Short Inca Trail 2 Days

Day 1.- Cusco – Ollantaytambo – Km 104 – Chachabamba – Wiñay Wayna – Inti Punku – Aguas Calientes

Your journey on the Short Inca Trail hike to Machu Picchu will commence early in the morning from Cusco. Pick up around 03:40 am from your hotel we will embark drive to Ollantaytambo. The ride will take approximately 1.5 hours, In Ollantaytambo we will board a train tourist class that will take you to Km 104.

From here, we have a walk of about four hours up to the Inca site of Wiñay Wayna (‘Forever Young’), at about 2,680 meters above sea level. Wiñay Wayna is an impressive Inca ruin built into a steep hillside overlooking the Urubamba River. It consists of an upper and lower section of housing or storage, connected by an Inca staircase and a cascade of water channels and fountains. Almost the entire hillside above and below the structures is covered by beautiful Inca agricultural terraces. As well as being an agricultural center, Wiñay Wayna was also a religious or ceremonial site.

After exploring Wiñay Wayna, we’ll continue our trek all the way to Inti Punku (the Sun Gate). From the Sun Gate, you’ll have your first, fantastic view of Machu Picchu. It is believed that Inti Punku was once the main entrance to Machu Picchu. The site was dedicated to the Sun, (Inca sun god), and was positioned on a ridge near Machu Picchu at just the right location to allow the rising sun to pass through the gate each year on the summer solstice.

After spending some time at Inti Punku, We’ll continue our trek down towards Machu Picchu, moving close to the famous citadel. You will make your descent to Aguas Calientes by bus like 30min on the board. And this is where we’ll have dinner and take you to your hotel. You’ll probably want to have an early night, as we wake up early the next day for our exploration of Machu Picchu. You will spend the night in Aguas Calientes, resting up for the next day’s enjoy to Machu Picchu.

To summarize the first day of the Short Inca Trail:

• Distance covered: Approximately 11 km.
• Highest altitude: Wiñay Wayna at 2,680 meters.
• Lowest altitude: Km 104 at 2,100 meters.
• Level of difficulty: Moderate to challenging due to the steep ascent to Wiñay Wayna.

Day 02. – Aguas Calientes – Machu Picchu – Cusco

To best appreciate Machu Picchu, we’ll wake up early in the morning so we can get to the citadel in good time. You’ll have time for breakfast first, and then our guide will pick you up from the hotel. Then we will walk to the starting point of the bus, a trip of approximately 40 minutes in the direction of the citadel of Machu Picchu.
We’ll then pass through the gates to the Machu Picchu archaeological site. Here you’ll begin your guided walking tour with an experienced and highly knowledgeable guide. Our tour of Machu Picchu will last about two hours and will take you to all the most famous and spectacular parts of the extensive archaeological complex. These include the House of the Guardian (view point), Intihuatana, and Temple of the Sun, Sacred Plaza, and other locations. And as we walk around, we’ll have spectacular views across the agricultural terraces of Machu Picchu and across to the surrounding mountains.

After exploring machupicchu you have 02 options to descend: walking or by bus, the decision will be made there at the moment. Walking takes about 1 hour or By bus 30min (12USD) bus leave every 15min:

From Aguas Calientes, we will take the train back to Ollantaytambo. This journey will last about 1 hour and 45 minutes. Upon arrival at the station, our staff will be waiting for you to take you back, we will arrive in Cusco in the evening,

Concluding our memorable Short Inca Trail 2-Day trek to Machu Picchu.

The second day of the Short Inca Trail includes the following key details:

• Highest altitude: Machu Picchu at 2,430 meters.
• Lowest altitude: Aguas Calientes at 2,040 meters.
• Level of difficulty: Easy to moderate, given that the majority of the day’s travel is by bus and train.