Inca Trail Express to Machu Picchu - 5 Days

Acclimatization on Your Machu Picchu Brief Trek Option.

After breakfast, enjoy a free day to explore Cusco at your ease, as you acclimatize and prepare for your Inca Trail express to Machu Picchu. The capital city of the Inca Empire is now the undisputed archaeological capital of the Americas, as well as the continent’s oldest continuously inhabited city.

You may visit the local archaeological sites of Saqsaywaman, Tambomachay, and Qenqo or you can take part in a Peruvian cooking class or chocolate-making class, depending on how you want to spend your free day before you begin your short Inca Trail adventure. We can help arrange and suggest all activities available in this incredible imperial City.

Remember that you have the Inca Trail Express to Machu Picchu trek briefing at 7 pm in your hotel, where you will meet your guide for the Short Inca Trail.

Our Hiking Begins! The Inca Trail Short Route, Scenic Vistas.

Our one-day Inca Trail hike to Sun Gate begins in Cusco when we pick you up from your hotel in the morning (the exact time will depend on the train schedule). We then head to the train station and board the train for a scenic 2.5-hour journey to a point known as Kilometer 104. This is where the trekking section of our Express Inca Trail to Machu Picchu package begins!

From here, we will trek through lush flora on the short Inca Trail trek for about four hours, to the Inca site of Wiñay Wayna ('Forever Young'), at about 2,680 meters (8,792 feet) above sea level. This is one of the biggest historical sites along the short Inca Trail until we arrive at Machu Picchu.

Wiñay Wayna is an impressive Inca ruin built into a steep hillside overlooking the Urubamba River. It consists of an upper and lower section of housing or storage, connected by an Inca staircase and a cascade of water channels and fountains. Almost the entire hillside above and below the structures is covered by beautiful Inca agricultural terraces. As well as being an agricultural center, Wiñay Wayna was also a religious or ceremonial site.

After our lunch on the short Inca Trail, consisting of a boxed lunch made from local organic products, we will continue exploring Wiñay Wayna. We will then carry on trekking along the route of the Inca Trail all the way to the Inti Punku (the Sun Gate).

From the Sun Gate, you’ll have your first, dramatic view of Machu Picchu on this Inca trail and Machu Picchu short tour. It is believed that Inti Punku was once the main entrance to Machu Picchu. The site was dedicated to Inti, the Inca sun god, and was positioned on a ridge near Machu Picchu at just the right location to allow the rising sun to pass through the gate each year on the summer solstice.

We’ll continue our Express Inca Trail to Machu Picchu package, down towards Machu Picchu, moving tantalizingly close to the famous citadel. But before we reach Machu Picchu, we’ll take a side path off the trail and head down to Aguas Calientes, leaving our exploration of Machu for the following day, when we’ll have more time to explore.

Aguas Calientes is the town below Machu Picchu, where we will spend the night. This is also where we’ll have dinner in a local restaurant and we will then take you to your hotel. You’ll probably want to have an early night, as we wake up really early the next day for our exploration of Machu Picchu on this Machu Picchu brief trek option.

Total trekking distance: 11 km / 7 - 8 hours approx.
Highest altitude: 2,720 m (8,923 ft).
Lowest Altitude: 2,100 m (6,889 ft).

Short Inca Trail to Machu Picchu Sunrise View.

To best appreciate Machu Picchu, on our Inca trail short route package, we’ll wake up early in the morning so we can get to the citadel in good time. You’ll have time for breakfast first, and then your guide will pick you up from the hotel at around 5:40 a.m. We’ll then walk to the bus departure point for the short but zigzagging ascent up the road to Machu Picchu. 

Then we will pass through the gates into the Machu Picchu archaeological site. Here, on your Express Inca Trail to Machu Picchu package, you’ll begin your guided walking tour with our experienced and highly knowledgeable guide. Our tour of Machu Picchu will last about two hours and will take you to all the most famous and most spectacular parts of the extensive archaeological complex. These include the House of the Guardian, Intihuatana, Temple of the Sun, Sacred Plaza, and other key locations that you will visit on your Inca Trail Express to Machu Picchu.

As we walk around this incredible site on our Inca trail and Machu Picchu short tour, we’ll have spectacular views across the agricultural terraces of Machu Picchu and across to the surrounding mountains and plunging gorges. After the guided tour you’ll have time to explore Machu Picchu, perhaps walking to some less visited parts such as the Inca Bridge, depending on the circuit you have chosen.

Once we’ve finished our tour of Machu Picchu on our all-inclusive short Inca Trail vacation, we’ll take the bus back down to Aguas Calientes where you can relax and have lunch (not included) before we board the train back to Poroy/ Ollantaytambo. Upon arrival at the station, we’ll be waiting to take you back to your hotel in Cusco, where you can think back to your incredible Express Inca Trail to Machu Picchu package, one of the world’s most famous and most impressive attractions.

Optional Service: Wayna Picchu: There is time for those with enough energy to climb Wayna (Huayna) Picchu (at your own expense). For many people climbing Huayna Picchu is one of the highlights when visiting Machu Picchu. Wayna Picchu is the mountain behind Machu Picchu. The climb itself is interesting as you will see how the Inca´s cut out some steps out of the rocks and as you wind around the side of a mountain will see Machu Picchu from different angles.

Mini Inca Trail adventure!

After breakfast enjoy your last day at leisure before transferring to the airport for your return flight home, via Lima. Marking the end of your magnificent all-inclusive short Inca Trail vacation!