to take the train back to Cusco in the afternoon.

I think the Yellow Fever Vaccine is only if you are headed to the Amazon, other than that it's not necessary. I had mine but no one ever requested to see or check it.

I read that you have to book in advance for Machu Picchu bc they limit tourists there.

They limit the permits for the Inca Trail to 200 persons per day.
The entry permits for Machu Picchu are 3,000 or so permits for the "morning' entry into Machu Picchu. And a further 3,000 for the afternoon entry into Machu Picchu (6,000 for the day).

You only need to book in advance if you plan to take the Inca Trail. However, just checked and permits for the Inca Trail have sold out til August this year so far.

If you take an alternative trek - Salkantay, Lares, Jungle Trail - these will all include a visit to MP and will include the permit too. As the permits for day visits rarely sell out - you don't need to book in advance.

Check with your local GP regarding yellow fever.

thank you! i will be only hiking just the machu picchu since my itinerary is time constraint. good to know I don't need to book in super advance.

oh that's why! whew! I will be booking Machu Picchu when i get to Cusco and acclimatized a bit in the town. in those alternative trek, which one would you recommend?

A vaccine? is not necessary, you're a backpacker so the adrenaline and adventures is your kind of trip. But also the budget is limited, well there are some treks u can do, for example inca trail but it's filled up all the time is better choose other alternatives very similar to inca trail as salkantay trek, choquequirao trek, other hikes like salkantay trek or maybe an easier lares trek. Look the low costs browsing every page and u will find the dream hike

Inca trail booking now

A vaccine?
Yeah. Vaccinations to stop being infected from things such as Yellow Fever. I'd strongly advise that the OP goes to their local GP or Medical Practioner to seek out advise. I know that coming back to Australia from Peru means I have to show proof that I have a Yellow Fever certficate.

Inca trail booking now
As for booking the Inca Trail - its sold out til August for 2018. So I'd advise you not to book that as any agency doing so is probably giving you a bum steer.

The altenative treks - depends. If you want scenery - Salkantay. If you want adventure - Jungle Trail. If you want a more cultural experience - Lares. But these treks are all 4 days long. So if time is an issue - perhaps the train into Aguas Caliente is a better option.

So...salkantay just of these days? Also exists from more days depending the a kind of trek