The 1-day Inca Trail is the shortest way to walk into Machu Picchu on the original Inca path. You take the train from Ollantaytambo to Km 104, hike past the Inca sites of Chachabamba and Wiñay Wayna and reach the Sun Gate (Inti Punku) for your first view of Machu Picchu. After entering the site you go down to Aguas Calientes and take the train…
The 1-day Inca Trail is the shortest way to walk into Machu Picchu on the original Inca path. You take the train from Ollantaytambo to Km 104, hike past the Inca sites of Chachabamba and Wiñay Wayna and reach the Sun Gate (Inti Punku) for your first view of Machu Picchu. After entering the site you go down to Aguas Calientes and take the train back, so you are in Cusco again the same night.
It is the same trail as our Short Inca Trail 2 Days with Hotel, without the night in Aguas Calientes. Choose it if you only have one day; if you can spare two, the 2-day version adds a guided visit of Machu Picchu the next morning.
Why choose the 1-day Inca Trail? Walk the last stretch of the original Inca Trail in a single day. Visit the Inca sites of Chachabamba and Wiñay Wayna on the way. Arrive at Machu Picchu on foot through the Sun…
Daily trail breakdown, key milestones, altitudes, and campsites.
Early in the morning we pick you up at your hotel in Cusco and drive to Ollantaytambo, where we board the train to Km 104, the start of the short Inca Trail. After the permit checkpoint we visit the Inca site of Chachabamba and start the climb through cloud forest, crossing a bridge in front of a waterfall on the way to Wiñay Wayna, an Inca site of terraces and stone buildings. We stop there for a box lunch.
In the afternoon we continue to the Sun Gate (Inti Punku) for our first view of Machu Picchu, then walk down to the citadel and enter the site with the ticket included in your tour. From Machu Picchu we take the bus down to Aguas Calientes, board the train to Ollantaytambo and drive back to your hotel in Cusco, where we arrive at night.
Hiking distance: 10 km (6.2 miles)
Highest point: 2,732 m (8,963 ft)
Difficulty: Easy to moderate
Meals: Box lunch
Complete transparency for all equipment, meals, transport, and admissions.
Recommended gear and apparel checklist from our mountain guides.
12 photos from this tour.
Booking information for this tour.
Inca Trail permits are limited and issued for a specific date in your name, so send us your preferred date and the full name, passport number and nationality of every traveler as early as you can. You can check the spaces left for each date in the availability calendar on this page.
Once a permit is issued it cannot be refunded or transferred to another person or date. The Inca Trail closes every February for maintenance.
Answers to the most common questions regarding trail preparation and logistics.
Yes. It is a section of the Inca Trail, so you need an official permit for your start date, issued with your name and passport number. Only licensed operators can book it, and it is included in this tour.
It is rated easy to moderate: about 10 km (6.2 miles) with a climb to Wiñay Wayna, and its highest point is much lower than Dead Woman's Pass (4,215 m / 13,829 ft) on the Classic Inca Trail. It is still a long day, from an early pick-up in Cusco to the return at night.
The hike is the same. On the 2-day tour you spend the night in Aguas Calientes and have a guided visit of Machu Picchu the next morning; on the 1-day tour you enter Machu Picchu when you arrive and return to Cusco the same night.
All year except February, when the Inca Trail closes for maintenance. From May to September the weather is drier and the most popular dates sell out first. Read our guide to the best time to hike the Inca Trail.
Spaces left for each start date on the Inca Trail from Km 104.
Choose a date to see the spaces left and book it with us.
Updated from Peru's official ticket system. Spaces change constantly; we confirm them before you pay.
Compare this tour with similar ones: duration, altitude, difficulty and price.
| Tour | Duration | Distance | Max altitude | Difficulty | Group | From |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1-Day Inca Trail to Machu PicchuThis tour | 1 Day | 10 km | 2,732 m | Easy to Moderate | Max 8 travelers | On request |
| Short Inca Trail 2 Days with Hotel | 2 Days / 1 Night | 10 km | 2,732 m | Easy to Moderate | Max 8 travelers | $550 |
| Short Inca Trail with Camping: 2 Days | 2 Days / 1 Night | 16 km | 2,730 m | Easy to Moderate | Max 8 travelers | $690 |
| Classic Inca Trail 4 Days to Machu Picchu | 4 Days / 3 Nights | 42 km | 4,215 m | Easy to Moderate | Max 8 travelers | $890 |
| Private Inca Trail 4 Days to Machu Picchu | 4 Days / 3 Nights | 42 km | 4,215 m | Easy to Moderate | Private: your group only | On request |
| 5-Day Inca Trail Hike to Machu Picchu | 5 Days / 4 Nights | 42 km | 4,215 m | Easy to Moderate | Max 8 travelers | $990 |
| Cusco Inca Trail Experience: 7 Days | 7 Days / 6 Nights | 42 km | 4,215 m | Easy to Moderate | Max 8 travelers | $1,250 |
| Inca Trail and Salkantay Trek: 7 Days | 7 Days / 6 Nights | 90 km | 4,850 m | Moderate to Challenging | Max 8 travelers | $1,450 |
Travel guides from our team in Cusco to help you prepare.
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