Inca Trail 2-Day Hiking Tour to Machu Picchu: Short Trek from Cusco
by Happy Gringo Tours
Overview
This two-day hiking tour follows a shorter section of the Inca Trail, covering 16 kilometers through the Sacred Valley’s cloud forest. The trek starts early with a bus ride from your hotel in Cusco to Ollantaytambo, followed by a train at 7:45 am to Km-104 where the hike begins. Along the trail, you will visit several Inca archaeological sites, observe local flora and fauna, and enjoy views of the Andes. The first day ends after reaching the Sun Gate (Inti Punku), which offers a view of Machu Picchu from above. On the second day, you will be picked up early in Aguas Calientes to catch one of the first buses up to Machu Picchu, aiming to see the sunrise over the ruins. You will have a two-hour guided tour of Machu Picchu with a private English-speaking guide. After the tour, there is free time to explore the site on your own. If you have tickets to Huayna Picchu Mountain, you can climb it, which usually takes about two hours round-trip. After visiting Machu Picchu, you return to Aguas Calientes for lunch on your own before taking the afternoon train back to Ollantaytambo and then a bus to Cusco. The tour includes breakfast and lunch, return transportation by train and bus to Cusco, and entrance tickets for the Inca Trail and Machu Picchu. Meals on the first morning, second-day lunch and dinner, entrance to Huayna Picchu Mountain, guide tips, and travel insurance are not included. The hike allows you to experience part of the original Inca Trail and see Machu Picchu from the Sun Gate viewpoint.
Highlights
What's included
What's not included
Itinerary
Start of Inca Trail at Km-104
The tour begins early with a bus ride from your Cusco hotel to Ollantaytambo, followed by a 7:45 am train to Km-104 where the hike starts. The 16 km trail passes through Inca sites and cloud forest, with diverse plants and birds. The day ends at Wiñay Wayna and the Sun Gate (Inti Punku), the first viewpoint overlooking Machu Picchu.
30 min
Machu Picchu and Return to Cusco
You are picked up early in Aguas Calientes to take one of the first buses to Machu Picchu for sunrise. A private English-speaking guide leads a two-hour tour of the citadel. After the guided tour, there is free time to explore on your own. Those with Huayna Picchu tickets may climb the mountain, which takes about two hours round-trip. Afterward, you return to Aguas Calientes for lunch (not included), then take the afternoon train back to Ollantaytambo and a bus to Cusco.
180 min
Languages
Cancellation policy
- All sales are final. No refund is available for cancellations.
Additional info
More things to do in Cusco
- Sacred Valley Textile Workshop with Dyeing and Weaving in Cusco
- 2-Day Hiking Trek to Rainbow Mountain from Cusco with Exclusive Mountain Camps
- Machu Picchu Private Guided Walking Tour With Guide 2 to 3 Hours
- Cusco Mystic Horseback Riding Tour to Temple of the Moon and Chacan Mountain
- Cusco Skip-the-Line Planetarium Admission Ticket with Guided Show and Round-Trip Transfer from Plaza Regocijo
- 2 Days Inca Trail to Machu Picchu with Hotel in Aguas Calientes