big-guy Loc: Peterborough Ontario Canada

My wife and I are thinking of heading off to Machu Pichu this fall and I have read about some reports of guards hassling photographers that have lenses longer than 200 mm, medium to large format cameras, tripods, and anything they "think" might be professional. As we will be bringing a 70-200 with a GigaPan Epic Pro I would like to obtain a permit in advance. All claims say that you can't do it on site but it takes quite some time to acquire them. What they don't say, at least in English, is how to obtain said permits. Does anyone "KNOW" the answer?

Yes, I am aware that you had no problem with this issue and your feelings that I won't either. :lol: Regardless, I would like a permit. Thanks. :thumbup:

jcelmer Loc: Wisconsin

I don't know anything about the permit situation, but....went there three years ago...most fabulous trip!!!!!!! Enjoy.

olcoach Loc: Oregon

I've not heard of the need for a permit. No matter what you're going to have some wonderful things to shoot in this unbelievable place.

BHC Loc: Strawberry Valley, JF, USA

It doesn't get much more official than this:

http://www.peru.travel/s_ftohistoria.asp?ids=1140&ic=2&pdr...
The city of Machu Picchu is the department of Cusco's most important tourist ... The city of Machu Picchu itself was built at the top of a granite mountain. ..... It is not allowed to enter crews or professional photography for commercial purposes. For this, a permit must be processed at the Dirección Regional de Cultura Cusco.

http://www.drc-cusco.gob.pe/

Google can translate this page if necessary.

Capsurfer Loc: Sydney Australia

Maybe things have changed but I went there with my wife and 3 adult children in January 2011 and had absolutely no problems at all. We did, I suppose, look like tourists but I took many shots with a 7D and white 70-200 lens attached.

FrumCA

It looks like the operative word here is "commercial". If you are only photographing for you personal use, it would appear that a permit would not be required. If you got hassled, of course, you might have difficulty proving your intent so checking out the requirements in advance is prudent planning.

big-guy Loc: Peterborough Ontario Canada

Very official and informative, thanks. Hopefully they respond although I have found a travel agent that can help with obtaining the permits and after initial proposal their prices seem very reasonable.

The biggest reason is that I plan on bringing the Gigapan Epic Pro which garners lots of interest from the authorities. It is not your regular camera gear as is expressed in the video found here https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=kfLH5_RWZH4

Guess I can't embed the video so just the link, <sigh>

drkeene Loc: Florida Gulf Coast

Machu Picchu is one of the prime tourist destinations in Peru, and tourism is one of the major sources of foreign exchange earnings. Hence I doubt that the authorities would obstruct what they view as normal tourist photography - even with a super telephoto lens.

On the other hand, if there is a crew, with lighting, ladders, props, etc., / or camera setups in unusual locations and at unusual times, I have no doubt that the rangers will intervene. After all Machu Picchu is a culturally sensitive site. In addition, there are a variety of dangers, from falls to venomous snakes nearby.

If you go the trouble to ask about a permit, the Peruvian bureaucracy may well do what bureaucracies in Latin America do best: put you through the application ringer, require extensive documentation and professional bonafides, and up front payments and bonds. I may be wrong, but...

Your choice...

Coolcameragirl Loc: Bradenton, FL

Try this:

http://www.perunature.com/machu-picchu-photography-filming-permit.html

big-guy Loc: Peterborough Ontario Canada

Now if I only could understand spanish lol :D

Bellisari Loc: Long Island, NY

My wife was just there and she did not need a permit.

BHC Loc: Strawberry Valley, JF, USA

I echo big-guy's sentiments. I don't care how many times you've been to Machu Picchu, how many or how big the lenses you had or how many times you got away with it.

Mama is out of masa; Papa didn't get so on the way home yesterday. They have an argument. Neighbor lady is tired of the fighting next door and in a bad mood; neighbor lady is also Park Superintendent. Yesterday, she was reprimanded because some idiot tourist broke his camera and blamed the park. He said it was a commercial grade camera and wants the park to pay for a new camera because he slipped in a mud puddle left by a lazy landscape intern. If it was a commercial grade camera, where was his permit? Stressed Park Superintendent tells all employees she expects rules to be followed to the letter; NO EXCEPTIONS!!! You show up with your old Rebel XT and an old lens that won't zoom anymore and takes barely adequate pictures. It's the last day of your cut-rate tour of South America. But the ticket agent won't let you in because you don't have a permit and he got his tail chewed because Papa stopped for a beer with the boys and forgot the masa. Whose fault is it?

Guess what! It's YOUR fault, because some smart asses on UHH told you the rules, pointed you to the source of the permit, and you didn't bother to get one because two months ago your in-laws' cousin's landlady went on the same trip and didn't need a permit. But she got away with it because two month's ago, papa remembered the masa and the landscape intern hadn't asked his aunt, the Park Superintendent for a summer job yet.

S#@T HAPPENS!!!!!!

drkeene Loc: Florida Gulf Coast

Big-guy,

Now that we know you intend to use a Gigapan Epic Pro rig, I agree that you may need a photography permit from the regional cultural director in Cusco.

You commented that you cannot read Spanish. Would you like me to do a sight translation of the "List of Requisite Paperwork" as cited in the website? If so, contact me at my email address... drkeene