Sacred Valley Short Inca Trail 3 Day Overview
Take an exciting three-day trip to extraordinary places in Peru – trekking through the Sacred Valley and conquering the Short Inca Trail. All it takes is one click to reserve your spot and begin your adventure!
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Discover the hidden gems of Peru on Trek’s Sacred Valley Tour and Short Inca Trail, an unforgettable experience that will open your eyes to the mysteries of this great land.
AT A GLANCE – Itinerary
- Day 1: Sacred Valley Inca Trail – Ollantaytambo Overnight
- Day 2: Express Inca Trail – Aguas Calientes Overnight
- Day 3: Visit Machu Picchu – PM Return to Cusco
Sacred Valley + Short Inca Trail 3 Days; this hike combines the two most representative tourist sites of the Inca culture, a visit to the beautiful and internationally known Machu Picchu ruins.
Highlights
- Discover Peru’s unique landscapes, culture, and history with this 3-day Trek through the Sacred Valley and Short Inca Trail. Embark on an unforgettable journey!
- Are you looking for outdoor treks through the Andes mountains in Peru? ENJOY walking through the Inca ruins of the Sacred Valley & Short Inca Trail 3 Day mixed between landscapes.
- Explore Peru’s stunning Sacred Valley and legendary Short Inca Trail on this three-day Journey with breathtaking views and fun activities. Discover something new!
Sacred Valley and Short Inca Trail Itinerary
Get ready for a three-day adventure of hiking the beautiful Sacred Valley and trekking along the Short Inca Trail! This all-inclusive Journey guarantees a unique, unforgettable experience.
DAY 1
Explore the Inca trails of the Sacred Valley of Pisac and Ollantaytambo
At 8:00, the trip begins towards the Inca Valley via TARAY; You explore the incredible ruins of Pisac, observing the imposing Inca construction along the Pisaq mountain. Walk through different Inca paths of Pisac to have unique, impressive panoramic views.
Continue the Inca Valley journey along the banks of the Urubamba River until you reach the ruins of Ollantaytambo. In the first instance, we will ascend the stone path to the top of the temple of the sun. Discover the incredible architecture carved by the Incas with anti-seismic angles. The monoliths of the Temples of the Sun amaze every explorer with the texture of their marvelous construction.
We spend the night in Ollantaytambo in a 3-star hotel near the train station and the town’s main square.
- Departure from Cusco at 08:00
- Explore:
- Pisac Inca Trail
- The Colonial Pisac
- Ollantaytambo Inca Trail
- Hiking distance: The walks are between 35 to 65 minutes.
- Highest point: Pisac 3,650 mt. / 11,482 ft.
- Walking difficulty: Moderate to easy.
- Accommodation: Hotel 3 stars hotel in Ollantaytambo
- Meals:
- Buffet lunch in Urubamba at Inka House Rest.
DAY 2
Short Inca Trek Vacations within the Historic Sanctuary of Machu Picchu
At approximately 06:50 am, we start a short walk to the train station, “10 minutes on foot,” to board our train service. Once on the train, we will observe the scenic nature of the Andes and the jungle. After 01 hour and 40 minutes of travel, we reach kilometer 104 of the railway. We cross the suspension bridge to the other end of the Urubamba River. We show the official entry permits, original tickets, and passports at the checkpoint. Then we start the trekking adventure to the ruins of Wiñayhuayna, Inti Punku, and Machu Picchu.
Throughout the trekking adventure, there are incredible views of the Andes and the cloud forest of Machu Picchu park.
- We leave the hotel at 06:50 to walk to the train station (approximately 10 minutes walking).
Train service
Train company: INCA RAIL
Service: OLLANTAYTAMBO – KM 104 (01 hour and 20 minutes of trains ride)
Class: The Voyager 41
Departure: 06:40. We start the train journey.
At Station: 06:10 – Otherwise, you may not be allowed to board.
KM 104 Arrival: 07:50
Hiking information
- Trailhead elevation: 2,000 m/6,550 ft. “km 104”
- Explore 04 Inca sites:
- Chachabamba
- Wiñaywayna
- Inti Punku
- The walkers will have their first look at Machu Picchu from the Inti Punku, etc.
- Hiking distance 10 kilometers/ 6.2 miles
- Highest point elevation: Inti Punku (Sun Gate) 2,720 m/8,920 ft.
- Machupicchu elevation: 2,400 m/7,875 ft.
- Estimated duration: 5-hour Trek
- Difficulty level: Moderate to Easy
- Bus service from Machu Picchu to Aguas Calientes town (down)
- Accommodation: Aguas Calientes overnight – 3-star hotel.
- Meal: 01 Box Lunch (Each hiker will carry the box lunch in their day backpack.)
DAY 3
Discover Machu Picchu in a two-hour tour – PM Return to Cusco
- World Walkers, we visit Machupicchu to explore and discover the archeological wonder.
- 🙂 Only the hikers of the Inca Trail can choose the time of entry to Machu Picchu to carry out the guided tour.
In the morning, we board the bus service that takes us to the beautiful citadel of Machu Picchu to explore and visit it in a two-hour tour. We begin the excursion with the main view of the citadel and then start to descend, visiting different areas, temples, and everything that makes up the civilized town of the Incas.
We will have enough time to take photos and videos to take home as souvenirs and upload them to the social networks of each explorer. In the afternoon, we will return to the city of Cusco by train and then by private transport; we will leave it at the door of your hotel. Thank you for visiting the region of Cusco, Peru, South America.
Train information: Inbound Journey
- Train company: INCA RAIL
- Service: MACHU PICCHU – OLLANTAYTAMBO
- Class: The Voyager 44
- Departure: 14:30
- At Station: 14:00 – Otherwise, you may not be allowed to board.
- Ollantaytambo arrival: 16:04
- Cusco arrival by transport: 17:50
Meet at the train arrivals area when you get to the OLLANTAYTAMBO train station. Just look for a KONDOR PATH TOURS sign with your name.” Group name: Sacred Valley & Short Inca Trail 3 Day
CUSCO HOTEL: By customers.
Sacred Valley & Short Inca Trail 3 Day INCLUSION
- Active itinerary with unique cultural features:
- English-speaking tour guide “Authorized to enter the Inca Trail network and the Historic Sanctuary of Machu Picchu.”
- All ground transportation (private vehicle) + fuel and driver
- Day 01: Sacred Valley
- Entrance tickets to Inca Pisac and Ollantaytambo.
- Buffet lunch in the town of Urubamba – Inka House Rest.
- OLLANTAYTAMBO: 01 night in a hotel with 03 stars in Ollantaytambo (HOTELS: Sol de Ollantay or Sol Natura based on a DOUBLE or Matrimonial room). Check-In: from 06:00 to 22:00 Hrs | Check-Out: 05:00 to 11:00 Hrs.
- Day 02: Express Inca Trail
- Breakfast buffet at the hotel
- Train ticket: By Inca Rail
- Outbound Journey: OLLANTAYTAMBO – KM 104: Class: The Voyager 41, departure at 06:40
- Train guide “one way – the guide travels on the same train as the clients.”
- Entrance ticket
- Right of entry and authorization by the Sernanp “Ministry of Environment Peru” in conjunction with the National Institute of Culture.
- First-aid kit and emergency oxygen bottle
- 01 Box lunch, “clients load their box lunch.” The Mijunapaq restaurant in Ollantaytambo prepares it the day before the excursion.
- 01 bus down from Machu Picchu to Aguas Calientes
- AGUAS CALIENTES: 01 night in a Hotel 03 star in Aguas Calientes (HOTELS: El Santuario Machupicchu, Waman Hotel Machu Picchu, or Hotel Retama Machu Picchu based on a DOUBLE or Matrimonial room). The rooms include private bathrooms with hot showers, Wi-Fi, buffet breakfast. Check-In: 11:00 Hrs | Check-Out: 10:00 Hrs.
- Day 03: In the morning, guided visit to Machu Picchu; in the afternoon, return to Cusco.
- Buffet breakfast service at the hotel
- 02 bus tickets (up and down)
- 02 hours of guided service in the ruins of Machu Picchu with your Inca Trail guide
- Inbound Journey: MACHU PICCHU – OLLANTAYTAMBO: Class: Voyager 44, departure at 14:30
- Private transfer service from OLLANTAYTAMBO to CUSCO (hotel.)
🙂 Optional: Go to the pricing button and click it for service upgrades.
Sacred Valley & Short Inca Trail 3 Day NO INCLUSION
- Drinking water
- Snacks
- Dinner on days 1 and 2.
- Tip for your guide(s) and driver
Sacred Valley Tour and Short Inca Trail Bring
- Original Passport with minimum 6-month validity left.
- A good daypack: Eagle Creek Afar Backpack –appropriate packs (carry your personal belongings)
- Clothes, rain gear, and footwear
- Re-usable plastic or metal water container for your water – Plastic bottles do forbid in Machu Picchu.
- Lighter trekking boots (with good ankle support)
- Sun protection cream (SPF 45 or higher recommended).
- Insect repellant (cream).
- Travel insurance.
- Personal expenses.
- Extra money for souvenirs, drinks & tips to your staff
Travel Guide Sacred Valley Tour and Short Inca Trail
Take your exploration of Peru to the next level with Trek’s Sacred Valley and Short Inca Trail! Let us show you the mysteries and wonders of this ancient land.
The Inca Trail is considered one of the best engineering works of the Inca Empire that remains today. This network of roads has a length of 30 thousand kilometers covering countries such as Peru, Bolivia, Chile, Argentina, Ecuador, and Colombia. Many sections were the basis for the construction of modern roads. Others are considered heritage protected by the states. One of the most famous stretches is the 10 kilometers/ 6.2 miles route to Machu Picchu.
For this Sacred Valley & Short Inca Trail 3 Day, in Machu Picchu’s citadel, the weather during the day is warm, humid, and excellent at night. The adventure is enjoyable for all travelers, allowing them to walk more uncovered during their trip.
Temperature. – The temperature ranges between 12 and 24 degrees Celsius; although the whole area is rainy (about 1,955 mm per year), especially between November and March, the intensity of the rains alternates rapidly.
Rainy Season. – From December to March or April is the rainy season in Machu Picchu. April to November or December is the dry and sunny season, with a particular nuance in the spring month of September, with a spectacular subtropical forest landscape.
The rainy months concentrate approximately 80% of the annual rainfall volume, ranging from 1,600 to 2,300 millimeters. The average humidity is 77% during the dry months and 91% during the rainy months.
In the rainy season, from September to April, showers and drizzles are almost daily, followed by clear blue skies and intense sunshine. However, given its location in the Amazon rainforest. Rainfall is latent in any month of the year (even in the dry season, March to December.)
The landscape surrounding Machu Picchu
You can find archeological sites and monuments of high historical value in Machu Picchu, the Intihuatana, the Intipunku, the Temple of the 03 Windows, the Sacred Plaza, the Temple of the Condor, etc.
From the aerial view, Machu Picchu Inca city of Machu Picchu shapes like the condor, the sacred bird of the Incas.
Machu Picchu has crossed two mountain ranges: the Urubamba and Vilcanota.
The Inca City does build on the ‘Vilcabamba batholith.’ The central mountains that surround it are Machu Picchu and Huayna Picchu.
Location of Machu Picchu
The Inca City does locate within the so-called ‘Historic Sanctuary of Machu Picchu,’ which covers 35 thousand hectares (350 km2).
Machu Picchu is located in Aguas Calientes, province of Urubamba, department of Cusco in Peru.
Its coordinates are 13º 10′ 19″ and 13º 14′ 00′ (south latitude). It is also located at 72º 30′ 5″ and 72º 36′ 33″ (west latitude).
The dry season begins in May and typically ends in September or October. During these months, the Inca Trail is the best alternative since good weather allows you to appreciate the majestic valleys and beautiful mountains along the way without clouds or fog.
In other months the rainfall increases.
We recommend that you make your reservation at least twelve months in advance because tickets for this incredible hike are sold out months in advance due to its great popularity.
In our experience working with travelers worldwide, many enthusiastic travelers have sadly tried to book a month in advance. We have told them there are no more spaces, so please follow our recommendation to book many months in advance.
300 admission tickets are reserved for agency personnel, i.e., porters, cooks, helpers, porters, and other staff,
Two hundred admission tickets are available for sale to the general public.
- Yes
- The Inca Trail closed annually in February due to maintenance work in various route sectors.
According to the international classification on the level of difficulty of a hike, we have the following:
On the other hand, the Inca Trail is considered by travelers and experienced hikers with a degree of difficulty three because the Inca Trail route passes through various types of climates and different altitudes.
The maximum weight to carry on the Inca Trail is 5 kilograms. Taking into account this weight restriction for this route:
The most important thing: the original ID card or Passport is valid and that it is the document with which we made our reservation; otherwise, we will not be allowed to enter.
- Sleeping bag.
- A medium backpack of approximately 30 or 40 liters
- Toiletries, including toilet paper and wet wipes, as there are no toilets along the route.
- Underwear, especially microfiber socks or any specific material for this type of use
- Insect repellent.
- Sunscreen
- Bottle or canteen
- Flashlight with spare batteries.
- Cash in Peruvian soles
- Wide-brimmed hat
Kondor Path Tours recommends wearing boots one size larger than usual that are not new or have had some use, as wearing new boots can cause scrapes on the ankles or heel of the foot.
In 2000, the Peruvian government made it mandatory for travelers to enter the Inca Trail route through a tourist agency.
The highest point on the Inca Trail route is the so-called ‘pass of the dead woman’ or Warmihuañuska in Quechua, located 4,200 meters above sea level. It is good to know that the citadel of Machu Picchu, the final point of this unforgettable experience, is located at a much lower elevation (2,400 m.a.s.l.).
The entire Inca Trail is properly signposted, and the guides and tour operators are the first responsible for the care of the traveler during his Journey; however, this does not guarantee that travelers always follow the indications, and in some cases, accidents have occurred due to the imprudence of the visitor.
It is essential to consider that the physical condition of the traveler must be adequate, as well as having previously done two or three days of acclimatization in Cusco.
* Kondor Path Tours operates the Sacred Valley Short Inca Trail 3 Day 😊
Sacred Valley Short Inca Trail 3 Day New Map
Sacred Valley and Short Inca Trail COST
3-DAYS
PRIVATE HIKING SERVICE: Sacred Valley + Short Inca Trail 3 days
PRICES PER PERSON [USD] 2023 – Excursion with Hotels in Double or Marital Room
- Solo travel is US$ 1,067.
- 02 explorers US$ 745.
- 03 explorers US$ 680.
- 04 explorers US$ 600
- 05 explorers US$ 590.
- 06 explorers US$ 545.
- 07 explorers US$ 540.
- 08+ people US$ 515.
Experience breathtaking views as you trek through the Sacred Valley and Short Inca Trail with an experienced Trek guide! Learn about Peru’s history while exploring its beauty!
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Explore Peru’s history and visit archaeological sites through Trek’s Sacred Valley and Short Inca Trail Tour! Learn more about the culture and experience incredible views.
HOTEL “OLLANTAYTAMBO”
In Ollantaytambo’s Inca and Colonial population, we have several hotels to spend the night pleasantly within the Sacred Valley and then continue the trip to the jungle or the Andes of Cusco. Here we show you the hotel alternatives in Ollantaytambo to improve the service at the request of travelers.
PER PERSON
Sol Natura Hotel – 3-Star Hotel
+$20. Suite MWB/ DWD Comfort Superior
Pakaritampu Hotel – 3-Star Hotel
+$36. Doble | +$47. Superior
El Albergue de Ollantaytambo Hotel “The hotel is inside the train station.”
+$26. Estándar | +$75 Superior Jardín | +$85 Superior Balcón or Casita
HOTEL “AGUAS CALIENTES”
The most suitable hotels in Aguas Calientes, Peru; there are options to upgrade to a premium hotel! At Kondor Path Tours, we try to make it easier by searching and focusing on our experience and travelers’ experiences.
PER PERSON
Gringo Bill’s Machupicchu – 3-Star Hotel
+$25. DBL/MATRIMONIAL | +$43 Suite
Inti Punku Machupicchu – 3-Star Hotel
+$25. Standard | +$33. Superior | +$39. Junior Suite | +$63. Senior Suite
Casa Andina Standard Machu Picchu – 3-Star Hotel
+$29. Traditional | +$35. Superior | +$45. Suite
Taypikala Boutique Machupicchu – 3-Star Hotel
+$35. Standard SGL/DBL | +$80 Suite
Jaya Suite Machupicchu – 3-Star Hotel
+$40.
El MaPi ByInkaterra – 4-Star Hotel
+$69. Superior Deluxe SGL or DBL | +$91. Suite SGL o DBL
Inkaterra Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel – 5-Star Hotel
+$244. Superior | +$271. Superior Deluxe |+$298. Junior Suite | +$389. Junior Suite Deluxe | +$488. Suite | +$555. Inkaterra Suite
TRAIN SERVICES
By PeruRail / PER PERSON
+ $35 Vistadome train (one way: OLLANTAYTAMBO – MACHUPICCHU) Outbound Journey
+ $55.00 Vistadome train (round trip: OLLANTAYTAMBO – MACHUPICCHU – POROY)
+ $65.00 Vistadome train (back and forth: OLLANTAYTAMBO – MACHUPICCHU – OLLANTAYTAMBO) + Transfer to Cusco from Ollantaytambo
+ $445.00 Hiram Bingham train (Train MACHUPICCHU – POROY) Inbound Journey
EXTRA TICKETS
+$75 Huayna Picchu
+$75 Montaña
+$60 RE-ENTRY TO MACHU PICCHU
Discounts
This applies to the following services
Machu Picchu Fee
Sacred Valley & Inca Trail 3 Days Student discounts of $ 30 off per person
HOW TO BOOK THE SACRED VALLEY & SHORT INCA TRAIL 3 DAY
Sacred Valley and Short Inca Trail – Discover two of Peru’s most sacred sites on Trek’s Adventure Tour, taking you through Sacred Valley and the Short Inca Trail. Embark on a journey of discovery today!
1st. STEP
