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 entrance ticket.
- 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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This is the experience
- Enjoy the 2-day Inca Trail, the best alternative to the classic 4-day route. The tour includes transportation by minivan and train to the starting point of the trek. It also includes admission to the Inca Trail, the Wiñayhuayna archaeological site, and Machu Picchu, as well as breakfast, lunch, and dinner, a tour guide, admission to Machu Picchu, and the return to Cusco by train and minivan. At Machupicchu Terra, you can benefit from everything you need for a well-organized visit. Plus, you can rest assured that the tour is organized by a reliable agency. We offer personalized assistance, safety equipment during the trek, and many other benefits.
Prices
Short Inca Trail Tour 2 days “TRAIN EXPEDITION”
INCA TRAIL TOUR 2 DAYS | Normal Prices | * Prices Seasons High Demand | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2 star hotel | 3 star hotel | 4 star hotel | 2 star hotel | 3 star hotel | 4 star hotel | |
| 2 people | 525 USD | 560 USD | 730 USD | 540 USD | 575 USD | 745 USD |
| 3 people | 500 USD | 535 USD | 715 USD | 515 USD | 550 USD | 730 USD |
| 4 people | 470 USD | 495 USD | 680 USD | 485 USD | 510 USD | 695 USD |
| 5 people | 460 USD | 485 USD | 670 USD | 475 USD | 500 USD | 685 USD |
| 6 people | 450 USD | 475 USD | 640 USD | 465 USD | 490 USD | 655 USD |
Prices are per person
Short Inca Trail Tour 2 days “TRAIN VISTADOME”
INCA TRAIL TOUR 2 DAYS | Normal Prices | * Prices Seasons High Demand | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2 star hotel | 3 star hotel | 4 star hotel | 2 star hotel | 3 star hotel | 4 star hotel | |
| 2 people | 660 USD | 695 USD | 865 USD | 695 USD | 730 USD | 900 USD |
| 3 people | 635 USD | 670 USD | 850 USD | 670 USD | 705 USD | 885 USD |
| 4 people | 595 USD | 620 USD | 805 USD | 630 USD | 655 USD | 840 USD |
| 5 people | 585 USD | 610 USD | 795 USD | 620 USD | 645 USD | 830 USD |
| 6 people | 575 USD | 600 USD | 765 USD | 610 USD | 635 USD | 800 USD |
Prices are per person
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.
- Aboard our selected train, and subject to availability, we travel through beautiful landscapes until we reach kilometer 104, where the two-day Inca Trail experience begins.
- 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).
- We’ll then continue along steadily ascending paths until we finally reach Intipunku (Sun Gate), from where we can appreciate the full beauty of Machu Picchu. We’ve finally arrived!
- From Puerta del Sol, tourists must descend on foot to the town of Aguas Calientes (approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes). 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).
- The entrance ticket to Machu Picchu allows us to learn more about its history through its temples and main buildings. In addition, our guide will provide detailed information on each of the sites we visit, providing an enriching and detailed tour.
- After visiting Machu Picchu, we’ll return by bus to Aguas Calientes. There, we’ll have free time for lunch (not included in the tour) and some last-minute shopping before returning to Cusco.
- At the scheduled time, depending on the availability of the train we selected during our reservation, we return to Ollantaytambo. From there, a bus or minivan will take us back to Cusco. This concludes our two-day Inca Trail experience.
It includes
- Pick up from the hotel.
- Transportation to the beginning of the hike by bus (Bimodal) and Peru Rail ‘Expedition’ train.
- Breakfast on day 2 at the tourist hotel, lunch (box lunch) on day 1, and 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).
- Bus up and down to Machu Picchu on day 2.
- First aid kit.
- Machu Picchu entrance ticket.
- 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 1 Panoramic Route | Circuit 3 Royal Route |
| 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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