Short Inca Trail Trek
to Machu Picchu
2 Days / 1 Night
Sarah and Mateo
Templo de Pachamama
Incan Archaeological Complex
Sarah and Mateo
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Peak Elevation :
3,400 m / 11,150 ft
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Low Altitude:
2,040 m / 6,690 ft
Overall Difficulty:
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Itinerary
Please note that all distances and elevations are approximate. Trek times are estimated; various factors -- such as weather conditions, individual fitness levels, and how each trekker manages at altitude -- may affect the time it takes to reach each point.
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PRE-DEPARTURE BRIEFING
The evening before your trek, you will meet with your tour guide at your hotel. Your guide will give you an overview of your trek to help you prepare and pace yourself for the physical and mental challenges that lie ahead. You'll have the opportunity to ask any questions or raise any concerns you may have regarding the trek. Your guide can advise you on where you may rent or purchase last-minute supplies. Your pick up time will be confirmed.
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DAY ONE
Cusco | Ollantaytambo | Km 104 | Wiñay Wayna | Inti Punku (Sungate) | Aguas Calientes
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You will be picked-up at your hotel in Cusco around 5 am. You will travel in a private vehicle for about 1.5 hours to Ollantaytambo (where you'll have the opportunity to purchase last-minute supplies). From here, you will board the train to Km 104 (duration: approximately 1 hour 15 minutes). Once you pass the control point, where you will present your Inca Trail Permit (to be carried by your guide) and passport, you will begin your trek! You will ascend gradually for about 3.5 hours until you reach Wiñay Wayna Incan Complex. You'll be given a guided tour, have a bit of time to explore, and break for a boxed lunch. For the next 2 hours, you'll continue along a mostly flat path, until it becomes a steep climb about 20 minutes before you reach the Sungate. You'll stop to enjoy the beautiful views before you descend for about 1 hour to the upper terraces of Machu Picchu Citadel. This will be your brief preview of this Wonder of the World before your guided tour tomorrow morning. You will then proceed to the exit where you'll catch your 25-minute bus ride down to Aguas Calientes. You'll check into your hotel, then have some free time before you meet up with your guide at 7 pm to enjoy a fabulous dinner. Dulces sueños.
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DAY 1 OVERVIEW
Hours of Trekking
6-7
Elevations for the Day
Cusco - 3,400 m / 11,150 ft highest
Ollantaytambo - 2,790 m / 9,150 ft
Km 104 - 2,060 m / 6,760 ft
Wiñay Wayna - 2,620 m / 8,595 ft
Inti Punku (Sungate) - 2,720 m / 8,925 ft
Aguas Calientes - 2,040 m / 6,690 ft lowest
Meals Served
Boxed Lunch / Dinner at a Restaurant
Accommodations
★★★ Hotel in Aguas Calientes
Notes
-Though it's just one day of trekking, you'll still enjoy breathtaking views along this stretch of the Inca Trail.
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DAY TWO
Aguas Calientes | Machu Picchu Citadel | Ollantaytambo | Cusco
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You should be up by 4:45 to have breakfast at the hotel and meet up with your guide to catch the early bus to Machu Picchu at 5:30. You'll be among the first to enter the park after it opens at 6 am. Enjoy your comprehensive guided tour of the citadel!
[If you pre-purchased a ticket, you would complete your
Huayna Picchu Mountain or Machu Picchu Mountain hike
before the citadel tour.
> click for more information <
You will then take the bus back down to Aguas Calientes, grab lunch on your own, retrieve your gear at the hotel, and wait for your return train to Ollantaytambo. Private transport will await you there to take you back to your hotel in Cusco. Thank you!
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DAY 2 OVERVIEW
Hours of Trekking
2-3 hour guided walking tour at Machu Picchu Citadel
Elevations for the Day
Aguas Calientes - 2,040 m / 6,690 ft lowest
Machu Picchu Citadel - 2,400 m / 7,875 ft
[optional: Huayna Picchu Mountain - 2,720 m / 8,925 ft]
[optional: Machu Picchu Mountain - 3,082 m / 10,110 ft]
Ollantaytambo - 2,790 m / 9,150 ft
Cusco - 3,400 m / 11,150 ft highest
Meals Served
Breakfast at hotel
Accommodations
Final Day - No Overnight Accommodations
Notes
- Machu Picchu!
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-You'll only be permitted to carry a small daypack no larger than 20 liters into the citadel. The rest of your gear may be placed in storage at the hotel. You may also rent a locker for S/5 (US $1.50) by the entrance of Machu Picchu.
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- Trekking poles are allowed inside the citadel only under special circumstances.
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- After your guided tour, you'll have several hours to explore the citadel, grab lunch and walk around town on your own before you head back to Cusco via train and private transport.
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Price
prices per person in USD
Group of 2: $705*
Group of 3: $665
Group of 4: $635
Group of 5: $605
please inquire about pricing for larger groups
* a solo traveler would pay for two = $1,410
- $25 USD discount for minors (17 and under) and University students with valid ID aged 25 and under
What is Included
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TEAM SUPPORT
- Experienced, Professional Tour Guide
- Responsive, U.S.-Style Customer Service
SUPPORT STAFF
- Safe, Responsible Drivers
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TICKETS / ENTRY FEES
- Inca Trail Permit / Ticket
- Machu Picchu Ticket
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TRANSPORTATION
From hotel pick-up on Day 1 to hotel drop-off on Day 2:
- Private transport from your hotel in Cusco to Ollantaytambo
- Train tickets (service may be on either PeruRail or IncaRail):
- From Ollantaytambo to Aguas Calientes
- From Aguas Calientes to Ollantaytambo
- Consettur bus tickets
- One-way from Machu Picchu to Aguas Calientes on Day 1
- Roundtrip from Aguas Calientes to Machu Picchu on Day 2
- Private transport from Ollantaytambo back to your hotel in Cusco
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MEALS
Day 1:
- A boxed lunch
- Dinner on will be at one of Aguas Calientes' top-rated restaurants on TripAdvisor (e.g., Mapacho or a comparable restaurant)
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Day 2:
- Breakfast will be provided by the hotel
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EQUIPMENT / ACCOMMODATIONS
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Day 1
- Private room (double occupancy) at a top-rated hotel in Aguas Calientes (e.g., Panorama B&B, La Cabaña, El Quetzal or one on par with these hotels)
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What is NOT IncludeD
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HUAYNA PICCHU / MACHU PICCHU MOUNTAINS
- Ticket to climb either Huayna Picchu Mountain or Machu Picchu Mountain on Day 2. It may be purchased through us for $70 USD. Please let us know as soon as you book if you wish to purchase a ticket as they are subject to availability.
> click for more information <
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EQUIPMENT for RENT
- Trekking Poles (rubber-tipped, per pair) $5 USD
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SINGLE-OCCUPANCY ACCOMMODATIONS
(Not applicable to solo travelers)
- For your own hotel room based on availability $85 to 95 USD
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MEAL
- Lunch on Day 2
(you will have many restaurants and cafes to choose from in Aguas Calientes)
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GRATUITIES
Inca Trail Permit
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In an effort to preserve the Inca Trail (Qhapaq Ñan) -- designated a World Heritage site by UNESCO in 1983 -- the Peruvian Ministry of Culture limits the number of trekkers entering the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu to 500 per day. This number includes visitors as well as support staff (guides, cooks, and porters). A non-transferable / non-refundable permit with the trekkers name and passport information is required to enter the Trail and must be purchased in advance -- sometimes as far as six months. Please note: the Inca Trail is closed the entire month of February for maintenance.
Huayna Picchu & Machu Picchu Mountains
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During your visit to Machu Picchu Citadel, you'll have the option to climb either Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu Mountain. We prefer that you decide upon booking your trek as entrance tickets are limited to 400 per day per mountain. Tickets for each mountain cost $70 USD. Both are moderately challenging hikes with stunning views from the top. Climbing and descending Huayna Picchu, on average, takes 2 to 2.5 hours; Machu Picchu can take 3 to 3.5 hours. Tickets to Huayna Picchu tend to sell out quickly, but don’t be discouraged if they’re sold out during your visit; Machu Picchu mountain may not be as popular to climb, but it is less crowded, and the views are just as beautiful, if not more.