One day trip Sacred Valley
The trip is Sacred Valley, the daily trip is wonderful, the guide Grobert and the driver are nice. We enjoyed the full trip.
Lares Trek and Short Inca Trail to Machu Picchu – 4 Days
- Duration 4 Days
- Type Group or Private
- Group Size Up to 8 people
- Languages English, Spanish
From $687.00 / Person
The Lares Trek and Short Inca Inca Trail to Machu Picchu 4 days is a great TREKKING COMBO for those who want the best of both treks – this way you get the best of wild Andes Mountains and the most important Inca Archeological sites.
We pass through indigenous communities and meet the locals who live without roads connecting them to the outside world. They still live as their ancestors before them, keeping their ancient culture alive. This is our own unique and very scenic route with waterfalls, llamas, alpacas and beautiful glaciers which feed shockingly turquoise blue lakes.
Along the trek, we explore the ancient Inca religious sites on the original Inca trail just like in ancient times and get to enjoy the spectacular views from the Sun Gate to Machu Picchu Citadel, where the most famous photos of Machu Picchu are taken. You even get to visit Machu Picchu twice!
Our day has an early start, so be ready in your hotel lobby at 5am. Our guide will pick you up and begin our 1 hour drive to Pisac, where we stop for breakfast atop the mountain. One of the best breakfast spots you’ll ever enjoy! With any luck we will see Crested Caracara Falcons circling above as they hunt for their breakfast. After breakfast, we will explore the Pisac Ruins and the important role they played in Inca civilization and history. From Pisac, we drive 40 minutes to Huaran to meet our horsemen who will care for the pack horses that carry our gear for the trek. They will pack your duffel on the pack horses and you will keep only your small daypack for the gentle 3-hour uphill walk along the river. At the end of our 3 hour walk, we enjoy a hearty lunch prepared by our trek chef. After lunch we trek another 2 hours to our 1st campsite in Cancha Cancha. There you get to relax, enjoy some snacks, tea or coffee while taking in the amazing views of the snow-capped peaks around us. Cancha Cancha is one of the most isolated and self sustained indigenous communities with no road to the outside world. It was only in 2019 that the village was connected to electricity. There you will experience the reality of how indigenous people have lived for centuries, and many still do. You will be invited by the local community to share their lifestyle and homes. As an exchange, this remote Inca community would be thrilled if you could bring some toys, warm clothes, notebooks, fruit or any other items to share with the children and their families. After dinner, our guide will teach us the Inca constellations, which are easily seen at night due to the lack of light pollution. These constellations have been used by the ancients as their agricultural guides and are still used today by many. After a delicious breakfast, we begin our 4-hour intense hike that crosses over three different passes to the highest point of our trek: Pachacutec Pass (4,700 mt / 15,420 ft). It is a challenging morning but the views of the massive glaciers, crystal blue glacial lakes, llamas, deep valleys and endless farmlands are breathtaking. After taking a rest at the last pass, we head downhill for an hour to have lunch by a translucent glacial lake with views of the Lares Valley. All around are herds of llamas and alpacas dotting the mountain sides. We descend for 2 hours until we reach the Kiswarani community (3,700 m /12,139ft). On these seldom travelled paths to Machu Picchu, we will see many llama herders and the local indigenous people will interact with us in their native Quechua language (Inca language). Our guide will translate and teach us some Quechua words, plus we get to enjoy the lovely waterfall by us. Finally, we arrive to Kiswarani; our private van will be waiting for us to drive approximately 2 hours to Ollantaytambo. In Ollantaytambo we will stay the night in a comfortable hotel with a heated swimming pool and sauna! We will pick you up from your hotel at 5:30 AM in our private van and drive a few minutes to catch the 6:10 AM Expedition Train for an hour and 10 minute scenic train ride to KM104. This is our starting point for the Short Inca Trail at 2,100m / 6,927ft. After passing the checkpoint, we begin a moderate uphill hike for the next 3 hours to the ancient archaeological ruins of Wiñay Wayna (2,650m / 8,747ft). At Wiñay Wayna, we enjoy views of the Urubamba Valley, explore Inca sites, and meet up with the original 4-day Inca Trail. After we enjoy our lunch, rest and enjoy the beautiful sights, we continue for approximately 1 hour to the Sun Gate at 2,730m/9,007ft. The hour climb has relatively flat areas mixed with stairs, which is how the Incas built their paths over the steeper sections of the Andes. At the Sun Gate we have our first view of Machu Picchu, which is where most of the famous photos of Machu Picchu are taken. It is all downhill with flat Inca steps for the next hour to Machu Picchu Citadels. The entire hour trek downhill has the most incredible views of Machu Picchu. You will have time for photos from the viewing platforms above the Machu Picchu Citadel. At this point in the afternoon, most people are leaving the citadel and you will be able to take photos with few people in them. We then take a 25-minute shuttle bus ride down a winding road to Aguas Calientes, where we will spend the night in a comfortable hotel with warm beds and hot showers and enjoy a celebratory dinner. On this early morning and very exciting day we have all been waiting for, we take the early shuttle bus back up the windy road to catch the sunrise over Machu Picchu. This is a truly magical experience and very much worth getting up early for! Our guide will give us about a 2 hour private tour, sharing with us the history and little secrets hidden away by the Incas who once resided there. Here are some other activities you can do on your own: When you are ready, we will depart Machu Picchu and descend back down the curvy road again to Aguas Calientes. There you can have a relaxing lunch (lunch on your own) and/or explore Aguas Calientes before boarding the Expedition train at which departs at 2:55 or 3:20 PM. You will return to the Ollantaytambo Train Station where we will meet our private driver and vehicle for a 90-minute transfer to the doorstep of your hotel in Cusco, arriving around 7pm. There are now 2 sessions to enter Machu Picchu; 6am to 12pm and Noon to 5:30pm. If you book Huayna Picchu, you have an extra 2 hours.ITINERARY
Lares Trek and Short Inca Trail to Machu Picchu 4 Days
DAY 1: CUSCO – PISAC – HUARAN – CANCHA CANCHA
DAY 2: CANCHA CANCHA – KISHUARANI
DAY 3: OLLANTAYTAMBO –KM 104– WIÑAY HUAYNA – SUN GATE – MACHU PICCHU
DAY 4: AGUAS CALIENTES – MACHU PICCHU – CUSCO
INCLUSIONS
WHAT IS INCLUDED:
WHAT IS NOT INCLUDED
Personal porter included! This price includes the extra pack horse which will carry your belongings up to 7 kilograms (15 pounds). We will provide you a duffel bag to put your belongings in. The short Inca Trail to Machu Picchu is almost always available year round except in February when the Inca Trail is closed for maintenance. Foam mattresses for every hiker, camping pillow, transfer from airport to hotel in Cusco, duffel bags, rain ponchos (provided by Orange Nation) plastic liner bags, and extra blanket for the tent are included in the trek price!PRICE
BEST PRICES
No. OF PEOPLE PRICE 2 to 8 people $717
We provide large Eureka 4 person tents for every 2 people.
Private service is $100 extra per personDISCOUNTS
EXTRAS
ADDED VALUES FOR FREE
Please read the following information to help answer any questions you may have about our services and the Lares Trek & 2 day Inca Trail. We will pick you up from the Cusco airport and take you to your hotel in Cusco. Please let us know your flight details at least 14 days before arrival. Our representative will be holding an orange sign reading Short Inca Trail Machu Picchu outside the arrivals. You must exit the terminal to find our representative as they cannot enter. (Please let us know if your hotel is in the Sacred Valley so we can make the necessary arrangments). The Briefing will be the night before the trek at 6pm in our office which is located at Garcilaso Street 210 , Office Nº:213 (2nd Floor) in the la CASA DEL ABUELO shopping center. ABSOLUTELY! During the Lares Trek & 2 day Inca Trail your main luggage can be stored at our office or at your hotel, both are free. FIRST, to book your Lares Trek & 2 day Inca Trail, 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 $211.00 USD per person in order to purchase your entrance to Machu Picchu and train ticket. You can make you deposit by clicking on the PAYPAL symbols on the top of our home page, or you can click on the PAYPAL symbols on our booking page. You can pay in cash at our office (US dollars or Peruvian soles) here in Cusco to avoid the additional 5.5% charged by the Credit Card companies and PayPal. We have many ATMs within the historical center to withdraw money. You can also pay by PAYPAL online but you will have to pay a 5.5% service charge, charged by PAYPAL. To pay your balance through PAYPAL, you need to log into your PAYPAL account using our email address info@shortincatrailmachupicchu.com. Unfortunately No. Once the tickets for the Inca Trail have been bought, the government does not allow any changes, so we cannot change any departure date after the tickets has been purchased. Tickets are also non transferable nor refundable. If you cancel your Lares Trek & 2 day Inca Trail, the deposit is lost! DEFINITELY! You MUST bring your original passport with the SAME passport number you sent 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 USD 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 you will not be allowed 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. The weather is very unpredictable and always changing in the Andes Mountains, so it is difficult to say with any certainty. We recommend that you be prepared for warm weather, possible rain showers (Short Inca Trail Machu Picchu you will need a rain poncho and a jacket in case of cold weather. We also recommend that you dress in layers so you may take off or put on clothes as needed. The climate in Cusco has temperatures between 10º – 20º C , 50º – 68º F with warm days and cold nights. The best time to hike the Inca trail is between the months of April through October, when the weather is warm. During the months of June, July and August nights are very cold which is why we rent in our office good quality 4 season sleeping bags. The rainy season is during the months of November through March, if you want to hike the Inca Trail during this season, bring warm clothes and be prepared for rain but there will be beautiful landscapes and colorful flowers since it is spring and summer time. The month of February, the Inca Trail is closed for repairs and restoration. The average weather conditions on the Inca Trail: For some visitors, the first hours in Cusco can be summarized as: shortness of breath, a discomfort in the body, dizziness, headaches, stomachaches, even vomiting. As great connoisseurs of natural medicine, the Incas used coca leaves to counteract soroche, quechua for high-altitude sickness. If you travel from Lima to Cusco, the effect can be immediate. This lack of oxygen, scientifically known as hypoxia, begins to manifest itself at 7,874 ft (2,399 m) above sea level. That’s why right after landing in Cusco, visitors can feel fatigued and have difficulty walking. It is advisable to take it really easy on the first day and, if possible, rest the first few hours to help the body acclimatize to the altitude. How do people feel after a night of drinking? Thirsty. That’s how you’ll feel when you arrive in Cusco. As already stated, the body dehydrates quickly in high altitudes. It is recommended you drink lots of water before and during your trip to Cusco. Also, avoid heavy meals since your stomach takes longer to digest food at high altitudes. A diet of low proteins and high carbs is advisable. No one knew the effects of high altitude better than indigenous peoples. Coca is the best natural medicine to combat altitude sickness. It was even considered sacred because of its curative powers and is still used in the same way now as it was in the time of the Incas. It contains iron, vitamins A, B1, B2 and calcium, among other nutrients. Coca makes it easier for your bloodstream to absorb oxygen, suppresses hunger, combats fatigue, headaches and can ease your stomach. Try drinking coca tea, which is found in the lobbies of most hotels in Cusco. The maximum group size is 8 persons. Our groups are usually between 2-6 persons. We specialize in SMALL and PRIVATE groups and provide personalized service. The evening before your trek, you will be given a SMALL DUFFEL BAG to pack your clothes for the next four days. Your weight allowance is up to 7kg / 15lbs. including sleeping bag, so 5kg / 11lbs. Your team of pack horses will carry your duffel bag for you, together with the food and camping gear. It’s important to be aware that you will not have access to your items in the duffel bag until the end of each day, as the horses will always be ahead of the group. During the trek, you need a day backpack big enough to carry your personal belongings such as a warm jacket, a rain jacket, camera, sunscreen, snacks, water, etc. A 30 to 40L backpack is sufficient. The Lares Trek & 2 day Inca Trail is fairly difficult and you should be prepared and healthy prior to starting. You have to be relatively fit and exercise regularly. If you’re happy with the services provided, a tip is appreciated. 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 SHORT INCA TRAIL MACHU PICCHU destinations. Of course you are free to tip as much as you feel appropriate, depending 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 benefit the indigenous communities 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.IMPORTANT INFO
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
ARRIVAL TO CUSCO
THE BRIEFING:
CAN I STORE MY LUGGAGE AT YOUR OFFICE:
HOW TO BOOK
WHAT ABOUT THE BALANCE?
MAY I CHANGE THE DEPARTURE DATE AFTER THE TICKETS HAVE BEEN BOUGHT?
DO I NEED MY ORIGINAL PASSPORT ON THE LARES TREK & 2 DAY INCA TRAIL?
WHAT IS THE WEATHER LIKE?
WHAT ABOUT ALTITUDE SICKNESS?
DON’T DO ANYTHING OTHER THAN REST
STAY HYDRATED
DISCOVERING COCA
HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE THERE PER GROUP?
DUFFEL BAG AND SMALL BACK PACK
IS THE TREK DIFFICULT, DO I NEED TO BE FIT?
In preparation: try walking 15kms in a day or go to the gym in the months leading up to the trek. It is also important to be well acclimatised to the altitude. Try to spend at least 2 days in Cusco (3,350m / 11,047ft) prior to starting the trek.TIPPING
ARE WE SUSTAINABLE?
As a Direct Local Tour operator we provide you with a duffel bag at your briefing and INCLUDE an extra pack horse which will carry up to 7 kgs or 15 lbs. including your 2.5kg sleeping bag, mattress and extra clothing. We highly recommend a small backpack (30 to 40L) for hiking in the day. A big backpack will not be allowed into Machu Picchu. The remainder of your belongings will be in your duffel bag at camp.PACKING LIST
WHAT YOU NEED TO TAKE WITH YOU
WHAT TO PUT IN YOUR DUFFEL BAG
TOILETRIES
WHAT TO PUT IN YOUR BACKPACK FOR THE LARES TREK & 2 DAY INCA TRAIL?
What You'll Experience on the Trail
From the terraces of Wiñay Wayna to the Sun Gate, every step brings you closer to the lost city of the Incas.
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Stop 01 / 03Wiñay Wayna
Its agricultural terraces cover half the mountainside, making it a trail favorite. Its name means "Eternally Young" in Quechua.
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Stop 02 / 03Inti Punku
The "Gate of the Sun" was the main entrance to Machu Picchu and gives you your first view of the citadel, a view you can only earn on the Inca Trail.
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Stop 03 / 03Machu Picchu
By far the most well known UNESCO world heritage site in Peru and the pinnacle of many people's visits to South America. This is where you wanted to be.
Lovely Words From Our Travelers
Real reviews from travelers who explored Machu Picchu and Cusco with us, straight from Tripadvisor, Google and Trustpilot.
Tripadvisor Reviews
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Amazing experience with Sam travels
I had the best experience with Sam travels, we had an amazing time doing the 4d Salkantay trek, we had the best weather. Specifically want to mention Josep what an amazing cool guy he was. A real leader, great story teller, motivator and made you feel like you were taking on something special. Secondly another special mention for Andres and his catering team. The food was amazing, real nutritious and energising for the long trekking days.
Finally the horse man Donato, he managed to get all of our fresh clothing to the next camp very efficiently. Highly recommend a trip with this company.
Great experience at short Inca trail
We did the 2-day Short Inca Trail and it was a fantastic experience! Our guide, Fredy Zapata, was excellent. He told us so much about the history of the Incas and the region, and was able to answer every question we had. He did a great job and made the whole experience really enjoyable.
The highlight was definitely arriving at the Sun Gate and seeing Machu Picchu for the first time. An unforgettable experience that we would highly recommend!
Great experience because of the team!
Amazing trip! What a great experience, so well organized. Our guide Josep was a guiding star who knows so much and shared a lot of information. Very kind and helpful in every way. The cooking team of Andres was amazing and we had wonderful and a great variety of meals every evening. Donato the horseman made sure we got our stuff safe and in time to every stop. I could not ask for a better experience to be honest. Especially Josep, thank you for being so flexible, organized and sharing your knowledge.
Unforgettable Salkantay Experience with Sam Travel
We did the Salkantay Trek with SAM Travel and couldn’t have been happier with our choice! Our guide, Josep, was incredibly friendly, knowledgeable and passionate. He answered every single one of our questions about nature, history and Peruvian culture honestly, even better than ChatGPT! ;) We especially loved being in such a small group. It made the whole experience feel much more personal, relaxed and authentic.. The accommodations throughout the trek were excellent, and the food prepared by Andrés was absolutely outstanding. We were honestly surprised by the quality and variety of the meals, especially considering we were in the middle of the mountains. We spent a long time researching different companies before booking the Salkantay Trek, and choosing SAM Travel was definitely the right decision. Everything was extremely well organized, and the entire experience exceeded our expectations. We would 100% recommend SAM Travel, and especially Josep and Andrés, to anyone planning to do the Salkantay Trek!
SAM travel
Great trip. Great people. Loved my time with Joseph, Andres, Donato.and Elvis. Amazing world to explore made extra special with great people. Shout to my fellow travellers
Best trek ever!
It was amazing. We had the best Guide with Josep who is Sperling really good English and explaining so many things to us as well as introducing us perfectly to the altitude and the landscape. The Pick Up, accomodation and especially the food was so well organized and delicious. I highly recommend doing this trek, it was spectacular. 😍
Google Reviews
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We had an amazing experience on the 4 day/3 night Salkantay Trek with Sam Travel Peru. Everything was seamless from beginning to end.…
I joined the 2-day, 1-night tour to Cusco and Machu Picchu with SAM TRAVEL, and it was an amazing experience from start to finish.…
We had an incredible time on the 3D/2N Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu tour and would highly recommend it. It was fantastic to visit some of the highlights of the Sacred Valley, including Pisac, the Maras Salt Mines and Moray on the first…
We did the 4-day Inca Trail with Sam's Travel, and it was an absolutely unforgettable experience. It's something we will cherish for the rest of our lives.…
We had a great time on our 3d/2n tour of the sacred valley and short inca trail. The sacred valley prepared us very well for Macchu Picchu and the information provided was great. Our guide Rolando was very knowledgeable about the inca…
We’ve just done the 4-Days Inca trail with SAM travel. Our main guide Josep was very professional, knowledgeable and considerate. He really made sure that we enjoy the journey and our needs are addressed. Jimmy, our assistant guide, helped…
We had a great experience with Sam Travel Peru. Always felt well taken care of and safe. Our guide, Israel, was friendly, knowledgeable, and helpful. The office staff were always quick to reply to emails.…
Trustpilot Reviews
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Awesome trip with Josef as our guide…
Awesome trip with Josef as our guide Mario the chef with amazing food and porters who were our hero’s.
We booked a day tour for the Rainbow…
We booked a day tour for the Rainbow Mountain and it had been just perfect. Fernando, our guide, was really kind and attentive. All the staff is professional and friendly, totally recommended!
Incredible Salkantay Trek with Exceptional Guide Jhordy
We recently completed the Salkantay Trail trek with Sam Travel, and we couldn't be happier with our experience. Our guide, Jhordy, was exceptional. He was highly professional, providing great insights, facts, and stories that enriched our journey. Jhordy was very patient with us and demonstrated remarkable flexibility, adjusting the itinerary when we weren't feeling our best. We highly recommend Sam Travel, especially Jhordy, for making our trek an incredible time.