The Short Inka Trail is designed for travelers who want to experience the magic of the Inca Trail, without committing the time needed for one of the longer multi-day hikes. This 2-day/1-night trek is great for families with children as it is only one day (about 6 hours) of hiking, and includes comfortable overnight hotel accommodations.
Along the route you will witness all the beauty of our flora and fauna as well as visit some of our most cherished inca ruins, including Wiñaywayna inca site. And most importantly, the hike ends by walking through the Sun Gate with the most spectacular first view of Machu Picchu from above. You will head back inside the ruins on your second day to explore the mystery and history of these ruins as you walk around with your Alpaca Expeditions guide.
Want to sleep under the stars at a private campsite on this 2-day adventure? Check out our 2-Day Inca Trail Trek with Camping.
Tour Type: Hiking, adventure, history, culture
Good For: Moderate physical fitness
Difficulty: Moderate
Considerations: Permit Required
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Your short Alpaca Expeditions Inca Trail tour to Machu Picchu starts with you being picked up from your hotel from 4 to 4:20 AM. Next, we’ll go to the train station and leave on the 6:10 a.m. train from Ollantaytambo. The trail follows the Urubamba River until we reach Km 104, where we’ll begin our trek. Along the way you’ll see spectacular views of farmlands, snow-capped mountains and the mighty Urubamba River. The Urubamba River is one of the sources of the massive Amazon River so it’s very impressive to see. At 104 km (2,000 m), we’ll begin our breathtaking trek. Once you’re off the train and ready to go, we’ll provide you with snacks and take a group photo. Then we’ll set off to visit our first Inca site. We’ll give you a short orientation about this historical Inca site as well as a walking tour. Then we’ll begin hiking as we head for the Classic Inca Trail. We’ll have tremendous views of Machu Picchu, the Urubamba River and other surrounding Inca Sites.
After hiking for three hours we’ll reach the most beautiful Incan site on the Inca Trail Wiñay Wayna (Forever Young) at 2,600 m/8,500 ft. Few people get the opportunity to see these elaborate water fountains, temples and agricultural terraces. These provide a perfect opportunity to learn about the history of the Incas. The backdrop of this site is a dramatic cliff drop with beautiful mountains surrounding the area.
A few minutes of walking from there and you’ll arrive at the Alpaca Expeditions campsite used by hikers who have chosen to do the Classic Inca Trail. Here you’ll be able to enjoy the hot homemade lunch that’s been freshly cooked by Alpaca Expeditions’ chefs. You’ll also get a chance to refill your water and get a little rest after you’ve eaten.
From Wiñay Wayna, we’ll walk to the Sun Gate. This is where we’ll see the picturesque landscape of the famous Machu Picchu. After taking in the once-in-a-lifetime views, we’ll begin our descent to Machu Picchu.
One of the many advantages of this trek is that by the time you reach Machu Picchu the day travelers will have left. This leaves you the whole area to explore with no interruptions. After taking photos and exploring the area, we’ll take the bus down to Aguas Calientes and head to your hotel. After that we’ll head to the restaurant for dinner (included). After dinner we recommend going to bed early to make the most of the next day.
* This hiking route is identical to the 2 Day Inca Trail with Camping
Hotel Intipunku(or similar)
Lunch and dinner
After breakfast at your hotel, you’ll have time to pack your duffel bags (please leave them in hotel storage for pickup) and prepare your day packs. We’ll then take a short 5-minute walk to the bus station to be among the first in line for the ascent to Machu Picchu.
The first buses depart at 5:30 a.m. and arrive around 6:00 a.m. Remember to bring your original passport for the checkpoint. Your guide will lead you to the perfect spot to enjoy the sunrise over the mountains and capture incredible photos (weather permitting).
Following sunrise, embark on a two-and-a-half-hour private walking tour of Machu Picchu, exploring the citadel and learning about its fascinating history. If you’ve booked a Huayna Picchu permit, your climb will begin at 9:00 a.m.
Meals Included: Breakfast Only
Return to Aguas Calientes & Train Journey
You’ll need to catch your bus back to Aguas Calientes at least 2 hours before your train departure, allowing time for lunch (not included), pick up the duffle bag and boarding your train to Ollantaytambo.
Upon arrival at Ollantaytambo, a private Alpaca Expeditions vehicle will take you back to Cusco (around 2 hours). Your stored luggage will be returned, and you’ll be dropped off at your hotel.
The Inca Trail is the most famous trek in South America, and permits are strictly limited by the Peruvian government. To secure your spot for this once-in-a-lifetime experience, we recommend booking at least 6 to 7 months in advance, especially for the peak season from May to August. Below you can check the real-time availability for our upcoming departures.
Alpaca Expeditions is a 100% peruvian, indigenous owned company. Started by Raul Ccolque, a former porter and tour guide, Alpaca Expeditions separates ourselves by our dedication to both our customer and our team. We work very hard to make sure that all our clients needs are taken care of throughout the tour with us. At the same time, we never forget about our brothers and sisters working tirelessly for us to make all of this possible. Responsible and sustainable tourism that gives as much to our community as to our clients.
Everyone on the Alpaca Team is from Cusco region, living the traditions and history they share with you while on one of our tours. Our guides are all graduates of university studying tourism, history and english. Our chefs are trained every February by a professional cooking team learning new meals, adding varieties of entrees for all types of eating. And all our porters are from HUARQUI, HUACAHUASI, PATACANCHA, QUISWARANI, CANCHACANCHA, QUEYUPAY, UMACHURCO and CCACCACCOLLO villages, very often working this job on top of maining their farms back at home. Most of our team has been with us for years, as we have the most loyal, hard working, happy employees in Cusco. We know how lucky we are to have the best team trekking and you will immediately fall in love with all the men and women who call Alpaca Expeditions their home.
Our goal at Alpaca Expeditions is to create the best experience for all of our clients. We create journeys that are to be remembered for a lifetime. Journeys you can be proud of and can share with everybody around you.
In the pursuit to stand out from the rest, Alpaca Expeditions has obtained four ISOs plus our carbon footprint certificate to date. These achievements result from our efforts to implement the internationally-recognized integrated management system. They also represent our commitment to all of our clients and staff of operating sustainability and responsibility in every way possible.
