Machu Picchu Travel Etiquette
James Bustamante is Native to New York but born to Peruvian parents. He has been traveling throughout Latin America since early 2003 and finally made his home in Peru. James has made his way by eating and traveling through almost every country in Central and South America.
Last Updated on November 16, 2022 by James Bustamante
As I sit here and review the daily list of projects the agency is putting together, I am constantly reminded of what some travelers can and cannot do during their Machu Picchu hike. We have never had any strange or unusual behavior from visitors at the Inca citadel. However, we have heard of and seen some alerting actions by a few travelers on the local news.
There is some Machu Picchu travel etiquette that we should all aim to follow. Below are some activities that are not acceptable, two frowned upon and one with definite jail time.
Getting Naked in Machu Picchu (#nakedpicchu)
We are still determining where this idea started and why it even became a thing among travelers, but it has happened more than once. Yeah, sure, thinking about how hard it can be to get to Machu Picchu so that you can moon a Llama does bring a soft chuckle to one’s face (probably not the llamas….). Seriously though, local authorities feared this would become something viral and go mainstream.
As a result, captured naked travelers were escorted out of the Inca complex. There were never any fines placed on the adventurous yet annoying tourists, more of a slap on the wrist. Even though there were no fines or real disciplinary action, we can assure you that getting naked in the citadel is not good Machu Picchu travel etiquette. Below is an example of the crime.
People are weird
Sleeping in Machu Picchu
No, we don’t mean staying at the hotel outside the complex. Some tourists waited for everyone to leave, including the guards, while they hid in one of the Inca washrooms. They then found a good spot in the Inca’s bedroom to catch an 8-hour nap. It sounds like something out of comedy, but it did occur, and not just once.
These actions are certainly not the proper Machu Picchu travel etiquette. We are sure these actions would not have amused the Incas. The sanctuary’s caretakers were not thrilled to find the sleeping tourists either.
We now assure travelers that not only is sneaking and sleeping in Machu Picchu frowned upon but quite dangerous. Remember that Machu Picchu is located between the highlands and the Jungle in a “cloud forest” setting.
You never really know what animals or creepy crawlies can wander at night just waiting to run into a sleeping hiker. There is a little bit of everything in the region, from the potential sun bear, spiders, and snakes to a hungry puma.
Spray Painting a World Heritage Site
Admittedly this article has been chiefly satire based on reality. Sleeping in Machu Picchu or taking naked pictures of yourself at a world heritage site are not considered proper behavior. For the most part, they are relatively harmless. However, a few other characters didn’t have better things to do than to paint national patrimony for the heck of it. At this point, it is no longer a joke, and behavior turns harmful. The result is a felony punishable by incarceration in a Peruvian jail.
In one case, a group of travelers thought, ” hey, let’s take the Inca trail to Machu Picchu and spray-paint the stones along the way .”
The travelers were caught within 24 hours and did a few days in jail in Cusco. The local government issued a statement saying sanctions would be harsher for future “potential artists.”
Machu Picchu Travel Etiqutte Conclusion
In short, have fun, enjoy the scenery and make this experience worthwhile. For most people, visiting Machu Picchu is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity so let’s all make the most of it and respect one another and the destination.
For more information on traveling to Machu Picchu, you can check out our Peru tour packages or contact our destination experts with the contact form below.
