Short Inca Trail to Machu Picchu 2 Days 2023

Early morning, our staff picks you up from your Cusco´s hotel to transport you for 2 hours to the railway station at Ollantaytambo. You board a train there and continue till the "Km 104", a trailhead of the Short Inca Trail to Machu Picchu. From there, you start trekking by crossing the Urubamba River. Firstly, you reach Inca remains of Chachabamba where our Tour Guide shows you around. Secondly, you climb steeply up passing by a cacti vegetation and a cloud forest as well as refreshing yourself at a waterfall. Later on, you arrive at Wiñay Wayna - a significat Inca complex, to be guided around. Then, you are served lunch. After a short rest, you keep hiking to reach the Sun Gate ("Inti Punku" in the Quechua language) before the sunset. There, a unique opportunity to admire the astonishing sunset above the breathtaking Machu Picchu arises. Although Inti Punku is a gateway to the Inca citadel, it is too late for its visit. So, you just descend slowly to the below town of Aguas Calientes while enjoying views of the stunning surrounding nature. You are accommodated at a comfortable hotel. Before you go to sleep, you might visit the local thermal baths (hot springs) which has given the name to the town since "Aguas Calientes" means hot springs in Spanish. 

• Max. altitude: 2,700 m (8,858 ft)
• Min. altitude: 2,100 m (6,900 ft)
• Estimated time of trekking: 8-9 hours
• Trekking distance: 12 km
• Difficulty: Easy to moderate

• Pre-trek briefing with your Tour Guide
• Transfer by private vehicle to the railway station at Ollantaytambo
• Accommodation: Hotel (1 night)
• Inca Trail Permit and entrance fee to Machu Picchu;
• Meals: 1x breakfast + Snack bag, 1x dinner (please advice us in advance if you are a vegetarian; this option is for NO extra additional cost)
• Experienced bilingual Tour Guide
• A shuttle bus between Machu Picchu to Aguas Calientes
• A train round trip (Expedition Service) between Ollantaytambo and Aguas Calientes (Machu Picchu)
• Tourist bus from Ollantaytambo to Cusco.  

• Breakfast on the first day and lunch in Aguas Calientes Town on the second day
• A shuttle bus between Aguas Calientes to Machu Picchu (U$ 12 one way or U$ 24 a round trip)
• Entrance fee to Huayna Picchu Mountain ($80)
• Tips to local staff (please note: it is a custom to give tips in Peru, however, it is not obligatory)
• Travel Insurance

• Original passport!!!
• Walking sticks with rounded rubber tips (due to the Inca Trail Regulations),
• A small backpack (a 16-liter capacity),
• Raincoat/poncho,
• Mobile phone with a camera/camera/video camera,
• Extra batteries, adapters and chargers,
• Trekking shoes,
• Hat or a cap,
• Sunglasses,
• Sun protection cream,
• Insect repellent,
• Swimsuit (to visit the thermal baths/hot springs at Aguas Calientes),
• Water canteen,
• Pocket money in Soles,
• Travel insurance (recommended).

Itinerary and Duration:
The itineraries vary due to a different duration of the treks. The Classic track takes 4 days and it covers 43 kilometres of distance. The first day, its participants hike 12 km, 13 km on the second day, 15 km on the third day and 4 km on the last day. The short version lasts 2 days and it measures 16 kilometres. It begins at so called "Km 104" that is situated at Chachabamba. Its participants trek for 8-9 hours until they arrive at Inti Punku (Sun Gate). The second day, trekers hike only for 2 hours up to Machu Picchu.

Attractions to Be Visited:

- 4 Day Inca Trail:

• Willca Raccay - Inca remains,
• Llactapata - an enormous Inca complex,
• Cusichaca River Canyon,
• Wayllabamba - nearby Incan irrigation canals and agricultural terraces,
• "Abra Warmiwañusqa" (Dead Woman´s Pass) - the highest point of the entire Inca Trail (4,200 m), 
• Pacaymayo Valley,
• Runkuracay - Inca´s ruins,
• "Abra Runkurakay" - another pass (3,860 m),
• Sayacmarca - Inca ruins,
• Yanacocha Lake,
• Phuyupatamarca Pass (3,670 m),
• Phuyupatamarca - the most complete and best conserved complex of the Classic Inca Trail.
• Cloud forest,
• Wiñay Wayna - an impressive Inca complex,
• Inti Punku (Sun Gate),
• Machu Picchu - the Lost City of the Incas.

- 2 Day Inca Trail:

• Chachabamba - Inca remains,
• Cloud forest,
• Wiñay Wayna - an impressive Inca complex,
• Inti Punku (Sun Gate),
• Machu Picchu - the Lost City of the Incas.

Differences between Packing of Backpacks:
Due to different number of days of both routes, there are also different amounts of things to be taken with you. It is definitely necessary to pack warm cloths since nights are very cold during the two first nights of the 4-Day Classic Inca Trail to Machu Picchu. In addition, you will need some necessities for camping. For instance, a torch or a headlamp, matches, a knife, a sleeping bag and a memory charger, etc. On the other hand, there is an overnight at a hotel in Aguas Calientes and no camping included on the 2-Day Short Inca Trail to Machu Picchu. For that reason, you do not need to take much stuff.

The Short Inca Trail to Machu Picchu 2 Days begins at Chachabamba (2,250 m.). The highest point of the track is at Wiñay Wayna (2,700 m). During the dry season, the weather is warm and during the rainy season, it is warm, cloudy and rainy. In February, it is not possible to book the Inca Trail since it is closed due to maintenance and improvement. The weather of the Inca Trail differs every month so we describe it in details below: 

• January to March: a rainy season, continuous rains mostly during nights, days are cloudy, but there are sunny and nice days too.
• April: the end month of a rainy season, rains are less common and days become warmer.
• May to October: the weather is warm and pleasant, days are sunny and quite bright, there might be a little rain only.
• June to September: the best months to make the Inca Trail, days are clear, fresh and sunny and you can clearly observe landscapes, nights are cold at high altitudes.
• November to December: the beginning of a rainy season, days are sunny, but rain might start at each moment, there might be cloudy days without rain too.

There are 500 permits per day to enter the Inca Trail. Only 200 of these represent hikers, the rest goes to Porters, Tour Guides and Cooks. Let us add that the trail is very popular among hikers. For that reason, it is selling quickly and it is not easy to find a vacant spot. While alternative treks to Machu Picchu provide last moment opportunities to attend, trekking the 4-Day Classic Inca Trail or the 2-Day Short Inca Trail must be booked well in advance! So, if you get to Cusco having an idea of finding an Inca Trail spot, it is more than probable that you will finish disappointed! Prevent it by booking the trail at least 3 or 4 months before your planned holidays!

U$ 450 Per person

Student Discount:

U$ 30 per person

If you are student, you can present the UNIVERSITY STUDENT CARD and we can offer the student discount or who is 17-years-old less, We require a copy of your passport. These copies is for your book your entrance fee to Machu Picchu. Please send all to travel@responsiblepeople.org

How to book the Inca Trail?

To complete your book, we will require your personal details for each travellers.

• Full Name
• Passport Number
• Nationality
• Date of bith

Please note: It is very important that you will complete all information correctly to obtain your Inca Trail permits and Machu Picchu tickets! Except of this, please do not forget to read and accept our service policies before clicking on the Registration & payment option.

How to pay & Send Payment?

To complete your booking, we require a deposit of 50% of the total amount! The remaining balance can be paid in cash upon your arrival to Cusco.

To pay your deposit, you can choose one of the following methods:

• Paypal (please send an email to payment@responsiblepeople.org and our sales department will send the Paypal payment form
• Western Union
• A bank transfer

All bookings are made with Responsible People (RUC: 20603955618 / Peruvian Government) (us/we). and Responsible People will contact and book your trip with Tierras Vivas tour operator. By booking a trip with us you are deemed to have agreed to these Booking Conditions (which constitutes the entire agreement between you and us) and your booking will be accepted by us on this basis. The services to be provided are those referred to in your booking confirmation invoice.

Acceptance of booking

Book your trip with Responsible People and send us your personal information required by email. Once confirmed our staff will send a email for the next step to payment and it issue a confirmation invoice. A contract will exist between us from the date we issue the confirmation invoice or if you book within 2 days of departure the contract will exist when we accept your payment.

Please refer to your booking confirmation invoice for details regarding payments. If this balance is not paid on or before the due date we reserve the right to treat your booking as cancelled.

Deposit requirement & Final Payment

We will require the 50% pre-payment, this is per person per trip for your booking to be confirmed. This pre-payment is for your Hotel, Train and Machu Picchu ticket.

Final Payments

The remaining balance you can pay in our office in Cusco at least 2 days or 1 day before your hike. However, it can also be paid in advance through PayPal or you can deposit our account bank. Please notify us if paying by wire transfer.

You can pay in cash in our office in Dollars or Peruvian soles. We do not accept any torn bills. If you are not arriving to Cusco 2 days before your tour begins, please arrange your payment with the Responsible People team before your arrival.

Inca Trail Non-Refundable & Non-Transferable Deposit

If you deposited, we needed to book any trips with Tierras Vivas. For all full itineraries which include hotels, the needed deposit is 50%. The deposit can be made through PayPal or Bank Account. All deposits are fully non-refundable and non-transferable. In the event that you need to cancel your trip, cancellation fees will be assessed as outlined below under our cancellation policy. If canceling, you may not transfer your deposit to another person’s trek.

CANCELLATION BY RESPONSIBLE PEOPLE

Responsible People reserves the right to cancel a program in case any of the following circumstances occur:

1. Client's failure to pay the final balance two days prior to departure date.
2. Force majeure: Impossibility to operate the program or trek due to unusual or unforeseen circumstances outside Responsible People's control. Ie. Weather conditions not permitting, strike not allowing operation or putting it at risk, sudden inaccessibility of route, etc.
3. Increments in Case of Protests, Strikes (FORCE MAJEURE): In the event of a protest / strike, which is not uncommon in Cusco, it may be necessary to leave a day or even 2 days earlier than scheduled so that we are able to comply with other services. In this case, an increment will be charged to cover costs incurred.

The following refund policies apply in each case:

1. In the event of a client's failure to pay the due balance, the client will not have any right for the deposit refund.
2. In case force majeure occurs, Responsible People will propose viable solutions to operate the program within the available dates, or if impossible, will then propose an alternative program. If the alternative program chosen by the client is of lower value than that originally booked then the client is entitled to a refund of the price difference. All costs derived will be at the expense of the client. In case none of these would be feasible, Responsible People would refund all the money paid except all the incurred expenses so far.

CANCELLATION BY THE CLIENT

Please note that the program deposit is non-refundable. The deposit is used to purchase the space within the group and once a space is purchased it cannot be resold afterwards.

Inca Trail or any trek including the Inca Trail (i) Cancellation up to months or prior to departure:

1. If you paid the 50% pre-payment: loss of program deposit.
2. If you paid the 100% total: Responsible People will refund the 50%.
3.  
4. Cancellation between two days and the departure date: will be considered a No Show and no refund will be applicable.
5. If the trek balance is not paid two days before the trek departure date, Responsible People will assume the client is canceling the trek and the deposit will not be refunded.
6.  

Cancellations regarding custom itineraries and Inca Trail programs will depend on each specific program and will therefore be agreed upon between Responsible People and the client by e-mail accordingly. Responsible People reserves the right to modify the above-mentioned cancellations and refund policies. All modifications will be immediately informed to the affected client through written communication.

Travel Documents

The client must be in possession of a valid passport and all visas required for the whole of the journey and the client accepts responsibility for obtaining the same. Any information or advice given by the company on visas, vaccinations, climate, clothing, baggage, special equipment, etc is given in good faith but without responsibility on the part of the company.

Responsibility

The company shall not be liable for any damage or loss if the failure to carry out the contract is:

1) Attributable to the client

2) Attributable to a third party unconnected with the provision of the services contracted for and the event is unforeseeable or unavoidable

3) Due to unforeseen and unusual circumstances beyond the company's control, the consequences of which could not have been avoided even if all due care had to be exercised

4) Due to political disputes, industrial action, climate or other matters of a similar nature and any other force majeure

5) Due to an event, which the company, even with all due care could not foresee or forestall. Any liability is limited to the full price paid for the tour. In all cases the company specifically excludes all liability for indirect or consequential loss or expense including loss of profits.

Claims and Complaints

If a client has a complaint against the company the client must first inform the trek guide or company representative while on the tour in order that the guide/representative can attempt to rectify the matter. Any further complaint must be put in writing to the company within 7 days of the end of the tour. I have had sufficient opportunity to read this entire document. I have read and understood it, and I agree to be bound by its terms.

Optional activities

Optional activities not included in the trip price do not form part of the trip or this contract. You accept that any assistance given by your group leader or local representative in arranging optional activities does not render us liable for them in any way. The contract for the provision of that activity will be between you and activity provider.

Travel insurance

Travel insurance is mandatory for all our travellers and should be taken out at the time of booking. Your travel insurance must provide cover against personal accident, death, medical expenses and emergency repatriation with a recommended minimum coverage of US$200,000 for each of the categories of cover. We also strongly recommend it covers cancellation, curtailment, personal liability and loss of luggage and personal effects. You must provide proof of your travel insurance on the first day of your trip; you will not be able to join the trip without it. If you obtain travel insurance through us you acknowledge that you are satisfied with the level of insurance we have arranged.

Feedback

After your travels, we want to hear from you! Your feedback information is so important to us that we'll give you 5% off the price of your next Responsible People trip if your feedback is completed on-line within 30 days of finishing your trip. Your tour evaluation will be e-mailed to you 24 hours after the conclusion of your trip. If you do not receive the tour evaluation link in the days after your tour has finished, please drop us a line at travel@responsiblepeople.org and we will send it on to you.