When we booked our trip to Peru, we knew we wanted to see Machu Picchu. Who wouldn’t! It’s an amazingly preserved glimpse into a historic civilization surrounded by stunning natural features. However, we were also really worried that the tourist industry with crowds and all the insta-travelers would ruin the experience for us. Our solution? Hike there! We know from experiences elsewhere in the world that if there is an amazing hiking trail near a drivable tourist attraction, the number of people hiking will be only a small fraction of the total number of people visiting.
So we looked at three different options: the four day Inca trail hike, the four day Salkantay Trail or the one day Inca trail hike. Because I wanted to visit two different areas of the Amazon rainforest as well, we only had time for the one day Inca Trail hike. That’s what we did and it was so amazing we want to tell you all about it in our article here!
What Is The Inca Trail?
The Inca Trail is a very famous hiking route that winds its way through the Andes Mountains of Peru. The most famous section of it starts in Cusco and traverses 26 miles with a final stop at Machu Picchu. This version of the trail typically takes four days to complete and includes three overnight camping stops along the trail.
The one-day version of the trail starts much closer to Machu Picchu and includes just the final segment of the trail. It involves both a short train ride and an 8-ish hour hike.
Quick One Day Inca Trail Stats
Distance: 7 miles (11.8 km) | Elevation Gain: 3,612 ft (1,100 meters) | Time: 6-8 hours | Difficulty: Hard
You cannot complete this hike on your own. You must have a licensed guide and a permit to complete it. Permits sell out months in advance so make sure to book 4-8 months ahead of your trip.
While I do think that most able-bodied individuals could do this, it is hard. We did 0 prep-work for this hike and we were fine. When I say fine, I mean we had fun but were frequently out of breath. However, we are also active individuals with minimal mobility issues.
The most challenging parts of this hike were the original elevation and the elevation gain. First, you’re already at 8,000-ish feet above sea level. At this point, the air is thinner so deep and regular breathing is required. It also seemed to take both of us more effort to “remember” to breathe regularly. Thankfully, our guide was very used to us sea level living folks and helped us to breathe at the beginning of the hike to set us up for success. Second, there is a lot of elevation gain during this hike. Some of that is done on gently rolling hills. Some of that is done by climbing downright scary steep stairs.
You cannot hike this trail on your own. You have to hike it with a guide. Check out booking options below.
One-Day Inca Trail Itinerary
Your morning will start relatively early to catch one of the first trains out of Ollantaytambo. You have to start your morning on one of the earliest trains in order to get through the entrance gate in time. They do not let people start the hike later in the day as you need the full day to complete it.
After a one-hour train ride, you get off at Kilometer 104. There is no train station, you just hop off and start hiking. Make sure to pee on the train about 45 minutes in. There are limited restrooms on the trail and it’s really hard to just hop off the trail and pee due to the steady flow of people and the fact that you have a guide 😉
Next, you cross the wooden bridge marking Km 104 and take your obligatory photo to mark the start of the one day Inca Trail hike.
Chacahbamba
Shortly afterwards, you must stop at the Chachabamba checkpoint. This is where your guide will show your permit and you have to show your passport. Authorities check you in and then you’re all set to get started. If you didn’t pee on the train, there are toilets here but no running water.
Next, you see your first set of ruins. Chachabamba is a small Incan ruins. It would have been home to just a few families.
Then you start your uphill hike. For the beginning of the trail, you are steadily climbing up. There is a mix of mild slopes and stairs. If this hike were closer to sea-level it wouldn’t be a problem for most mildly fit people. However, at elevation and in the direct sunlight (the sun was out for us), this was a rough part of the hike. Thankfully, our guide seemed used to us sea-level folks and he regularly stopped and walked us through breathing exercises. There are also a few shade huts to rest in along the hiking trail.
The trail follows the Urubamba River and finally tucks into some more shaded areas later in the day. In a few different corners of the mountain, you see some amazing waterfalls. Those make a great spot to stop and rest your feet in the cooling mist from the falls.
Wiñay Wayna
Next, you make a steep climb to Wiñay Wayna a massive set of ruins. This city was built into the incredibly steep mountainside. There are agricultural terraces, homes, and even a small temple. While this city is much smaller than Machu Picchu, it is still wildly impressive. Also, tons of people just hiked straight through it – don’t rush you have plenty of time! Our guide provided us with a tour of the structures and then we stopped for a snack in one of the old homes.
After Wiñay Wayna comes the toughest part of the hike. You have to cross over the top of a mountain peak. Shortly after Wiñay Wayna, you enter an overnight camp for the 4-day Inca Trail hikers. This is where most people stop to eat lunch. It’s also another spot to use bathrooms – these ones are squatty potties with running water and they’re pretty gross.
Your hiking tour should include lunch – our lunch was massive and it was definitely enough for lunch and snacks. However, you have to carry it so make sure to leave some space in your day pack for the food.
The rest of the trail is pretty relaxed walking. This part of the trail is also more shaded which helps keep you cool. There is one more set of incredibly steep stairs that you’ll want to monkey climb again as they are dubbed the “monkey steps”. The trail gets really steep until you come to steps that require hands and feet to climb they are so steep. This was the worst part for me, not because of the physicality of it but because of the fear of heights.
Sun Gate
Shortly afterwards is the magnificent Sun Gate and your first views of Machu Picchu. Take plenty of time here enjoying the views and taking photos. This is the big “ahh” moment that you hiked all day for.
You’ll then travel an Incan paved trail down a steep slope, getting closer to Machu Picchu with every step. This portion of the trail is slippery even when dry. Hundreds of people over hundreds of years have worn down the stone so we were thankful for our hiking shoes here.
The treat of hiking to Machu Picchu is that you get to enjoy the Circuit 1 portion of Machu Picchu at the end of your day. Circuit 1 is the portion of Machu Picchu that gets you all the best views. It doesn’t actually include entrance into the city portion of Machu Picchu. However, this is the entrance ticket that all the Instagramers get. We even saw people on the Circuit with popup changing stations so they could take photos with multiple outfits. Enjoy spending as much of your afternoon as you choose enjoying the views and people watching all the folks who didn’t just hike all day take photos.
After you exit Circuit 1, you’ll catch one of the last shuttle buses to Aguas Calientes before 5:30 PM. Enjoy a night on the town and come back the following morning to complete the traditional Circuit 2 in Machu Picchu.
What To Pack For the One Day Inca Trail
Each person should have at least 2 liters of water; we had that amount. However, we ran out about two thirds of the way through the hike. We didn’t die but I do wish we would have had more. We had our water in our CamelBak that we love! Plus a few collapsible water bottles that are super lightweight and perfect for hiking.
And what goes in must come out – and there is no toilet paper anywhere on the trail so pack some. You’ll also have to pack it out with you as there are no trash cans on the trail. Bring a zip baggie for your trash.
You’ll also need your passport – the original, not a copy. Your permits are tied to your passport and you need to check in at the trailhead and show your passport.
If you want to pee at the end of your hike at Machu Picchu, bring 2 soles in cash. The bathrooms there charge for use and they are the only option after going through the Sun Gate.
What To Wear For The Inca Trail
You need layers for this hike. The Inca Trail is at a high elevation and it follows twisty turny mountains. This means that the shade will be colder and the sun will be hotter. And because of those twists and turns along the side of the mountains, you’ll constantly be in and out of shade. We chose lightweight hiking pants, a t-shirt, a lightweight jacket and a rain jacket. Additionally, we packed hats and gloves in case we were cold.
We’d recommend hiking boots for the one-day Inca Trail. Some people do it in trail runners. However, we were both thankful for the ankle support, especially when doing the stairs. (I love my pair! It’s the second pair I’ve had in 30 years and I swear by them!)
Sun is strong on the trail. You’ll want a hat and sunglasses for sun protection. You also should bring additional sunscreen. We reapplied multiple times and still got burnt.
Besides packing for the trail, you need to prepare for it by booking 4-6 months in advance. Check out some different book options here.
Preparing For The One Day Inca Trail Hike
We did 0 preparations for this hike. And we survived. I want to say that because you’ll find articles out there scaring you off of this hike. And for sure, it is tough. But it’s doable if you are relatively fit and mobile.
We did no training. We arrived at elevation the morning before the hike and were suffering mild altitude sickness. I wore a knee brace for the entire walk due to a previous injury. We walk our dog daily but do not work out. We are both a medically defined healthy weight. And we still had lots of fun on the hike.
However, there are definitely things we could have done to make things easier. First, we should have done some cardio and some leg training. Our legs were like jelly at multiple points in the hike. Second, we should have acclimatized to the altitude more. Arriving the day before the hike probably made it harder than it would have been. However, doing the hike immediately also probably helped us to acclimatize faster. Lastly, we should have packed more coca products. The coca leaves are pre-cocaine leaves that have caffeine like properties that specifically help with altitude sickness. They worked really well for us, we just didn’t pack enough.
Two Day Inca Trail Hike
You’ll generally find this referred to as the two-day Machu Picchu hike. However, there is no such thing. These two day tours are a combination of a one day Inca Trail hike and one day of a guided tour in the city of Machu Picchu. This is what we did. It was a great combo tour as we had the same guide for both days. It was also great because we didn’t have to rush. We had two slow paced days to enjoy all the sights. Lastly, we liked this tour because we got to experience Machu Picchu in two different weather conditions. We had sun on our first day and clouds on our second day. I actually really appreciated seeing the ruins in two different lightings. However, if I only got to visit in the cloudy weather, I would have been pretty upset.
We hope this has helped you to plan your own hike to Machu Picchu. We think the one day Inca Trail hike was perfect for our fitness level, our available time, and the Machu Picchu experience we wanted. If you have any questions or comments on your own one-day Inca Trail experience, please leave them in the comments section below and we’ll get back to you. Or for more Peru travel advice, check out our Peru travel page here.
