Short Inca Trail 2 Days to Machu Picchu

At Vidal Expeditions, we make the booking system as easy as possible for you. Once you decide to do the 2 Day Inca Trail, we will send you a booking form where you need to complete all the required details, which can’t be changed once confirmed. We also need a previous deposit of $200 USD per person. As soon as you pay, we immediately book a spot on the Inca Trail. Once we are done with it, we will send you your invoice and confirmation that all the booking processes have been set up satisfactorily.

To book the short Inca Trail permit, you should do it in advance because there are limitations on how many people can hike this trail every day; the capacity is 230 tourists per day. Once your permit is confirmed, the start dates and your name cannot be changed under any circumstance. According to government rules, the only information we can change is the passport number, which you should take care of before confirming the booking form.

The government will only allow us to change passport numbers if we have a copy of the new and old passports. If you no longer have your old passport, any government-issued ID will be accepted, as long as the name is the same. Also, make sure your passport does not expire six months or less after your trip.

Typically, the tour includes transportation, entrance tickets, permits, a professional guide, box lunch, hotel in Aguas Calientes, and a guided visit to Machu Picchu.

Of course, a night before departing for the tour, you will have a meeting with your trekking guide, who will provide you with all the details concerning this trek, and he'll tell you what the pick-up time will be according to your hotel location.

Yes. You can stay overnight in Aguas Calientes, and we will book your returning train ticket for the next day after the visit to Machu Picchu. We usually offer the late train ticket, which departs at 14:30 hours from Aguas Calientes, and you will arrive in Cusco around 6:30 p.m. We can also purchase the early train ticket leaving at 8:55 a.m., but you need to confirm with us when you are booking the tour. If you need us to secure your hotel or another visit to Machu Picchu, this will be an additional cost. If you do choose to spend one more night in Aguas Calientes, make sure you tell the Vidal Expeditions office at least one month in advance so your train ticket is purchased for the right day.

The short 2-day Inca trail has moderate difficulty due to the fact that it goes up and down with many stairs, some of which are foot tall. We recommend preparing for 6 to 7 hours of hiking on the first day, though it is still less strenuous than its 4-day equivalent. On the second day you'll visit Machu Picchu with little hike to visit the different temples.

Absolutely. The Short Inca Trail covers the most scenic and historically significant section of the Classic route — including Wiñay Wayna, the most beautiful ruin on the entire trail, and the iconic Sun Gate (Inti Punku) with its famous first view of Machu Picchu. If you have limited time or prefer not to camp for multiple nights, the 2-day version delivers the highlights of the full experience in a fraction of the time.

Well, you will hike 12 kilometers (7,4 miles) in around 6-7 hours from 104 km to Machu Picchu, where the highest point will be 2,700 meters (8,858 ft) at the Sun Gate. If you have good physical conditions, you can do it in less time.

Your need to take at least two days in Cusco to acclimate to the altitude, no matter how fit you are, is necessary. It is important to be prepared with all the essential trekking gear and have the proper training for it.

You should book at least 3–6 months in advance, especially for travel between May and August (peak season). The Peruvian government limits access to just 230 permits per day on the Short Inca Trail, and these sell out quickly, sometimes months ahead for popular dates. Once permits are purchased, the date and name cannot be changed under any circumstances, so early booking is essential.

For the first day hike, you definitely will need a minimum of two liters of water. After checking the first control, you won't have any option to buy more water. The next shop will be in Machu Picchu after we have done the entire hike, so we recommend preparing very well for this tour and bringing enough water for this 12 km of hike.

Definitely, it is always recommended to wear light hiking boots if possible. Ones with ankle support are extra helpful, especially for the inexperienced hiker. Because you will be climbing and going down so many steps created by the Incas, some of them become slippery as time goes on. Now that they are uneven and at varying heights, the extra support helps prevent twisting your ankles.

Walking sticks are always helpful to trekkers, but particularly on this trek. There are so many stairs that you will walk down, all made by the Incas 600 years ago. They vary in height and are not all straight. Using walking sticks can help take the pressure off your knees while doing this portion of the trail. Plus, they will help you get up the mountain as well. For those who are bringing their own, make sure you have rubber tips, or the rangers will not allow you to use them. Rubber tips can be purchased in Cusco if you forget before you leave, as well as at the beginning of the trail.

Yes, acclimatization is essential. The trek starts at KM 104 (2,100 m / 6,889 ft) and reaches a maximum altitude of 2,720 m (8,924 ft) at the Sun Gate, but your journey begins in Cusco at 3,400 m (11,152 ft). We strongly recommend spending at least 2 full days in Cusco or the Sacred Valley before your departure date.

If you have extra luggage that you do not need to bring to the Inca Trail, more hotels in Cusco offer fee-based storage where you can leave your luggage even if you change hotels after the trek. We also have storage available in the Vidal Expeditions office. Get more information from our office team.

The weather in Cusco and parts of the Andes is unpredictable, even if the weather forecast says it’s sunny. We can’t trust it. It is an impossible question for us to answer. Historically, April through September is the dry season; November through February is the rainy season; and March and October are bridge months—a mixture of both. But the clouds have not followed these rules in the last few years. Prepare for sun and rain, no matter when you come.