Riders on our Maras route ask the same thing at the Moray gate almost every morning: “Do I need the Cusco Tourist Ticket for this?” For Moray, yes. For the Salt Mines ten minutes down the road, no. That mix of yes and no is why the Boleto Turístico confuses so many people. This guide explains what the Cusco Tourist Ticket covers, what it costs, which version you need, and how it fits each of our four ATV routes.
Table of Contents
What the Cusco Tourist Ticket is
The Cusco Tourist Ticket, or Boleto Turístico del Cusco (BTC), is a single pass for 16 archaeological sites and museums in and around Cusco. It’s managed by COSITUC, the committee that runs these sites, and it is the only way to enter them. There’s no separate entrance ticket at Sacsayhuaman or Moray; you show the boleto, the guard stamps it, and you’re in.
It doesn’t cover everything. Machu Picchu, the Cathedral, the Qorikancha temple itself and the Maras Salt Mines all charge their own entrance.
Cusco Tourist Ticket prices and options
There are two kinds of ticket: the full one (integral) and three partial circuits (parciales). These are the prices listed for foreign visitors at the time of writing; check the official COSITUC site before you go, because they can change.
| Ticket | Valid for | Foreign adult | Peruvian adult |
|---|---|---|---|
| Integral, all 16 sites | 10 days | S/130 | S/70 |
| Integral, student | 10 days | S/70 | S/40 |
| Circuit I: Cusco archaeological sites | 1 day | S/70 | S/40 |
| Circuit II: museums and South Valley | 2 days | S/70 | S/40 |
| Circuit III: Sacred Valley | 2 days | S/70 | S/40 |
The student rate needs a valid student ID card; ask at the office which cards they accept. Children’s rates are handled at the ticket office, so ask there with the child’s passport.
Sites included in each circuit
Circuit I: Cusco archaeological sites
- Sacsayhuaman
- Q’enqo
- Puka Pukara
- Tambomachay
All four sit on the hill above the city and can be seen in a morning. That’s why this circuit is valid for one day only.
Circuit II: museums and the South Valley
- Qorikancha Site Museum (the underground museum, not the temple)
- Regional History Museum
- Contemporary Art Museum
- Museum of Popular Art
- Qosqo Native Art Center (the evening dance show)
- Monument to Pachacutec
- Tipón
- Pikillaqta
Circuit III: Sacred Valley
- Pisac
- Ollantaytambo
- Chinchero
- Moray
Circuit III is the one that matters for ATV riders, because Moray is a stop on our Maras, Moray & Salt Mines ATV tour.
Which Cusco Tourist Ticket should you buy?
Count the sites you’ll actually visit, then check the dates.
- Staying four days or more and planning the Sacred Valley plus the city ruins: buy the integral. Two circuits already cost S/140, so it pays for itself as soon as you need a second one.
- Doing the Maras ATV tour and a Sacred Valley day within two days: Circuit III covers Moray, Pisac, Ollantaytambo and Chinchero.
- Only doing the Maras ATV tour: you still need Circuit III or the integral for Moray. There’s no single-site ticket.
- Short on time in Cusco: Circuit I covers the four ruins above the city in one morning.
One detail people miss: a partial circuit starts counting from the first site you enter. If you buy Circuit III at Moray on Monday, it’s valid at Pisac on Tuesday but not on Wednesday.
Where to buy it
The Cusco Tourist Ticket is sold in person only; there’s no official online sale. Third-party websites that offer it are reselling, often with a mark-up.
- COSITUC office: Calle Arequipa A-2, Barrio Profesional, behind the Inca Garcilaso de la Vega school in Cusco.
- At the sites: the ticket booths at the larger sites, Moray among them, usually sell it too.
Bring your passport; the ticket is issued in your name and checked against it. Bring soles in cash as well. Cards are sometimes accepted, but on our early starts we’d rather not find out the machine is down.
The Cusco Tourist Ticket and our ATV routes
Here’s what you’ll pay at the gate on each route. Prices for entrance fees are approximate and paid in cash on site; the tour prices are the ones published on each tour page.
Maras, Moray & the Salt Mines
This is the only one of our routes that uses the Cusco Tourist Ticket. Moray needs the boleto (Circuit III or integral). The Maras Salt Mines are run by the local community and charge separately, around S/20. Our shared tour costs $38 per person; entrance fees are on top. If you already have the integral, keep it in your daypack, not at the hotel.
Huaypo Lagoon
Not on the boleto. The community charges a small entrance at the lagoon, about S/3–5, in cash. See the Huaypo Lagoon ATV tour for the route and the shared price ($35).
Morada de los Dioses
Not on the boleto, and the entrance is already included in our price (around $25 shared). Nothing to buy at the gate. Details on the Morada de los Dioses ATV tour.
Rainbow Mountain
Not on the boleto. The local communities charge their own entrance, about S/25, plus extra if you add the Red Valley. The shared tour is $80, with breakfast and lunch included. Full itinerary on the Rainbow Mountain ATV tour.
What the boleto doesn’t cover
These popular sites need their own ticket:
- Machu Picchu
- The Cathedral of Cusco
- The Qorikancha temple (Santo Domingo); only the site museum below it is on the boleto
- The Maras Salt Mines
- Rainbow Mountain and the Red Valley
- Humantay Lake
- Huaypo Lagoon
If you’re putting your budget together, our ATV tour Cusco price guide lists what each tour includes and what you pay on the day, and our list of what to pack for an ATV tour in Cusco covers the cash, ID and layers to carry.
Tips from the Moray gate
- Keep the ticket flat and dry. It’s a printed card that gets stamped at each site. A crumpled, rain-soaked boleto still works, but guards take longer with it.
- Your passport has to match. Guards sometimes ask for it, especially with student tickets.
- Plan the 10 days. The integral starts on the first day you use it. If you arrive, acclimatize for two days, then ride, you still have a week left.
- Don’t buy two partials by accident. If you’ll want a second circuit, the integral is cheaper.
FAQs about the Cusco Tourist Ticket
Is the Cusco Tourist Ticket worth it?
If you visit more than one circuit, yes. The integral at S/130 costs less than two partials at S/70 each.
Do I need it for an ATV tour?
Only on the Maras Moray route, for Moray. Huaypo Lagoon, Morada de los Dioses and Rainbow Mountain don’t use it.
Can I buy it online?
Not officially. Buy it at the COSITUC office in Cusco or at a site’s ticket booth.
Does it include Machu Picchu?
No. Machu Picchu has its own ticket, sold through the Ministry of Culture and booked well ahead in high season.
Can I use one ticket for two people?
No. Each ticket carries one name and one passport number.
When should I buy it?
The day before your first site is easiest. Most of our Maras tours pick up between 5 and 6 AM, and nobody wants to queue at a booth that early.
Not sure which routes you’ll do yet? Send us your dates on WhatsApp and we’ll tell you whether the Cusco Tourist Ticket makes sense for your plan.