1 Day Inca Trail to Machu Picchu, Private

In the $596

The listing calls this an all-inclusive, door to door service. Included are the Inca Trail tickets, the Machu Picchu entrance tickets, transportation from Cusco to the train station, the Vistadome train with a glass roof back to Ollantaytambo, private transportation from Ollantaytambo to Cusco, lunch, snacks, one pair of walking sticks per person, professional trekking equipment, an oxygen tank and first aid kit, and a professional bilingual guide. A briefing with your guide happens 1 or 2 days before, at your hotel.

The listing also says a Kenko representative meets you at Cusco airport and drives you to your hotel if you send flight details at least 14 days ahead.

• Inca Trail tickets
• Machu Picchu entrance tickets
• 2-hour guided tour of Machu Picchu
• Vistadome train with glass roof, business class
• Private transport from Ollantaytambo to Cusco
• Lunch and snacks
• One pair of walking sticks per person
• Oxygen tank and first aid kit
• Briefing at your hotel the day before

What You Pay on the Day

Three things sit outside the price. The first breakfast is on you, and the listing notes Cusco hotels usually include it. Huayna Picchu and Machu Picchu Mountain tickets are extra, and the operator asks you to consult its sales team if you want either. Tips are not included either.

The listing adds two discounts worth knowing. Children aged 2 to 12 get $20 off, students from 12 to 17 get $20 off with a valid ISIC card in their name, and children under 2 travel free. Send passport copies at booking to secure the discount.

Morning, Cusco to Km 104

Pickup at your Cusco hotel is included, though the listing does not state the time, so check availability for the starting time on your date. Transportation runs from Cusco to the train station, where you board the train to the Km 104 trailhead near Chachabamba. The drive from Cusco toward Ollantaytambo is about 61 kilometres.

Your main luggage can stay at the operator office or your hotel for free, so pack only what you need for the hike.

The Walk to the Sun Gate

From Km 104 the trail visits Chachabamba first, then climbs to Wiñayhuayna, then continues to the Sun Gate (Inti Punku). The Km 104 section takes about 6 to 7 hours of walking in total and is rated moderate. From the Sun Gate the classic first view of Machu Picchu opens below.

You then descend the short distance into the citadel, about 2 kilometres from the Sun Gate to the entrance.

Afternoon, Machu Picchu and the Way Back

The guided tour of Machu Picchu lasts 2 hours and runs in the afternoon, which the listing says means fewer people. The listing gives the starting time only as check availability. After the tour you take the Vistadome train with a glass roof from Aguas Calientes to Ollantaytambo, then private transportation covers the last leg to Cusco.

The listing does not state a return time in Cusco. Plan for a long day, since the listing gives about 14 hours door to door.

No Night, No Second Morning

The tour has no camping and no hotel night. If you want a night in Aguas Calientes and a second visit to Machu Picchu the next morning, the two-day options are the fix: the private short Inca Trail or the 2-day short Inca Trail with a 4-star hotel. If you want the full classic route over Dead Woman's Pass at about 4,200 metres, you need four days, so look at the 4-day Inca Trail with Vistadome Train or the luxury 4-day Inca Trail.

Age, Fitness and Health Limits

The listing takes bookings for travellers aged 10 to 75 and says the trek suits all physical fitness levels. Take that last claim carefully. The Km 104 route is rated moderate elsewhere and takes 6 to 7 hours with a climb to the Sun Gate.

The operator's own note says the tour is not recommended for participants with heart complaints or other serious medical conditions. Altitude sickness can appear from about 2,500 metres, and Cusco itself sits at about 3,400 metres, so spend a couple of nights acclimatising first.

Passport Rules and the February Closure

You must send each participant's full name exactly as on the passport, passport number, date of birth, gender and nationality, because the operator cannot buy the Machu Picchu entrance or the train without it. Rangers check your original passport at the trail and the train company checks it before boarding. Once bought, the tickets cannot move to another person, cannot change date and are not refundable.

If you renew or lose a passport, send the new details so the permit can be updated. The trail also closes every February for maintenance and reopens on 1 March.

Minimum Numbers and Cancellation

A minimum of 2 people applies, and the operator may cancel after confirmation if the group does not meet the requirement, offering an alternative or a full refund in that case. Free cancellation runs to 24 hours before departure for a full refund. Solo travellers cannot book this as a group of one, so the two-day group tours are the easier route for one person.

Acclimatise in Cusco

Cusco sits at about 3,400 metres, and the trailhead at Km 104 starts at about 2,200 metres. Altitude sickness can appear from about 2,500 metres, with headache, nausea and fatigue the common symptoms. Two or three nights in Cusco before the trek help, and sleeping altitude should rise by no more than about 500 metres a day above 3,000 metres.

Machu Picchu itself sits at 2,430 metres, nearly 1,000 metres lower than Cusco, which works in your favour on the day. Read the guide to altitude, seasons and fitness for the detail.

Passports, Permits and Timing

Inca Trail permits are capped at 500 people per day, of which about 200 are trekkers, and sources disagree on whether the Km 104 short route has its own daily quota, so no single figure is given here. Permits are issued to one person on one passport, non-transferable and non-refundable, so book with the passport you will carry and send the operator the details early. You can read the full system in the guide to Inca Trail permits.

The whole trail network closes each February and reopens on 1 March, so plan around that month.

Huayna Picchu and the Mountain Hikes

This tour includes the citadel entrance and the 2-hour guided tour, but not Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu Mountain. Huayna Picchu offers a 360-degree view, takes about 45 minutes up and 45 minutes down, and entry is limited each day in two windows, so the operator advises booking at least 3 months ahead. Machu Picchu Mountain takes about 1 hour 20 minutes up and needs about 2 months of lead time.

If you want either, consult the operator's sales team when booking, or read the guide to Machu Picchu tickets and circuits.

Luggage, Trains and a Night in Aguas Calientes

PeruRail allows one backpack up to 8 kg or one carry-on up to 12 kg on Machu Picchu trains, and charges $15 for excess carry-on and $25 for checked baggage. The operator stores your main luggage for free during the hike, so take a small daypack. If you would rather not end the day on a train, a night in Aguas Calientes at about 2,040 metres lets you return to the citadel the next morning, when the first bus leaves around 5:30 a.m. and buses run every 10 minutes at $12 one way.

The guides to the short Inca Trail and the best time to hike the Inca Trail cover both choices.