The short Inca Trail tour begins early in the morning. We will pick you up from your hotel and transfer you to the train station in Ollantaytambo, approximately a 1-hour and 30-minute journey. During the trip to Machu Picchu, you will witness the Sacred Valley of the Incas, agricultural lands, and majestic snow-capped mountains. After passing Ollantaytambo, board the train that will take you to km. 104, a journey of about 1 hour. At km 104 (2,200 meters above sea level / 7,217 feet), we will start the hike. Crossing the bridge over the Urubamba River or Willkamayu, translated from Quechua as the “Sacred River,” important for the Incas, you’ll reach the checkpoint where you need to show identification or a passport.

Just a 2-minute walk away is the first archaeological site, Chachabamba, hidden in the semi-tropical forest. After this visit, the ascent continues through checkpoints, and along the way, you’ll observe the Sacred Valley, waterfalls, and various types of orchids in the semi-tropical forest. After a 3-hour hike, you’ll reach Wiñaywayna (2,650 meters above sea level / 8,694 feet). It showcases a perfect example of Inca agriculture with numerous agricultural terraces along its slopes, where the Incas cultivated various crops. The name “Wiñaywayna” comes from a beautiful orchid abundant in the area, meaning “Forever Young” in Spanish. Wiñaywayna features more than 20 structures, including the “Temple of the Rainbow,” also known as the Temple of Fertility. The visit will take approximately 1 hour. After enjoying a box lunch, the journey continues to the Wiñaywayna control point.

In the second part of the trek, a 2-hour walk through an Andean plain, stone stairs, and tambos (resting places) will lead you to Inti Punku – the Sun Gate (2,720 meters / 8,923 feet). In Inca times, it served as an entrance control to Machu Picchu. From here, you’ll have an impressive panoramic view of Machu Picchu and the surrounding valley. Descend for about 30 minutes to the wonder of the world, Machu Picchu (2,490 meters / 8,169 feet). Finally, take a bus to the town of Aguas Calientes (2,160 meters / 7,086 feet), a 20-minute ride. Spend the night at a very comfortable hotel and enjoy dinner at one of the good restaurants in this town.

Overnight at the hotel in the town of Aguas Calientes

This day will be the most memorable as we visit the lost city of the Incas. Our Machu Picchu tour guide will be waiting for you very early at your hotel to take you to the bus station. The route to the citadel takes approximately 30 minutes, arriving at Machu Picchu at 6:30 am to witness the majestic sunrise. We will have a guided tour lasting 2 hours and 30 minutes to explore the most important sites of Machu Picchu. You can visit remarkable places such as the Royal Mausoleum, the Temple of the Three Windows, the Main Temple, the Sacred Plaza, the famous Intihuatana where the Inca wise men tied the sun during the winter solstice in June, steps, squares, fountains, etc.

After the guided tour, you’ll have free time to explore Machu Picchu on your own. There is an optional hike to the mountain of Machu Picchu or Huayna Picchu, which has an additional cost of $70 USD per person. At the scheduled time, we will take the Machu Picchu bus back to the town of Aguas Calientes to board the train back to Cusco. The expected arrival time in Cusco is 6:30 PM, and the tour concludes with a transfer to your respective hotels.