2 Day Inca Trail Trek
Hiking the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu is one of the most unforgettable adventures in the world. This ancient trail weaves through high Andean passes, cloud forests, and Inca ruins before arriving at the Sun Gate (Inti Punku) with the first breathtaking view of Machu Picchu. Whether you choose a 2, 4, 5, or 6 day trek, walking the Inca Trail is far more than just a hike—it’s a journey through history, culture, and natural beauty. We normally incorporate this trip into a longer week long journey of discovery.
Inca Trail Permits and Access.
To walk any section of the Inca Trail, you must obtain an official Inca Trail permit. These permits are strictly limited by the Peruvian government and can only be secured by licensed Inca Trail tour operators. Booking in advance is essential, especially for our Classic 5-Day trek, which often sells out months ahead. All treks begin in the Sacred Valley near Cusco and finish with the iconic entrance to Machu Picchu through the Sun Gate.
Hiking the Inca Trail means stepping onto the same stone-paved paths built by the Incas centuries ago. These routes were once used as trade and communication highways across the empire. Today, trekkers follow the original trail system, passing archaeological sites, Andean villages, and dramatic mountain scenery.
This 2 day itinerary leaves Ollantaytambo early in the morning by train. You then hike up from the river to Winyawayna, one of the most magical sites on the Inca trail. You will then hike to the Famous sun gate and down into Machu Picchu late in the afternoon. You will spend in the night in Aguas Calientes and we take you out for a nice dinner at Indio Feliz.
Walking on the Ancient Inca Trail
Hiking the Inca Trail means stepping onto the same stone-paved paths built by the Incas centuries ago. These routes were once used as trade and communication highways across the empire. Today, trekkers follow the original trail system, passing archaeological sites, Andean villages, and dramatic mountain scenery. Depending on your chosen itinerary, overnight stays include comfortable camping under the stars or a combination of camping and lodges.
Inca Trail Tour Options
4-Day Inca Trail Trek – The most popular choice, this trek balances stunning landscapes, ancient ruins, and the unforgettable Machu Picchu sunrise.
Classic 5-Day Inca Trail Trek – A slower-paced version of the Classic route, ideal for acclimatization and enjoying quieter campsites.
6-Day Salkantay + Inca Trail Combo – A challenging and rewarding trek that combines two of Peru’s most famous trekking routes into one epic journey.
Our team will pick you up from the airport and take you to the hotel for your stay in Cusco, which is on a shared basis. Because you are arriving at a high altitude in Cusco at 3,400m/ 11,152 feet above sea level, we recommend taking this day to rest, rehydrate and slowly take in the sites of this beautiful and historical city! You will stay the night in the nice, 4 Star hotel of our choice, in a shared accommodation. We will have a briefing this evening, to go over the itinerary, and then you will want to get to bed early as tomorrow will be a long day! If you would like to arrive early to Cusco to further acclimatize, this is also an option! We are happy to assist with organizing extra hotel nights for you.
Today, you’ll enjoy a private, full-day tour through Peru’s stunning Sacred Valley, beginning with a visit to Chinchero, a colorful Andean village rich in Inca history, traditional weaving, and vibrant local culture. From there, we head to Mahuaypampa, a lesser-known community near Moray, where you’ll take part in interactive workshops on traditional Andean agriculture and weaving. Learn ancient techniques passed down through generations and enjoy a farm-to-table lunch prepared with fresh, organic ingredients by local chefs.
Next, we visit Moray, home to the famous circular terraces used by the Incas as an agricultural laboratory, before continuing to Ollantaytambo, one of the most important and well-preserved Inca sites in the Sacred Valley. You’ll explore its impressive stonework, rich history, and narrow cobbled streets before settling in for the night in this historic town. This day offers a perfect mix of culture, history, and acclimatization, helping your body adjust to the altitude. We will stay overnight in a hotel in Ollantaytambo tonight.
After spending the night in the Sacred Valley of the Incas in Ollantaytambo, you will enjoy breakfast and say goodbye to the rest of the team who are hiking the whole trail! Then, you will start your day with a drive back up into the mountains. We will take a tour to see the circular terraces of Moray, which is about forty-five minutes from Ollantaytambo. The archaeological center of Moray is a unique site which was thought to be a laboratory and agricultural research center. After Moray, you will head to Maras, a quaint town in the Sacred Valley, before heading to Las Salinas de Maras, the salt pits. After here, we will visit Huaypo Lagoon, a beautiful lagoon with crystal clear waters.
After a full day of tours, we will head back to Cusco to spend the night in the hotel. Breakfast and lunch included.
Today starts after breakfast in the hotel, with a historical Cusco city tour, including a visit to the famous San Pedro market, which at an altitude of 3,400m, is one of the highest in the world! We will learn about the market’s history as you explore rows of local produce, colorful fabrics, flower vendors, shaman stalls, and loud juice makers, all in the company of an English-speaking guide.
After the Market, we will visit the Sun Temple of Qoricancha, a very important construction built during the Inka times, to honor the Sun God.
From there, we will head up to one of the most famous sites of Cusco, Sacsayhuaman. Sacsayhuaman (which means ‘satisfied falcon’) is one of the most impressive sites built by the Incas. It is generally referred to as a fortress, however it is not certain what its main function was. Current research suggests that it was more likely to be used as a temple, as Inca tombs have been discovered in the area.
The Incas envisioned Cusco as having a puma shape – Sacsayhuaman was the head. The magnificent zigzag walls are the major attraction. The grounds surrounding Sacsayhuaman are still used today for the colorful festival of Inti Raymi which is held on the 24th of June every year. From there, we will drive 20 minutes up to the statue of Cristo Blanco and enjoy the beautiful panoramic views of the city! Return to the hotel for the night.
This fabulous half-day South Valley Tour takes you around the most important sites of the South Valley. It is known for combining beautiful natural landscapes with Incan culture. We will visit the lakes of Urcos and Huacarpay, see the Inca architecture in Tipon, and pre-Inca Wari architecture in Pikillaccta.
At approximately 9am, you will leave for Tipon which is about 40 minutes from Cusco. We will enjoy the lovely mountains and vistas along the way to Tipon. There, we will visit the ruins of Tipon, dedicated to religious worship by the Incas. Then we will continue to Pikillacta, a well-preserved archeological site from the Wari period, a pre-Inca culture. Finally, we will visit Andahuaylillas, a small village famous for its Sistine Chapel. We will see the beautiful murals made by artists of the Cusco School, amazing embroideries and carved altars. After a glorious time, we will continue to Ollantaytambo for one more night in this wonderful town before starting the trek tomorrow.
Today will be a long and special day! Our guide will pick you up from the hotel around 7am to transfer you to the Train Station in Ollantaytambo. From there, you will board a Tourist Expedition Train, and after approximately 1 hour and 45 minutes, you will arrive at Kilometer 104, the start of our hike! From here, we cross a bridge to the checkpoint where you will have to show your passports and our permits, before we can enter the trail. The trail heads off to the right towards the ruins of Chachabamba. You will see the stone altar to the sun and the mountains, a sacred rock for locals.
After a visit to Chachabamba, we`ll continue the trail heads south and begin climbing the mountain, before entering the cloud forest. Then, the trail leaves the forest and goes west while continuing the uphill hike in open grassland. After hiking in the sun for about three hours, the trail descends into a shaded forest. This is where you can enjoy a beautiful waterfall. After leaving the waterfall and forest, you will arrive at the lower part of the incredible Inca site of Wiñaywayna. You will have a chance to visit this amazing site, before heading for lunch. This morning hike takes 3 hours and is 1,562 ft (476m)
At lunch, you will meet with the team who have hiked the full Inca Trail, to enjoy this special final lunch together on the trail. After lunch, and the rest of the team saying goodbye to their porters, you will begin walking the trail together through a cloud forest full of bromelias, orchids and fern trees. You will walk the last part of the original trail with amazing features of stone steps and tambos “resting places”. Finally, you will climb the 50 steep steps, named the ‘Gringo Killers’ before arriving at Inti Punku or the “Sun Gate”. From this point, you will be able to contemplate and observe the magnificent site of Machu Picchu. Spend a short time for pictures and views, before continuing down another hour to reach the viewpoint for stunning photographs of Machu Picchu. We will have some time to enjoy the city, late in the afternoon, when many of the other tourists have left the site. 7 hours of hiking today.
Once it is time to leave this magical place, we will head to the exit where we will jump on a 30-minute bus ride down to the town of Aguas Calientes. The team will all have a lovely celebration dinner together in a local restaurant.
We will wake early this morning and have breakfast in the hotel before we begin the journey back up to Machu Picchu. From town, we will board a bus, which will take us back up to Machu Picchu City. Here, we will have a complete guided tour of the city, which will take approximately two hours. After the tour, you will have some free time to enjoy the views or if you have booked the climb up Huayna Picchu Mountain (which needs to be booked/paid for in advance), you will do a tour followed by the climb up Huayna Picchu mountain. This additional hike offers a unique perspective of Machu Picchu, the valleys and mountains that surround it.
Once you are finished in Machu Picchu, we will take the bus back to Aguas Calientes. We will have lunch in a local restaurant, and you will have some free time to explore the city of Aguas Calientes, before meeting at a designated time and location set out by the guide. From here, we will take the train back to Ollantaytambo, where our private transportation will await, for the journey back to Cusco. After a long day, we will reach the hotel in Cusco, and you will be free to enjoy the evening in the city for your final night in Peru.
You will be picked up from your hotel in Cusco depending on your flight time. We will drive you to the airport for your onward journey. If you would like us to book additional nights in Cusco, we are happy to assist with booking extra nights in the hotel for you. We will always drop you off for your scheduled flight.
Trip Cost Includes:
Trip Cost Does Not Include:
Having previous altitude experience is important as you plan your trip to Peru. We recommend that you have experience with hiking at altitude with a back pack.
You will be doing some walking on this trip around Cusco, some Inca sites and then the long day to Machu Picchu. You need to be a fix hiker to enjoy this hike to Winaywayna and into Machu Picchu.
Acclimatization is a critical component for safety and enjoyment in Peru. I highly recommend have additional nights in Cusco before the start of the trip.
Having lightweight equipment and clothing means you will have to carry less weight as you move around on this itinerary. We will send you an itemized kit list for this trip.
If you have been on a number of altitude expeditions with us you will know all about altitude related issues and problems. Arrive early in the day. Rest, hydrate, have ibuprofen with you and consider taking Diamox before arriving in Cusco
If you are taking prescription drugs, make sure you bring a sufficient supply to last more than the length of your trip. We highly recommend taking Diamox for the duration of the trip. Our high altitude specialist doctor recommends 125mg in the morning and 125mg in the afternoon. Make sure your Diamox is in tablet form. You will also need to bring a number of antibiotics. There are alternatives to taking Diamox and you most certainly should bring ibuprofen on this trip.
Make sure our office team knows of any medical concerns you may have. On the trip, don’t keep any issues to yourself, altitude sickness can be dangerous. We implement a slow pace for all trekking and acclimatization days on the trip, however, you can still have altitude related issues. Make sure that your guide knows your medical history.
The pace of your trip is critical to recovery each day. Moving too quickly at altitude often leads to altitude illness and does not aid in your recovery. A slow pace and slow movement to high and extreme altitude is very important.
Cusco is a dry climate and one of the most important tips we will give you is to make hydration a priority. When you wake up you need to drink 1 liter of water before breakfast. You need to drink 2 liters before lunch and another liter in the early afternoon. Using a water bladder system is ideal because you can then drip feed water into your body on a regular basis. Forcing water in, is not a good idea as you will just pee it out. You will need hyper hydration sachets, multi-vitamins and electrolytes while on the trip.
We recommend taking multi-vitamins on a daily basis before and during the trip. These can either be the type that we dissolve in our water or as a tablet to take daily. You need to consider a range of supplements to maintain a strong immune system.
Have a small medical kit that is easy accessible during the trip. This medical kit should have Ibuprofen, blisters plasters, tape, sunscreen, lip protection, medication, plasters and personal items.
Our mountain guides are qualified professionals and hold Wilderness First Aid Certificates. They have years of experience leading trips in these mountains are able to get you the help you need in case of an emergency.
We offer personal service with training advice for our clients, 5 days a week. A lot of people underestimate the physical preparation needed and we can help.
Why not sign up to one of the trips that Ian personally leads. You can hike into Machu Picchu with someone who not only has reached the top of Mount Everest! Ian usually leads two Inca Trail treks per year. You will need to book far enough in advance for these trips. Sign up and get access to Ian today.
We have years of experience managing teams on the ground in Peru and around the world. Ian has led over 150 expeditions above 17,000 feet. Our head guide has worked full time with us for 15 years. Our team is well connected on the ground with access to all the key organization and authorities.
In Cusco we use the Novotel Hotel. This hotel is centrally located. On the we mostly use Mountain Hard wear tents for our single tents. These tents are tried and tested at high altitude. They have plenty of space for one people and the highest quality tents for mountain travel.
We have chefs with us through out the trip and we include meals in Aguas Calientes, and Ollantaytambo.
Feel free to review our itinerary on this page and we are happy to explain why we prefer this route for our one day hike into Machu Picchu. There are less people on this permit is far more interesting for our groups hiking into Machu Picchu in the late afternoon.
We will pick you up from the airport and bring you to the Hotel in Cusco. We will manage all aspects of booking permits, hotels, tours and transportation. All transport will be in high quality private vehicles. All of our trips include seven hotel nights.
We only work with small group sizes. The maximum number of people per team will be 8 people. Some of our groups are even less people with only 6 or 8 team members. We also run private groups to this short Inca Trail trek. This will therefore give you are more personalized experience in Peru.
We believe the journey is far more valuable than the destination. That is why we take care of all aspects of the trip you can travel a ease.
We have full time staff on the ground in Cusco year round. We have the team, support and experience with you and behind you prior to your trip and on the mountain. Contact us for more information on our unique itinerary that we have tried and tested over many years.
Depending on the service you are looking for, you will find a wide range of food options in Peru. We only run quality trips with professional service and quality food. Peru has some of the best food options in the world.
Your choice, but we like to have access to better food and service for our Inca Trail treks. For us this is so important for your enjoyment and comfort. Quality food also adds to a successful mountain experience. We have helped hundreds of people reach their goal and they pick Ian Taylor Trekking for a quality run trip. Read some reviews from our trips.
Ian Taylor Trekking work with professional local guides to offer the highest level of service on the Inca Trail. We have control over the service we offer on the ground and have developed the service over a number of years.
While you are on the trail you will be served 3 course Lunch. We vary the menu with steak, chicken, pasta and vegetables. We serve a balanced diet plan and always thinking about the food served for the level of activity on a given day. Finally, we don’t cut corners and give you the best service and experience on your journey into Machu Picchu.
Ian Taylor Trekking have been working in Peru for 20 years now, building the best experience and service possible with local partners. We want you can experience the journey of a lifetime and enjoy every day of your trip. Sign up and start getting prepared, we have years of Inca Trail experience built into every trip. We are happy to share our knowledge to help you enjoy your trip in Peru.
The Inca Trail and especially Machu Picchu can be a very busy place. This is why we like to run trips at very specific time. Designing our itinerary, our primary goal is to keep everyone safe. We want to give you the best experience so you an come and enjoy this Inca Trail experience.
We run about 20 planned group trips on the classic Inca Trail each year. You can join any of those dates. Ian usually leads two trips per year and booking well in advance is highly recommended. Ian is always happy to get on a call and answer any questions you have about this magical trip to Peru.
We have helped thousands of people trek to Machu Picchu over the past 20 years. We pride ourselves in working with the best staff and having the best food and service. We pay our team 25% more than other companies. Contact us today and we can send you specific information on how you need to start preparing to for this trip to Machu Picchu.
First things first, DO NOT show up on one of our trips without being fully prepared. If you show up unprepared you put our set up, staff, yourself and team at risk. You need to be responsible for your own preparation.
It should be obvious, but focus on hills, stairs steps with a weighted back pack. It is important to choose the correct training method for the activity you are undertaking. Mountain hiking require you to be comfortable hiking up and down hills with weight. So training in a similar manor is critical for safety and success.
We can share all this information with you and help you understand how to develop a training plan with these element in mind. The only way to prepare for the lack of oxygen is by having more acclimatization days and training your body to carry more weight than you will carry on the mountain.
By having a good training routine training 4 to 6 days a week months and months before a trip you will hope to modify and postpone the point at which you become fatigued.
In order to train aerobic fitness and build endurance, you need to look to undertake activities that are lower in intensity but continue over a longer period of time. A short burst, for example 20 minutes on a running machine is not going to prepare your body for hours of walking up a steep incline with a weighted backpack.
Not everyone will have access to hills, but this is the best way to train your body and legs for down hill hiking. Depending on your chosen adventure you do need to assess the level of downhill. We have elevation gains available for all of our key trips. I encourage you to review the daily elevation drops and what type of terrain you will be walking on.
For example, on our Inca trail treks you will be drop 700m/ 2,296 feet to 1,000m/ 3,280 feet on different days all on steep rocky stairs. On our Kilimanjaro Trek, you will drop 2,800m/ 9,186 feet in one day on scree and rock and this is very challenging on your legs and joints.
You have just walked for days on end you have reached your goal but not you have to retrace your steps, often in a quicker time frame. Hiking downhill will take its toll on your joints. Fore sure, the downhill hike will take more wear and tear on your joints and muscles than the uphill.
You do need to use effective training techniques to minimize the impact on your body. Descending using good technique means that you move faster and feel lighter. Remember, 80% of accidents happen on the way down.
We live in Eagle-vail Colorado with amazing access to altitude and a wide range of mountain terrain to train on. In Colorado we can train all year round on hilly terrain preparing for Kilimanjaro, Himalayan trekking and mountaineering trips. I know most of you are joining our trips from sea level and with minimal access to hill training. I encourage you to get out to Colorado doing some multi-day hiking in preparation for your chosen adventure.
If you do not have access to hills and mountains, you must figure out other ways to prepare your knee joints to handle downhill stress. From a knee perspective, downhill hiking means eccentric loading and typically thousands of repetitions of it. Eccentric loading (the lengthening phase of a contraction) is especially challenging to what is called the patellofemoral joint of the knee. This is where the knee cap, meets the femur. Inadequate strength, poor mechanics and lack of exposure to this type of loading can turn downhill forces into injury producing stress. Prior to your trekking trip you need to start implementing sport specific training into our general preparedness programming.
Hiking uphill is all concentric muscle action (muscle active while shortening) at the knee joint without any eccentric loading (loading while muscle is lengthening). Concentric only exercises tend to cause less mechanical stress, load and pain to joints and tendons than do exercises that have eccentric phases. What goes up must come down.
You must prepare our body and specifically your knees to handle downhill hiking. Depending on the trip, you really need 6 months of some sport specific training into our general preparedness programming.
The strength movements below are similar but slightly different in specific ways. We purposely only hit each one once per week because too much volume of these exercises could quickly lead to an over training injury, so be careful. I would recommend adding in additional hip flexor and quadriceps mobility work at the end of your training sessions as well to maintain good length tension relationships and to protect your spine.
Increase vertical loading volume of the knees with a sight posterior to anterior (back to front) force vector. Get exposed and accustomed to decelerating the vertical and forward forces using primarily a knee strategy. Transition from doing most lunges and squats with a 3 points of contact foot position to a more heel elevated position where we contact and press through the forefoot.
The 3 points of contact foot position is the most stable position for the foot and encourages a balance of hip and thigh musculature – great for general preparedness training. Transitioning to a heels elevated position where the forces are applied through the forefoot places most of the stress on the quadriceps and knees – optimal for downhill hiking training.
You should consider adding these movements into your weekly training 2 times per week. Add 3-5 sets of 10-15 repetitions (per leg)
1. Heels Elevated Goblet Squat
2. Forward Alternating Lunge with Farmers Carry Loading
3. Forward Alternating Drop from Box Lunges
4. Banded Posterior to Anterior (PA) Forward Lunges
One of the best ways of mitigating the risk of musculoskeletal issues is by carrying a light pack. Then build up the weight you carry over time. An overly heavy backpack is not recommended in the early stages of your training.
Extract its biggest toll on your body during steep and/or long downhill sections, so a hiker should always aim to travel as lightly as the dictates of their skillset and the environment into which they are venturing allow.
If you are carrying weight on longer hike you should slowly build up the weight you carry. You should also consider carry water uphill and dump as much water/ weight as possible for your downhill. Always assess the weight you are carrying for each hike and always build up slowly over time. You do not want to get injured.
In our opinion, La Sportiva have great footwear options at the moment. Finding a boot that will last a long time, be comfortable, waterproof and have good support, is always our goal. This option is both a great trekking boot. Having the slightly more rigid sole helps keep your foot sturdy and protected on the uneven rocks hiking into Machu Picchu.
Ian has used the Lowa Renegade trekking boots for years trekking into Machu Picchu. They are a lightweight trekking boots great for the type of terrain you will be hiking in Peru. If you maintain them well, you will have them for years. Lowa have been putting this boot year after year for 20+ years. If they fit your foot correctly, then they may be the right boot for you. They work great and last a long time.
Q). How much are the permits?
A). The permit fees change every year. This last season the permit fee was USD $780 to $980. The system for payment also changes on a regular basis. It is best to pay in advance to secure your permit before arriving in Mendoza. This may change and we will guide you through this process.
Q). What is my Arrival Airport?
A). You will need to arrive into Mendoza Airport in Argentina.
Q). What Hotel will I stay at?
A). We use the Diplomatic Hotel in Mendoza. It is centrally located and nice place to relax before and after the expedition.
Q). Can I leave cloths at the hotel?
A). You can leave a bag with travel cloths and any items you do not need on the mountain. The hotel has a secure room for you to use.
Q). How do we get Water?
There is access to water in all camps leading into Aconcagua Base Camp. You do need to treat this water. Our guides will also boil water each evening. We have a water tank at Aconcagua Base Camp where you can gain access to water. In the higher camps the guides will collect water and boil additional water for you to use.
Q). What tents to you use?
A). We use North Face or Mountain Hardwear 3 person tents. You will share a tent with another climber throughout the expedition.
Q). How many Guides per team?
A). We normally have a maximum number of 10 climbers per group. We would have 2/3 guides leading the trek into Aconcagua Base Camp and 3/4 guides above Base Camp in support of your acclimatization and summit attempt.
Q). Can I rent gear in Mendoza?
A). It is becoming more and more challenging to rent gear in Mendoza. It is expensive and never guaranteed to have the gear you need. It is much better to rent items in your home country.
Q). Will there be communication with home?
A). We do have WIFI access in both Aconcagua Base Camps for a fee. This is usually $25 for 24 hours. Guides will have radio communication with Base Camps and will carry a satellite device for emergency communication.
Q). Will there be a shower in Base Camp?
A). There is shower access at Aconcagua Base Camp. One shower is included in Base Camp and you can pay for additional showers in USD. Normal cost is $15.
Q). Will I have to share a tent?
A). For safety reasons, we do require that everything shares tents and much better for setting up your tent each day.
Q). How much are tips?
A). We recommend giving your head guide the overall tip at the end of the trip at Aconcagua Base Camp and they will make sure all all chefs, porters, mule drivers and all support staff are tipped appropriately. We recommend you tip USD $350.
Q). Can I do tours around Mendoza after the climb?
A). There are some great day tours to go horse riding, visit wineries and we can help you get booked into one of these trips.
Country:
Peru
Duration:
2-8 Days
Distance:
12km / 7.4 miles
Max. Altitude:
3,600m /11,811 feet
Difficulty:
Long Day Hike
Group Size:
8
Interested in the 2-Day Inca Trail Trek to Machu Picchu? Tell us where you are in the planning process and our team will help you choose the right trip, dates, preparation plan, and next steps.
