1-Day Short Inca Trail to Machu Picchu

You will be picked up from your hotel at 4 a.m. and we will travel for approximately 1.5 hrs to the train station at Ollantaytambo from where we will depart on the 6:10 a.m. train. The train follows the Urubamba sacred valley River, until we reach Km 104, where we’ll begin the hike. Along the way, you’ll see spectacular views of farmlands, snow-capped mountains and the mighty Urubamba River, one of the sources of the Amazon River. At Km 104, we will begin our trek. Once you have everything you need, we’ll take a group photo before visiting our first Inca site. After orientation and a tour of the Incan ruins, we are going to begin hiking upwards, as we head up to reach the Classic Inca Trail. If the weather is clear, we’ll have tremendous views of Machu Picchu mountain, the Urubamba River and other surrounding Incan sites.

After hiking for 3-hours, we reach the most beautiful archaeological site on the Inca trail, Wiñay Wayna (meaning ‘Forever Young’) at 2,600 m/8,500 ft. Most people do not get the opportunity to see the elaborate water fountains, temples and agricultural terraces, which provide a perfect opportunity to learn about the history of the Incas. The site is bordered by steep drops, allowing you to see the stunning mountains surrounding the area. From Wiñay Wayna, we’ll walk to the Sun Gate, from where we’ll see the picturesque landscape of Machu Picchu. After taking in the once-in-a-lifetime views, we will begin our descent to Machu Picchu itself.

A big advantage of this hike is that, by the time we reach Machu Picchu, most of the day travelers will have returned home, so you will have the area nearly to yourself. After taking the classic photos of Machu Picchu on the Circuit 1 – Upper Terrace Route, your private English-speaking guide will explain you the importance and history of the Inka citadel before you take a bus, or walk, down to Aguas Calientes for dinner (not included). Afterwards, you will take the 6:20 p.m. train back to Ollantaytambo, and then a bus to Cusco, where you will be brought back to your hotel around 10:30 pm.