Machu Picchu Will Open to Tourists in November

If you’ve been dreaming of having Machu Picchu mostly to yourself, you may now have your chance.

The iconic archaeological site is scheduled to reopen at 30% capacity on Nov. 1. A maximum of 675 people will be allowed in per day, in groups of eight (seven visitors plus a guide). Temperatures will be checked prior to entering, and anyone showing 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit or more will not be permitted. Additionally, groups must stay 66 feet apart. According to Forbes, trains and buses to the entrance will operate at 50% capacity, and passengers will be required to wear a mask.

Peru also plans to restart flights from cities in the U.S., Mexico, Central, and South America on the same day. U.S. travelers will be able to fly to Lima, Peru, from Los Angeles, New York, Orlando, Miami, Atlanta, and Houston.

Visitors to Machu Picchu will need to purchase entry tickets in advance, and they’ll want to move quickly. Tickets for visits through Nov. 14 sold out in about two days, according to Adios Adventure Travel cofounder Jacquie Whitt, who specializes in South American travel. Inca Trail hiking permits have only been made available to local residents so far, Whitt wrote in a post.

Machu Picchu has been closed for over seven months amid the pandemic. Its first visitor was a Japanese tourist who waited out the country’s shutdown to earn himself the honor of getting the UNESCO World Heritage site to himself before its formal reopening.

Museums and other archaeological sites in Peru began opening this month and are operating at about 50% capacity. Flights with neighboring countries began on Oct. 5. Peru has seen more than 880,000 cases of coronavirus and nearly 34,000 deaths during the pandemic. It’s now in its fourth stage of its reopening.

The Peruvian government is only allowing international flights that are eight hours or shorter to land in Lima. Travelers must present proof of a negative COVID-19 PCR test taken 72 hours prior to their flight.

They may also want to bring a raincoat. November through March is Peru’s rainy season.

Meena Thiruvengadam is a Travel + Leisure contributor who has visited 50 countries on six continents and 47 U.S. states. She loves historic plaques, wandering new streets, and walking on beaches. Find her on Twitter and Instagram.