- km 104
- Chachabamba
- Wiñaywayna
- Inti Punku
- Machu Picchu
Hiking the 2-day Inca Trail to Machu Picchu
Short on time? We can work with your schedule to provide you the same experience in a shorter time! This is simply the second half of the four-day Inca Trail Trek. We will take you by bus and train to the starting point of the trek and then make our way by foot to the town of Aguas Calientes at Machu Picchu’s base. The two-day tour is well worth it and far more rewarding than simply taking the train all the way there as you can pause to enjoy your beautiful surroundings before ascending to the ruins.
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Overview
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Itinerary
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Inclusions
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Before You Go
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Pricing
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Enquire Now
Many of our clients don’t have the time to spend four days trekking along the fantastic and historic Inca Trail. This is why we offer the trek a two-day option as well. We want to work with you to give you a hike that is personalized to your schedule and needs! This tour is for those looking for adventure, excitement, and a greater understanding of Peruvian history and culture. We welcome all individuals who are willing to adventure with us and have the experience of a lifetime!
Itinerary at a Glance
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Day 0
Pre-Departure Briefing
Cusco
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Day 1
Trek Ancient Trails and Go Back in Time at Historical Sites
Km 104 Chachabamba Inti Punku Machu Picchu
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Day 2
Tour of the Incredible Incan Fortress: Machu Picchu
Machu Picchu
Why Take the Inca Trail?
- This package allows you to visit the most beautiful archaeological site on the route, Wiñaywayna, while heading to the magical citadel of Machu Picchu.
- The world-famous Inca Trail is considered one of the best five treks in the world.
- Travel through the mystery of cloud forests, feel the power of majestic snow-capped mountains, and discover ancient archaeological sites.
- Feel the powerful energy of one of the 7 Wonders of the World that is the historic sanctuary of Machu Picchu.
- This route is designed for travelers who don't have much time, but who want to enjoy the best of the traditional Inca Trail and a comfortable night's rest in a hotel.
- You'll cover 16 km / 10 mi, so this route is suitable for travelers of all ages or to enjoy as a family.
Trek Ancient Trails and Go Back in Time at Historical Sites
Cusco Km 104 Chachabamba Inti Punku Machu Picchu
Your adventure begins very early. We'll pick you up from your hotel's door at 4:00 a.m., and we'll travel for approximately 1.5 hours to Ollantaytambo. There you can make any last-minute purchases. We'll head to the train station and board the train at 6:10 a.m. You'll observe how the sun covers the immense Andean mountains in gold while the train crosses vast fields of cultivation and follows the Urubamba River's course until reaching Km 104, the starting point of our trek. There we'll give you a snack that you can enjoy in the middle of the route to recover your energy, and we'll have a small orientation meeting to go over the last details.
We'll start our walk on the same path as the classic Inca Trail, surrounded by vegetation and always under the gigantic sacred mountains' watchful eye. After walking for 3 hours, we'll arrive at the most surprising archaeological site on the entire route (not including Machu Picchu, obviously), the Wiñay Wayna complex (meaning 'always young' in Quechua) located at 2,600 masl / 8,500 fasl. Most hikers don't stop here to be amazed by its exquisite architecture. You'll discover a ritual water source, temples dedicated to nature's forces, and beautiful agricultural platforms. Wiñay Wayna is the perfect place to learn a little more about the impressive history of the Incas.
Again, take time to relax, be silent, and connect with Mother Earth through birdsong or the wind's refreshing touches. A little further, you'll see the camps where the people who do the classic Inca Trail spend the night. We will have time to eat our delicious box lunch provided for our company, fill your stomach, and recharge your energies.
We'll continue our tour and walk to Puerta del Sol from where you will see, for the first time, the impressive architecture of Machu Picchu. The landscape seems as though it's come out of a dream. It's a magical place built by thousands of ancient Peruvians that have withstood the test of time, and it appears imposing right in the middle of the mountains and the start of the deep Amazon jungle. Take the opportunity to capture some incredible photos and honor the memory of those who, through their deep relationship with nature, could lift such a wonder.
We still have a long way to go until we reach the citadel itself. At that time, tourists will have already started to leave Machu Picchu, and you'll be able to enjoy the magical golden light of sunset falling on those immense stone walls with tranquillity. However, the best will come the next day. We'll take an alternate path that will take us to the exit. There we'll board a bus to the small city of Aguas Calientes where your hotel is located. Before you can rest comfortably, you'll enjoy a delicious dinner in the town's best restaurant. Try to get to bed early as you have to wake up before the sun rises.
- Meals: Snack, lunch and dinner.
- Accommodation: Hostel
- Difficulty: Moderate
After a well-deserved night of rest, the day you have waited for so long has arrived: today, you'll stroll through the Historic Sanctuary of Machu Picchu's mysterious streets. Our day begins at dawn. We'll board a bus that will take us for around 25 minutes to the Inca citadel entrance, and we'll enter just before the sun begins to paint this special place in gold.
In Machu Picchu You'll take a guided tour for 2 hours, and then you'll have plenty of time to explore Machu Picchu or feel free to climb up to Huayna Picchu (Be sure to book these tickets in advance). Another option is walking to see the Incan Bridge. You will be able to stay and enjoy this magical city for more than 6 hours before hiking back down to Aguas Calientes to catch the train at 16:22 hrs (subject to availability) to Ollantaytambo. A private bus will pick up our group and drop you off at your hotel in Cusco at about 20:00 hrs. Rest your feet and your body now because we can assure you your heart will still be soaring for weeks and years to come!.
- Meals: Breakfast only
- Difficulty: Easy
- Machu Picchu Elevation: 2430 m / 7972 ft
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
The Ministry of Culture of Peru is the entity in charge of regulating the use of the Inca Trail and issuing entry permits. To access the Inca Trail it’s essential that you have a permit from the Ministry of Culture that matches the information in your passport exactly: name, passport number, nationality, and age. Only officially licensed tourism agencies can secure these permits, which are not transferable under any circumstances. If you want to change the date of your excursion you have to make sure that there are spaces available on the new date and buy a new permit. They are rules of the Government of Peru that we all must follow. If there are no permits available for the date you want, there are other incredible options to walk to Machu Picchu. We’ll be happy to find the perfect excursion for you.
What Is Included?
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High Quality Service & Safety
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Pre-departure briefing
You will meet your tour leader and group in our office for an orientation before your trek. At this time, we will provide you with the duffle bags which will be carried by our porters. The meeting will be at 6:00 PM the evening before the trip begins.
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Experienced Tour Leader
Enjoy our official TOUR LEADER—English speaking and professionally educated. Your tour leader will explain the culture and surroundings along the entire route, including leading your group in ancient ceremonies! He or she will keep you safe, sound, and comfortable on your trek so that you can enjoy your time worry-free!.
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Medical Kit or First AID Kit
All Cusco Expeditions guides have received specialized training in first aid. We hold mandatory training sessions with our guides every February. Your guide will always carry a first aid kit to face basic emergency situations (altitude sickness, traveller’s diarrhoea, cuts, scrapes, etc.) as well as oxygen. If necessary, we’ll evacuate you from the path as quickly as possible and ensure that you arrive at a clinic for treatment.
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Customer Service 24/7
We have telephone service available 24 hours/day for ease of communication and preparation with the agency leading up to your trek.
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Meals
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Day 1: Box Lunch, Dinner
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Day 2: Breakfast
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Snacks on the first day:
Before starting your trekking, our tour leader will provide you a Cloth bag with local fruits, biscuits, chocolate, caramels, etc. We will give this snack to you at the beginning of each day in your cloth bag.
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One cloth snack bag per person
To avoid the usage of plastic bags that contaminate our environment, we will give you a cloth bag for your snacks.
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Transportation
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Transport
- You will be picked up from your hotel in the morning and will travel by private transportation to Ollantaytambo Train Station.
- Private transport from Ollantaytambo train station to your hotel in Cusco.
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Train tickets
- From Ollantaytambo to KM 104(Starting point of the trek).
- From Aguas Calientes to Ollantaytambo.
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Bus Ticket
- From Aguas Calientes to Machu Picchu.
- From Machu Picchu to Aguas Calientes.
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Permits & Entrance Tickets
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Permits for Inca Trail
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Entrance ticket to Machu Picchu Archeological Site.
What Is Not Included?
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Huayna Picchu
You can climb the famous mountain that’s always seen in the photos behind the archaeological site of Machu Picchu. It’s 45 minutes uphill. Going down can be scary if you fear heights. You can take this excursion once your guided tour to Machu Picchu ends. The additional cost is the US $ 75.00. This permit needs to be booked at least two months in advance due to high demand.
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Day 2:
Dinner and Lunch.
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Travel Insurance
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Tips for our staff
Tips are usual on any excursion to Machu Picchu. Although we pay good salaries to our entire team, something extra is always welcome, especially considering the hard work they do.
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Additional costs or delays out of control of the management
Landscape, bad weather condition, itinerary modification due to a safety concern, illness, change of government policy, political instability/strike, etc.
We want to make your trip to Peru as memorable and as easy as possible. In this section, you will find speedy answers to all those questions you had in one place. Please read the following information carefully – it will help you with any questions about our services.
Has another question that we haven’t answered here? Drop us a line, and we will get back to you asap!
Briefing or informative meeting
All information meetings are held in your hotel at 5:00 p.m., one night before the tour begins. If you cannot attend, you must coordinate another time at the Cusco Expeditions offices. These meetings last approximately 30 to 45 minutes.
Payment of Trek Balance (in Cusco)
The trek has to be paid for in full by at least 7.30 pm two days before departure. For example, if your tour departs on a Wednesday, then you must come to our office before 7.30 pm on Monday.
It would be much appreciated if you pay the trek balance in cash US dollars or local currency. You can withdraw some money from several ATMs along Avenida Sol (either in US dollars or local Peruvian Soles). You can pay by credit card or PAYPAL online, but you will have to pay an 8% service charge, charged by VISA and PAYPAL. We do not accept bank checks or payment of the balance by traveler’s checks.
Storing your luggage at our Office.
Of course! During the travel, your main luggage can be stored at our office(you can organize briefing day or by email) or at your hotel, both free of charge.
Any equipment that you are not going to need on the trek can be stored safely in your hotel. Nearly every hotel will provide this service. Don’t leave items of value with your bags, put them in the hotel safe and obtain an itemized receipt (In the unlikely case of theft many insurance companies require that you have a copy of the receipt itemizing all the items). Best put items such as credit cards inside a sealed, signed envelope for extra peace of mind.
Pickups:
Cusco Expeditions can pick you up from your hotel, as long as it’s in the Historic Center of Cusco. The pickup time will be coordinated with your guide in the briefing. The pickup time may vary between 30 and 45 minutes due to traffic. Cusco is a very old city, therefore, it has many narrow cobbled streets. Some hotels and Airbnbs may be located on streets without access to cars or on long, steep slopes, making it difficult to transport luggage. We strongly recommend that you book accommodation with good access.
Return to Cusco:
Returning from Machu Picchu requires quite a bit of logistics, but don't worry. Everything is included in your tour!
- In Machu Picchu you’ll board a bus that will take you for 25 minutes to the small city of Aguas Calientes. The buses are boarded according to your arrival.
- In Aguas Calientes you’ll board a train to Ollantaytambo or Cusco. Your guide will give you the train tickets where the boarding time will be shown. Make sure you’re on the platform 30 minutes early. The train from Aguas Calientes to Ollantaytambo takes 2 hours.
- Once you arrive at the station, our representative, identified with the Cusco Expeditions clothing, will be waiting to transfer you to Plaza San Francisco, in Cusco. The trip from Ollantaytambo to Plaza San Francisco takes 2 hours.
- In San Francisco, depending on your hotel's location, we will take you to a smaller car from our company (Hyundai H1) to transfer you faster to your hotel in Cusco.
Group tours:
Group tours are made up of different types of people. Physical conditions and ages can vary. By agreeing to be part of a group tour, you also accept that some people may be faster or slower than you. Therefore, each person can go at their own pace on the route. It may be the case that a group wishes to modify the tour; however, it will be the guide who decides, after consulting with all the participants, if said modifications can be made.
Strikes and demonstrations:
Strikes and demonstrations are usually frequent in Peru and this may interrupt some of our tours. Roads can be blocked and train tracks can be taken over. However, we will try to keep your excursion as planned, even if it means leaving the night before the scheduled date. Under these circumstances, tours may also be cancelled. In case of changes or cancellations, all situations will be coordinated with you by our operations department. Your safety is our highest priority and our decisions will be made to protect it.
Lost objects:
You’re responsible for your objects during the tour. Please pay attention to where you leave your things and remember to take everything once you leave our trucks, tents, or restaurants.
Talk to a Destination Expertito
Your dedicated specialist will take the time to understand your preferences and build them into an itinerary to match, working to your budget. He or she will keep perfecting it until you’re completely happy and ready to book.
The Inca Trail can leave any day of the week, from March through January. We do not run this trek in February because rainy season & maintenance.
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Group Price
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2020 Land Cost
US$500per person
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Pre-payment
US$200(Required)
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Balance
US$300
- This small-group journey is guaranteed to operate with just two guests.
Additional Items
There are additional items you can include in this trip. Below is a quick list of prices.
- Huayna Picchu: $75
- Machu Picchu Mountain: $75
Extensions & Offers
There are several extensions you can include to your Adventure:
- Rainbow Mountain: $100 $80
- Sacred Valley: $100 $80
- City Tour: $20
Price Guarantee
Once your booking has been confirmed we guarantee the price will not increase, whatever the circumstances. Before booking please ensure you have read our important tour pricing information
Student Discount
$20 off person
Student discounts apply to anyone who is 17-years-old or younger. For those booking children 17-years-old or younger, we need a copy of their passport at booking time. Please send all to sales@cuscoexpeditions.com.
Thank you for your interest in having an adventure travel experience in Peru curated by Cusco Expeditions. Please take a moment to complete our short form, so one our friendly Adventure Consultants could provide you all the information for your trip of a lifetime in Peru.
Our Pledge | Your privacy is respected and protected. The Cusco Expeditions Company will never share, sell, or make public any of your personal contact information to third parties.
We give advice and recommendations that are right for you
Feel free to reach us via email at sales@cuscoexpeditions.com or by calling us directly at +51 947 736 747
Triunfo Street 392, office 212, 2nd floor - Main Square of Cusco, Peru
Monday - Friday
9:00 am to 8:00 pm
Saturday
10:00 am to 6:00 pm
Due to the rainy season and trail maintenance, we don't offer this trek during the whole month of february. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause you, we are working to provide you a better service!
