Short Inca Trail (2 Days)
Short Inca Trail (2 Days)
Please contact us to find out prices and book a tour.
The trip at a glance
Start: Cusco Duration: 2 Days
Finish: Cusco Group size: Max 16
Maximum altitude: 2,730m
Difficulty Rating: 2/5
Is this trip right for you?
We will walk at a much lower altitude than on the Classic Inca Trail, so acclimatizing won’t be as difficult, but you may still feel out of breath faster than you’re used to.
There will be early morning starts.
You will need to bring suitable clothing for walking: comfortable shoes and outdoor clothing, maybe some warm waterproof gear. Also bring a day pack with a water bottle.
Depending on your level of fitness, this walk will be easy to moderate. We start at 2,100m then climb to 2,700m before descending to 2,400m.
There is no camping involved, we will stay in a hotel in Aguas Calientes.
Inclusions
Meals: 2 breakfasts, 1 lunch
Accommodation: 1 night in a hotel in Aguas Calientes.
Activities: Entrance to Machu Picchu, Inca Trail permits.
Transport: Train to and from Aguas Calientes, bus to and from Machu Picchu, private minivan.
Expert guide: Professional, English-speaking, Inca Trail qualified guide.
First Aid Kit: To deal quickly with immediate basic first care.
Day 1 - Hiking to Machu Picchu
You will be picked up from your hotel at 4 a.m. to go to the train station in Ollantaytambo and leave on the 6:10 a.m. train. Along the train journey, you will see spectacular views of the farmlands, snow-capped mountains and the mighty Urubamba river, one of the sources of the Amazon river. At km104 (altitude of 2,100m), we will begin our trek. Once you have everything you need, we will provide you with a packed lunch and take a group photo, before visiting our first Inca site. After a tour and first introduction to the Incas, we will begin hiking upwards, as we head for the Inca Trail. If the weather is clear, we'll have tremendous views of Machu Picchu, the Urubamba River and other surrounding Inca sites.
After hiking for thee hours, we will reach the most beautiful Incan site on the Inca Trail, Wiñay Wayna (Forever Young) at 2,700m. Most people do not get the opportunity to see an elaborate water fountain, temples and some agricultural terraces, which provide a perfect opportunity to learn about the history of the Incas. The backdrop of this site drops off a cliff, with views of the beautiful mountains surrounding the area. From Wiñay Wayna, we will walk to the Sun Gate, where we will see the picturesque landscape of Machu Picchu. After taking in these once-in-a-lifetime views, we will begin our descent to Machu Picchu.
A big advantage of this hike, is that by the time we reach Machu Picchu, most of the day travelers will have returned home, so you will have the area to yourself. After taking photos, we take the bus down to Aguas Calientes and head to your hotel.
Inclusions
Accommodation: 1 night in hotel in Aguas Calientes.
Meals: Breakfast, packed lunch.
Activities: Expert English speaking guide.
Transport: Private minibus to Ollantaytambo, train.
Day 2 - Trekking
We will wake up early in the morning in order to catch the sunrise at Machu Picchu. You will have a guided tour with your expert English speaking guide who will bring the Lost City of the Incas to life for you. When we are done exploring, and after time for plenty of pictures, we take the bus back to Aguas Calientes for a free afternoon before your train which will depart later that afternoon back to Ollantaytambo and then we will drive you back to Cusco.
Inclusions
Meals: Breakfast.
Activities: Expert English speaking guide, Machu Picchu entrance tickets, bus to and from Machu Picchu, train to Ollantaytambo, private minibus.