The day, stage by stage
- 08:00 · Qorikancha: The Inca and his court greet the sun in the gardens of the Temple of the Sun on Avenida El Sol. About an hour. Seats in the single stand are ticketed (S/235 in 2026); the surrounding streets are free but fill early.
- 11:00 · Plaza de Armas: The procession reaches the main square and the Inca addresses the city. Free, standing, and the most crowded hour of the year in Cusco. Arrive by 09:30 for a view; balconies of the restaurants around the square are sold separately by the restaurants themselves.
- 13:00 · Sacsayhuamán: The main ceremony on the esplanade above the city, about two hours with more than 800 performers: the arrival of the four regions of the empire, the sacrifice, the reading of the omens. Ticketed stands on three sides; the slope behind them is where Cusco watches for free, on foot, from early morning.
What the tickets really cost: the 2026 official sale
The organizer is EMUFEC, the municipality of Cusco's festivals company, and the official sale runs on Teleticket. For 2026 the Sacsayhuamán esplanade had 3,766 seats in four zones, priced in soles with the service fee included. The 2027 prices will be published by EMUFEC in the first months of the year; expect the same structure.
| Seats (2026) | Price 2026, fee included | |
|---|---|---|
| Illapa (side stands) | 810 | S/490 general · S/250 child, guide or Peruvian |
| Chaska | 1,188 | S/680 general · S/340 child or guide |
| Killa VIP | 448 | S/730 general · S/365 child or guide |
| Inti Super VIP (front) | 1,320 | S/850 general · S/430 child or guide |
| Qorikancha stand | 350 | S/235 general · S/120 child or guide · S/150 Peruvian |
| Qorikancha + Sacsayhuamán package | S/690 to S/1,030 by zone |
In 2026 the whole lot, 4,116 tickets, was sold out by 17 June, a week before the day. That is the official channel. The green, red and orange 'zones' quoted in dollars on agency sites, from about $106 to over $400, are the agencies' own packaging of these seats, usually with a transfer, a guide and lunch, and sometimes with a mark-up of two or three times the face value. If you buy from an agency, ask which official zone the seat is in and what else is included; if you buy on Teleticket, you need a Peruvian or international card and you print or show the e-ticket at the gate.
The real deadline: Machu Picchu that week
Almost everyone who comes for Inti Raymi also goes to Machu Picchu, and that is where the plan breaks. From 19 June the sanctuary is in high season: the Ministry raises the daily capacity, demand rises faster, and 29 June is a Peruvian public holiday that fills the weekend after the festival with domestic travel. In 2026 the days around the 24th on Circuit 2A, the route through the Inka city, were gone months ahead; the same will happen in 2027. The order, then: fix the Machu Picchu date and entry hour first, on the live calendar, book the train around it, then the Cusco hotel for the festival nights, and only then the show. If the circuit you wanted is already sold out, our sold-out guide lists what still works, including the 2-Day Tour with its own allocation.
- A plan that works: Arrive in Cusco on 21 June and acclimatise. 22 June Sacred Valley, train to Aguas Calientes, one night in the Pueblo. 23 June Machu Picchu early, train back to Cusco by evening. 24 June the festival. 25 June Rainbow Mountain or a free day. The full day-by-day logic is in our 3, 4 and 5-day itineraries.
- Hotels and trains: Cusco expects about 300,000 visitors in June. Hotels near the Plaza de Armas and the trains out of Ollantaytambo on 22 and 23 June are the next things to go after the entry. Book both as soon as the Machu Picchu date is fixed.
- The whole month is a festival: Cusco's jubilee runs through June: Corpus Christi in early June, parades on the Plaza almost daily in the second half of the month, the Qoyllur Rit'i pilgrimage a few weeks before. If 24 June is out of reach, the week before has most of the atmosphere and far more Machu Picchu tickets.
Practical, on the day
- Sun and cold: June is the driest month and the sun at 3,600 m on an open esplanade is fierce from noon; by 15:00 the shade is cold. Hat, sunscreen, a warm layer, water. The stands have no roof.
- Getting up to Sacsayhuamán: Two kilometres uphill from the Plaza, 30 to 40 minutes on foot, and the roads close to traffic around midday. Agencies' transfers exist because of that closure; walking up before 11:30 is the reliable option.
- Tickets are nominal: Teleticket e-tickets are checked against ID at the gate; children and guide fares need the document that justifies them.
Frequent questions about Inti Raymi 2027
When is Inti Raymi 2027?
Thursday 24 June 2027, as every year: Qorikancha at 08:00, Plaza de Armas at 11:00, Sacsayhuamán at 13:00.
How much do Inti Raymi tickets cost?
In the official 2026 sale on Teleticket, the four Sacsayhuamán zones cost S/490 (Illapa), S/680 (Chaska), S/730 (Killa VIP) and S/850 (Inti Super VIP), fee included; the Qorikancha stand S/235. The 2027 prices will be published by EMUFEC; expect the same order of magnitude.
Is any part of Inti Raymi free?
Yes. The Plaza de Armas ceremony at 11:00 is free and open; the streets around Qorikancha at 08:00 are free; and the hillside behind the Sacsayhuamán stands is where locals watch for free, standing, from early morning.
What are the green, red and orange zones?
Names used by travel agencies for their packages of the official seats, usually with transport, a guide and lunch, priced in dollars. The organizer's zones are Illapa, Chaska, Killa VIP and Inti Super VIP. Ask any seller which official zone your seat is in.
How early do Inti Raymi tickets sell out?
In 2026 all 4,116 official tickets were sold out by 17 June, a week before. The front zones go first. Buy when EMUFEC opens the sale, usually in the first half of the year.
Can I visit Machu Picchu the same week as Inti Raymi?
Yes, and most people do, but it is high season: book the Machu Picchu entry first, months ahead, then the train and the Cusco hotel, and only then the show. The 22nd or 23rd with a night in Aguas Calientes is the usual fit.
Do you sell Inti Raymi tickets?
No. We sell Machu Picchu entries, trains and the services around them. This page exists because the festival week is when our customers most often find Machu Picchu sold out.
Circuit 2A Classic
The iconic postcard photo of Machu Picchu
June 2027: book Machu Picchu before the show
The days around 24 June are high season. Fix your circuit and entry hour now on the live calendar; the train and the night in the Pueblo follow.