Short Inca Trail 2 days

The Short Inca Trail to Machu Picchu is considered one of the best treks in the world is the most important two day hike

that takes you into Machu Picchu, Take a step back in time and explore the mysterious Machu Picchu citadel on an exciting Peru trek adventure. Declared one of the New Seven World Wonders and teeming with fascinating legends and history, Machu Picchu is without a doubt the highlight of any traveler’s trip to Peru – but reaching the famed citadel by foot along the original Inca Trail adds a special perspective to this mystical experience. The 2-day Inca Trail trek offers a shortened version of the regular 4-day trek, perfect for visitors who wish to arrive to the ruins by foot, the same way the Incas originally did, but without the strain and time commitment of the classic 4-day Inca Trail.

This trek starts at the end of the 4-day trail and follows the final leg of the famous route, arriving to Machu Picchu via the Sun Gate. While walking along the beautifully preserved trail you will see ruins carved out of solid rock and you’ll also enjoy the jaw dropping scenery of the stunning Andean mountains. The 2-day hike offers a perfect taste of a Peru trekking adventure, with the added comfort of a night in Machu Picchu hotel.

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Overview:

HIKE the famous INCA TRAIL, SEE Machu Picchu twice: at SUNSET and SUNRISE and have plenty of time to explore in your own...

The Short Inca trail to Machu Picchu 2 Days is the most iconic two day hike to Machu Picchu. Despite the shorter trek time, you will nonetheless experience all of the main highlights of the real Inca Trail. Highlights of this 2 Day Inca Trail Hike include walking through the lush forest of the Amazon, hiking in the Peruvian Andes and enjoying beautiful views of snow-capped peaks and natural streams. You will see Machu Picchu from the Sun Gate, the same entrance used by the Incas on their spiritual pilgrimages to the sacred site of Machu Picchu – Peru. You will enjoy a guided tour and explore the ruins of this wonderous archaeological site as well as an optional hike up to the peak of Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu Mountain.

NOTE If you would like to experience our Short Inca Trail with Camping you can request this and it will be our pleasure to organise your 1 night camping. The Short Inca Trail Trek 2 Days with hotel or with camping is definitely the best alternative option for those who want to explore and be amazed by the Sun Gate and lost city of Machu Picchu.

ITINERARY

Day 1 : Inca Trail - KM. 104 to the Sun Gate

After breakfast, you will be picked up from your Cusco hotel and transferred to the train station. You’ll take the train through the stunning landscapes of the Sacred Valley to the station at KM 104. Here you will begin your hike following the original path of the Incas through the beautiful Andean mountains. The first Inca ruins you will encounter are those of Chachabamba, a small archaeological complex believed to have once been a guard house to Machu Picchu. From here the trail ascends at a gradual incline for three hours until you reach 8,690 feet (2,650 meters). You will visit the site of Wiñay Wayna, which means “Eternal Youth” in the indigenous Quechua language. The name comes from the perennial orchids that speckle the landscape, making Wiñay Wayna perhaps the most beautiful place on the Inca Trail. It is also the last urban center before arriving to Machu Picchu.
Wiñay Wayna consists of 4 main sectors: the urban sector, located in the lower part and containing more than 20 buildings; the ritual sector; the terraced sector for crops; and the tower sector, which boasts the site’s finest architecture and was probably a place of religious or social importance.
After touring the site and lunching, you will continue on to the Inti Punku or the “Sun Gate,” from where you can see Machu Picchu in all its majesty and grandeur. From Inti Punku you will hike downhill for roughly 30 minutes toward the citadel’s principal ruins, taking in magnificent panoramic views along the way. You will then take a bus into the mountain town of Aguas Calientes, where you will have dinner and spend the night in a comfortable Machu Picchu hotel.
Day 2 : Machu Picchu Tour
Rise early and head to the bus station for the 20-minute drive up to the entrance of Machu Picchu, where you will embark on a guided tour of the citadel. If you choose to breakfast at 5 a.m. or pack a breakfast box, you can reach the citadel in time to see the sun rise over the Inca ruins.
The magnificent handiwork of the Incas is abundantly evident even centuries after it was first set into place by genius engineers. The precision of the carved walls contrasts sharply with the wild, verdant mountains and steep highlands. Machu Picchu can be divided into 3 areas: the urban, agricultural, and adjacent zones. In the urban sector you can find the Temple of the Sun, Royal Tomb, ceremonial fountains, Royal Palace, Temple of the Three Windows, Main Temple, Intiwatana and more. The agricultural sector includes the cemetery and the Funeral Rock. Finally, the adjacent zones include Intipunku, the Temple of the Moon, Huayna Picchu, and the Drawbridge. The more adventurous can take a 90-minute climb up the nearby peak of Huayna Picchu. Note that park officials limit the number of visitors to Huayna Picchu to 400 per day and tickets need to be purchased in advance. After your day in Machu Picchu, you will take the bus back down to Aguas Calientes to collect your belongings from your hotel and return to Cusco by train, where you will be met for a transfer to your hotel.

HIGHLIGHTS

INCLUDED

EXPLORE ADVENTURES DIFFERENCE

THE EXPLORE ADVENTURES PERU® DIFFERENCE - DISCOVER THE DIFFERENCE
Explore Adventures Peru® has been setting the standard for Trekking Peruvian Andes since 2010. As one of the few specialist companies organizing high quality expeditions, we are recognized as one of the best operators on the Peruvian Andes. Come see why we are the premier Andes outfitter. When you travel with us, you gain access to people and places. You’re enriched by the knowledge of our experts and guides, and by local experts we meet along the way. And you give back. Simply by taking a trip with Explore Adventures Peru, you support the work of our explorers and indigenous Quechuas villages.

WE HAVE A 99.8% CLIENT SATISFACTION RATE!

Undoubtedly, the most honest and accurate feedback comes from our clients themselves. With the goal of constantly improving our service, a post-Hiking survey is taken from each client in order to assess our staff, equipment, and food.

LOCAL GUIDES
KNOWLEDGE: LET OUR EXPERTS GUIDE YOU
- Professional, experienced, licensed local Quechuan guides
- Our guides are formed by expert Photographers, Explorers, History teachers, Archaeologists
- Honest, hardworking, team oriented support staff
- Over 600 times hikes on Inca Trail success experiences and client satisfaction

QUALITY EQUIPMENT
HIGH QUALITY EQUIPMENT & SERVICE.
• Rugged, four season North face, Mountain Hardwear, Doite, Vango tents
• Super warm North face, Mountain Equipment, Mountain Hardwear -30F sleeping bags
• Spacious mess tents and private toilets
• Outdoor utensils in stainless steel

FANTASTIC MEALS
• Delicious meals made from fresh, local ingredients
• Clean water treated with Water Guard
• we customize our menus depending on the preferences of the group,
• we never use freeze-dried backpacking meals
• Hearty, delicious meals that will optimally fuel and inspire you during your trip!
• We also regularly accommodate vegetarian, vegan, kosher, non-gluten and other specialty diets

FOCUSED ON SAFETY
WE HAVE MANY LAYERS OF SAFETY BUILT INTO OUR OPERATIONS TO MINIMIZE THE RISKS ON INCA TRAIL AND BEYOND .
• We have established protocols for handling emergencies on the mountain, including rescue and evacuation
• Certified Wilderness First Responders
• Certified of the oficial firemen of Peru
• Daily pulse and oxygen saturation monitoring
• We provide evacuation by helicopter Andes Corp. For hikers seriously injured or sick.
• Emergency oxygen, portable stretchers and medical kits
• Emergency horse available in all our Alternatives treks

RESPONSIBLE TREKKING
GIVE BACK: WHEN YOU TRAVEL WITH US, YOU MAKE A DIFFERENCE

• Environmentally and socially responsible company
• Member of Inca Trail Porters Welfare
• Member of Leave No Trace
• Fair and ethical treatment of porters
• Empowering Peruvian women

PRIVATE TRANSPORTATION By EXPLORE
Instead of local buses, which other companies use to reduce their costs,
we always provide private transportation. This service allows our clients
flexibility and privacy.

HAPPY CUSTOMERS
• "Great experience!"
• "Very well planned & organized"
• "Excellent service all around"
• "A solid company"
• "Highly recommended!"
• Genuine, authentic, and flexible with deep local knowledge
• Absolutely Amazing