The Short Inca Trail walks the last section of the Inca road to Machu Picchu: about 10 km from Km 104, past the Inca sites of Chachabamba and Wiñay Wayna, to the Sun Gate (Inti Punku). On this version you spend the night at our camp at Puente Ruinas, below Machu Picchu, and return to the citadel the next morning for a full guided tour.…
The Short Inca Trail walks the last section of the Inca road to Machu Picchu: about 10 km from Km 104, past the Inca sites of Chachabamba and Wiñay Wayna, to the Sun Gate (Inti Punku). On this version you spend the night at our camp at Puente Ruinas, below Machu Picchu, and return to the citadel the next morning for a full guided tour.
On day 1 we take the train from Ollantaytambo to Km 104, climb through the cloud forest to Wiñay Wayna for a box lunch and continue to the Sun Gate, reaching Machu Picchu in the afternoon, when it is quieter, and entering on Circuit 1, with the classic view. The bus takes us down to the camp. On day 2 we go up early for the guided tour and take the train back towards Cusco.
A porter carries your duffel bag to the camp, our cook prepares the meals, and the tents, sleeping bags and mats are provided. The permit, the Machu Picchu tickets, the trains and the buses on day 2 are included. Groups have up to 8 travellers.
This version is for travellers who have two days and want a night under canvas at the end of the Inca Trail. Prefer a hotel? See the Short Inca Trail 2 Days with Hotel . Only one day? See the…
This version is for travellers who have two days and want a night under canvas at the end of the Inca Trail.
Prefer a hotel? See the Short Inca Trail 2 Days with Hotel. Only one day? See the 1-Day Inca Trail.
Daily trail breakdown, key milestones, altitudes, and campsites.
We pick you up early at your hotel in Cusco and drive to Ollantaytambo, where we take the train to Km 104, the start of the Short Inca Trail. After the permit checkpoint we visit the Inca site of Chachabamba and begin the steady climb through the cloud forest to Wiñay Wayna, an Inca site of terraces and stone buildings, where we stop for a box lunch.
In the afternoon the Inca road continues to the Sun Gate (Inti Punku), at 2,732 m, for your first view of Machu Picchu, in the softer light of the afternoon. We enter the citadel on Circuit 1 and then take the bus down to our camp at Puente Ruinas, in the forest below Machu Picchu, for dinner and the night.
Facts and figures
We get up at about 4:30 a.m. for breakfast at camp and take the bus up to Machu Picchu for a guided tour of about 2 hours 30 minutes: its temples, terraces and plazas, and how the Incas built them. If you booked Huayna Picchu, you climb it after the tour.
Then the bus takes you down to Aguas Calientes, where there is time for lunch, before the train to Ollantaytambo and our private transport to your hotel in Cusco.
Facts and figures
Complete transparency for all equipment, meals, transport, and admissions.
Recommended gear and apparel checklist from our mountain guides.
This tour is a perfect blend of a technical trek and a cultural visit. While hiking from Km 104, you will be exposed to intense mountain sun and the humidity of the high jungle cloud forest. Camping at Puente Ruinas places you in a warmer climate than Cusco, but with high humidity.
Note from Southern Peru Explorers: Remember that Machu Picchu Archaeological Park regulations prohibit single-use plastics. We recommend bringing metal bottles or reusable "camelbaks."
14 photos from this tour.
Train from Aguas Calientes to Ollantaytambo and private transport to your hotel in Cusco
Our cook prepares the meals: a box lunch on the trail, dinner at camp and breakfast on day 2, with carbohydrates, protein, vegetables and fruit. Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and other diets are possible if you tell us when you book.
The dry season, from May to September, has the most stable weather and the most demand for permits. April and October are good shoulder months; from November to March it rains more, and the Inca Trail closes every February for maintenance.
Booking information for this tour.
Send us your preferred date and the number of travellers, and we check permit availability: the route from Km 104 is limited to 250 people a day, including guides and staff. For each traveller we need the details exactly as they appear in the passport: full name, passport number, nationality, date of birth and a copy of the passport. Since September 2026 permits are issued only with full payment and are valid only for their date, route and holder, so check the details carefully: a permit cannot be corrected, refunded or moved to another date once it is issued, except in documented cases of force majeure.
Tell us the name of your hotel in Cusco for the pick-up, and any diet or allergy.
To confirm your Short Inca Trail, pay through our secure link: Contact us to confirm availability and request a payment link. As soon as we receive the payment we buy your permit and book the Machu Picchu tickets, the trains and the buses. You then receive an email with the schedule, the packing list and the final instructions. Read how permits work in our Inca Trail permits guide.
Answers to the most common questions regarding trail preparation and logistics.
The last section of the Inca Trail, about 10 km from Km 104 past Chachabamba and Wiñay Wayna to the Sun Gate and Machu Picchu. It has no high passes and needs its own permit.
For May to August, 6 to 8 months ahead; for September and October, 4 to 6 months; for the rest of the year, 2 to 4 months. The route from Km 104 is limited to 250 people a day, including staff, and the Inca Trail is closed in February.
Easy to moderate: about 10 km with a steady climb to Wiñay Wayna and the Sun Gate, whose highest point is 2,732 m. It is much easier than the Classic Inca Trail, which crosses a pass at 4,215 m, but you still need basic fitness.
At Puente Ruinas, in the forest below Machu Picchu, which we reach by bus after the visit on day 1. We provide the tents, sleeping bags, mats and a dining tent.
No. Many people with no trekking experience do this route. Regular walks and stairs in the weeks before help, and spend a day or two in Cusco or the Sacred Valley first.
A box lunch at Wiñay Wayna, dinner at camp and breakfast on day 2, prepared by our cook, with drinking water from the first lunch to the last breakfast. Tell us about any diet when you book.
Yes, after the guided tour on day 2, with an extra ticket of USD 75, subject to availability. Book it with the tour, because places are limited.
Before the permit is bought, yes, subject to availability. Once it is issued it cannot be refunded or moved to another date, except in documented cases of force majeure.
There is no official minimum age, but children must be listed on the permit. Tell us the ages of your group when you book.
Yes. Tell us your dates and group size and we will send you a price for a private Short Inca Trail.
Choose your start date
Numbers = Inca Trail permit spaces left that day.
No payment now: we confirm availability and price first.
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 Picchu | 1 Day | 10 km | 2,732 m | Easy to Moderate | Max 8 travelers (minimum 2 per departure) | $530 |
| Short Inca Trail 2 Days with Hotel | 2 Days / 1 Night | 10 km | 2,732 m | Easy to Moderate | Max 12 travelers | $580 |
| Short Inca Trail with Camping: 2 DaysThis tour | 2 Days / 1 Night | 10 km | 2,732 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 | Moderate to Challenging | Max 12 travelers | $890 |
| Private Inca Trail 4 Days to Machu Picchu | 4 Days / 3 Nights | 42 km | 4,215 m | Moderate to Challenging | Private: minimum 2, maximum 12 travelers | $1,250 |
| 5-Day Inca Trail Hike to Machu Picchu | 5 Days / 4 Nights | 42 km | 4,215 m | Moderate to Challenging | Max 8 travelers | $1,230 |
| Cusco Inca Trail Experience: 7 Days | 7 Days / 6 Nights | 42 km | 4,215 m | Moderate to Challenging | 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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