Short Inca Trail to Machu Picchu 2 Days / 1 Nights

We will pick you up early from your hotel at approximately 5:30 a.m. (depending on the train schedule) and take you by private van to the train station in Ollantaytambo. We will travel over picturesque mountain roads for an hour and a half to Kilometer 104 – the start of the two day hike. From Km 104, we will walk for approximately four hours up to the Inca site of Wiñay Wayna, which means “forever young” and is at an elevation of 2,680m/8,792ft. Here you will get to explore what many consider to be the most impressive site on the Inca Trail.

After exploring Wiñay Wayna, we will continue hiking to Inti Punku, the “Sun Gate”, where you will have your first dramatic, panoramic view of Machu Picchu, from 2,400m/7,873ft. After taking in the magnificent view, we will walk down the last part of the trail towards the ancient city. Once we arrive in Machu Picchu, we will be able to celebrate our accomplishment and take unforgettable pictures together.

We will then descend to the main entrance, where you will take the bus to the town of Aguas Calientes to have dinner and spend the night. We will have a walking tour of Machu Picchu the next morning.

We’ll start early with a bus ride to Machu Picchu. Our knowledgeable guide will take you on a tour of the citadel and share fascinating insights into the Inca culture and history. According to the new Inca Trail regulations, we will re-enter Machu Picchu using  circuit number 3.

While on the walking tour in Machu Picchu, it is recommended that you take advantage of the opportunity to take pictures in every location your tour guide takes you to. This is especially important because, under the new regulations, you will not be able to backtrack and revisit any locations on the same circuit.

Once you have finished your walking tour in Machu Picchu, your tour guide will provide you with your returning train ticket. You will then proceed to the main exit of Machu Picchu in order to catch one of the buses that will take you on a 25-minute drive down to Aguas Calientes. In Aguas Calientes, there are many restaurants where you can take the opportunity to have lunch. After that, and depending on your returning train schedule, you will have to go to the Agua Calientes train station 30 minutes prior to your train’s departure.

Depending on your train’s departure time, you will have a 1.5-hour train journey back to Ollantaytambo train station. There, one of our company members will be waiting for you with a sign displaying your name, in order to take you to the place where our transportation is waiting for you. After that, you will have another 1.5-hour car or van drive before you arrive back in Cusco.

Inka Trail Backpacker has been a Licensed Inca Trail Tour Operator since 2014. All companies managing the Inca Trail must be certified and have an Inca Trail operators license. This license is issued annually each December and Inka Trail Backpacker is licensed through the year of 2020.

Our license as an Official Travel Agency is under the name Inka Trail Backpacker E.I.R.L Our License as an Inca Trail Operator is under the name of INKA TRAIL BACKPACKER E.I.R.L We also work with partner company licenses such as INTI SUN TREK E.I.R.L and GRUPO CAMINOS DEL PERU E.I.R.L. Getting the permit for the Inca Trail from the government is a complicated and stringent process for the protection of tourists so in order to guarantee an Inca Trail Permit for all the tourists that have decided to book their adventure with us, we are registered to book using any of the above-mentioned company licenses. We are all registered on the official Government website: www.machupicchu.gob.pe.

At Inka Trail Backpacker, we deeply value and respect the work of our porters, who are essential to the success of our expeditions. We take pride in strictly adhering to the Porter Worker Law No. 31624, implemented in 2022, which establishes clear and fair guidelines to protect the rights and well-being of all porters working along the Inca Trail network.

This law was created to ensure that porters receive dignified treatment, fair wages, and safe working conditions. At Inka Trail Backpacker, we are committed to the care of our porters, meeting and exceeding the standards set by the law. We make sure they work under fair and humane conditions, with the appropriate equipment, and within the weight and work hour limits established by the regulations.

We recognize that the effort and dedication of our porters are vital to providing the best experience for our clients. That’s why, beyond what the law requires, Inka Trail Backpacker takes additional steps to ensure their well-being, offering continuous support and fostering a respectful and supportive work environment.

At Inka Trail Backpacker, we are firmly committed to sustainability and ecological responsibility in all of our tours. We strive to minimize our environmental impact by adopting eco-friendly practices and promoting sustainable tourism. Our goal is to preserve the natural beauty and cultural heritage of the regions we visit, ensuring that future generations can continue to enjoy these incredible landscapes.

We take concrete actions to reduce waste, use biodegradable products, and follow responsible waste management practices. Additionally, we educate our clients about the importance of environmental conservation and encourage them to contribute to the protection of the ecosystems we explore.

As a traveler, you know that one of the most rewarding and memorable experiences of exploring new places is the people you meet along the way. When you book a trek or tour with us, you can be sure that your group will be filled with adventurers just like you, eager to explore the Peruvian Andes. Our groups offer a great opportunity to meet new people and connect in a friendly environment. You never know who you might encounter!

We are truly proud of the work we do for our local communities. This is the main focus of our company. We have worked directly with local communities to help meet their needs. All the products we purchase for food on our treks come from local farmers and markets, ensuring that our meals are made with fresh and organic ingredients.

At Inka Trail Backpacker, we like to think we do trekking a little differently than our competitors. We stand by our customers and guarantee that we meet 100% of our departure dates on our treks even if you are a solo traveler.

Our office is located at 392 Calle Triunfo (the street is also called Sunturwasi), inside the Centro Artesenal Arte Inka Building, which is on the corner across the street from the Museo Arzobispal and the Twelve-Angled Stone, by a small fountain. We are on the second floor, in Suite 209.

At Inka Trail Backpacker, providing a personal experience and ensuring you are thoroughly prepared for your trek is very important to us. Before you depart on the Inca Trail trek, you will receive a briefing in our office. At the briefing, you will get to meet our staff, receive maps and a detailed description of each day of your tour, be given duffel bags if you have hired a porter, and have the opportunity to ask questions.

Our team of guides are all local to the Cusco area and speak both Spanish and English fluently. Many of them also speak Quechua (the native language of Peru). With degrees in tourism and with two years minimum of experience under their belts, they are full of energy, information about the native flora and fauna, and the Inca sites, with a vast knowledge of ready sourced stories and legends told by the Andean people.

The maximum size of our Inca Trail 4 day group service is 16 people. For groups of over 8 people we also employ an assistant guide to help out (the assistant guide is a fully qualified guide but may lack some of the experience of the main guide or still need to improve his/her English skills.)

The 2 Day Inca Trail trek to Machu Picchu features only 6 hours of walking, which makes it perfect for new hikers  or active families. However, we still recommend that you  be well prepared and healthy prior to starting the trek. You must be moderately fit to complete this hike. To prepare, try walking 10km a day or start going to the gym a month before the trek. Also try to  spend a few days in Cusco adjusting to the high altitude before you will start the Inca Trail

Ollantaytambo is the best place to stay other than Cusco. By staying in Ollantaytambo, you actually get a little more sleep because we will be picking you up about 1.5 hours after the Cusco pick up time. However, please keep in mind that the pre-trip briefing can only be done in Cusco.

You can leave any of your belongings that you do not want to bring on the trek at your hotel or hostel you were previously staying in. These hostels/hotels usually have a secure, locked room where you can store your belongings. If you do not trust your hostel, we would be more than happy to securely store you belongings for you.

This trail starts at the 104km train stop and ascends to the ruins of Wiñay Wayna before continuing on to Machu Picchu. Since we arrive later to Machu Picchu, you will not have much time at Machu Picchu on the first day. We will spend the night in the town of Aguas Calientes and return to Machu Picchu again the following day.

We will walk a total of 10 km / 6.3 miles.

We will start the trek at km 104, located at (2,200m/7,2600ft) above sea level. The highest point of the trek is the Sun Gate, located at (2,700m/8,858ft). Aguas Calientes, where we will stay overnight, is located at an elevation of (2,040m/6,690ft).

We always book through the El Tambo Inn, which has three different properties and offers private, double rooms that offer comfortable beds, hot water for showering, WiFi, and breakfast.

You can choose any hotel to stay in Aguas Calientes – it´s a very small town – and absolutely can book on your own. This will reduce the price of your trek by $10 per person. If you choose to book your own hotel, make sure you tell us where you plan on staying so we can get you there safely

Of course. If you are ok with taking the same train out of Aguas Calientes that is part of your original itinerary, which is typically at 6:20 pm or 7:00.p.m that evening, than there is no additional charge to move the train back a day.

For the 2 day Inca Trail hike we do not employ the services of porters. You should bring with you only the essentials: passport, rain pancho, camera, water, and a change of clothes. Your pack should not weigh more than 6 kg. Please also remember that you need to have enough room to pack your box lunch in your day pack  This box lunch is provided  by us on the morning of the first day.

We require everyone to be in Cusco for at least 2 nights prior to starting the trek, although 3 nights is even better.

You must pay your trek balance at least 2 days before trek departure. For example if your trek departs on a Monday you must come to our office before 7.30 pm on Saturday to pay the trek balance. This ensures that everyone in the group is well acclimatized to the high altitude before starting the trek.

It is very important to be well acclimatized before exerting yourself on a trek. This is why we require everyone to be in Cusco for a minimum of 2 days prior to regular treks like the Inca Trail. However, if you are doing one of our longer treks like the 6 day Combined Salkantay/Inca Trail Trek, you will need at least 4 days to acclimatize because these treks occur at much higher altitudes than Cusco. You can use this time spent acclimatizing to visit the city of Cusco, nearby Inca ruins, and the Sacred Valley of the Incas.

No, sneakers are not recommended for the Inca Trail! The terrain is very steep, with loose gravel, puddles, mud, and other obstacles. You must have sturdy, waterproof footwear designed for this type of terrain, with good traction and ankle support. Be sure to break in your hiking boots before your trek! Wear them on several shorter walks or hikes before your trip, so that your feet can get used to them.

If you do not have hiking boots, or they are too bulky for your suitcase, you can rent them in Cusco for under one hundred soles.

Ollantaytambo is the best place to stay other than Cusco. By staying in Ollantaytambo, you actually get a little more sleep because we will be picking you up about 1.5 hours after the Cusco pick up time. However, please keep in mind that the pre-trip briefing can only be done in Cusco.

Yes, all our tour guides take an oxygen bottle with them along the trail and will provide oxygen as needed.

The first day of this trek includes a box lunch, which usually consists of a sandwich, fruit, and some cookies. As part of our commitment to sustainability, your lunch comes in a specially-designed, reusable cloth bag, which you may either keep at the end of your tour or return to your guide to be recycled. Please be aware you will be required to carry your own lunch during the trek. The bag is ideal for fitting inside or over a daypack, and weighs no more than two kilos when full.

The train travels between the town of Ollantaytambo in the Sacred Valley and Aguas Calientes, a small town located fifteen minutes below the Machu Picchu complex. The journey from Ollantaytambo to Aguas Calientes is an hour and forty minutes. (The return journey will be about three and a half hours, because the drive from Ollantaytambo station to Cusco is about an hour and forty minutes.) From Aguas Calientes, it is either a fifteen minute bus ride or hour hike up to Machu Picchu.

There is no direct train from Cusco to Machu Picchu. Although there is an additional station located at Poroy, about 25 minutes from Cusco, it is not always open. Train service from Ollantaytambo, meanwhile, is constant and reliable. Furthermore, taking the train from the Poroy station extends the total length of your journey between Cusco and Aguas Calientes to more than four hours, instead of three and a half.

On the morning of the trek departure, we will pick you up from inside your hotel in Cusco (don’t wait outside in the street) and drop you off either in the Plaza de Regocijos ( next to the main square) or Plaza San Francisco (two blocks from the main square) upon your return to Cusco. You won’t be dropped off directly at your hotel/hostels.

It helps us if you try to stay in a hotel/hostal that is within a few blocks of the Plaza de Armas (Main Square). If your hotel/hostal is far away from the main square we will ask you to come to our offices with the exact location and name of your accommodation. If you are not staying in the city center, we may not be able to pick you up from your hotel. You must take a taxi to the center. 

The guide will come into your hotel and ask for you at reception. Because the centre of Cusco is full of small cobblestone streets, our larger bus/van is not permitted to enter certain zones in the city centre, so you will then have to walk a short distance to where the bus/van will be waiting for you. Traffic regulations prohibit large buses/van from entering the main square but usually after 10pm we don´t have a problem and will be able to drop you off in the main square upon your return. You can then take a taxi back to your hotel (between US$2 to US$4 for a taxi).

If we have to drop you off in Plaza San Francisco, you may be a bit disoriented (some people may need to be woken up!!) but we recommend that you ask for directions to the Plaza de Armas and our guide or driver will be happy to help. It’s only two blocks away, but usually it’ll be quite late at night so it is best to walk together as a group back to the Plaza before taking a taxi or walking back to your hotel.

We require a minimum group size of just four people. During the last few years, Inka trail Backpacker has always managed to meet the minimum group size for ALL of our departure dates and have never had to cancel any group departures due to group size.

If in the unlikely event that we do not reach the minimum required number of persons we reserve the right to combine our clients with another trekking company of similar cost.

Before traveling to Peru, you should consult your doctor. Routine vaccines, Hepatitis A, and typhoid vaccines are recommended for most travelers by the CDC. Some travelers may also need vaccines for Hepatitis B, rabies, and yellow fever. Women who are pregnant or may become pregnant should also be advised that the Zika virus is present in Peru.

Malaria pills are not necessary for these treks.

The rainy season in Cusco is generally from November to April, when there are near-daily showers and the ground—especially in trekking areas—is wet and muddy. However, there are occasional showers throughout the rest of the year; you should always pack a rain jacket, regardless of when you plan to visit. For treks, a rain poncho is highly recommended—since you will be walking through rain for potentially several hours without shelter, a poncho will be much more effective at keeping all of your belongings and your base layers warm and dry. Waterproof shoes are also strongly recommended.

In the event of illness or injury, we will offer all of the support and care we are able; however, you should carry any medications you expect to need with you (ask your doctor for specific recommendations or prescriptions for altitude sickness, traveler´s diarrhea , colds and sore throats, and pain or inflammation). If you are not capable of completing the trek, we will transport you back to Cusco, where you can seek medical treatment. However, the cost of this transportation is not included in your tour and you will be expected to pay the additional expense—for this reason, we highly recommend travel insurance for your trek.

Yes, in all of the hostels that we book for you, you will have a private room and bathroom.

Although not required, walking poles are recommended for any trekkers worried about joint stress or balance. They also are quite helpful in providing stability and leverage on especially steep climbs and descents. If you do not have poles or are unsure how to use them, we are able to rent them to you and provide instruction.

As of July 1, 2017, you must have your original passport to enter Machu Picchu. You also need to have your entrance ticket, which your guide will give to you at the appropriate time. The passport that you bring to Machu Picchu must be the same one that you used to book your tour and entrance; if you change or renew your passport between booking and your trip, please be sure to bring the originals of both.

Your entrance time to Machu Picchu will depend on when you book your trek. As of July 1, 2017, there are two possible entry times to the site: 6:00 am to 12:00 pm, or 12:00 pm to 5:00 pm. Your ticket will grant you entry for either the morning or the afternoon—not both. The morning entry is significantly more popular and quickly sells out—unless you book your trek two to three months in advance, we cannot guarantee a morning entry.

If you book far enough in advance to secure a morning entry, you will start to hike up to Machu Picchu at 4:30am, arriving at the site by about 6:00 am—just in time for the sunrise!