Rated 4.9227 reviews
2 daysMachu Picchu: Inca Trail 2-Day Overnight Guided Tour
★ 4.9 · 227 reviews
- Two days, Hotel night before Machu Picchu
- Wiñay Wayna and Sun Gate
- 2-hour guided walk in citadel
- Free cancellation
$585
Check availability→ The short Inca Trail
Machu Picchu 2 day hike: one trail day, one hotel night
A Machu Picchu 2 day hike is the short Inca Trail: you walk one day to the Sun Gate, sleep in a hotel in Aguas Calientes and visit the citadel with a guide the next morning. Three listings sell it, from $585 per person, with pickup and the train back to Ollantaytambo in the plan.
Quick answer
The short answer. For the lowest price on a Machu Picchu 2 day hike, book the Overnight trip at $585: 4.9 from 227 reviews, a hotel night and a 2-hour guided walk inside the site, with an English-speaking guide. For picnic meals on the trail, the Vistadome trip at $630, rated 4.8 by 333 reviewers. For free cancellation, the Panoramic trip at $679, rated 4.9 from 9 reviews. The other two are non-refundable.
Machu Picchu 2 day hike at a glance
- Two-day hikes
- 3 of 9listings on this site
- Price
- From $585per person, up to $679
- Walking days
- Oneday two is the guided visit
- Night
- One hotel nightin Aguas Calientes
- Trail start
- Km 104named on the Panoramic trip
- Trail heights
- 2,200 m to 2,720 mKm 104 to the Sun Gate, one listing
- Inca sites
- Wiñay Wayna, Sun GateChachabamba on two of the three
- Pickup
- In the planone listing gives 4:00 AM
- Train home
- To OllantaytamboVistadome on two of the three
- Group size
- Up to 10 or 16depending on the listing
- Guide language
- English or SpanishEnglish only on the Overnight trip
- Refund
- Non-refundable on twofree cancellation on the Panoramic trip
Day one
How the walking day runs
One walking day, from Km 104 to the Sun Gate, with the heights one listing gives.
Day one starts early in Cusco. On the Panoramic trip, pickup from your hotel is at 4:00 AM, then a drive to Ollantaytambo and a 1.5-hour train ride along the Urubamba River to Km 104, at 2,200 m. From there the Machu Picchu 2 day hike climbs through cloud forest past Chachabamba, which the listing calls an important ceremonial and administrative Inca site.
The trail goes on to Wiñay Wayna, at 2,650 m, with its Inca temples and agricultural terraces, and then up to the Sun Gate, Inti Punku, at 2,720 m. The Panoramic listing calls it the first panoramic view of Machu Picchu. Then it is on to Aguas Calientes for the night.
Andrew from the United Kingdom, on the Vistadome trip: «Anyone booking should know the short Inca trek is quite challenging in parts and day 1 is not an easy stroll». Martin, also from the United Kingdom, on the Panoramic trip: «The first day is hard to start but worth it when you reach Machu Picchu».
Step by step
Machu Picchu 2 day tour itinerary, step by step
Times and places as the three listings give them; where a listing is silent, we say so.
- Early pickup
Pickup is in the plan on all three. The Panoramic trip collects you from your Cusco hotel at 4:00 AM; the other two give no time.
- Train to Km 104
A 1.5-hour ride along the Urubamba River on the Panoramic trip. The class of this outward train is not named.
- Chachabamba
The first Inca site of the day on the Vistadome and Panoramic trips.
- Wiñay Wayna
Terraces and temples at 2,650 m, named on all three listings.
- The Sun Gate
Inti Punku, 2,720 m: the first view of the citadel and the end of the walking section.
- Night in Aguas Calientes
A 3-star hotel on the Panoramic trip, a hotel bed on the Overnight trip, breakfast at your hotel on the Vistadome trip.
- Morning in the citadel
A bus up, then the guided visit: two hours on the Overnight trip; entry at your ticket time on the Panoramic trip.
- Back to Cusco
Train to Ollantaytambo, then road to Cusco: about 7:30 PM on the Vistadome trip, early evening on the Panoramic trip, to your hotel on the Overnight trip.
Three listings
How the three short-trail listings differ
On paper each Machu Picchu 2 day hike looks the same. Price, meals, group size and the refund line are where they part.
- Overnight trip, $585
The lowest price, rated 4.9 by 227 reviewers. Groups of up to 16, English only, a 2-hour guided walk, then time on your own. Back by train to Ollantaytambo and by car to your Cusco hotel. Non-refundable.
- Vistadome trip, $630
The most reviews of the three: 333 at 4.8. A picnic breakfast and lunch on the trail, dietary options on request, the Vistadome train back and a bus to Cusco. Groups of up to 16. Non-refundable.
- Panoramic trip, $679
The clearest plan: 4:00 AM pickup, train to Km 104, a 3-star hotel, the Vistadome train back. Groups of up to 10. The Panoramic trip alone has free cancellation; its 4.9 rests on 9 reviews.
On the short trail
Terraces, the town and the train home
Three scenes from the way a Machu Picchu 2 day hike runs, described as the photos show them.
Terraces on the slope
Curved green terraces climb a steep hillside around a cluster of roofless stone houses, with thick forest falling away to a ravine behind.
Where you sleep
White and orange hotel blocks line a street below sheer green cliffs, with trees and a small footbridge on the valley floor.
The train by the river
A blue train with a yellow-nosed engine curves along a ledge cut into the cliff, above a brown river rushing between boulders.
Two days or four
The short trail or the classic four days
Three nights in camp, or one day on foot and a hotel.
Our top pick on this site is the 4-day trail at $840, rated 4.9 by 595 reviewers. It starts at Km 82, spends three nights in trail campsites and crosses Dead Woman's and Runkuraqay Pass on day two, which that listing calls the most challenging part of the trail. A Machu Picchu 2 day hike skips the camps: it starts at Km 104 and covers the last stretch, past Wiñay Wayna to the Sun Gate, for $585 to $679 and a hotel bed.
There is no Machu Picchu 1 day hike among the nine listings. In practice, the walking part of the short route is a Machu Picchu day hike from Km 104 to the Sun Gate, with the night and the guided morning attached. If you would rather not walk at all, the day tours by train cost $308 to $349 per person and run 12 to 15 hours.
Every trip, current fare
Machu Picchu 2 day hike prices, side by side
The three short-trail listings, our top pick and the Sacred Valley trip. Prices are per person.
| Trip | Price | Price is for | Length | What the price covers | Where it starts | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overnight trip | $585 | per person | 2 days | Hotel night, 2-hour guided walk in the citadel, train to Ollantaytambo, car to your Cusco hotel | Pickup; no time given | 4.9 · 227 |
| Vistadome trip | $630 | per person | 2 days | Picnic breakfast and lunch on the trail, hotel breakfast, guided visit, Vistadome train back | Pickup; no time given | 4.8 · 333 |
| Panoramic trip | $679 | per person | 2 days | Train to Km 104, 3-star hotel, guided visit, Vistadome train back | Cusco hotel, 4:00 AM | 4.9 · 9 |
| 4-day trail, our top pick | $840 | per person | 4 days | Three nights in trail campsites, meals in camp, Vistadome train back | Hotel in Cusco or the Sacred Valley | 4.9 · 595 |
| Sacred Valley, no trail | $370 | per person | 2 days | Pisac and Ollantaytambo, guided visit of the citadel, train and bus back | Hotel pickup | 4.6 · 345 |
Two days, no trail
Two days without the walk
The Sacred Valley trip, and a word on circuits.
The other 2-day trip to Machu Picchu from Cusco on this site skips the trail. It is a Machu Picchu two day tour through the Sacred Valley at $370, with Pisac and Ollantaytambo on the way and a guided visit of the citadel on day two.
That trip and the $349 group day by train give priority to Circuit 2, then Circuit 3 or 5, then Circuit 1, by availability. So if a Machu Picchu circuit 2 tour from Cusco matters to you, those two come closest. None of the three short-trail listings names a circuit.
Before you book
Five things to check before you pay
What the three listings say, worth reading before you pick a date for your Machu Picchu 2 day hike.
- February
The Panoramic listing says the Inca Trail is closed in February for maintenance. The other two do not mention it.
- Two weeks ahead
The Overnight listing asks for the booking two weeks before the tour date.
- Your passport
The Vistadome trip asks for passport details when you book; the Panoramic trip asks you to bring your passport.
- What to pack
The Vistadome listing suggests light hiking boots, a daypack with 2 litres of water, hiking pants, a change of clothes, rain gear and a warm layer.
- The refund line
Two of the three are non-refundable. The Panoramic trip is the one with free cancellation; read the line on the booking page before you pay.
Our verdict
Our verdict on the short trail
Book the Overnight trip at $585 if you want the Machu Picchu 2 day hike at the lowest price with a strong record: 227 reviewers rate it 4.9. For food on the trail, the Vistadome trip at $630. If your dates may change, the Panoramic trip at $679 is the one with free cancellation. With four days to spare, our top pick at $840.
Book direct
Machu Picchu two day hike: the three to book
Lowest price first. All three are priced per person.
Likely to sell out333 reviews
2 daysCusco: Machu Picchu 2-Day Inca Trail with Vistadome Train
★ 4.8 · 333 reviews
- Two days, Picnic breakfast and lunch on trail
- Chachabamba, Wiñaywayna and Sun Gate
- Likely to sell out
- Free cancellation
$630
Check availability→ 
2 days9 reviews
2 days2-Day Inca Trail Hike to Machu Picchu & Panoramic Train
★ 4.9 · 9 reviews
- Two days, Trek starts at Km 104
- 3-star hotel in Aguas Calientes
- Hotel pickup at 4:00 AM
- Free cancellation
$679
Check availability→ Common questions
Machu Picchu 2 day hike: your questions, answered
Do you sleep in a hotel on a Machu Picchu 2 day hike?
Yes. The Panoramic trip books a 3-star hotel in Aguas Calientes, and the Overnight trip promises a pleasant hotel bed there. The Vistadome trip mentions breakfast at your hotel on day two.
Is the 2-day or the 4-day Inca Trail better?
It depends on your time. The 4-day trail, our top pick at $840, starts at Km 82 with three nights in campsites. The short trail starts at Km 104, passes Wiñay Wayna and the Sun Gate and ends with a hotel night, for $585 to $679.
How hard is the short Inca Trail?
The listings give heights, not a grade. On the Panoramic trip you start at Km 104 at 2,200 m, reach Wiñay Wayna at 2,650 m and the Sun Gate at 2,720 m, about 520 m above the start. The citadel itself sits at 2,430 m.
Is food included on the 2-day Inca Trail?
On the Vistadome trip, a picnic breakfast and lunch on the trail, then breakfast at the hotel, with dietary options on request. The Panoramic trip mentions dinner in Aguas Calientes without saying it is in the price. The Overnight listing says nothing about meals.
How far in advance do you need to book the Inca Trail?
The listings give no month count. The Overnight trip asks for the booking two weeks before the tour date, and the Panoramic trip notes that the trail is closed in February for maintenance.
Can I cancel a Machu Picchu 2 day hike and get a refund?
On one of the three. The Panoramic trip at $679 has free cancellation and reserve now, pay later. The Overnight and Vistadome trips are non-refundable, so book those once your dates are fixed.
Your options
Picking your short trail
A 2 day hike to Machu Picchu gives you the Sun Gate on foot without a night in a tent. Each of the three is a Machu Picchu tour from Cusco 2 days long: you leave Cusco early on day one and are back there on day two. Pick by price, meals or the refund line, then check your date.
Go deeper
More guides to Machu Picchu
Four days
Four days
The full trail with three nights in camp.
What it costsWhat it costs
What each price includes — permit, train, entry, meals, nights — and what it leaves out.
By trainBy train
Which tours ride which train, and what the carriages are like.
The guided visitThe guided visit
What the guide covers inside the citadel and how long you spend there.
