This less arduous one-day Inca Trail hike to Machu Picchu requires no camping or hauling of backbacks. But the six-hour trek still allows you to explore the magnificent Inca ruins of Wiñayhuayna, accessible solely via the Inca Trail. And you also get to enjoy the spectacular panoramic view of Machu Picchu from the Sun Gate — known in the Quechua language as Inti Punku, which translates to "Door of the Sun."

Includes:

• Transfers
• Transportation to "Kilometer 82"
• Meals on the trail (Optional vegetarian)
• One night Aguas Calientes hotel
• Tourist train from Aguas Calientes to Cusco, or to Ollantaytambo and then a bus to Cusco
• Certified guide (English-speaking)
• Entrance fees to the Inca Trail and the Sanctuary of Machu Picchu
• Guided tour of Machu Picchu

Price per person starting at $650

DAY 1 Cusco / Km 104 / Wiñayhuayna

Transfer from the hotel to the train station and travel approximately 3 hours to the train stop at Kilometer 104. There we will cross the foot bridge over the Urubamba River and register with park officials who will check our permits to begin our Inca trail trek. We arrive almost immediately at the ruins of Chachabamba (Alt. 7448ft / 2270m), where your guide will spend a bit of time explaining archaeological theories about site's buildings, foundains and water channels. Then we start a three-hour ascent up the narrowing path, offering spectacular open vistas of the valley below. You will have an overview of the ruins of Choquesuysuy, before reaching a pristine waterfall, which signals our approach to Wiñayhuayna (Alt. 8694ft / 2650m), the largest and most spectacular ruins in the area after Machu Picchu.

From there, it is a leisurely hour's trek through a forest of large trees and giant ferns, reaching a steep Inca granite staircase that leads up to the Inti Punku "Sun Gate," where Machu Picchu comes into view (Alt. 7874ft / 2400m). We will be in the Machu Picchu area only for a short time, because we have to continue to the village of Aguas Calientes, to settle in to the hotel of your choice and spend the night.
Hiking time: 06 hours
(Lunch Box/D)

DAY 2 Aguas Calientes / Machu Picchu Citadel / Cusco

Around 6 a.m. we will board the bus with a professional guide to make the 25-minute ride to Machu Picchu. The guided tour of the ancient citadel will take place as early as possible, when the ruins are relatively peaceful, before the daily train arrives with other visitors from Cusco. You will have plenty of time to enjoy and explore the magical ruins. After that we will return to Aguas Calientes and take the train to Ollantaytambo, then transfer to a private bus back to Cusco. (B)

(B) Breakfast, (L) Lunch, (D) Dinner

Note: With daily limits placed on the number of people allowed onto the trail, it is important that you book two to three months in advance of your trip. If you are planning your journey for the high season (June, July and August) it is best to reserve your trail permit five months ahead of your trip. Regulations enforced by local authorities do not permit hikers to enter the Inca Trail alone. You must be accompanied by a certified guide.

Included:

• Transfers
• Tourist train to "Kilometer 104"
• Meals during the excursion (1 breakfast, 1 box lunch, 1 dinner / Optional vegetarian)
• Hotel in Aguas Calientes with buffet breakfast
• Tourist bus 1st day Machu Picchu-Aguas Calientes (one-way); 2nd day Aguas Calientes-Machu Picchu-Aguas Calientes (roundtrip).
• Tourist train from the village of Aguas Calientes to Cusco or from Aguas Calientes to Ollantaytambo and the bus to Cusco
• First-aid kit, oxygen bottle & safety rope
• Certified guide (English-speaking)
• Entrance fees to the Inca Trail and the Sanctuary of Machu Picchu

Not Included:

• Airfare
• Services meals or tips not described in the itinerary

What you should bring:

• Day pack
• Rain jacket or poncho (plastic ponchos can be purchased in Cusco for a few dollars)
• Strong, comfortable footwear
• Jacket or sweater (something warm)
• Hat or cap to protect you from the sun
• Strong sun block
• Insect repellent
• Toiletries, towel and toilet paper
• Variety of small snacks, dried fruit, chocolate,crackers, etc.
• Camera, plenty of film and spare batteries
• You must bring your original passport on the trail. (In order to enter the Inca Trail, your passport details are checked by local government representatives against the details on the trek permit.)