Inca Trail February Closure
About
Each February the classic Inca Trail to Machu Picchu closes for the whole month for maintenance and the heart of the rainy season. The citadel itself stays open — but trekkers must plan trains, not trails.
Highlights
- The four-day classic Inca Trail is shut for the entire month for maintenance.
- February is the wettest month — green, quiet and cheaper, but cloudier.
- Permit-free alternatives like Salkantay still run, weather permitting.
Practical tips
- If your trip lands in February, reach the citadel by train rather than the classic trail.
- Build in weather buffers; landslides can occasionally disrupt the rail line.
- Consider a shoulder-season month (April/May or September/October) for trekking instead.
Other upcoming events
Inti Raymi (Festival of the Sun)
The Inca winter-solstice rite to Inti, the sun, re-enacted each year above Cusco at the fortress of Sacsayhuamán — the headline event of the Andean dry season, with hundreds of costumed performers.
Saints Peter and Paul in Peru 2026 (San Pedro y San Pablo)
29 June, the Feast of Saints Peter and Paul (San Pedro y San Pablo), is a Peruvian national public holiday, especially celebrated in fishing communities as a day honouring fishermen.
Machu Picchu Discovery Day 2026 (July 7)
July 7 marks the 1911 discovery of Machu Picchu by Hiram Bingham — and, since 2007, its naming as one of the New Seven Wonders of the World. Cusco and Aguas Calientes mark the day with decorations, parades, folk music, dance and Pachamama offerings.