Why is Machu Picchu closed?

Since January 20th, the Inca citadel of Machu Picchu has been closed until further notice. The announcement was made by the ministry of culture, due to the unrest in Peru. “This measure has been implemented in order to look for the safety of our visitors” (taken from the official site of the ministry of culture in Cusco https://www.culturacusco.gob.pe/).

As many of you may know, Peru is going through a tough time due to the political and social crisis that arose over the last few months. Many sectors of the country (especially the south of Peru) are asking for new elections and a new parliament. Many protests have taken place in cities like Lima, Arequipa, Puno & Cusco.

When Will Machu Picchu reopen?

This is a Question that many of our travelers ask in order to prepare for their trips, flights, and so on.
This situation of uncertainty living in Peru started on December 13th, it had a short break during the holidays (Christmas) and started again on January 4th. We don’t know for sure when exactly things will settle down, but we expect that things might get back to normal in the following weeks.

Regarding Machu Picchu, it could reopen on Feb 15h, as long as the conditions of security are guaranteed. This was announced by the ministry of culture yesterday Feb 8th. If Machu Picchu is open again for visitors, all services such as train operations, and Machu Picchu tickets will be available for being sold.

Can we still visit Cusco and the surroundings?

We can mention that arriving in Cusco is totally possible, the airport is operating as usual, as well as the transportation in the city. Note that the situation changes from one day to another, so it would be advisable to check the news or follow our blog and social media where we update information regarding the situation in Machu Picchu.

If arriving in Cusco, places such as the main square, the Cathedral, the temple of the sun, the neighborhood of San Blas, local museums, and others are available. Also, you can still visit archaeological sites such as Sacsayhuaman (2 Km from Cusco city), Qenqo & Tambomachay. If interested in visiting Cusco or ask for a custom trip to Machu Picchu you can check our site.

Recommendations

During this time, our sincere recommendation is to reschedule your trip when things settle down in Peru. Getting to know Machu Picchu is a wonderful experience that we encourage you not to give up.

In the meantime, we can suggest the following:

• Reschedule your trip to any other date in 2023 or 2024.
• Check the news before booking your tickets. The situation is very dynamic and can change from day to day.
• Visit the official site to check availability to visit Machu Picchu.
• You can contact us to get more information.

As mentioned before, we expect that the unrest we’re living in Peru will settle down in the following weeks. We’ll continue updating the information so our travelers can make the best decision.
We encourage you to continue visiting our blog. We have Machu Picchu tours fully customizable, and you can adjust them according to your interests and needs once things get back to normal.
We look forward to seeing you soon!
Machu Picchu Explorer team.