Is Machu Picchu Closed?

The magnificent Incan citadel of Machu Picchu conjures images of misty green mountains and ancient stone walls, but recently rumors have swirled about its potential closure. Despite whispers of the site shutting its gates, Machu Picchu remains open 365 days a year, while continuing preservation efforts.

The confusion stems from temporary closures for floods in 2010 and COVID-19, as well as the annual maintenance closure of the Inca Trail. New regulations now limit visitors, require guides, and designate paths to protect Machu Picchu for future generations.

Peru also depends on revenue from this iconic destination, keeping it accessible to curious travelers. Delve deeper to uncover the full story behind the false rumors and the future of visiting this bucket-list location.

Key takeaways:

• Machu Picchu is Not Closing Permanently: Despite various rumors, Machu Picchu is not closing to the public in the foreseeable future. It remains open every day of the year from 6:00 am to 5:00 pm.
• Origins of the Closing Rumor: The rumor of Machu Picchu’s closure has been fueled by various events, including UNESCO’s concerns about the site’s preservation, flooding in 2010, and temporary closures for maintenance during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Inca Trail’s Annual Closure: The Inca Trail is closed every February for maintenance, which has contributed to the confusion about Machu Picchu’s status. However, Machu Picchu remains open during this period.
• New Regulations for Preservation: To protect the site, new regulations were introduced in 2017, limiting the number of daily visitors, requiring tourists to be accompanied by an official guide, and implementing designated paths.
• Machu Picchu’s Importance to Peru: The site is a significant source of revenue for Peru, and the government is keen on preserving it while ensuring it remains accessible to tourists.

Why Was Machu Picchu Closed? 

Machu Picchu was unexpectedly closed to visitors starting in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As the coronavirus spread globally, Peru imposed strict travel restrictions and closed many tourist destinations, including Machu Picchu, to prevent transmission.

Throughout 2020 and into 2021, Machu Picchu remained closed to the public for over 9 months – the longest closure since the site’s discovery in 1911. Even after Peru began lifting some restrictions in 2021, Machu Picchu continued to operate at reduced capacity, only allowing in a fraction of its normal visitors per day.

The extended closure was devastating for the tourism-dependent region. But from a conservation standpoint, some experts noted that the lack of visitors for so long provided a rare opportunity to study and assess the impacts of tourism on the fragile Incan citadel. Machu Picchu finally reopened to tourists at full capacity in November 2021, as Peru rolled back restrictions with a decline in COVID-19 cases.

More recently in December 2022, Machu Picchu was closed again for a number of days due to political protests and unrest following the president’s impeachment. The temporary closure was a setback for the already struggling tourism industry in the area.

Will Machu Picchu Ever Close to the Public?

No, Machu Picchu isn’t going to close to the public in 2023, 2024, or anytime soon. The simple answer is, no, the historic sanctuary of Machu Picchu in Peru, South America is not closing.  Of course, there have been some temporary closures due to unforeseen circumstances, but the marvelous citadel will remain open to the public every single day of the year from 6:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. for the foreseeable future.

Have you ever heard of the game, telephone? You know, when you were a young one. You would sit in a big circle or long line, and the first person says a phrase or sentence (a rumor). From there, each person whispers to their comrade next to them what they heard from the person before them. By the time the last person hears the rumor, it has completely changed, almost always to something that’s completely unrecognizable from the original phrase. That’s what this is — a rumor.

With that said, there are plans in place that will change the way the public visits the Machu Picchu archaeological site.

PRO TIP: We recommend spending two days at Machu Picchu. One day for the Machu Picchu complex and the second day for Machu Picchu Mountain or Huayna Picchu.

How did the Machu Picchu Permanently Closing Rumor Start?

The rumor seems to stem from a few various places and seems to crop up every year. First, Machu Picchu is a UNESCO World Heritage site that is considered endangered due to the large amount of traffic that comes to it each year. Due to extensive erosion around the archaeological site, there have been negotiations between Peru and UNESCO to reduce the number of people allowed to enter per year to help conserve the cultural heritage site. Many worry that these talks will result in Machu Picchu closing.

In 2010, there was extensive flooding around Aguas Calientes, which caused approximately 4,000 people to become stranded due to damage to the railway between Aguas Calientes and Ollantaytambo, which caused Machu Picchu to close for two months. The result was lost revenue of $185 million for Peru. This is not a small chunk of change, and Peru is going to do everything in its power to preserve the site while allowing people to visit it.

Additionally, there have been some unexpected closings to Machu Picchu throughout the years. In 2016, Machu Picchu Mountain and Huayna Picchu Mountain were closed to the public for maintenance. Because of the shared name between Machu Picchu Mountain and the Machu Picchu citadel, rumors spread rapidly that Machu Picchu may be closing forever.

In 2017, there was extensive flooding and many landslides in Peru. This caused many would-be travelers to cancel their plans to visit Machu Picchu. Parts of the Inca Trail were affected by the flooding and landslides, but Machu Picchu remained untouched and remained open.

Machu Picchu was closed for approximately a year during the Covid-19 pandemic.

There was a short window in 2023 that Machu Picchu was closed for a couple weeks during the political unrest throughout the country.

What is the Future of Visiting Machu Picchu?

Many people have a trip to Machu Picchu on their bucket list. It is a top-rated tourist attraction that travelers want to make sure they hit before they leave Peru. However, as previously mentioned, there will likely never be plans to close Machu Picchu for good. However, to preserve the historical site, there will probably be changes to visiting Machu Picchu.

On July 1, 2017, the first steps were implemented:

• As of then only, 5,000 people are permitted to enter the grounds each day.
• Groups have been split into hourly entrance times.
• Finally, the new regulations require that people follow a designed path from start to finish.

Therefore, there are no plans for Machu Picchu to close permanently. If it ever does, or arrangements were made to close Machu Picchu, this would be MASSIVE news. It wouldn’t be mere rumors, but rather rapidly spread across all the major news outlets across the world. Rest assured, you will be able to visit Machu Picchu 365 days of the year well into the future.

How often have you heard the rumors that Machu Picchu is closing? Where did you hear them? Let us know in the comments.

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