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A 1-day Inca Trail to Machu Picchu is the best alternative to the classic Inca Trail. It takes you through the prime sites on the last segment of this legendary hike.
The four-day Classic Inca Trail to Machu Picchu is the most popular hike for most people visiting Machu Picchu. However, the hike presents numerous challenges, most notably obtaining the Inca Trail permit.
To maintain the trail’s authenticity, local authorities limit the number of trekkers to 500 per day. This number includes porters, chefs, and guides. The permit tends to sell out six months in advance.
The one-day Inca Trail is the most popular choice. It doesn’t require bookings and offers the best parts of the legendary hike.
You will begin hiking the Inca Trail at Km 104. They named it after its distance from Cusco en route to Machu Picchu. You will hike through the cloud forest and reach the iconic ruins of Winay Wayna.
The trail then leads you to the Sun Gate, also known as Intipunku. From here, you will visit the iconic Inca Citadel, Machu Picchu.
If you want to learn more about this amazing trek, read our article. It contains all the necessary information about the Inca Trail.
If you have little time but want to walk like the Incas, the One-Day Inca Trail to Machu Picchu is a great choice.
This incredible experience offers a rich blend of history, nature, and adventure, all in a single, unforgettable day. Here are the top 10 highlights that make this trek so special:
Unlike the classic four-day Inca Trail, this one-day hike offers the best of the trail in a compact format. The trail is about 10 kilometers (6 miles) long. It is an excellent choice for travelers looking for an adventure. This option is ideal for those with limited time.
One of the most memorable moments of the hike is arriving at Inti Punku, the famous Sun Gate. From here, you’ll enjoy your first breathtaking panoramic view of Machu Picchu, just like the ancient Incas once did.
Early in the hike, you will stop at Chachabamba. This is an interesting Inca site for ceremonies. It was a checkpoint and a place to worship. It’s a lesser-known but beautiful ruin worth seeing.
The highlight of the trail is Wiñay Wayna, one of the most impressive archaeological sites on the Inca Trail. With its agricultural terraces, fountains, and temples clinging to the mountainside, it rivals Machu Picchu in beauty and tranquility.
This hike is perfect for those who cannot finish the whole trail. It still offers a real Inca Trail experience. You can hike during the day and still enjoy a guided tour of Machu Picchu in the afternoon.
Most visitors arrive at Machu Picchu by train or bus. As a hiker on the One-Day Inca Trail, you will enter through the Sun Gate. This gives you a special chance to experience the site.
It’s an entrance that very few travelers get to enjoy, making you feel exceptional.
After you complete the hike, a comprehensive guided tour of Machu Picchu will reward you.
Your expert guide will explain the mysteries and architecture of this World Wonder. You will learn about its rituals and feel well-informed.
The One-Day Inca Trail is a moderately challenging hike that requires a basic level of fitness. There’s no camping involved, and you’ll return to your hotel the same night, which is ideal for comfort-seeking adventurers.
Hiking this trail presents a unique opportunity to experience the cultural heritage and natural beauty of the Andes. You’ll pass through cloud forests, Inca ruins, and lush valleys, all in one day.
If you are visiting the Sacred Valley, Cusco, or Lake Titicaca, this hike is an excellent part of your trip to Peru. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience you’ll never forget.
The One-Day Inca Trail is an excellent choice for travelers. It allows you to enjoy a portion of the famous Inca Trail without a lengthy commitment.
This hike is ideal for those with limited time. It shows a bit of Inca history.
Pick-up and Drop-off: Available in the Sacred Valley, near the town of Ollantaytambo.
Starting Point: Cusco, hotel pick-up at 4:30 am
Ending Point: Cusco, hotel drop-off around 09:30 pm
Duration: One full day
Type of Service: Guided tour
Departure: Daily departures; bookings available for any date from January to March.
Group Size: Up to 12 participants
Inca Trail and Machu Picchu Tickets: Included in the package
Meals Included: 1 box lunch
Free Storage: Available
High Season: April to October
Vegetarian/Vegan: Meals available upon request at no extra cost
Happy Gringo Tours is a local tour company. A guide who has hiked the Inca Trail more than 500 times started it. All our guides are locals and passionate hikers.
We have years of experience in the tourism industry. Our guides have extensive training in providing aid for altitude sickness.
Our team consists of skilled and experienced professionals. They ensure you receive accurate information, clear itineraries, and excellent guidance throughout your trip.
Personalized Service: We customize our tours to meet each traveler’s needs and preferences. This ensures a memorable experience for everyone.
Quality and Safety: Our commitment to quality and safety guarantees an enjoyable and worry-free adventure. We collaborate with professional guides, reliable transportation services, and carefully selected accommodations to deliver the best possible experience.
Sustainable and Responsible Travel: Happy Gringo Tours actively minimizes our environmental impact and supports local communities.
We promote eco-friendly practices and contribute to the well-being of the regions we explore.
Competitive Pricing: We offer a range of affordable packages. This lets you enjoy the magic of Machu Picchu without spending too much.
Excellent Customer Support: Our friendly customer support team is here to help you at every step. We assist you from planning your trip to answering questions after your trip.
Choose Happy Gringo Tours for a great and easy adventure. We work hard to make your dream trip to Machu Picchu an unforgettable experience.
We operate the one-day Inca Trail hike to Machu Picchu as a private guided tour in small groups.
Do take a moment to check our reviews on TripAdvisor.
Cusco Hotel Transfer
4:30 am
Early in the morning, we will pick you up from your hotel in Cusco. Then, in our private transport, we will drive you through the Sacred Valley of the Incas to the Ollantaytambo train station.
Here, we will board a tourist train bound for Aguas Calientes at 6:10 AM. We will be getting off at Km 104. The trail begins amidst the cloud forest, where you can see a diverse array of flora and fauna.
On this 10-kilometre stretch, we will visit many Inca ruins. Then, we will reach Wiñay Wayna, one of the most prominent Inca sites in the area. After a guided tour of the complex, we will visit Sungate (Intipunku). From here, you will get the first sight of the Machu Picchu citadel.
Once inside the Machu Picchu citadel, you will receive a two-hour guided tour. After the tour, you will have some free time to explore the citadel on your own. If you have booked to hike Huayna Picchu or the Machu Picchu mountains, our guide will direct you to the trailhead.
Alternatively, you can hike to Sun Gate or Intipunku. This is the entrance to the citadel for those on the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu.
After exploring Machu Picchu, you will take a bus back to Aguas Calientes. Here, we will have lunch at a local restaurant. At around 04:00 PM, we will take a train back to Ollantaytambo.
Our representative will meet you on arrival and transfer you back to your hotel in Cusco. We will return to Cusco around 09:30 PM.
Walking Distance: 10 km / 6 miles
Meals: A Box lunch is carried by the travelers
Elevations of the Trekking: Trek starting point 2,000 m, the highest point is Sun Gate 2,720 m, the trek ends at 1,900 m
Weather: Hot and humid
Train time for the way there: Vogayer train at 6:40 / Expedition train at 6:10 (depending on availability).
Every review from our users is essential. It helps us grow and provide the best service to our clients.
Our primary goal is for you to have a completely enjoyable trip. Our professional team will work hard to make it happen.
Our vacation was great to the land of the Incas in Perú with Gringo Tours.
We strongly recommend traveling... read more in Cusco. We had an amazing experience.. Thanks to our guide Juan!
We highly recommend booking the Machu Picchu day tríp from Cusco with Happy Gringo!
Everything else was a dumpster fire that had us waiting for two hours for a guide to show up (he stated he hadn’t been notified from the travel agency even though we went to the physical Happy Gringo location to check in the day before AND provided all requested information in person and again via WhatsApp). If we hadn’t reached out to them on WhatsApp, I’m certain we would have still been standing outside of the train station waiting. The information you get when you get to the Machu Picchu location is also confusing, telling you to go to a Pueblo, but when you look it up on the maps, there are several listed, which further added to the confusion. Very much underperformed our expectations for nearly $800.
Final thought, Machu Picchu is very much worth the visit, but not with this outfit.
My family had difficulty to find a travel agent to book the Machu Picchu tour, however the workers of Gringo Tours were very helpful... read more to assist us with our trip to Machu Picchu.
The pick up was on time, the journey from Cusco to Aguad Calientes town was amazing with fantástic views, and finally the tour guide at Machu picchu was very knowledgeable.
Highly recommended tour operator in Peru!
The communication was great, the pick up was on time, the box lunch was very delicious,... read more the hotel at Aguas Calientes was clean and our tour guide Wilder was very informative.
All the team of Happy Gringo tours were professional. Therefore, we hughly recommend hiking the Inca trail to Machu Picchu with them and with Wilder!
¡Thanks for everything!
We booked the 2 days tour to Machu Picchu. The service was very well organised from Cusco, the Communication... read more was fsntastic with Ariana, the pick up ass on time and our tour guide Ivan gave us a lot of information of Machupichu site.
Strongly recommend our guide Ivan and thanks Gringo tours!
We noticed the sirious work and profesionalism that we received. Juan is the persona who gave us all his support. Therefore, we share our experience that Happy Gringo is the only company in Cusco that got our dream reop to Machu Picchu.
Thanks all the team of Gringo tours for your help and we highly recommend the travelers who want to ise this tour operator in Cusco.