CLASSIC INCA TRAIL TREKKING 2 DAYS
Lower part of Winaywayna.
Price as of 2019, and 2020: US$ 440 - regular price.
US$ 420 - student card.
IMPORTANT INFO: The hikers and guides who take this short trek are counted into the 500 people allowed a day for the Inca Trail so we recommend to book 4 months in advance, because the permits are selling out quickly.
Email us regarding availability as soon as possible!!!
OVERVIEW
Lack of time! so you can take this short hike which takes two days passing by the high lands of Cusco (in the bus) where andean people are still growing crops like in the old times and they are even waiting for the rainy season to perform the subsistence farming.
On the way it is seen a few snow-capped mountains surrounding the Sacred Valley of the Incas to continue in the train along the Urubamba river getting into the cloud forest.
The beginning of this trek lays at Km 104 of the the train railway to hike up the mountain through a grassland area and get into the forest where it is seen some orchids (250 species found), begonias and some birds (350 species found) likely humminbird, tucan, woodpeckers.
This forest is the habitat of small mammals like the capiso (specie of ant eater), opossums, and the rare spectacled bear.
After going up for almost 5 hours it lays the Intipunku (sun gate) where it is seen the magnificent profile of the Inca City of Machu Picchu still in the distance because it needed to take 40 more minutes down to the final destination, the Seventh Wonder of the World.
It is recommendable to stay until 5:00 pm in order to have a perfect view of Machu Picchu without tourists because by this time every body will be on the way back to Cusco, some times it is seen completely "empty".
ITINERARY
DAY 1: CUSCO-OLLANTAYTAMBO-CHACHABAMBA (KM 104)
We will pick you up from your hotel at 5:00 am to go by bus for 2 hours to the train station of Ollantaytambo (km 68) to take a train by 7:45 am so it is about 1:45 more min. to the 104 km (start point of hiking) of the train rail way from Cusco to Aguas Calientes by this point you already had enjoyed the view of the highlands of Cusco and Chinchero (3800 m/12467 ft.), down to the Sacred Valley along the bank of Urubamba river and some glaciers like the Veronica (Wacay Willca - 5850m/19193 ft.) on the way by train.
The beginning of this hiking lays at 2170 m (7120 ft.) into the cloud forest, after crossing a suspension bridge of the Urubamba river and show your passport at check point, you will visit to Chachabamba inca site, a resting and worshiping place located by the river to begin the hiking up along a grassland open path and further up through the cloud forest getting to 2650 m (8694 ft.) for about 3 hours toward Wiñaywayna (forever young) the most preserved and beautiful inca site before getting to Machu Picchu, this site is comprised of 50 terraces, housing at the lower part and its religious area at the upper part where you will eat your box lunch enjoying the view of the Urubamba river below and glaciers beyond.
Afterwards you"ll continue to Intipunku (Sun gate), which takes 1 hour uphill and downhill through a beautiful cloud forest by the southern part of Machu Picchu mountain in order to see some species of orchids and begonias, hike carefully because the path is narrow, it is actually built on the cliff!!
From the Sun gate it is seen the classical view of Machu Picchu and Wayna Picchu mountain in the background, take your time for enjoying of this magnificent view so keep going down to your real destination the wonderful Machu Picchu citadel itself taking 40 more minutes downhill.
Take a break on upper part of this breathtaking Inca citadel in order to see it without crowds by 4:00 to 5:00 pm when most of people are leaving, if you are lucky you could find this place and no one else in !!!!...and take a bus down to Aguas Calientes town straight to your accommodation.
You still have a dinner time with your guide when you will be informed about the next day plan.
DAY 2: AGUAS CALIENTES - MACHU PICCHU - OLLANTAYTAMBO-CUSCO
At second day you are going to get up at 4:30 am, after having breakfast you have to take a bus up to Machu Picchu at 5:30 getting to Machu Picchu at 6:00 am to show your passport at the checkpoint.
Your guide will lead you to the upper part of Machu Picchu to begin the tour through this wonderful archaeological inca site and learn much more about the incas so by 8:30 you will be able to explore it on your own until 4:00 pm the latest!
If you want to climb up to Waynapicchu mountain which appears in the background in the classic picture of Machupicchu, please let us know at booking to check availability, this climb is very popular please book it in advance too, it is about US $70 extra not included in the regular 2 days trek.
It is only allowed 400 people a day for climbing to Waynapicchu mountain!!, one group of 200 people is leaving at 7:00 am and the other 200 at 10:00 am so please it is better to go in the second group because sometimes this place is cloudy in the morning.
Leaving from Machu Picchu at 4:00 the latest to take a bus down to Aguas Calientes to have time for eating and shopping in town, and take the train at 18:20 back to Ollantaytambo for two hours where a bus will be waiting for you, so it is about two more hours by bus to Cusco.
You will arrive to Cusco at 22:30 or you need 4 hours back to Cusco from Aguas Calientes.
We recommend to take a train at 14:55 in Aguas Calientes please let us know about this issue.
WHAT IS INCLUDED?
-Pre-departure briefing, a night or 2 nights before the trek, introduced by your guides (your guide will go to your hotel).
-Tourist bus from your hotel to Ollantaytambo in order to take the train to Machupicchu but you will get off at km 104 of railroad track.
-Train ticket from Ollantaytambo to km 104 of rail road, the beginning for hiking.
-Professional bilingual guide.
-Assistant guide (groups over 8 people).
-Entrance fee for the Inca Trail and Machu Picchu.
-1 box lunch, 1 dinner, 1 breakfast (day 1 breakfast and day 2 lunch are not included).
-Bottled oxygen and first aid kit.
-Bus ticket from Machu Picchu to Aguas Calientes, and bus ticket from Aguas Calientes to Machu Picchu the next day.
-Hostel at Aguas Calientes (private bathroom)
-Train ticket from Aguas Calientes to Ollantaytambo (backpacker service at 18:20) and bus from Ollantaytambo to Cusco, if you want to leave earlier please let us know, the other option is at 16:22 (it takes 2 hours by train and 2 hours by bus).
-No extra cost for vegetarian food on request.
WHAT DO YOU NEED TO TAKE?
-Original passport (ISIC student card if it is applicable).
-A comfortable day pack.
-Snacks: biscuits, energy bars, chocolate, raw fruits.
-Waterproof gear, rain poncho (at rainy season - December to March).
-Warm jacket (temperature varies from 10 to 24 C or 50 to 75 F).
-Sun hat, and sunglasses.
-T-shirts.
-Sun protection cream (35 SF recommended).
-Insect repellent (20% DEET - no malaria has been reported).
-Bottled water, 1 and a half liters per day at least.
-Toiletries.
-Personal Aid kit.
-Swimming clothes for the hot springs in town, 10 min. away from town main square, and US$3 entrance fee.
-Camera, you can take your charger and use it in the accommodation.
-We recommend to pack your belongs in plastic bags due the rain and a water proof cover for your daypack.
*IMPORTANT: To qualify as student , it is necessary to have a valid ISIC card, and send it at booking.
*Advise us about any allergy or personal health condition (asthma, etc).
OPTIONAL ITEMS.
-Walking poles with rubber tips.
-Plasters and bandages.
-Sandals.
-Extra money (300 soles at least), there is a ATM in Aguas Calientes.
-Bathing suit (hot springs at Aguas Calientes).
OPTIONAL SERVICES NOT INCLUDED.
-Up-grade of train service to Vistadome Class at 16:22, US $35.
-Up-grade to earlier train service at 14:55, US$ 20.
-Walking poles - US $10 each pair.
-Extra night in Aguas Calientes - US $13 (hostel).
-Ask for discounts:
If you are a student or teenager you have a discount of ($20 -ISIC green card only, send us a scanned copy at booking), teenagers up to 15 years old ($20), children up to 7 years old ($20).
*Size of the group: Min. 2 people, max. 16 people.
US$ 420 - student card.
IMPORTANT INFO: The hikers and guides who take this short trek are counted into the 500 people allowed a day for the Inca Trail so we recommend to book 4 months in advance, because the permits are selling out quickly.
Email us regarding availability as soon as possible!!!
OVERVIEW
Lack of time! so you can take this short hike which takes two days passing by the high lands of Cusco (in the bus) where andean people are still growing crops like in the old times and they are even waiting for the rainy season to perform the subsistence farming.
On the way it is seen a few snow-capped mountains surrounding the Sacred Valley of the Incas to continue in the train along the Urubamba river getting into the cloud forest.
The beginning of this trek lays at Km 104 of the the train railway to hike up the mountain through a grassland area and get into the forest where it is seen some orchids (250 species found), begonias and some birds (350 species found) likely humminbird, tucan, woodpeckers.
This forest is the habitat of small mammals like the capiso (specie of ant eater), opossums, and the rare spectacled bear.
After going up for almost 5 hours it lays the Intipunku (sun gate) where it is seen the magnificent profile of the Inca City of Machu Picchu still in the distance because it needed to take 40 more minutes down to the final destination, the Seventh Wonder of the World.
It is recommendable to stay until 5:00 pm in order to have a perfect view of Machu Picchu without tourists because by this time every body will be on the way back to Cusco, some times it is seen completely "empty".
ITINERARY
DAY 1: CUSCO-OLLANTAYTAMBO-CHACHABAMBA (KM 104)
We will pick you up from your hotel at 5:00 am to go by bus for 2 hours to the train station of Ollantaytambo (km 68) to take a train by 7:45 am so it is about 1:45 more min. to the 104 km (start point of hiking) of the train rail way from Cusco to Aguas Calientes by this point you already had enjoyed the view of the highlands of Cusco and Chinchero (3800 m/12467 ft.), down to the Sacred Valley along the bank of Urubamba river and some glaciers like the Veronica (Wacay Willca - 5850m/19193 ft.) on the way by train.
The beginning of this hiking lays at 2170 m (7120 ft.) into the cloud forest, after crossing a suspension bridge of the Urubamba river and show your passport at check point, you will visit to Chachabamba inca site, a resting and worshiping place located by the river to begin the hiking up along a grassland open path and further up through the cloud forest getting to 2650 m (8694 ft.) for about 3 hours toward Wiñaywayna (forever young) the most preserved and beautiful inca site before getting to Machu Picchu, this site is comprised of 50 terraces, housing at the lower part and its religious area at the upper part where you will eat your box lunch enjoying the view of the Urubamba river below and glaciers beyond.
Afterwards you"ll continue to Intipunku (Sun gate), which takes 1 hour uphill and downhill through a beautiful cloud forest by the southern part of Machu Picchu mountain in order to see some species of orchids and begonias, hike carefully because the path is narrow, it is actually built on the cliff!!
From the Sun gate it is seen the classical view of Machu Picchu and Wayna Picchu mountain in the background, take your time for enjoying of this magnificent view so keep going down to your real destination the wonderful Machu Picchu citadel itself taking 40 more minutes downhill.
Take a break on upper part of this breathtaking Inca citadel in order to see it without crowds by 4:00 to 5:00 pm when most of people are leaving, if you are lucky you could find this place and no one else in !!!!...and take a bus down to Aguas Calientes town straight to your accommodation.
You still have a dinner time with your guide when you will be informed about the next day plan.
DAY 2: AGUAS CALIENTES - MACHU PICCHU - OLLANTAYTAMBO-CUSCO
At second day you are going to get up at 4:30 am, after having breakfast you have to take a bus up to Machu Picchu at 5:30 getting to Machu Picchu at 6:00 am to show your passport at the checkpoint.
Your guide will lead you to the upper part of Machu Picchu to begin the tour through this wonderful archaeological inca site and learn much more about the incas so by 8:30 you will be able to explore it on your own until 4:00 pm the latest!
If you want to climb up to Waynapicchu mountain which appears in the background in the classic picture of Machupicchu, please let us know at booking to check availability, this climb is very popular please book it in advance too, it is about US $70 extra not included in the regular 2 days trek.
It is only allowed 400 people a day for climbing to Waynapicchu mountain!!, one group of 200 people is leaving at 7:00 am and the other 200 at 10:00 am so please it is better to go in the second group because sometimes this place is cloudy in the morning.
Leaving from Machu Picchu at 4:00 the latest to take a bus down to Aguas Calientes to have time for eating and shopping in town, and take the train at 18:20 back to Ollantaytambo for two hours where a bus will be waiting for you, so it is about two more hours by bus to Cusco.
You will arrive to Cusco at 22:30 or you need 4 hours back to Cusco from Aguas Calientes.
We recommend to take a train at 14:55 in Aguas Calientes please let us know about this issue.
WHAT IS INCLUDED?
-Pre-departure briefing, a night or 2 nights before the trek, introduced by your guides (your guide will go to your hotel).
-Tourist bus from your hotel to Ollantaytambo in order to take the train to Machupicchu but you will get off at km 104 of railroad track.
-Train ticket from Ollantaytambo to km 104 of rail road, the beginning for hiking.
-Professional bilingual guide.
-Assistant guide (groups over 8 people).
-Entrance fee for the Inca Trail and Machu Picchu.
-1 box lunch, 1 dinner, 1 breakfast (day 1 breakfast and day 2 lunch are not included).
-Bottled oxygen and first aid kit.
-Bus ticket from Machu Picchu to Aguas Calientes, and bus ticket from Aguas Calientes to Machu Picchu the next day.
-Hostel at Aguas Calientes (private bathroom)
-Train ticket from Aguas Calientes to Ollantaytambo (backpacker service at 18:20) and bus from Ollantaytambo to Cusco, if you want to leave earlier please let us know, the other option is at 16:22 (it takes 2 hours by train and 2 hours by bus).
-No extra cost for vegetarian food on request.
WHAT DO YOU NEED TO TAKE?
-Original passport (ISIC student card if it is applicable).
-A comfortable day pack.
-Snacks: biscuits, energy bars, chocolate, raw fruits.
-Waterproof gear, rain poncho (at rainy season - December to March).
-Warm jacket (temperature varies from 10 to 24 C or 50 to 75 F).
-Sun hat, and sunglasses.
-T-shirts.
-Sun protection cream (35 SF recommended).
-Insect repellent (20% DEET - no malaria has been reported).
-Bottled water, 1 and a half liters per day at least.
-Toiletries.
-Personal Aid kit.
-Swimming clothes for the hot springs in town, 10 min. away from town main square, and US$3 entrance fee.
-Camera, you can take your charger and use it in the accommodation.
-We recommend to pack your belongs in plastic bags due the rain and a water proof cover for your daypack.
*IMPORTANT: To qualify as student , it is necessary to have a valid ISIC card, and send it at booking.
*Advise us about any allergy or personal health condition (asthma, etc).
OPTIONAL ITEMS.
-Walking poles with rubber tips.
-Plasters and bandages.
-Sandals.
-Extra money (300 soles at least), there is a ATM in Aguas Calientes.
-Bathing suit (hot springs at Aguas Calientes).
OPTIONAL SERVICES NOT INCLUDED.
-Up-grade of train service to Vistadome Class at 16:22, US $35.
-Up-grade to earlier train service at 14:55, US$ 20.
-Walking poles - US $10 each pair.
-Extra night in Aguas Calientes - US $13 (hostel).
-Ask for discounts:
If you are a student or teenager you have a discount of ($20 -ISIC green card only, send us a scanned copy at booking), teenagers up to 15 years old ($20), children up to 7 years old ($20).
*Size of the group: Min. 2 people, max. 16 people.