14 Short Inca Trail Treks Tours to Machu Picchu to Build a Day Around

1.Machu Picchu 2-Day Inca Trail with Panoramic Train

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 260 reviews · 2 days · from $582Our pick

This 2-day trip takes you from Cusco to Km 104, then on foot past Chachabamba and Wiñaywayna to Machu Picchu’s Sun Gate. Guides such as Gilbert, Abelardo, Jason, and Alejandro have led groups with patience and strong local insight. Expect a demanding first day, fresh trail meals, a hotel night, and a stylish Vistadome return.

“What an amazing trip this is. Expect very early starts, the first day is an all-day trek which is of moderate difficulty I would say, culminating in reaching the "sun gate" and an incredible view of Machu Picchu. The second day is an in-depth tour of the site itself and a very fancy train trip back, with a fashion show! Worth every penny.”

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2.2-Day Inca Trail to Machu Picchu

★★★★★★★★★★4.2 · 244 reviews · 2 days · from $290Best value

You leave Cusco early, ride to Hydroelectrica, walk 2.5 hours to Aguas Calientes, then enter Machu Picchu the next morning. The $290 package includes lodging, meals, admission, transport, and a Circuit 2 guide, with train and bus upgrades available.

“Comfortable enough for a non-seasoned hiker, but still with enough challenge to feel like an achievement. Waking up in Aguas Calientes and entering the ruins early was one of the most powerful travel moments I’ve had.”

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3.Short Inca trail to MachuPicchu || 2days – 1nigth ||

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 103 reviews · from $670Top rated

This two-day private tour takes you from Cusco by train to Kilometer 104, then along the Short Inca Trail to Wiñay Wayna and the Sun Gate. You spend the night in Aguas Calientes, return to Machu Picchu early for a 2.5-hour guided visit, and travel back to Cusco by train and bus. Guides have included Baleria, Britzi, and Darex.

“Great tour for Machu Picchu. Excellent tour guide Baleria. He was knowledgeable, friendly, and very helpful. Highly recommended”

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4.2-Day Inca Trail To Machu Picchu

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 78 reviews · from $550

Spend two active days reaching Machu Picchu by the classic short Inca Trail. Hike 16 km from Km 104 through cloud forest to Wiñay Wayna and the Sun Gate, then tour the citadel with an English-speaking guide. Guides have included Ruben, Wilbur, Marko, and Mauro.

“The 2-Day Inca Trail is stunning and totally beautiful. First we got picked up from our hotel and received a lunch bag for the day on the trail. A drive took us to the train station where the Inca Train starts to Machu Picchu. It was a very nice expRead more”

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5.2 Day Hiking Short Inca Trail to Machu Picchu

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 66 reviews · 2 days (approx.) · from $761

Start before dawn from Cusco, ride to km 104, and hike through waterfalls and Wiñay Wayna to Machu Picchu’s Sun Gate. Your guide leads a second visit to the citadel, with time for photos and possible Huayna Picchu, before trains return you to Cusco.

“This was so fun. You'll love it! What an adventure.”

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6.2 Day – Short Inca trail to Machu Picchu – Private Services

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 63 reviews · 2 days (approx.) · from $796

Travel from Cusco by train, hike from Km 104 through Wiñay Wayna to the Sun Gate, then sleep in Aguas Calientes. Your private bilingual guide sets the pace, explains the Inca sites, and leads your early morning Machu Picchu visit. Guides may include Carlos, Henry, Claudio, or Andrés.

“We did the one day hike and the tour of machupicchu the following day, the tour we had was Henry and I genuinely can not praise him enough, very knowledgeable and during the hike made sure everyone was ok and stayed with the people that needed the most help, we had a cusco tour with him the next day and that was extremely good as well, spent the night in the machupicchu village, what an amazing place and had the private tour the next day, what an amazing experience!!”

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7.2-Day Short Inca Trail to Machu Picchu

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 51 reviews · 2 days (approx.) · from $680

Travel in a small group from Cusco by train to Km 104, then hike past waterfalls and Wiñay Wayna to the Sun Gate. You’ll sleep in Aguas Calientes before a guided Machu Picchu visit, with guides such as Melquiades, Ricardo, Ronald, and Franklin leading recent departures.

“We did a custom 4d/3n short Inca trek with Sacred Valley tour and it was fantastic from start to finish. David and Alicja were both excellent in their communication prior to the tour starting and we felt in very safe and capable hands. They were flexible and willing to make adjustments based on our requests. David was an excellent guide who was incredibly knowledgeable, not only about Inca history but about Peruvian culture and modern history too. I really recommend using Andean Path if you're considering travel in Peru and the Cusco region”

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8.Short Inca Trail 2 Day Hike to Machu Picchu with Permits & Train

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 51 reviews · 2 days (approx.) · from $795

This two-day trip takes you from Cusco to Km 104 by train, past Chachabamba and Wiñay Wayna, through the Sun Gate, and into Machu Picchu. A guide leads the hike and the next morning’s citadel tour. Small groups, included transport, meals, permits, and a hotel keep the planning simple.

“This was an incredible trip. I could not get the Inca Trail permit so decided to hike the shorter version.”

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9.2-Day Private Short Inca Trail to Machu Picchu

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 47 reviews · 2 days (approx.) · from $570

Start before dawn from Cusco, ride the train to Km 104, and hike through Wiñay Wayna to the Sun Gate. A private guide such as Herbert, Marcial, or Jhonnatan leads the trek, followed by Machu Picchu, trains, buses, and a night in Aguas Calientes.

“The views and environment is simply breathtaking. The tracks is Hard but worth it. Marcial was an amazing guide. 10/10.would do this every Day with him”

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10.2 Day Tour Throughout the Short Inca Trail to Machu Picchu

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 36 reviews · 2 days (approx.) · from $552

Start at 4:30 a.m. in Cusco, ride to Km 104, and hike six hours past Wiñay Wayna to the Sun Gate. Spend the night in Aguas Calientes, then visit Machu Picchu with a guide and free time. Guides may include Samuel, Andrea, Sara, or Jesus.

“What an amazing hike! Andrea our guide was great and helped us so much with all the transportation and logistics. I have no words for the hike itself because amazing doesn’t even begin to describe the views and the history. I would definently come back again and do a longer hike however this was a great one to start with!”

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11.Short Inca Trail To Machu Picchu

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 35 reviews · 2 days (approx.) · from $642

This private two-day trip combines a four-hour uphill walk from Km 104 with Wiñaywayna, the Sun Gate, Machu Picchu, and an overnight in Aguas Calientes. Guides such as Franklin and Miguel are known for clear historical insight and personal care. The $642 price includes transport, tickets, a box lunch, and guiding.

“I did the four-day Inca Trail with Franklin as our guide. Together with four porters and a chef, he led an amazing team. It was an unforgettable experience. The porters were truly the heroes of the journey; we lacked nothing. Everything was taken care of, allowing you to fully focus on the hike and the experience.”

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12.2 Day – Short Inca Trail to Machu Picchu – Group Service

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 30 reviews · from $550

Travel from Cusco by train, hike from Km 104 to Wiñay Wayna and the Sun Gate, then spend the night in Aguas Calientes. The next morning, take the first bus to Machu Picchu for a guided visit and free time. Expect a strenuous 11-kilometer hike with many stone stairs, not a casual walk.

“This hike was beautiful and our guide was fantastic. The description of this hike as novice is very misleading. This is an approx. 11 km hike up in to the mountains, in the heat/humidity, and has at least 2,000 stairs. There are places to rest alonRead more”

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13.2-Day Inca Trail Hike to Machu Picchu & Panoramic Train

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 7 reviews · 2 days · from $624

Start with a 4:00 AM Cusco pickup, then hike from Km 104 through Chachabamba and Wiñay Wayna to the Sun Gate. A guide such as Noemie, Saul, or Franco leads the small group. You sleep in Aguas Calientes, visit Machu Picchu at sunrise, and return by panoramic Vistadome train.

“Très belle marche à partir du km 104, accompagnée des interessantes explications de notre guide Noemie. Le lendemain, lever à l'aube pour admirer le Machu Picchu encore enveloppé dans la brume matinale. Après la visite, pas grand chose d'intéressant à faire à Aguas Calientes”

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14.2-day Inca Trail to Machu Picchu

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 6 reviews · 2 days · from $550

Hike the final 7.5 miles of the Inca Trail from KM 104 to Machu Picchu with an English or Spanish-speaking guide. Visit Wiñayhuayna, enter through Sun Gate, sleep in Aguas Calientes, then return to Machu Picchu for a guided tour. Guides such as Broly, Toni, and Primo Daniel have earned high praise.

“The tour guide was great, but the transportation from Ollantaytambo to Cusco was bad as the van had engine oil leak and ran out of engine oil and stopped in the middle. We sit in the van for 1.5 hours before a new van came. How was the car maintenance conducted?”

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