Short Inca Trail Review: My 2 Day Hike With TreXperience

My boyfriend is Peruvian, and somehow he’d never been to Machu Picchu. So at the end of April we finally fixed that by hiking the short Inca Trail with TreXperience: two days, one big day of hiking, and a night in a hotel instead of a tent.

We picked the short trail because it was his first proper hike and, tbh, I’m not exactly hiking fit at the moment either. It also turned into a bit of a test run, because my dad and step-mum had booked the same trail for October and wanted me to try it first (no pressure!).

In this review I’ll take you through the whole thing, from our early start and the steep climb to Wiñay Wayna, to arriving at the Sun Gate and the very strange train ride home. I’ve also checked the current prices, permits and timings for you. And if you’re still planning the rest of your trip, my 10 day Peru itinerary shows where the Inca Trail fits in.

📅 Hiked in late April with my boyfriend · prices, permits and timings checked November 2026

TreXperience gifted us this trip. It wasn’t in exchange for this post (I’d made some marketing content for them separately), so I’m writing it because I think it’ll help you plan, and every opinion here is my own.

My Verdict: Is the Short Inca Trail Worth It?

Yes, 100%. We loved it, we made great friends, and my parents loved it too when they did it in October.

For me it was the perfect amount of work for Machu Picchu. You properly feel like you’ve earned the view, but without signing up for a really big hike like the Salkantay trek (which I’m doing in December with my sister, so wish me luck!). And because you sleep in Aguas Calientes, you see Machu Picchu twice: first from the Sun Gate, then up close the next morning.

It’s a great fit if you’re short on time, you’re not a big hiker, or the 4 day trail is sold out. If the trek itself is the main point for you and you’re fit, the classic trail is the bigger adventure (more on that further down).

The Short Inca Trail, Stage by Stage

Here’s the whole route, from where we stayed the night before to Aguas Calientes at the end.

📍 The stops in the order we did them. Teal is the hike and peach is the train from Ollantaytambo (zoom out to see it). Lines are approximate

The Night Before: Ollantaytambo, Not Cusco

This is my number one tip. We stayed at Plaza Gibaja in Ollantaytambo the night before, so we didn’t have a 3am pickup from Cusco on top of what we knew would be a long day. TreXperience’s website says Cusco pickups are around 4am, but in reality it was 3am.

We got picked up at 5:30am from Ollantaytambo instead, which was SO much better, and we got dropped back there at the end too. I told my dad and step-mum to do the same, and they were so glad they listened, because they were shattered on the way back. Everyone in our group (and theirs) was jealous and wished they’d done it too.

Because we weren’t in Cusco, our briefing was over the phone. You don’t really miss anything that way, but ours wasn’t until about 7pm, which felt late with such an early start.

KM 104 and Breakfast in a Field

There had been a landslide when we went, so our start was different from normal. We ended up jumping off the train at another spot along the tracks, crossing a bridge and having breakfast in a field, which was a bit of an adventure in itself!

Breakfast was really good: fruit, eggs, bread, tea and coffee. But it was chilly first thing, so keep a warm layer handy. They also gave us snacks for the hike (an apple and a cereal bar) and handed out the TreXperience t-shirts.

There were toilets here, but they weren’t the nicest, and that turned out to be true of every toilet on the trail. Pack toilet paper and hand sanitiser. And bring your original passport, because it’s checked against your permit at the start (copies aren’t accepted).

The Steep Climb to Wiñay Wayna

For me this was the toughest part of the whole hike. It’s extremely steep, and we were climbing for around three hours.

But it’s manageable if you take it slowly, and our guide never rushed us. I was SO sweaty after that first climb that I changed my top, which is why I’d pack a spare.

Because of the landslide, I don’t think we followed the exact usual path for this bit. My dad and step-mum did the normal route in October though, and they described it in a really similar way. You end up at Wiñay Wayna either way, a huge terraced Inca site you can only reach on foot, and part of the UNESCO-listed Historic Sanctuary of Machu Picchu.

Lunch With the Sexy Llamas

There were eight of us in our group, and our guide Jason named us the sexy llamas (obviously). It was a real mix: older and younger, solo travellers, couples and friends. If you’re thinking of going on your own, my guide to solo travel in Peru has loads more tips.

Lunch was incredible. They have porters and chefs who go up ahead, and there was SO much food, with loads of traditional Peruvian dishes: potatoes, rice, chicken, meat, avocado and more. We tipped the chef 100 soles.

The Sun Gate and Your First View of Machu Picchu

We were lucky with sunny weather and got to the Sun Gate at about 4:30pm. It was busy for sure, with everyone trying to get their photos, and tbh we were keen to get down to Machu Picchu because it was so hot by then!

My parents weren’t so lucky in October. The minute they came through the Sun Gate it started raining, although they did get there about 45 minutes before us (I guess they had a faster group, haha).

A Night in Aguas Calientes

The hotel they put us in wasn’t anything special. It’s basic, but it does the job: a hot shower and a comfy bed, which is all you need after that day. You’re so tired you just fall asleep anyway.

The one downside is that some rooms are right by the train tracks, and ours was. Luckily we’d brought silicone earplugs, which are the only ones I’ve found that actually block out the noise. Grab some before you go, because you can’t get them easily in Peru.

Day 2: Machu Picchu in the Mist

Day two starts early. They have you up, downstairs and done with breakfast by 7:30am, and we got the 8am bus up to Machu Picchu.

It was misty, so at first we couldn’t see Machu Picchu at all. But we waited around for an hour taking photos, and it cleared. I actually liked seeing it both ways. There’s something really special about Machu Picchu in the mist.

We didn’t do Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu Mountain, and I wouldn’t have wanted to anyway, because my feet hurt, lol. If you do want one, it’s an extra ticket you need to book with the trek.

The Vistadome Train Home (and a Very Strange Fashion Show)

The timings all worked out really well. We went for a group lunch, had time for a wander around Aguas Calientes, and then got the train at 4pm.

The train was calm until this weird fashion show started. They were selling alpaca clothing, but wearing these strange masks, and it was SO odd (and a bit scary, lol). We got back to Ollantaytambo at about 6pm.

Getting on the train is a bit confusing, though. Your guide isn’t there to help, and you have to go through a market to get to it. It isn’t clear, but we made it.

How Hard Is the Short Inca Trail?

I’d call it challenging but very doable. The climb to Wiñay Wayna is the hard bit. After lunch it gets much easier, and the only real downhill is the last hour, which is nothing crazy.

I hired hiking poles but didn’t use them in the end, because you don’t really need them. I have a bit of a dodgy knee too, and I was fine. And remember, neither of us was hiking fit, and it was my boyfriend’s first proper hike. We both managed it by going slowly and taking breaks.

The whole trail is lower than Cusco, so if you’ve had a couple of days there first, the altitude on the trail itself shouldn’t feel worse. It’s still worth reading the CDC advice on travelling to high altitudes before your trip. These are the heights along the way (TreXperience):

Place	Altitude
Cusco	3,399 m
KM 104 (Chachabamba)	2,170 m
Wiñay Wayna	2,600 m
Sun Gate (highest point)	2,720 m
Machu Picchu	2,430 m
Aguas Calientes	2,040 m

The Downsides (and What I’d Change)

Not much tbh, but there were a few things.

• The late briefing. Ours was at about 7pm the night before, which didn’t leave much time to sort anything out if we’d needed to. Next time I’d ask for it earlier.
• The trip home. It felt a bit disorganised, with no guide at the train and a market to get through. I’d check exactly where to go before leaving the group.
• The toilets. There are a few along the trail, but none of them are nice.
• Our room by the train tracks. Earplugs saved us.

Everything else, like staying in Ollantaytambo and going slowly on the climb, I’d do exactly the same. And I wouldn’t bother hiring poles again.

Is TreXperience Any Good? My Honest Review

Overall, I’d recommend them. The hike, our guide and our group all worked out pretty much perfectly.

Our guide was called Jason (that’s him with the orange backpack), and he was full of energy. He really spurred us on, but he was also patient when we needed a break, and there was no pressure at all to go at a certain speed. We also had a supporting guide with us the whole way.

The food was a big highlight for me, from breakfast in the field to that amazing lunch. And having the hotel, the Machu Picchu tickets, the buses and the trains all sorted for us made the whole thing so easy. The only things I’d change are an earlier briefing and a bit more organisation for the trip home.

Permits, Prices and Booking

Our trip was gifted, so I can’t tell you what we paid. These are TreXperience’s current prices and details instead (checked November 2026):

What	Details
Group tour	From US$580 per person (children under 17 and students from US$550)
Private tour	US$840 per person for two
Deposit	US$300 per person to secure your permit
Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu Mountain	Extra US$75, limited tickets, so book with the trek
Distance	About 13 km and 7 hours of hiking on day 1
Pickup	TreXperience says around 4am from Cusco, but ours was 3am. From Ollantaytambo it was 5:30am
Day 2	A guided Machu Picchu visit of two to three hours, then the Vistadome train
Passport	Bring the original, as it is checked against your permit

That includes your permit, both Machu Picchu entries, the trains, the buses, a bilingual guide, the hotel night, all your meals on day one and breakfast on day two. Lunch and dinner on day two, travel insurance and tips aren’t included. You can check the official Machu Picchu circuits and routes and the Ministry of Culture ticket site too.

You can book it on Viator, where you can see the dates, prices and reviews in one place.

Short Trail, Classic Trail or Train?

Option	What you get
Short Inca Trail (2 days)	About 13 km of hiking from KM 104, arriving through the Sun Gate, a hotel night and two Machu Picchu visits. From US$580 with TreXperience.
Classic Inca Trail (4 days)	About 42 km, three nights camping and Dead Woman’s Pass at 4,215 m. Permits sell out months ahead. From US$820 with TreXperience.
Train day trip	No hiking and no permit, and you enter through the main gate with everyone else.

If you’re fit and the trek itself is the point, go for the classic. But if you want to earn the view without a really big hike, the short trail is the one I’d pick.

When to Go

We went at the end of April and had a sunny, hot afternoon on the trail, then a misty morning at Machu Picchu that cleared within an hour. My parents went in October and got rained on at the Sun Gate, so the weather really can go either way. I’d check the official SENAMHI forecast for Machu Picchu the week before you go.

The dry season runs from May to September, and TreXperience recommends booking four to six months ahead for those months. The classic Inca Trail closes every February for maintenance, but the short trail from KM 104 has usually stayed open.

What to Pack for a Day on the Inca Trail

You only carry a daypack on the trail. TreXperience gave us a duffle bag for the hotel night, but it’s only one night, so you really don’t need much. We had loads of space left in ours and still managed to pack ponchos and hats for photos!

• A spare top or two (I was so glad I had one after the first climb)
• Toilet paper and hand sanitiser
• Silicone earplugs for the hotel
• A warm layer for the chilly start
• Sun cream and a hat, because it got really hot in the afternoon
• Your original passport
• About 1.5–2 litres of water and some snacks

Hiking poles are optional. I hired some and never used them. For everything else, here’s everything I pack for Peru, from Cusco to the Amazon.

Where We Stayed the Night Before

Plaza Gibaja, Ollantaytambo

We stayed at Plaza Gibaja the night before the trek, and it was the perfect location, right on the main square. Staying in Ollantaytambo was the best decision we made too, because you get a 5:30am pickup instead of a 3am one from Cusco, and you can get dropped back there after the train.

Our bed was absolutely huge and SO comfortable, which is exactly what you want before a 5:30am start. It seems to be run by two women who were really kind and helpful, and they even made us a packed breakfast for the morning of our hike.

I loved it so much that I’m staying there again on my next trip to Ollantaytambo.

You don’t need to book anything in Aguas Calientes, because your hotel night there comes with the tour.

Short Inca Trail FAQs

How long is the short Inca Trail?

About 13 km (8 miles) from KM 104 to Machu Picchu, which takes around 7 hours with breaks. Day two is a guided visit of Machu Picchu.

Do you need a permit for the short Inca Trail?

Yes. Permits are issued in your name through a licensed tour operator, and your original passport is checked at the start of the trail.

Do you need hiking poles for the short Inca Trail?

No. Most people manage without them, as the only long downhill section is near the end.

Are there toilets on the short Inca Trail?

There are a few, including at the start, but they are basic. Bring toilet paper and hand sanitiser.

Is the short Inca Trail open in February?

Usually, yes. The classic Inca Trail closes every February, but the short trail from KM 104 has typically stayed open.

Can you climb Huayna Picchu on the short Inca Trail?

Yes, on day two after your guided tour, if you book the extra ticket in advance. It costs US$75 with TreXperience.

More Peru Guides

If you’re planning a bigger trip around the Inca Trail, these are the ones I’d read next:

• 10 Day Peru Itinerary With Inca Trail & Alternatives
• Peru Itinerary 3 Weeks – The Ultimate 21 Day Trip
• Solo Travel Peru in 2026: My Complete Guide
• One Day in Lima: The Perfect 24 Hour Itinerary From A Local