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1 day
2730
7
Group
The 1 Day Inca trail is the fastest trek to Machupicchu and Yes! it is possible to hike part of the Inca trail and visit the archaeological site of Machupicchu in one day. It starts from the train route of KM 104. This route has more spaces available than the Classic Inca Trail with a moderate level climb. This trail features one of the most important archaeological sites, Wiñay Wayna ´Forever Young´. Stunning Inca ruins and beautiful mountainous landscape that enters through Sun Gate, where most classic photos of Machupicchu were taken. A 02 hour private guided tour takes you into the fascinating history of these spectacular ruins.
By 04:00H: Pick up at your hotel at 4am in Cusco for a 2-hour scenic drive with our transport to the train station in Ollantaytambo. If you are already in Ollantaytambo in the Sacred Valley, then your pick up will be at 5:30am. If you are in another town in the Sacred Valley, please contact our office to organize a suitable pick-up time.
Recommended hotel at Ollantaytambo: Andenes del Inca Hotel
At 06:10H, We will take the Expedition Train from Ollantyatambo to the KM 104, Once here we will crossing the Urubamba River through the suspension bridge to the first chekc point.
The Start
By 08:00H, After passing the chekc point, we will walk for 10m and then we will visit the the archeological site is called Chachabamba (2100m). Stop to admire this archeological site. Firstly, known as a guardhouse because of its location at the foot of one of the entrances to Machu Picchu. The site also has many water fountains that were used for irrigation. This site is surrounded by fertile land and was used by the Incas to grow things such as corn, quinoa and potatoes. Like many Inca sites it was also a very important religious monument, a testament to the value the Incas placed on Mother Earth (Pachamama).
Begin our gentle upward 3 hours hike to the Wiñay Wayna archaeological site (2,650/8,747ft) also known as ´Forever Young´ in Quechua. Enjoy stunning views of snowcapped mountain peaks like Mount Veronica and watch the calming Urubamba River as it gushes downstream to the gigantic Ucayali River. Enjoy the expansive view of the valley, stop at several lookouts and take Instagram worthy pictures. A short, but slightly steep climb leads us to a pristine waterfall only a few steps from the famous Wiñay Wayna.
By 12:00H; Visit the Winay Wayna Inca ruins
Next take a steep hill to Wiñay Wayna. The site was built on the mountain side and when you view it from afar, it gives a magical illusion that its floating in the clouds. A stunning archeologic site that is ageless in its beauty, remains one of the most well-preserved archeological sites in South America. Wiñay Wayna is named after a beautiful orange orchid that grows abundantly all year round along the trail. The breath-taking cloud forests and surrounds are a reminder of how far you are from modern civilization. The Inca Trail offers you a variety of flora and fauna unique only to this region.
Wiñay Wayna has a fascinating history and was only recently discovered. Some parts of the site are hidden by the dense jungle. At the top of Winay Wayna, arrive at a campsite.. This is where the Short Inca Trail and the Classic Inca Trial meet. Stop to rest and enjoy our gourmet box lunch. Ask your guide as many questions as you want about the Inca Trail, the Incas or any of the sites you have come across along the way.
The Gringo Killers
Later we embark on our last hour of hiking. Majority of the way is an easy enjoyable hike , where the Andes mountains meet the Amazonian Rainforest. The last hurdle is the gringo killer steps or monkey steps. These steps are named as such because they have provide a challenge and the best way to get past them is to get on all fours and climb like a proper monkey. They are carved directly into the bedrock by the Incas and are the last short challenge before reaching the Sun Gate.
By 13:00h, Arrive to the Sun Gate and enjoy the amazing views.
The Sun Gate (2,730m/9,00ft) is one of the main reasons for doing this hike. Upon passing through the Sun Gate, you get your first expansive, jaw dropping view of the Ancient Citadel of Machu Picchu. The Sun Gate gives you the first opportunity to take panoramic pictures of the citadel. The sheer size of this monument is guaranteed to take your break away. The rest of the way is a downhill hike on bedrock towards Machu Picchu. Upon arrival to the “House of the Guardians” you can take the famous postcard pictures of Machu Picchu with the imposing Huayna Picchu Mountain behind it.
By 14:00h, Arrive to Machu Picchu then enjoy the guidig tour.
Your guide will give you a private tour of the citadel (Circuit #2 or #3), about 2 hours, depending on your hiking speed. You will see some of the most important parts of Machu Picchu. Hear the stories and legends of this fascinating site. Marvel at the brillance of the Inca engineers.
Take your time to enjoy in this magical Inca ruins, before you take the bus down to Aguas Calientes. In the evening at 6:20PM you will take the return Expedition Train to Ollantaytambo and catch our private van back to Cusco and your hotel. Estimated arrival time in Cusco is 10:00PM.
*** Times are aproximately and depends on your fisical fitmess!
***It is not possible to do the Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu Mountain climb due to time restraints
***You can upgrade to the Vistadome Train for $57. This train will depart from Aguas Calientes at 6:10pm.
***The 1 day hike to Machu Picchu may included circuit 2 or 3, it will be confirmed at booking time!
The 1 Day Inca Trail to Machu Picchu is available on any date as long as we have a minimum of 2 people except in February when it is closed for maintenance.
| No. OF PEOPLE | PRICE |
| 2 to 3 people | US$ 427 per person |
| +4 | US$ 417 per person |
** This package will includes circuit 2 or 3 for visiting Machu Picchu, the circuit will be confirmed at booking time!
***If you are traveling alone, please contact us for a special private price or to find a group you can join.
Please read the following information! It will help answer any questions you may have about the 1 day Inca Trail to Machu Picchu.
The Briefing will be the night before the trek at 6pm in our office which is located at Garcilaso Street 210 , Office Nº:213 (2and Floor) in the la CASA DEL ABUELO shopping center.
ABSOLUTELY! If so, email us indicating you want to comeback on the next day of the trek, then we will organize it for you.
FIRST, to book your Machu Picchu Tour, we need you to fill out our booking form by clicking on BOOK NOW on our homepage or click here – BOOK NOW.
We will need the following information (FROM EACH PARTICIPANT in your group). This information is necessary to purchase the entrance tickets to Machu Picchu the train tickets:
SECOND, we require a deposit of USD 211.00 per person to purchase your entrance to Machu Picchu and train ticket. You can make you deposit by clicking on the PAYPAL symbol on the top of our home page, or you can click on the PAYPAL symbol on our booking page.
Unfortunately No. Once the tickets have been bought, the government does not allow any changes. We cannot change any departure date after the tickets have been purchased. Tickets are also non-transferable nor refundable.
*** If you cancel your 1 Day Inca Trail to Machu Picchu, your deposit is lost! ***
DEFINITELY! You MUST bring your original passport with the SAME passport number you sent to us to book your entrance to Machu Picchu, train ticket, other entrances, and reservations. They will check when you enter Machu Picchu and to board the train.
In case you are renewing your passport or changing your name, please send us a COPY of your old passport to secure your permit, and we can change it when we receive a COPY of your new passport for a fee of $25 per person. We must have a copy of your old and new passport to make the change. Before you change your passport, keep a copy of your old one.
If you do not wish to pay this fee, you will need to bring both passports to Peru with you. You can enter Peru with your new passport, but you will need to show both passports, old and new to enter Machu Picchu or the train. If you do not have both, the guards will not allow you to enter into Machu Picchu or get on the train.
Remember to check your current passport to make sure it doesn’t expire within 6 months of your arrival to Peru!!! The Government of Peru is enforcing the existing law that requires all foreign travelers to have a passport valid for a minimum of six months past the time of entry into Peru. Peruvian authorities will deny entry into Peru for travelers not meeting this requirement.
OF COURSE! We will drop you off at your hotel in Cusco or the Sacred Valley (Depending on you hotel) when we return from the tour. We will also pick you up from the Sacred Valley if you are staying there.
If you’re happy with the services provided, a tip is appropriate. It means a lot to the staff and their families who will take care of you during the tour. It inspires better service and is a major part of the tourism industry across many ORANGE Nation destinations. Of course, you are free to tip more or less what you want, depending on how you feel about the quality of service and the length of your tour.
We are a local, sustainable & responsible tour operator which functions according to the ethical principles of tourism. Protect the environment and help the indigenous communities by respecting their culture and religion. We have trained all of our staff to know, understand, and respect the local communities and the people living there.
The 1 Day Inca Trail to Machu Picchu DOES NOT INCLUDE an extra porter! You need to carry all your things, please try to pack as light.
2730
1 day
7
Hike, Bus, Train
We're a family-owned Travel Company and Tour Operator located in the heart of the Inca Empire, Cusco, Peru. We create individually customized tours and treks to Peru's most iconic attractions, as well as untouched, off the beaten track locations high in the Andes Mountains.
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Discover why thousands of people around the world trust us to explore the best of Peru.
The Short Inca Trail with José was a once-in-a-lifetime, unforgettable experience. In the days leading up to our trek, he was highly communicative and provided all the details we needed (packing lists, expectations, timing) so everything…
Hace 3 meses
After researching extensively, I chose a Peruvian travel company to guide our Sacred Valley adventure for my husband and I. We booked a full day beginning with Maras and Moray, Ollantaytambo, lunch and Pisac.…
Hace 2 meses
We did the Lares Trek with Orange Nation/ Sam's travel and would highly recommend it. Lares has far less tourists than the inca trail (we saw about 4 groups over the two days initial hike up to the 4800m high point). The views are…
Hace 3 semanas
I had extremely high expectations and they were blown away! Our guide Rolando was an absolute legend. You can tell he is looked up to by all the other guides in the industry. He speaks multiple languages, connects deeply with each hiker,…
Hace 5 meses
Two of us did the 2 days Lares trek + 1 day Inca Trail, with a tour of Machu Picchu. We were blown away by the friendliness, knowledge, and kindness showed by both of our guides - Jorge and Carlos. We booked a group tour, but this ended up…
Hace 3 meses
Me and my friend did the 4 day Inca trail with Sam travel Peru, our tour guide was Juan Carlos, he has been doing tours to matchu pichu for over 20 years and his knowledge and expertise was amazing. I would recommend to anyone to as for him…
Hace 5 meses
We did the 2 day Inca trail to Machu Picchu. Our guide was Ray and Michael. It was really great - Ray was amazing and was really passionate about the place and told us loads of amazing stories. We had the perfect weather and even the packed…
Hace 3 meses
Amazing trip across 3 days with Jose! A massive thanks and shout out to our guide, he enriched the entire experience with his massive background of history of the culture and the land…
Hace 5 meses
Me and my Wife did the 5 day Inca trail with Sam Travel in April 2026. Our guide Henry and the incredible team of Porters and our Chef made the trip one of a lifetime. I cannot say enough good things about this group as they went over and…
Hace 3 meses
We were short on time during our trip to Peru, so we decided to do the 1-day Inca Trail to Machu Picchu. Everything was very well organised. We were collected from our hotel and taken to the train, where our journey to the trail began. The first part of the hike was a bit challenging, but it was absolutely worth it. The views of the mountains and the surrounding nature were breathtaking. Reaching the Sun Gate and seeing Machu Picchu for the first time was incredible. After the tour, we were taken back by train and dropped off at our hotel. I would highly recommend this hike to anyone visiting Peru, especially if you're short on time but still want to experience the Inca Trail. I also highly recommend our guide, Antonio. He was brilliant, incredibly knowledgeable, and shared so much interesting information about Machu Picchu, its history, and the local flora throughout the trek. He also allowed us to take breaks whenever we needed them.
Written August 6, 2026
I did the Rainbow Mountain tour, and I was the only one in the group who walked up the mountain. My guide Henry stayed with me the whole way, encouraging me and taking lots of photos along the trail. A truly great experience.
Written July 31, 2026
We had an amazing time with Henry our guide on our trek to Rainbow Mountian. With an early pick we left Cusco for the long car ride to Rainbow mountain with a quick stop for breakfast. When we got there Henry helped us reserve horses (highly recommend) and we started towards the mountain. The terrain, snow capped mountains and sediment settlement are a treat to see but it is worth the 10 extra minutes to the top. Because we had the horses we were able to take a long time at the top to take in all of the beautiful wonders. Henry allowed us time to explore and gave us wonderful information about how this beautiful wonder was formed. We definitely got more than our money's worth out of this gem!
Written July 29, 2026
Carlos Estrada was an excellent guide, very knowledgeable and organized! Made our trip easy.
Written July 19, 2026
I had an amazing experience touring Sacred Valley and Machu Pichu with our tour guide, Carlos Estrada. He was quite helpful and knew a lot about everything. I recommend him and this tour!
Written July 19, 2026
Had an awesome day out to Rainbow Mountain with our guide Cesar Siccos! He was full of encouragement and positive energy and we made it to the top! Thank you, Cesar!
Written July 16, 2026
Following a great 2-day Inca Trail experience with SAM Travel, I signed up for the one-day Rainbow Mountain + Red Valley trek. Once again our group was small, just 4 people. Junior was our guide - he was friendly and knowledgeable. He seamlessly adjusted to our request for an earlier start time to beat the crowds, and also managed varying group member speeds / fitness levels well. Another positive experience with SAM Travel - highly recommend booking with them, especially if you are a solo traveler.
Written July 16, 2026
Rainbow mountain hike provided for gorgeous views, bunch of alpaca. At up to 5000 meters it provided for a healthy challenge even if the profile does not look that impressive…. Our guide - Cesar Siccos - was with us the whole way and provided the necessary support to get over the challenge. Great day out.
Written July 15, 2026
My trip to the rainbow mountain with my tour guide Siccos was incredible. Siccos was very energetic and kept our spirits high. I would highly recommend this hike to anyone.
Written July 15, 2026
