Short Inca Trail – 2 Days - Travel to Latin America

Duration

2 Day

Tour Type

Trek

Group Size

Max People : 15

Peru

Short Inca Trail – 2 Days

Overview

Now you are able to trek the last day of the 4 or 5 day Classic Inca Trail to Machu Picchu. If you’re short on time during your travels or if permits are sold out for the full Inca Trail; then this is a great option for those who want to experience some of this famous route. You’ll enter the ruins through the Sun Gate as the sun sets over Machu Picchu, then have a full tour of the ruins the following day.

Short Inca Trail Trek to Machu Picchu: This two-day tour has one full day of trekking and the following day is spent exploring the ruins of Machu Picchu.

On day 1, you’ll take a train from Ollantaytambo to Km 104 and hike until the sun begins to set, through the sun gate. Where you’ll reach Machu Picchu Pueblo and take an evenings rest in readiness for the second day.

On day 2, you’ll awake early to explore the Incan Citadel of Machu Picchu. Following your exploration of Machu Picchu, there will be more than enough time to enjoy the evening in Cusco or the Sacred Valley, returning by train to Ollantaytambo or Cusco.

Highlights
Enjoy great views of Machu Picchu at both sunrise and sunset.
Trek the last day of the Classic Inca Trail.
Enter Machu Picchu through the original Sun Gate used by Inca nobles.
Catch your first glimpse of Machu Picchu at sunset.
Have a full day to explore the Machu Picchu ruins the next day.

Fast facts
Maximum altitude 2732 m / 8964 ft
Minimum altitude 2088 m / 6850 ft
Distance travelled 11 km / 7 m (to Inti Punku)
Hiking time 7 hours

Included
Breakfast x 1
Lunch x 2
Dinner x 1
Private Transport – collection & drop-off
Professional bilingual guide
High Mountain Cook
Porters
All camping equipment (Sleeping bags to hire + Trekking Poles)
Machu Picchu Entrance Ticket
Round-trip bus tickets
Return Train to Cusco & transfer to hotel

Not Included
International Airfare
Hotels before & after (can be organised as part of trip)
Tips for crew
Any additional extras
Domestic flights (can be organised as part of trip)

Joining Arrangements	There will be a pre-trek briefing held usually the evening before departure, at your hotel, to go over the details of the trek and any specific requirements not already captured.
Food & Water	Prior to setting off we recommend you steer clear of street food and only eat in good restaurants, to avoid any stomach complaints. Likewise with tap water, it is largely untreated, please only consume bottled water only or sterilised water if you have the right equipment.
Special Diets	We’ll ensure that we cater for all of your dietary needs, at the point of booking we’ll collect this information from you. We can secure special menu requests also for your trek party.
Trekking Crew	We are able to customise our treks to suit you, but usually our treks are guided by a professional bilingual guide, mountain cook, arriero (horseman) and mules to carry all equipment (passenger horses also available on request). They become a large part of your trekking expedition and it’s a great experience working together.
Acclimatisation	This is a really important part of your trip planning process, please find a link below which explains a little more about preparing for altitude. Altitude Preparation
Preparation	Attached below are a couple of links which will explain how to prepare for your trip & trek in advance of your arrival. We recommend being prepared in advance to save time & stress whilst you’re in Peru. Trip Planning \| Trek Planning
Machu Picchu	An excursion to Machu Picchu can be included as part of your trip, including professional bilingual guide, entrance tickets, return trip bus tickets, Huayna Picchu & Machu Picchu Mountains (mountain climbs to be confirmed on reservation) & your return train ticket to Cusco. To be confirmed on reservation.
Covid-19 (Coronavirus)	We are working with the latest protocols issued by the Ministerio de Salud (Ministry of Health) to ensure our operations are safe and compliant for the future. We also have access to on-call health services for your time with us.
Covid-19 (Useful Links)	World Health Organisation \| World Health Organisation – Peru \| Covid-19 Data – Peru \| Covid-19 Daily Statistics
Available Discounts	Throughout 2022 we’re offering a 15% discount for each member of a group larger than 4+
Reservation	Please contact us to reserve your trek and we will send you our deposit & payment options.
Customer Service	Please feel free to contact us at any point before your trip for any queries or problems.

Details

Itinerary

Departing from Cusco or Ollantaytambo early in the morning, your journey starts with a train ride to Km 104, the starting point for the final day of the Inca Trail. During the train journey, the valley turns into a canyon and the scenery begins to alter as you enter into the cloud forests. The Inca Trail begins with a challenging uphill trek to Chachabamba (2270 m / 7448 ft). It's a short but intense start to your day! Then, you'll head to the magnificent archaeological complex of Wiñay Wayna (2650 m / 8694 ft), the most important archeological site besides Machu Picchu. From here, there are many steep steps to climb to reach the Archaeological Site. The trail then becomes gentler as you continue on to Inti Punku (Peru's famous "Sun Gate"), the original entrance used by the Inca to access Machu Picchu. It is from here that you'll have your first glimpse of Machu Picchu as the sun falls. You won't be exploring the ruins today given it will be getting dark, so it's time to rest up for an early day of exploring the ruins tomorrow. After passing through the Sun Gate, you'll cross the site to take the bus down to Machu Picchu Pueblo in anticipation of a full day visit tomorrow. Overnight: Lodge or Hotel Aguas Calientes Meals included: Lunch, Dinner

Around 5:30-6:00 am, just before sunrise, you'll catch the first bus (a 25-minutes ride) up to Machu Picchu (2400 m) for sunrise and to enjoy the ruins at a quieter time of day before the crowds arrive. Your guide will lead you in our exploration and discovery of the many corners within the enigmatic citadel. Guided tours last, on average, around 2 hours. After the tour, you'll still have some time to visit other parts of the ruins that you didn't get to see with your guide. For example, heading west from the centre of Machu Picchu, the Inca bridge is a 30-minute (2 km) walk along a narrow path. If you feel like an uphill challenge, you have the option to climb the infamous mountain of Huayna Picchu. To climb this mountain, you'll need to buy a separate permit in advance. At the end of your visit to Machu Picchu, we'll take the bus down to Aguas Calientes for lunch and then board the train to Ollantaytambo or Cusco, depending on where you'll be spending the night. On arriving at the final train station, we'll have a private transport waiting to bring you to your hotel. (Please note: if you're taking the train to Cusco, it's still an 1.5-hour drive from the train station to the city of Cusco.) Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch