Tour & Activity Scams in Machu Picchu, Peru
Unlicensed guides, fake tickets, bait-and-switch excursions, and ticket scalping. Below are the tour & activities scams reported in Machu Picchu — how they work and how to avoid them.
For broader context, compare this scam type with nearby destinations like Valparaíso, Mendoza, and Medellín.
Last updated: April 7, 2026
3
Tour & Activities Scams
8
Total in Machu Picchu
How it works
Vendors near the Aguas Calientes train station and on Plaza de Armas in Cusco sell counterfeit or already-used Machu Picchu entrance tickets, often at slight discounts. Since tickets are time-slotted and require passport verification at the gate, buyers discover the fraud only upon arrival at the citadel entrance.
How it works
PeruRail and Inca Rail tickets sell out weeks in advance during high season (June-August). Scalpers near Cusco's San Pedro market and Poroy station offer "spare" tickets at two to three times face value, some of which are fraudulent PDFs that will not scan at the station.
How it works
Individuals without official MINCETUR guide licenses offer tours inside the citadel at rates below licensed guides, providing inaccurate historical information and sometimes abandoning groups mid-tour once full payment is collected. Licensed guides wear visible ID badges issued by Peru's Ministry of Foreign Trade and Tourism.
See all scams in Machu Picchu
8 total warnings across all categories
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