Machu Picchu: 2-Day Inca Trail Trek & Sunset Entry

Hike the Inca Trail at dusk, when Machu Picchu empties out

You hike 15 kilometers over two days on the Inca Trail from km104, passing through Wiñay Wayna and reaching the Sun Gate before descending to Machu Picchu at sunset when most visitors have gone. Day two includes a guided tour of the ruins, lunch, and a train-and-bus return to Cusco. Hotel pickup, all transport, meals, and entrance fees are included; you need moderate fitness and should book ahead since Machu Picchu tickets are subject to availability.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1 — Train to Km104 and Trek to Machu Picchu

• Pick up from hotel at 4:00am
• Train from Ollantaytambo at 6:10am
• Arrive at Km104 and start trek
• Visit first Inca site and group photo
• Hike 3 hours to Wiñay Wayna site
• Explore Wiñay Wayna ruins
• Walk to Sun Gate for views
• Descend to Machu Picchu for sunset
• Take bus to Aguas Calientes
• Overnight in hotel at Aguas Calientes

Day 2 — Machu Picchu Tour and Return

• Bus to Machu Picchu ruins
• 2-hour guided tour of Machu Picchu
• Return to Aguas Calientes for lunch
• Free time in village
• Train to Ollantaytambo
• Bus back to Cusco

The Experience

Your guide clips a harness and checks the straps one more time before nodding you forward—that's the moment you realize you're actually doing this. The 2-day Inca Trail trek from Cusco starts at 4am with a hotel pickup, a train ride at 6:10am from Ollantaytambo, and then the real work begins at km104, where the trail opens up at 2,000 meters. You'll walk 15 kilometers over two days, climbing to the Sun Gate at 2,720 meters, with the highest point of the trek hitting around 2,600 meters at Wiñay Wayna. It's moderate terrain—not a casual stroll, but doable if you've got decent fitness and no serious joint or heart issues.

The first day is the long one: after three hours of hiking through farmland and river valleys, you reach Wiñay Wayna, an Incan site most day-trippers never see. The place sits on a cliff edge with temples, water fountains, and agricultural terraces carved into the mountainside—the backdrop alone makes you understand why the Incas chose this spot. From there, you walk to the Sun Gate and descend into Machu Picchu itself, arriving in the late afternoon when the tour buses have already left. That timing is the whole point. You get the ruins almost to yourself, with light that's actually good for photos and a quietness that the morning crowds destroy. After sunset, you take the bus down to Aguas Calientes and sleep in a hotel with a hot shower—which matters more than you'd think after a day on the trail.

Day two is shorter: a bus ride back up to Machu Picchu, a two-hour guided tour of the site, lunch in the village, and then the train back to Ollantaytambo and a bus to Cusco. The whole return timing depends on train availability, so you're not locked into a rigid schedule. Your guide stays with you both days, and meals—breakfast, packed lunch on day one, and lunch on day two—are included. The Inca Trail entrance fee is covered, as is the Machu Picchu ticket itself, though the Ministry of Culture controls availability and circuits, so if tickets sell out, you get a full refund.

What’s included

Your two days include hotel pickup from Cusco, private train transport to km104 and return train to Ollantaytambo, bus transport to Aguas Calientes and up to Machu Picchu, entrance to the Inca Trail and Machu Picchu, a private professional guide both days, breakfast on day one, a packed lunch during the trek, lunch in Aguas Calientes on day two, and a night in a hotel with hot shower. Return bus transport from Ollantaytambo to Cusco is also covered.

Good to know

Moderate physical levelNot for pregnant travelersNot for heart conditionsNot for back problems

Operated by Chullos Travel Peru

Is this one for you?Right for travelers with moderate fitness who want to see Machu Picchu without the morning crowds and prefer a guided structure that handles all logistics—the two-day format and late-afternoon arrival are what make the quiet visit possible.

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Top questions

What time does the trek start?

Hotel pickup is at 4am, with the train departing Ollantaytambo at 6:10am. The actual trek begins at km104 around mid-morning.

How difficult is the Inca Trail?

It's rated moderate. You'll walk 15 kilometers over two days, reaching a high point of 2,720 meters at the Sun Gate. Moderate fitness is required; it's not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries, pregnancy, or poor cardiovascular health.

What's included in the price?

Hotel pickup, train tickets to km104 and back to Cusco, bus transport to Aguas Calientes, Machu Picchu entrance, Inca Trail entrance, private guide both days, breakfast, packed lunch on day one, and lunch on day two.

Why arrive at Machu Picchu at sunset?

Most day tours leave by mid-afternoon, so you'll have the ruins almost to yourself in the late afternoon and early evening, with better light for photos and fewer crowds.

Where do you sleep on night one?

In a hotel in Aguas Calientes with a hot shower included.

What if Machu Picchu tickets aren't available?

The Ministry of Culture controls ticket availability. If no tickets are available for your dates, you receive a full refund of the tour package.

How long is the guided tour on day two?

Two hours at Machu Picchu, after which you have free time before returning by train and bus to Cusco.

What's the weather like?

Warm and humid throughout. The trek operates at altitudes between 2,000 and 2,720 meters, so temperatures drop as you climb.