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Inca Trail to Machu Picchu: Every Way to Walk It and How the Arrival Works

The Inca Trail to Machu Picchu is the stone path that ends at the Sun Gate, and it is only one of several ways to walk from Cusco to the citadel. This guide compares the classic 4-day trek, the short 2-day trail from Km 104, the one-day version, the Salkantay and Inca Trail combination and the train-only option, using the card prices of the luxury Inca Trail tours compared on this site. It then follows the last morning: the Sun Gate, the citadel ticket and Circuit 3-B, and the bus and train back. The trail's route and ruins are covered in depth in the Inca Trail guide.

The stone walls and steps of the Sun Gate, Inti Punku, on the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu — Inti Punku, the Sun Gate, on the last stretch of the trail. Photo: Steve FUNG, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Quick answer The short answer

The Inca Trail to Machu Picchu is roughly 42 kilometres (26 miles, with some sources saying 44 or 45) long, climbs to about 4,200 metres at Dead Woman's Pass and is usually walked in 4 to 5 days. The short trail from Km 104 covers about 12 kilometres in 2 days, and the one-day version covers the same final section in a single day. Permits are capped at 500 people per day and the trail closes every February. Treks from $585 per person are compared on this site, with prices taken from the tour cards only.

Key takeaways

The classic trek starts at Km 82, about 3 hours by bus from Cusco, and camp-based listings run from $798 with the 4-Day Inca Trail with Panoramic Train up to $6,222 for the Luxury 4-Day Inca Trail.
Short on time? The short Inca Trail from Km 104 takes 2 days, visits Wiñay Wayna and sleeps in a hotel instead of a tent.
Trekkers arriving from the trail network are assigned Circuit 3-B, which covers the agricultural zone, the Temple of the Sun and the House of the Inca.
See how the listings stack up in the site's comparison table of luxury Inca Trail tours, or check permits and the February closure before picking dates.

Five Ways to Walk to Machu Picchu

There is more than one way to walk from Cusco to Machu Picchu, and the differences are bigger than the price tags suggest.

The Options at a Glance

The table below compares the five ways on this page: days on the trail, where each one starts, how you sleep and the lowest card price among the tours compared on this site. All prices are the US dollar prices printed on the tour cards, per person. What each price includes differs by listing, so check the inclusions.

Another way to reach Machu Picchu is not to walk at all: trains leave from Cusco (San Pedro, Wanchaq and Poroy), Urubamba and Ollantaytambo, and the ride from Ollantaytambo takes about 1 hour 30 minutes on the PeruRail Expedition, Vistadome and Vistadome Observatory services. No train-only tour card is priced on this site, so that row has no figure.

Way	Days	Starts at	Sleeps	From
Classic 4-day trail	4 days	Km 82 (Piscacucho), 2,709 m	3 nights camping	$798 with the 4-Day Inca Trail with Panoramic Train
Short 2-day trail	2 days, 1 night	Km 104, a railway stop at about 2,200 m	1 hotel night	$585 with the Short Inca Trail with 4-Star Hotel
One-day trail	About 14 hours door to door	Chachabamba (Km 104)	No overnight	$596 with the Private One-Day Inca Trail
Salkantay plus Inca Trail	7 days, 6 nights	Salkantay route, then the classic trail	6 nights camping, including 1 at Sky Camp	$1,555 with the 7-Day Salkantay and Inca Trail
Train only (no trekking)	Day trip or more	Cusco or Ollantaytambo station	Hotel of your choice	not stated

How to Choose, Honestly

Start with your dates. Classic trail permits are capped at 500 people per day, of whom about 200 are trekkers, and the rest go to guides, porters and support staff. May to September permits sell out fastest, and one operator on this site advises booking the classic trek at least five months ahead. If permits are gone, the short trail and the one-day hike use the Km 104 section, which still gives you Wiñay Wayna, the Sun Gate and the stone path, though it skips Dead Woman's Pass and the high camps. The trail's permit system, quotas and the February closure are explained on their own page.

Then pick your comfort level. Camping is the norm on the classic route: the $798 Panoramic Train trek supplies a duffle bag, sleeping pad, pillow and poncho and carries 7 kg of your gear by porter, while the $1,499 Premium 4-Day Inca Trail Trek caps the group at 8 and adds a chef team, dining tent and portable toilet. At the top, the $6,222 Luxury 4-Day Inca Trail is private, with a massage therapist at every camp and Peruvian wine with the meals. If you want a bed instead of a tent on the classic route, the Private 5-Day Inca Trail at $1,710 includes a night at the Waman Hotel in Aguas Calientes and gives each hiker a personal porter for 6 kg. Check what each price leaves out: the $1,499 listing excludes the return train, and some cards do not state whether the citadel ticket is included.

Sources: Wikipedia, Inca Trail to Machu Picchu

Arriving Through the Sun Gate

The last morning is short on distance and long on anticipation, and it ends at a checkpoint, not a summit.

The Last Morning and the Sun Gate

Classic trekkers usually wake before dawn at the Wiñay Wayna camp, about 4 km from Machu Picchu, and queue at the trail checkpoint to be among the first through. The short trail and the one-day hike reach the same checkpoint from Km 104 after passing Chachabamba and Wiñay Wayna, a walk of about 6 to 7 hours in total. From there the path climbs to the Sun Gate (Inti Punku) at about 2,720 metres (one source prints 2,745), roughly 2 km from the citadel entrance and about 300 metres above it.

The Sun Gate was the main entrance to Machu Picchu for travellers arriving on the Inca Trail, and it frames the winter solstice sunrise around 21 June. Two sources disagree on the climb from the guardhouse below: one gives 40 to 60 minutes, another 1 to 1.5 hours each way, with a round trip of about 2 hours. Day visitors who want this view need the Route 1-C ticket, which is sold only in high season, with entry slots from 8:00 to 11:00 hourly. Trekker passes through the Sun Gate, so no separate Sun Gate ticket is needed. May to October are the best months for the view.

The Citadel Ticket and Circuit 3-B

Arriving on foot does not waive the ticket. Under Ministerial Resolution 000306-2025-MC, Inca Trail hikers enter the citadel on the same day using a special permit tied to the trek date, and the circuit assigned to trekkers arriving from the trail network is Circuit 3-B, which covers the agricultural zone, the Temple of the Sun and the House of the Inca. These permits are scarce and can sell out months in advance. Machu Picchu itself sits at 2,430 metres, received over 1.5 million visitors, and has ten daily entry windows from 6 to 7 a.m. to 3 to 4 p.m.

Prices are reported differently: most circuits cost 152 soles for foreign adults, with mountain routes at 200 soles, while Andina prints S/ 64 general and S/ 112 for mountain routes. An 11-sole rise for foreigners was announced from 1 May. Sources also differ on the stay: about 2 hours on one count, about 2 hours 30 minutes on another, and whether that limit applies to trekkers on Circuit 3-B is not stated. Circuits are one-way, re-entry is prohibited, and all visitors must be with a guide, at most 10 people per guide. The full Machu Picchu tickets and circuits breakdown is on the homepage.

The Bus Down and the Train Back

From the citadel exit, trekkers can take the Consettur bus down to Aguas Calientes, a ride of about 25 to 30 minutes. It costs $12 one way and $24 round trip, the first bus leaves around 5:30 a.m. and buses depart every 10 minutes. Tickets can be bought on comprar.consettur.com or at the Aguas Calientes office.

From Aguas Calientes the train carries you back toward Cusco, usually to Ollantaytambo, where the drive to Cusco is about 61 kilometres and takes about 1 hour 40 minutes. The Vistadome is the most common train on the cards: the 4-Day Inca Trail with Vistadome Train at $835 includes a return train, Vistadome on earlier dates, and the 2-Day Inca Trail with Vistadome at $592 returns on the panoramic Vistadome after a 3-star hotel night. Note that some listings state the train class can change by date. For the top of the range, the Hiram Bingham train runs its own page. PeruRail allows Inca Trail hikers one 8 kg item with a 115 cm size limit, and free luggage storage at Machu Picchu station runs from 5:00 to 22:00.

Sources: Inca Rail blog, bus prices to Machu Picchu

Surviving the 4-Day Inca Trail Trek to Machu Picchu

The trek with the history of the sites along it. Third-party video by History Skills. This site did not shoot it and has no relationship with the creator.

Getting Back to Cusco

After the citadel you ride a bus down to Aguas Calientes and a train back toward Cusco. Here is what the journey involves and what it costs.

The Bus Down to Aguas Calientes

The Consettur shuttle covers the winding road between Aguas Calientes and the citadel entrance in about 25 to 30 minutes. It costs $12 one way or $24 round trip. The first bus leaves around 5:30 a.m. and buses run every 10 minutes.

Tickets are sold at comprar.consettur.com or at the Consettur office in Aguas Calientes.

Train Classes and Journey Times

PeruRail runs three scheduled services from Aguas Calientes to Ollantaytambo: Expedition, Vistadome and the Vistadome Observatory. Each takes about 1 hour 30 minutes. Vistadome has ceiling windows and a live cultural performance on the return journey, and the Observatory adds a carriage with an open-air balcony. From Ollantaytambo the trip to Cusco continues by road, about 61 kilometres and 1 hour 40 minutes by car. PeruRail also serves Cusco itself from San Pedro, Wanchaq and Poroy stations, plus Urubamba.

Train class changes by date on some listings. The 4-Day Inca Trail with Vistadome Train includes Vistadome on the return for earlier dates and Expedition on later ones, with a $20 Vistadome upgrade. The 4-Day Inca Trail with Panoramic Train includes the Vistadome panoramic train from Aguas Calientes to Ollantaytambo at $798.

Luggage Rules on Machu Picchu Trains

PeruRail allows one backpack up to 8 kg or one carry-on up to 12 kg on Machu Picchu routes. Passengers on Inca Trail itineraries may take one 8 kg item with a 115 cm size limit. Inca Rail allows one hand item up to 8 kg.

Excess carry-on costs $15 and checked baggage $25 on PeruRail. If your main luggage travels separately, PeruRail offers free storage at Machu Picchu station from 5:00 to 22:00. Leave your big bag at your Cusco hotel and carry the duffle your trek operator gives you.

A Night in Aguas Calientes

Some itineraries stop here overnight instead of catching an afternoon train. The Private 5-Day Inca Trail includes a night at the Waman Hotel in Aguas Calientes before the return by train and bus to Cusco. The Short Inca Trail with 4-Star Hotel builds the same pattern into 2 days, with a night in a 4-star hotel in Machu Picchu town.

An overnight stay also lets you take an early bus up, since the first Consettur departure is around 5:30 a.m. and the citadel opens at 6:00 a.m.

The Luxury Option: the Hiram Bingham

The top of the train market is the Belmond Hiram Bingham. Reseller listings put the departure from Poroy at 9:05 a.m. and the arrival at Machu Picchu at 12:24 p.m. The return leaves Machu Picchu at 5:50 p.m. and arrives in Poroy about 9:16 p.m. with a four-course dinner served on board. A guide travels with every group of 14 passengers and the fare includes tea at Sanctuary Lodge. Reported fares run from about $540 one way and about $1,000 round trip, and sources differ on the journey time and the exact fares. The full details sit on the Hiram Bingham train page.

The Luxury 4-Day Inca Trail includes an exclusive luxury train back to Ollantaytambo or Poroy, though the class is not named. For a wider view of what a top-end luxury Inca Trail tour bundles together, the homepage comparison covers every listing.

The river and footbridge in Aguas Calientes, on the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu — Aguas Calientes, the train town below Machu Picchu. Photo: Draceane, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Which Tour for Which Way

Every walking route to Machu Picchu has at least one listing on this site. The table below sorts all of them by route, price and what happens the night before the citadel.

All Tours by Route

The figures come from each tour's own card on this site, quoted in US dollars per person. The last column shows where you sleep the night before you enter Machu Picchu, because that shapes how the arrival day feels. For the full pricing detail and what each price leaves out, see the comparison of luxury Inca Trail tours on the homepage.

Three honesty notes before you pick. The Premium 4-Day Inca Trail Trek at $1,499 does not include the return train and its citadel fee applies to Circuit 1 B only. The Private 5-Day Inca Trail does not state whether permits are included, and the Private 4-Day Inca Trail states neither permits nor the Machu Picchu ticket. The Premium Express Inca Trail lists a train ticket but not a permit or citadel ticket. Read each tour page before booking.

Tour	Way	Price	Night before the citadel
Luxury 4-Day Inca Trail	Classic 4-day trek	$6,222	Camping, 3 nights of ultra-luxury camping
Premium 4-Day Inca Trail Trek	Classic 4-day trek	$1,499	Camping
Private 5-Day Inca Trail	Classic trek over 5 days	$1,710	Waman Hotel, Aguas Calientes
Private 4-Day Inca Trail	Classic 4-day trek	$1,200	Camping, not stated
4-Day Inca Trail with Vistadome Train	Classic 4-day trek	$835	Camping
4-Day Inca Trail with Panoramic Train	Classic 4-day trek	$798	Camping, 3 nights
4-Day 3-Night Inca Trail Trek	Classic 4-day trek	$998	Camping
4-Day Small-Group Inca Trail	Classic 4-day trek	$980	Camping, not stated
7-Day Salkantay and Inca Trail	Salkantay plus Inca Trail	$1,555	Camping, 6 nights including Sky Camp
Short Inca Trail with 4-Star Hotel	Short 2-day trail from Km 104	$585	4-star hotel, Machu Picchu town
Private Short Inca Trail	Short 2-day trail from Km 104	$756	3-star hotel, Aguas Calientes
Premium Express Inca Trail	Short 2-day trail	$1,032	Not stated
2-Day Short Inca Trail Tour	Short 2-day trail from Km 104	$653	Hotel night, class not stated
2-Day Inca Trail with Vistadome	Short 2-day trail from Km 104	$592	3-star hotel, shared twin
Private One-Day Inca Trail	One-day trail from Km 104	$596	No night, about 14 hours door to door

How to Read the Spread

The prices run from $585 for the short trail with a 4-star hotel to $6,222 for a private four-day trek with massage therapists at every camp. What separates them is rarely the trail itself, which is the same stone path for everyone. It is group size, porter support, camping comfort, the train class back and how much the price already covers.

Check the inclusions twice on anything under $1,000. The 4-Day 3-Night Inca Trail Trek at $998 includes the permit and the Circuit 1 Machu Picchu ticket, and rents sleeping bags and poles at $20 each. The 2-Day Inca Trail with Vistadome at $592 includes both entry tickets and a 3-star hotel night. Cheaper is not always less complete, and dearer is not always more included.

Practical Tips

Five habits that make the arrival smoother and four mistakes that catch trekkers out.

Do

Do book the classic trek 4 to 8 months ahead for the peak months, because the trail allows only 500 people a day, about 200 of them trekkers, and May to September permits sell out fastest.
Do carry your original passport to the Km 82 checkpoint, because trekkers must show it while the operator presents permits for trekkers, guides, porters and cooks.
Do spend two or three days in Cusco before the trek, because the trail starts near 2,700 metres at Km 82 and climbs to Dead Woman's Pass at about 4,200 metres.
Do confirm which Machu Picchu circuit your ticket covers before you travel, because trek permits that include Circuit 3-B are scarce and sell out months in advance, and circuits are one-way and cannot be switched once started.
Do plan your luggage around the train limit of one backpack up to 8 kg, because PeruRail charges $15 for excess carry-on and $25 for checked baggage.

Don't

Don't plan the trek in February, because the trail closes every February for maintenance and both the classic and short routes are affected.
Don't try to hike the trail independently, because permits are sold only through Ministry of Culture authorised agencies and a guide is required.
Don't buy a separate Sun Gate ticket if you arrive on the Inca Trail, because hikers already pass the Sun Gate on foot before entering the citadel.
Don't book a same-day entry with mismatched dates, because the trek date and the citadel entry date must match for the same-day entry created by Ministerial Resolution 000306-2025-MC to work.

Where to Stay Before and After the Trail

Each link opens the live room list for that place on the booking site, with today's prices. Book the Cusco nights for acclimatisation first, then the night by the citadel if your tour does not include one.

Cusco historic centre

Suits: The two acclimatisation nights before the trek and the pickups most tours start from

Operators advise at least two nights in Cusco before the trail.

See stays in Cusco historic centre

Aguas Calientes

Suits: The night before or after the citadel, the bus up to Machu Picchu and the trains back

The short-trail tours here sleep in Aguas Calientes, and the bus up to the citadel leaves from town.

See stays in Aguas Calientes

Ollantaytambo

Suits: A night lower down in the Sacred Valley, close to the trailhead and the train station

The trains back from Aguas Calientes run to Ollantaytambo.

See stays in Ollantaytambo

Frequently Asked Questions

How far is the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu?

The classic Inca Trail to Machu Picchu is roughly 42 kilometres (26 miles, with some sources saying 44 or 45) long and gains about 2,500 metres of elevation, usually walked in 4 to 5 days. The day-by-day route and its ruins are covered on the Inca Trail page.

Which Inca Trail route should I pick if I hate camping?

Pick the short 2-day trail from Km 104, which visits Wiñay Wayna and ends at the Sun Gate with a hotel night instead of camping. The Short Inca Trail with 4-Star Hotel at $585 is the clearest example, with a night in a 4-star hotel in Machu Picchu town.

Can I walk from Cusco to Machu Picchu without a permit?

No on the Inca Trail itself, which needs a permit bought through a Ministry of Culture authorised agency, and independent hiking is not allowed. The Salkantay route needs no hiking permit, only a Machu Picchu ticket, and the 7-Day Salkantay and Inca Trail at $1,555 links both routes.

How long is the one-day Inca Trail?

The Km 104 hike takes about 6 to 7 hours of walking and can be completed in a single day, passing Chachabamba, Wiñay Wayna and the Sun Gate. The Private One-Day Inca Trail at $596 runs about 14 hours door to door including the Vistadome train back.

What happens the night before Machu Picchu on the classic trek?

Most classic trekkers camp near Wiñay Wayna, which sits about 4 kilometres from Machu Picchu, and start before dawn to reach the Sun Gate for the first view. Some private itineraries swap camping for a hotel, like the Private 5-Day Inca Trail with its night at the Waman Hotel in Aguas Calientes.

How much does it cost to walk into Machu Picchu from Aguas Calientes instead of hiking?

You can skip the trail entirely and ride the Consettur bus up for $12 one way or $24 round trip, a ride of about 25 to 30 minutes. The trains, tickets and circuits behind that ride are compared in more detail on the luxury Inca Trail tours.