2-Day Inca Trail to Machu Picchu with Wiñay Wayna and Sun Gate

• We will pick you up from your Cusco hotel early in the morning, at about 5:00 am.
• Drive to the train station in Ollantaytambo and take the train to Kilometer (Km) 104, a journey of about three hours. The unscheduled train stop brings a special sense of satisfaction, as it feels as though the train stops especially for you - and because you know you are about to see places that few others get to experience.
• Get off the train and pass the Inca Trail checkpoint, where we will see our first archaeological center, Chachabamba (2,170 m / 7,170 ft). These ruins were one of the last shelters the Incas used before reaching Machu Picchu. The site also served as a religious and administrative center and featured several buildings.
• Gradually ascend for about 2-3 hours, climbing Inca stone steps while our guide points out different flora and fauna along the trail.
• Pass a tall waterfall before arriving at the archaeological site of Wiñay Wayna (2,650 m / 8,700 ft), named after an orchid and meaning Forever Young in Quechua.
• Climb to the top of the ruins and enjoy lunch with an incredible view of Wiñay Wayna and the Sacred Valley. This large site sits on a mountainside and features experimental terraces that the Incas used to grow different crops.
• Visit an important temple with seven windows dedicated to the rainbow, and observe the amazing engineering of water channels that still function today.
• Continue our hike for about 1 ½ hours along a relatively flat section of the Inca Trail, with small ascents and descents along the way.
• At about 2:00 pm, reach the Sun Gate (2,720 m / 8,920 ft), called Intipunku in Quechua. This is where we will have our first view of Machu Picchu.
• From there, head down to the ruins and take the bus down to Aguas Calientes.
• Upon arrival in Aguas Calientes, you will check in to your hotel.
• If time is available before dinner, the natural hot springs in town are an unbeatable way to spend the late afternoon or early evening.

Meals: Box Lunch / Dinner

Accommodations: Hotel

Maximum altitude: 2,720 m / 8,920 ft

Minimum altitude: 2,040 m / 6,691 ft

Distance to walk: 9.3 miles / 15 km

Approximate walking time: 5-6 hours

• After an early breakfast, board the bus that will take us to the most mysterious city of the Incas, Machu Picchu. The same professional guide will teach you about the history of this mysterious and inspirational place.
• Visit the Sun Temple, Royal Palace, Main Temple, the Temple of the Three Windows, and the Intihuatana sundial.
• After the guided tour, we have left some free time for you to explore on your own.
• If you have booked the Wayna Picchu hike, you will need to coordinate with our guide regarding your scheduled time for this additional hike. For people not hiking Wayna Picchu or Machu Picchu Mountain, there are other optional activities you can do on your own:

• Hike to the Sun Gate: You will have the opportunity to walk approximately 2 hours up and down to the Sun Gate (Inti Punku) to see Machu Picchu from a different angle.
• Trek to the Inca Bridge: The Inca Bridge offers a dose of adrenaline and, while not a strenuous trek, it is death-defying as the trail is very narrow with steep drops, so it is not suitable for people with vertigo.

• Back to Cusco in the afternoon, you will return to the train station in Aguas Calientes for the trip back to Ollantaytambo.
• Upon your arrival at the train station, you will be transferred by car to your hotel in Cusco.

Meals: Breakfast

Lowest elevation: 2,040 m / 6,691 ft

Highest elevation: 2,440 m / 8,052 ft