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Is the Boleto Turístico still worth it in 2024? I ran the numbers

Is the Boleto Turístico still worth it in 2024? I ran the numbers

The pass that sounds like a deal but requires calculation

Every article about visiting Cusco mentions the Boleto Turístico. Most articles recommend buying it without much qualification. The truth is more nuanced — the pass is genuinely good value for some visitors and genuinely poor value for others, and which category you fall into depends entirely on which sites you plan to visit.

I spent a morning in February 2024 sitting with the current price list and mapping out exactly when the Boleto saves you money and when it doesn’t. Here is what I found.

What the Boleto is

The Boleto Turístico is a pass administered by COSITUC (the Regional Tourism Authority) that covers 16 sites across the Cusco region, split into three circuits. The three circuits are:

Circuit 1 (city sites): Qorikancha, Sacsayhuaman, Tambomachay, Pukapukara, Qenqo. Circuit 2 (Sacred Valley): Pisac ruins, Ollantaytambo ruins, Chinchero. Circuit 3 (south valley): Tipón, Pikillacta, Raqchi.

As of early 2024:

  • Full pass (all 16 sites, 10-day validity): S/130
  • Circuit 1 only: S/70
  • Circuit 2 only: S/70
  • Circuit 3 only: S/70
  • Combined Circuit 1+2: S/100

These prices have been relatively stable but I’d recommend checking the Boleto Turístico explained guide for the most current figures, as they are subject to annual adjustment.

The individual entry prices (2024)

For the calculation to work, you need the individual prices:

  • Sacsayhuaman: S/70 individual
  • Qenqo, Pukapukara, Tambomachay (combined as the “four sites” near Cusco): S/70
  • Pisac ruins: S/70
  • Ollantaytambo ruins: S/70
  • Chinchero ruins and church: S/70
  • Tipón: S/70
  • Pikillacta: S/70
  • Raqchi: S/70

Here is the thing: every individual site now costs S/70 on its own. The full Boleto is S/130. That means buying the full pass saves you money if — and only if — you plan to visit two or more sites on different circuits.

If you’re visiting only Sacsayhuaman: Pay S/70 individual. The Boleto is not worth it.

If you’re visiting Sacsayhuaman + Pisac ruins: Circuit 1 + Circuit 2 combination = S/100. Two sites individually = S/140. The combination pass saves you S/40. Worth it.

If you’re doing the full Sacred Valley day with ruins at Pisac, Moray (which is NOT on the Boleto), Ollantaytambo, and Chinchero: Circuit 2 covers Pisac, Ollantaytambo, and Chinchero = S/70 for three sites (individual total would be S/210). Clear saving.

The Qorikancha problem

Qorikancha — the Temple of the Sun, one of the most important sites in Cusco — is notably absent from the standard Boleto Turístico. The Boleto covers the “Boleto Turístico Regional” sites, but Qorikancha has a separate entry ticket (S/15 as of 2024, or included in a different combined ticket with Sacsayhuaman run by the church authorities, not COSITUC).

This trips people up. If you buy the Boleto expecting it to cover Qorikancha, you’ll be surprised at the gate. The Qorikancha guide is clear about this. The individual entry at S/15 is cheap enough that it’s not a major expense, but it’s worth knowing.

Similarly, Machu Picchu is not on the Boleto — it has an entirely separate ticketing system through tuboleto.cultura.pe, starting at S/152 for the standard circuit entry. The Machu Picchu tickets guide covers the new circuit system introduced in 2024 in full.

The upselling at the COSITUC office

I’ll be straight about this because several people have mentioned it to me. The COSITUC office near the Plaza de Armas is a pleasant enough place to buy tickets, but the staff are trained to suggest the full pass as the default option. This is not malicious — it’s institutional incentive — but it means that visitors who actually only need Circuit 2 for the Sacred Valley sometimes walk out with a S/130 full pass they won’t use fully.

Walk in knowing what you want. If you’re doing a standard Cusco week with Sacsayhuaman, a Sacred Valley day (Pisac + Ollantaytambo + Chinchero), and possibly the South Valley (Tipón, Pikillacta), buy the full pass — it’s worth it at S/130 for five sites that would cost you S/350 individually. If you’re doing one circuit only, buy that circuit.

Book a Cusco city tour that covers the main sites with a guide — the better day-tour operators include the Boleto Turístico Circuit 1 in the price and take you through the sites in a logical order, which is more efficient than navigating independently if you’re short on time.

The sites that are genuinely worth visiting

For planning purposes, here is my honest ranking of the Boleto sites by visitor experience:

Essential: Sacsayhuaman (vast Inca fortress, views over Cusco, the stonework is staggering). Pisac ruins (substantial site, the terraces and temples above the market town). Ollantaytambo (still partially inhabited, one of the best-preserved Inca sites in the region).

Worthwhile: Chinchero (combine with the textile demonstration). Tambomachay and Qenqo (can be visited in a 2-hour loop if you’re at Sacsayhuaman).

Optional: Tipón (impressive Inca water management engineering, but significant drive from Cusco). Pikillacta (pre-Inca Wari site, interesting but less visually spectacular). Raqchi (Temple of Wiracocha, architecturally interesting, about 3 hours from Cusco).

The 2024 update: what has changed

The most significant change affecting Cusco ticketing in 2024 is not the Boleto but the Machu Picchu circuit system, which was significantly restructured in 2023–2024. The new system has four circuits (down from the previous entry options), with strict one-way routing and timed entry. The Machu Picchu circuits explained guide covers this in full — but for Boleto purposes, the key message is that Machu Picchu is entirely separate and the Boleto does not apply there.

The Boleto itself has not changed structurally. Prices have increased modestly since 2022 (Circuit 1 was S/50 in 2019; it is S/70 in 2024), which is a reasonable inflation adjustment.

My conclusion: the Boleto is worth buying if you’re visiting three or more sites across the circuits. It’s not necessary if you’re doing a focused Cusco visit of one or two sites only. Run the numbers before you get to the COSITUC office. The where to buy tickets guide also covers the online purchasing option, which avoids the queue and the in-person upsell.