Cusco: 2-Day Inca Trail & Machu Picchu with Sun Gate

Two days on the Inca Trail without the altitude or the tent

You hike the Inca Trail's most famous sections (Wiñay Wayna and the Sun Gate) in two days instead of four, sleeping in a hotel rather than camping and never climbing above 2,650 metres. Your guide handles the ruins tour at Machu Picchu the next morning, and all transport, meals, train tickets and entry are included. You return to Cusco the same evening.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Cusco to Aguas Calientes via Inca Trail

• Pick up from hotel in Cusco
• Drive to Ollantaytambo train station
• Board train to Km 104 trailhead
• Verify permit at trail control
• Hike uphill to Winay Wayna
• Tour Winay Wayna complex
• Lunch at campsite
• Hike to Sun Gate (Inti Punku)
• View Machu Picchu from Sun Gate
• Bus down to Aguas Calientes
• Check in to ensuite hotel

Day 2: Machu Picchu tour and return to Cusco

• Receive snack box at hotel
• Bus to Machu Picchu citadel
• Two-hour guided Machu Picchu tour
• Optional climb to Machu Picchu or Huayna Picchu
• Optional hike to Sun Gate viewpoint
• Bus back to Aguas Calientes
• Train to Ollantaytambo
• Transfer to hotel in Cusco

The experience

Most people think the Inca Trail means four days at 13,000 feet with a sleeping bag. This version doesn't. You hike the same iconic route (Wiñay Wayna, the Sun Gate, the first glimpse of Machu Picchu), but you sleep in a hotel bed in Aguas Calientes and top out at 2,650 metres instead of pushing higher. The trade is real: you get the highlights compressed into two days, which means less time above the clouds but also no camping, no altitude sickness risk, and a route that works for families with kids who'd never survive the full four-day version.

Day one starts early from your Cusco hotel. A driver takes you through the Sacred Valley to Ollantaytambo, where you board the tourist train to the trailhead at Km 104. Your guide meets you there, checks your permit against your passport, and the hike begins: a gradual climb through changing microclimates, from high grassland down into cloud forest. You'll stop at Wiñay Wayna (the name means "forever young" in Quechua), tour the ruins there, eat lunch at the campsite, then push on to the Sun Gate. That's where it hits you: Machu Picchu, suddenly visible below, the way it's been seen for five hundred years. After that moment, you descend by bus to Aguas Calientes and check into your hotel: a real room with an ensuite bathroom, not a tent.

The second day is gentler. You get a snack box from the hotel, take a 25-minute bus ride up to the citadel, and spend two hours with your guide walking through the main sites. If you want to climb Machu Picchu Mountain or Huayna Picchu (the steep one), your guide will point you to the entrance. If you'd rather not, the Sun Gate hike offers the same view without the scramble. After the tour, you bus back down, catch the train to Ollantaytambo, and a representative meets you for the drive back to Cusco. You'll arrive around 9 PM. The whole thing is fixed: transport, train, hotel, meals, guide, entry fees. You don't arrange any of it.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup and drop-off in Cusco.
• round-trip Expedition train tickets from Ollantaytambo to Km 104 and back.
• one night in an ensuite 3-star hotel in Aguas Calientes.
• breakfast and lunch.
• entry permits for the Inca Trail and Machu Picchu citadel.
• bus transport from Aguas Calientes to Machu Picchu and back.
• professional English-speaking guide for the hike and citadel tour.
• all round-trip transfers between your hotel and train stations.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 05:00 and 07:00

Book up to4h before

AgesAdult (7 to 65 years) · Under 7: can't be booked

GroupUp to 8

Live guideEnglish, Spanish and Portuguese

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup is optional; you can also go straight to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 3 days ago

Good to know

Moderate physical effortNot recommended during pregnancyNot recommended with heart problems

Operated by Machu Picchu Tours

Is this one for you?Choose this if you want the iconic Inca Trail experience (Wiñay Wayna, the Sun Gate, Machu Picchu) without four days of high-altitude camping or the logistics of arranging trains, permits, hotels and guides separately. The fixed itinerary and included transport mean you show up at your hotel and the rest is handled.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English, Spanish and Portuguese.

How fit do you need to be for the 2-day Inca Trail?

The hike is a full day of walking with elevation gain, but the highest point is 2,650 metres (much lower than the 4-day route). It's described as moderate difficulty and is suitable for families with children. Your guide can advise on pace and rest stops.

Do you camp on the 2-day Inca Trail?

No. You sleep in an ensuite hotel room in Aguas Calientes after day one. There is no camping on this route.

What time does the tour start and end?

Hotel pickup in Cusco is early morning. You return to Cusco around 9 PM on day two.

Is lunch included?

Yes. Lunch is provided on day one at the campsite. Day two includes a snack box from the hotel.

Do you need a permit to hike the Inca Trail?

Yes. Your permit is verified at the trailhead (Km 104) against your passport. The permit is included in the tour price.

Can you climb Machu Picchu Mountain on day two?

Yes, if you book it in advance. Your guide will direct you to the entrance. Alternatively, you can hike to the Sun Gate for views of the citadel.

How long is the bus ride from Aguas Calientes to Machu Picchu?

25 minutes.

Is the train ticket included?

Yes. Round-trip Expedition train tickets from Ollantaytambo are included.

What's the difference between this and the 4-day Inca Trail?

The 2-day route covers the same highlights (Wiñay Wayna, Sun Gate, Machu Picchu) but skips the higher-altitude sections and camping. It's shorter, lower, and includes a hotel night instead of tent nights.