Short Inca Trail Tour 2 days
Download the Tour in PDFAbout this tour
- Start: At 4 in the morning on day 1 at the door of your hotel.
- Duration: 2 days.
- Group. 10 people (maximum).
- Type of transport: Large full-equipment minivan, train, bus.
- Tickets included (no queues): Machu Picchu Only entry ticket (circuit 2).
- Tour guide: In English and Spanish (shared service).
- Feeding. 1 breakfast in a tourist hotel, 1 lunch (box lunch) and 1 dinner in a tourist restaurant.
- Lodging: In a standard hotel (2 stars) in Aguas Calientes (Machu Picchu Pueblo).
- Payment methods: Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Diners Club, PayPal.
- Immediate confirmation.
Description
- The Inca Trail is the most spectacular way to get to Machu Picchu. It lasts 4 days and must be booked several months in advance to get availability. If you do not have that much time during your holidays, the best option is definitely to do the 2-day Inca Trail, which is a short version of the classic route. To take this tour, the best option is to choose a well-organized all-inclusive service. This tour includes: tourist pickup from the door of your hotel, bus and train transportation to the starting point of the trek, bilingual tour guide service, food, accommodation in the town of Aguas Calientes and entrance to Machu Picchu. Everything you need for the trip!
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So is the experience
- Enjoy the Inca Trail 2 days, the best alternative option to the classic 4-day route. The tour includes transportation by minivan and train to the starting point of the trek. It also includes income to the Inca Trail, the Wiñayhuayna and Machu Picchu archaeological site as well as breakfast, lunch, dinner, tour guide and return to Cusco by train and minivan. In Machupicchu Terra you can benefit from everything the tourist needs for a well-organized visit. Furthermore, the tourist can rest easy because the tour is organized by a secure agency. It offers personalized assistance, safety equipment during trekking and many other benefits.
Prices
INCA TRAIL TOUR 2 DAYS | PRICE PER PERSON | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2 persons | 3 persons | 4 persons | 5 persons | 6 persons to more | |
| Hotel 2 stars | 455 USD | 435 USD | 415 USD | 395 USD | 375 USD |
| Hotel 3 stars | 485 USD | 465 USD | 445 USD | 425 USD | 405 USD |
| Hotel 4 stars | 605 USD | 585 USD | 565 USD | 545 USD | 525 USD |
Availability
Map
Itinerary
Day 1:
- A day before we will gather the group to meet and do a ‘briefing’ of what the adventure will be like.
- We will pick you up very early from the door of your hotel to transport us in our minivan to the Ollantaytambo train station in the Sacred Valley of the Incas.
- On board the ‘Expedition’ train we will travel through beautiful landscapes until we reach kilometer 104 of the railway, the starting point of the short Inca Trail.
- After registering at the control point of the Inca Trail, we will start a short journey until we reach the archaeological site of Chachabamba.
- We will continue our way uphill through impressive tropical landscapes until we reach the archaeological site of Wiñayhuayna. There we will enjoy a reparative lunch (box lunch).
- Then we will continue climbing up slopes until we finally reach Intipunku (Puerta del Sol), from where all the beauty of Machu Picchu is appreciated. We are finally here!
- From Puerta del Sol, tourists must descend on foot to the town of Aguas Calientes (approximately 8 kilometers). The other option is to take a bus (not included in the tour) to this town where we will rest at the hotel destined for that night.
- Before resting, we will enjoy a dinner made with Peruvian ingredients in Aguas Calientes.
Day 2:
- We will get up very early to have breakfast and ascend by bus to the Inca City of Machu Picchu (30 minute ride).
- With our entrance ticket we will tour the Inca city of Machu Picchu by the established circuit that includes the visit of the main temples and enclosures such as: the Temple of the Sun, the Main Temple, the Temple of the 3 Windows, the Sacred Rock, the Temple of the Condor and more. Of course we will also have time to get the classic postcard photo in Machu Picchu. The circuit takes 2 hours or more.
- After Machu Picchu we will return by bus to Aguas Calientes. There we will have free time to have lunch and make the last purchases before returning to Cusco.
- At the scheduled time, we will board the ‘Expedition’ train bound for Ollantaytambo. From there a minivan will take us back to the city of Cusco.
It includes
- Pick up from the hotel.
- Transportation to the beginning of the hike by bus (Bimodal) and Peru Rail ‘Expedition’ train.
- 1 breakfast on day 2 at the tourist hotel, 1 lunch (box lunch) on day 1 and 1 dinner at a tourist restaurant in Aguas Calientes on day 1.
- Tour guide service in English and Spanish.
- 1 night in a standard hotel (2 stars) in Aguas Calientes (Machu Picchu town).
- First aid kit.
- ‘Machu Picchu Only’ entrance (circuit 2).
- Bus and train to return to Cusco (Bimodal bus and Peru Rail Expedition train).
- Bus down to Aguas Calientes on day 1.
- Tips.
- Cancellations.
What to bring?
- Passport (or identity document).
- Hat or cap.
- Comfortable clothes for walks.
- A jacket.
- Raincoat for rain.
- Extra snacks and drinks.
- Comfortable trekking shoes.
- Sunscreen.
Where does the tour start and end?
- The tour begins with the pick up of the tourist at the door of their hotel -valid only for hotels in the historic center of the city- (most tourist hotels are there). If your hotel is not there, the transport will pick you up at a central location in the city, such as a plaza.
- The tour ends at Plaza Regocijo in the city center (a few steps from most hotels and tourist restaurants).
How to prevent altitude sickness?
- Altitude sickness or soroche can cause you some discomfort during your visit such as dizziness, fatigue or nausea. Try to avoid alcoholic beverages and fatty foods before the visit.
- To reduce symptoms, try to acclimatize yourself one day before to the altitude of the city of Cusco. Drinking infusions of coca leaf (natural plant used by the Incas) is an excellent option.
Difference Inca Trail 4 days and 2 days
The Inca Trail 4 days and the Inca Trail 2 days allow you to enter Machu Picchu from the upper part of the citadel, the Intipunku , just as the Incas did. Learn the similarities and differences of both hiking routes.
Inca Trail 4 days | Inca Trail 2 days | |
|---|---|---|
| Kilometres | 39 kilometers | 13 kilometers |
| Walking days | 4 days | 1 day |
| Camping nights | 3 nights | 1 night in a tourist hotel in Aguas Calientes |
| Feeding | Camp cooks: 3 breakfasts, 3 lunches and 3 dinners | box lunch, 1 dinner in a tourist restaurant and 1 breakfast in a tourist hotel |
| Archaeological sites | Llactapata, Runkurakay, Sayacmarca, Phuyupatamarca and Wiñayhuayna and Machu Picchu. | Chachabamba, Wiñayhuayna and Machu Picchu. |
| Entrance to Machu Picchu | Through the Intipunku (gate of the sun) | Through the Intipunku (gate of the sun) |
| Machu Picchu Circuit | Circuit 2 through the majority of Inca temples | Circuit 2 through the majority of Inca temples |
| Tour price | 695 USD | 461 USD |
The Intipunku, the door of the sun
Intipunku is a Quechua word that means ‘Gate of the Sun’. Indeed, in Inca times it was the main entrance to the Inca citadel. This access was through the qhapac ñan or Inca roads, which cross the top of the mountains. That is why the first great view of Machu Picchu from Intipunku is scenic, an unforgettable experience for tourists. The 2-day Inca Trail tour offers this first view of Machu Picchu from Intipunku. There you will get your first impression of the Inca llaqta. Then they must descend to the archaeological site and leave for the town of Aguas Calientes. The visit to Machu Picchu takes place on the second day of the tour.
Wiñayhuayna, always young
Wiñayhuayna was an Inca citadel whose architectural beauty has similarities to Machu Picchu. It stands out for its stone buildings, water fountains and immense agricultural terraces. This archaeological site is included in both the 4-day Inca Trail tour and the 2-day Inca Trail tour. Its name means ‘forever young’ and is associated with a very beautiful orchid flower, considered the most beautiful in Inca times. Wiñayhuayna is visited on the Inca Trail tour 2 days after an uphill walk of approximately 7 kilometers. After visiting it, we continue for 4 kilometers until we arrive at Machu Picchu.
Chachabamba, on the route to Machupicchu
Chachabamba is the first archaeological site that tourists will visit on the 2-day Inca Trail. It is located just across the river, at kilometer 104 of the railway heading to the town of Aguas Calientes. The place is just beginning the walk. Chachabamba was an Inca religious center. Its name comes from a Quechua word that means ‘Valley of mosquito bites’. And insects abound there. It has simple stone, stone and liturgical enclosures. Although small, it has a special charm. Chachabamba can only be visited with the 2-day Inca Trail as it is not available with the 4-day Inca Trail.
Short Inca Trail Images Gallery
Frequent questions
Do I have to book the tour many months in advance?
No. Unlike the 4-day Classic Inca Trail, this tour can be booked weeks or days in advance. It is a good option if you did not find availability for the long four-day route.
Does the tour include a camping night?
No. The tour includes one night in a local lodging (2 star service). So the next day the visitor will know Machu Picchu from early. If the visitor wishes to improve the quality of the hotel service, they can contact us to coordinate the type of accommodation they want.
Is the Short Inca Trail difficult?
The Short Inca Trail is only 12 kilometers long. The first part is demanding since it is uphill on the slopes of a mountain. However, overall, this route is easy compared to the classic 4-day Inca Trail.
When is the best time of year for this hike?
The dry season (from April to October) is the best to do the short Inca Trail and the classic Inca Trail. On those days there are not many chances of rain making the walk easier and allowing a better appreciation of the landscapes. The rest of the year you can also do the route with moderate rains. February is the rainiest month so the Inca Trail remains closed for visitors.
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