Short Inca Trail

Your adventure begins very early. We’ll pick you up from your hotel’s door at 4:00 a.m., and we’ll travel for approximately 1.5 hours to Ollantaytambo. There you can make any last-minute purchases. We’ll head to the train station and board the train at 6:10 a.m. You’ll observe how the sun covers the immense Andean mountains in gold while the train crosses vast fields of cultivation and follows the Urubamba River’s course until reaching Km 104, the starting point of our trek. There we’ll give you a snack that you can enjoy in the middle of the route to recover your energy, and we’ll have a small orientation meeting to go over the last details.We’ll start our walk on the same path as the classic Inca Trail, surrounded by vegetation and always under the gigantic sacred mountains’ watchful eye. After walking for 3 hours, we’ll arrive at the most surprising archaeological site on the entire route (not including Machu Picchu, obviously), the Wiñay Wayna complex (meaning ‘always young’ in Quechua) located at (2,650 m / 8,694 ft). Most hikers don’t stop here to be amazed by its exquisite architecture. You’ll discover a ritual water source, temples dedicated to nature’s forces, and beautiful agricultural platforms. Wiñay Wayna is the perfect place to learn a little more about the impressive history of the Incas.

Again, take time to relax, be silent, and connect with Mother Earth through birdsong or the wind’s refreshing touches. A little further, you’ll see the camps where the people who do the classic Inca Trail spend the night. We will have time to eat our delicious box lunch provided for our company, fill your stomach, and recharge your energies.

We’ll continue our tour and walk to Puerta del Sol from where you will see, for the first time, the impressive architecture of Machu Picchu. The landscape seems as though it’s come out of a dream. It’s a magical place built by thousands of ancient Peruvians that have withstood the test of time, and it appears imposing right in the middle of the mountains and the start of the deep Amazon jungle. Take the opportunity to capture some incredible photos and honor the memory of those who, through their deep relationship with nature, could lift such a wonder.

We still have a long way to go until we reach the citadel itself. At that time, tourists will have already started to leave Machu Picchu, and you’ll be able to enjoy the magical golden light of sunset falling on those immense stone walls with tranquillity. However, the best will come the next day. We’ll take an alternate path that will take us to the exit. There we’ll board a bus to the small city of Aguas Calientes where your hotel is located. Before you can rest comfortably, you’ll enjoy a delicious dinner in the town’s best restaurant. Try to get to bed early as you have to wake up before the sun rises.