Inca Trail 2 days to Machu Picchu

The short tour to Machu Picchu starts with a pick-up from your hotel at 4 am to catch the train from Ollantaytambo. The train follows the trail of the Urubamba River until we reach Km 104, where we'll begin our trek. Along the way, you’ll see spectacular views of farmlands, snow-capped mountains, and the mighty Urubamba River.

Once you’re off the train and ready to go, we’ll provide you with snacks and take a group photo. Then we’ll set off to visit our first Inca site. We’ll give you a short orientation about this historical Inca site as well as a walking tour. Then we’ll begin hiking as we head for the Classic Inca Trail. We'll have tremendous views of Machu Picchu, the Urubamba River, and other surrounding Inca Sites.

After hiking for three hours, we’ll reach the most beautiful Incan site on the Inca Trail, Wiñay Wayna (Forever Young) at 2,600 m/8,500 ft. Few people get the opportunity to see these elaborate water fountains, temples and agricultural terraces. These provide a perfect opportunity to learn about the history of the Incas. The backdrop of this site is a dramatic cliff drop with beautiful mountains surrounding the area.

A few minutes of walking from there and you’ll arrive at the Alpaca Expeditions campsite used by hikers who have chosen to do the Classic Inca Trail. Here you’ll be able to enjoy the hot homemade lunch that’s been freshly cooked by Alpaca Expeditions’ chefs. You’ll also get a chance to refill your water and get a little rest after you’ve eaten.

From Wiñay Wayna, we’ll walk to the Sun Gate. This is where we’ll see the picturesque landscape of the famous Machu Picchu. After taking in the once-in-a-lifetime views, we’ll begin our descent to Machu Picchu.

One of the many advantages of this trek is that by the time you reach Machu Picchu the day travelers will have left. This leaves you the whole area to explore with no interruptions. After taking photos and exploring the area, we’ll take the bus down to Aguas Calientes and head to your hotel. After that, we’ll head to Indio Feliz for dinner (included). This restaurant is considered to have the best food in Aguas Calientes. After dinner, we recommend going to bed early to make the most of the next day.

Today will be all about Machu Picchu. To get the most out of the day we encourage every group to have an early breakfast before catching one of the first buses up to Machu Picchu (starting at 5:30 am). This allows you to get ahead of the crowds. The bus ride from Aguas Calientes to Machu Picchu takes approximately 30 minutes.

Once in Machu Picchu, your guide will take you directly to the best place to watch the sunrise and take photographs. Your local guide will then show you around the main sectors of the citadel for a total of 2.5 hours. During this guided tour you’ll learn more about the history and culture of the Inca Empire.

At the end of the guided tour, you’ll have some time to yourself to relax and wander around, unless you arranged to hike Huayna Picchu (must be booked in advance, as it sells out, and costs $75 per person). Your guide will show you where to begin this hike. The hike will take no more than 2 hours round-trip.

For your return from Machu Picchu, we recommend heading back to Aguas Calientes no later than 2 hours before your train departure. The return train rode from Aguas Calientes to Ollantaytambo will take approximately 2 hours. In Ollantaytambo, our Alpaca Expeditions’ staff will be waiting for you right by the station’s exit door. They’ll be ready to bring you back to Cusco by car. The car ride to Cusco will be approximately 2 hours and will have you dropped off at your hotel in Cusco.

Machu Picchu Mountain may be hiked as well instead of Huayna Picchu Mountain. This hike is more challenging and takes three hours minimum round-trip (at an extra cost of USD $75 per person).