Earlier this year, Goway announced the introduction of new regulations for visiting Machu Picchu. More is now known about these new regulations, which officially take effect from July 1st 2017.
Machu Picchu is unarguably one of the most famous and popular sites in South America. In 2007, the site was voted as one of the New Seven Wonders of the World, and with that designation came growth of visitors to nearly 1.4 million tourists in 2014. This increased traffic has had an impact both on the famed site and on the visitor experience as well.
As of July 1st, there will be new admission rules for visiting the citadel. Visitation times will be divided into a morning ticket (6:00AM to 12:00PM) and an afternoon ticket (12:00PM to 5:30PM). The entrance will close at 4:30PM. Tickets cost 152 soles ($47 per adult), regardless of whether travelers visit in the morning or afternoon.
The first four months of these new procedures will also see some leniency in application of the new regulations as all invested parties adjust.
With the two distinct entrance periods, visitors will be permitted to stay up to 4 hours within the ruins. How this will be monitored is undecided. The situation, while gaining some form of structure, is still fluid, and fine tuning of the new procedures will be ongoing.
Goway does not foresee any major interruptions to travellers who have already booked a visit to Machu Picchu from July 1st.
The change is an attempt to manage crowding, easing the stress on the fragile ruins. It means a little more red tape, but with the greater good in mind, keeping Machu Picchu in great shape and accessible for future travelers. Authorities in Peru have been considering the change for some years, seeing it as both logical and ecofriendly.