2-Day Short Inca Trail Trek
with Camping

The airport in Cusco now receives a limited number of international flights, mainly from nearby hubs such as Santiago (Chile) and Bogotá (Colombia). These routes are typically operated by Avianca, LATAM, Sky Airlines, or JetSmart. Travelers arriving directly on these flights will go through Customs in Cusco.
For most other international arrivals, you will still need to fly into Lima first. Even if your ongoing flight to Cusco is on the same airline and ticket, you must collect your luggage in Lima, pass through Customs, and check your bags again before continuing on to Cusco.
Air travel remains the fastest way to reach Cusco. LATAM offers the most daily departures, though often at higher prices. Sky Airlines and JetSmart provide good low-cost alternatives. Because of Cusco’s high altitude and rapidly changing weather, delays or cancellations can occur.
Bus travel is always an option and is quite comfortable in Peru. This is especially recommended when traveling from cities like Puno. From Lima, however, the journey by bus is long and takes approximately 20 hours.

Any extra luggage you have with you can be left safely in Cusco at either your hotel or with us at the Alpaca Expeditions’ office while you trek. We’ll store your luggage on the morning of your trek and return it once you are back in Cusco. Make sure your bags have tags on them so they’re easy to locate.

As soon as people book their trip to Peru, specifically Cusco, they start wondering about altitude sickness. The air at high altitudes contains less oxygen than at sea level and forces your body to work harder to get oxygen. Over several days at high altitude your body adjusts to the lower amount of oxygen in the air. For this reason, we always recommend spending at least two days in Cusco before beginning any trek in the Andes. Cusco is a marvelous city with lots to do so if you have more time to acclimate you won’t be bored.

With altitude sickness you may first feel like you have the flu or a hangover. You may have a headache, tiredness, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, trouble sleeping, or trouble breathing during exercise. If any of these effects become severe please contact our office and we’ll help you get to a doctor.
Most of the time these symptoms will be mild. We always recommend easing into activity slowly allowing your body to adjust. Drink plenty of fluids such as water or coca tea. Coca tea has been used since ancient times to help prevent altitude sickness. Leaves from the Coca Plant contain alkaloids that bring oxygen into your blood which helps your body avoid altitude sickness. Avoid drinking a lot of alcohol and coffee because they’ll cause you to urinate more often and become dehydrated. Avoid smoking. Smoking makes it more difficult for your body to get oxygen. Avoid sleeping pills. They may cause shallow breathing at night, making it more difficult for your body to absorb oxygen while you sleep.

The Inca trek to Machu Picchu is about the journey and is not a race. Even if you’re in the best shape, your body can suffer from altitude sickness if they hike too quickly. Going slowly will give your body time to adjust to the elevation and allow you to enjoy the scenery. Your healthcare provider can prescribe medication that helps prevent altitude sickness. You’ll want to start the medicine two days before you get to high altitude and continue to take it while you are at high altitude. You must remember that this is your holiday and you don’t want to stress out about getting sick. Do everything slowly, drink lots of water, and enjoy the coca tea. If anything does happen and you unfortunately get sick let your guide know right away. Alpaca Expedition guides are trained to help you get through it.

The dry season in Cusco, Peru is typically from April through October. However, that doesn’t mean we can predict what the weather will be like during your hike. So, no matter what month you are doing your hike, you need to make sure that you have rain gear. This should include a waterproof jacket, pants, poncho, and waterproof gloves. Many people forget about gloves but being cold and wet makes hiking very unpleasant.
You want to be ready for four seasons – regardless of the time of year. Trekking in the Andes means you’re going to experience a lot of microclimates and you’ll need to be prepared. Layers are essential. They’re easy to adjust to different temperature changes. Be prepared with a warm packable down jacket since the evening will be cold.

Every Alpaca Expeditions guide has received training in first aid from a physician. We conduct mandatory training every February and every Alpaca guide attends. When guiding you they’ll have with them a first aid kit for basic medical situations (traveler’s diarrhea, cuts, scrapes, etc.) and oxygen.
In case something happens and you can no longer complete the trek they’ll figure out the safest and quickest way off the trail and to a clinic. You’ll have a member of the team escort you every step of the way until safely with a doctor. If you feel up to it, we’ll make sure that you still have the chance to visit Machu Picchu and re-connect with your group. This way you can finish your trip traveling by train comfortably.

To protect your travel investment, we highly recommend the purchase of travel insurance. Getting travel insurance before you leave home is strongly encouraged and very easy. We work with a great agency in the United States that has helped to make it easy and affordable. What an excellent way to protect yourself while you are visiting Peru.
If interested in booking through our trusted partner Ahart, Frinzi, & Smith CLICK HERE.

Alpaca Expeditions uses biodegradable soap and transports all our garbage back to Cusco. Our porters are trained to look after the trail and pick up any waste from other groups as well. We also use environmentally-friendly portable chemical toilets that allow us to carry waste out. We believe in leaving no footprint behind.

Alpaca Expeditions is proud of the work we do for our community as this is the main focus of our company. We’ve worked with villages directly to help supply them with the needs their families were missing. We’ve supported local schools by giving them computers and books. Alpaca Expeditions also sponsors a teacher at the village where most of our porters come from. This ensures their children have the best opportunity for education.
Alpaca Expeditions buys all our food from local farmers and markets and serve the freshest ingredients. We provide English classes for all our team including guides, porters, chefs, and drivers. We’re also building a house for our porters so they have a safe and comfortable place to stay before and after our treks
And twice every year we bring our porters and their families to Machu Picchu. The men and women who work tirelessly have never visited the Lost Citadel of the Incas. So that makes this trip our favorite to-do. It’s an honor to show them this astounding place they work for.

Alpaca Expeditions is always looking to do more and for partners. Please let us know about your ideas and we’ll work to help.

All of Alpaca Expeditions’ camping treks include porters who are responsible for carrying and setting up all equipment. They’ll additionally carry the duffel bag you receive at your briefing the night before your trek. Each duffel bag can’t exceed 7kg/14lbs and must include your sleeping bag and air mat.

Alpaca Expeditions gives each porter a proper uniform, salary, and insurance. They are the backbone of our company.

• Passport
• Valid, STUDENT CARD (if you booked as a student)
• Good daypack (the smaller, the better)
• Water storage: Water reservoir like Camelbaks are encouraged – but enough for at least 2-3 liters.
• Comfortable hiking boots (lightweight with good soles)

Porters will carry up to 7 kg of your personal items. This must include your sleeping bag and air matt (if you bring/rent one). From us these two items weigh 3.5 kg.

• 1 wicking t-shirt, 1 shirt for Machu Picchu (that you want to see in photos
• 1 hiking pant, 1 short or pants for Machu Picchu
• 2 sets of undergarments.
• Hiking socks, regular socks
• 1 Fleece
• 1 Warm, down jacket: gets very cold at night
• 1 Rain jacket and pants
• 1 sun hat
• Headlamp: essential
• Waterproof gloves (even if they are ski gloves, take them)
• Comfortable shoes for camp
• Quickdry towel. We provide small ones, you might enjoy something a little larger.
• Small bottle of soap: we provide warm water each day to clean – might make you feel fresh if you had a little soap.
• Large plastic bags: to help organize and keep clean from dirty.
• Sleeping bag: Recommend down bags for -10C at least

• Sunscreen
• Face moisturizer
• Bug spray
• Handsanitizer
• Wet wipes
• Toothbrush and paste
• Toiletpaper
• Personal medication
• First aid kit: band aids, moleskin, etc.

Huayna Picchu is the iconic peak that rises beside Machu Picchu, famous for its steep stone pathways and breathtaking views. The hike typically takes about 45 minutes to 1 hour to reach the summit, depending on your pace. Although this portion is done independently, your guide will accompany you to the checkpoint and point out the trail entrance before you begin.

This hike requires an additional entrance ticket, which we can secure for you in advance, as availability is very limited.

Huayna Picchu tickets are issued in timed entry groups to manage trail capacity. The sessions currently offered are:

• Group 1: Entry from 7:00–8:00 AM
• Group 2: Entry from 9:00–10:00 AM

We usually book the 9:00–10:00 AM entry so you can fully enjoy your guided tour of Machu Picchu first, then begin the hike without rushing. Once inside the checkpoint, you may take your time ascending and descending.

The additional ticket cost is $75 USD per person.

Machu Picchu Mountain is the higher peak overlooking the citadel, offering sweeping panoramic views of the surrounding Andes. The hike is longer and less steep than Huayna Picchu, usually taking about 1.5 to 2 hours to reach the summit.

This visit requires an additional entrance ticket, which we can secure for you in advance.

Machu Picchu Mountain tickets have two entry time options:

• Group 1: Entry at 6:00 AM
• Group 2: Entry at 8:00 AM

Because these time windows are early in the morning, it is not possible to combine Machu Picchu Mountain with the guided visit included after hiking the Inca Trail. Instead, hikers who want to do this climb must schedule a second visit to Machu Picchu on the following day.

The cost of this additional ticket is $75 USD per person.

All our tours include the Expedition Train, which is typically booked between 2:30 pm – 3:20 p.m. from Aguas Calientes.

If you prefer an upgraded experience, the Vistadome Train offers larger panoramic windows, more spacious seating, and onboard entertainment. The departure time for the Vistadome depends on availability and is usually scheduled at 1:37 p.m., 2:55 p.m., or 4:43 p.m. This train generally travels to the Ollantaytambo station, where private transportation will be waiting to take you back to your hotel.

If you would like a train that travels to Poroy or directly to Cusco, this can also be arranged with advance notice, though it is subject to availability and may incur an additional cost.

The Vistadome upgrade from Aguas Calientes to Ollantaytambo is $75 per person