Question 1

What is the "Pickpocketing on the Aguas Calientes Market Street" scam in Machu Picchu?

Accepted Answer

The crowded market corridor along Calle Tupac Yupanki in Aguas Calientes is a prime pickpocketing zone, particularly when train arrivals bring large groups of tourists simultaneously. Thieves work in pairs, with one creating a distraction or bump while the other extracts wallets and phones from backpack outer pockets and jacket pockets. Keep valuables in a front pocket or inner zipped compartment when walking through the market. Be especially alert immediately after disembarking the train when you are tired and distracted. Use a money belt for passports and large cash amounts.

Question 2

What is the "Photo-for-Pay Demand" scam in Machu Picchu?

Accepted Answer

Women in traditional Quechua dress with llamas and alpacas position themselves at high-visibility photo spots along the approach to the citadel and near the Sun Gate. After a tourist photographs them, they demand payment and can become aggressive if the amount offered is deemed insufficient. Ask permission and agree on a fee before taking any photograph. A typical fair amount is 2-5 soles. Respect a refusal to be photographed.

Question 3

What is the "Altitude Sickness Remedy Scam" scam in Machu Picchu?

Accepted Answer

Vendors near the Aguas Calientes market and in Cusco's Plaza de Armas sell herbal "altitude remedies" and coca tea packets at inflated tourist prices, sometimes claiming proprietary formulas that do not differ from standard coca leaf products available at any market. Some push prescription-strength acetazolamide without medical consultation. Free coca tea is widely available at hotels throughout the Sacred Valley and Cusco. Consult a physician before taking acetazolamide and purchase only from licensed pharmacies (Inkafarma or MiFarma chains).

Street Scams in Machu Picchu

Pickpocketing on the Aguas Calientes Market Street

Photo-for-Pay Demand

Altitude Sickness Remedy Scam

Experienced a scam here?