INCA TRAIL 2 DAY VS INCA TRAIL 4 DAY

Are you planning on hiking Inca Trail? and don´t know yet whether to choose the long Inca trail or the short version of the Inca trail? Well, it is not easy that to pick one and go for it. There are questions like, will I regret not doing the four-day Inca trail? Or is the two-day Inca trail trek is enough for me? For that, let’s get to know how does it look like to do Inca trail in each versión in this blog of 2 day Inca Trail vs 4 Day.

2 Day Inca Trail 4 Day Inca Trail
Maximum Altitude
2720 m/8920 ft
4215 m/13800 ft
How to get
Arrive at the trailhead by train
Arrive to the trailhead by bus
Capacity
250 per day
500 per day
Distance
12 km/7.4 miles.
42 km/26mi
Difficulty
Moderate to Difficult
Difficult

Inca Trail 4-Day Fast Facts

  • three consecutive nights at camp
  • Visit 7 Inca ruins along the way
  • Three full-day hikes with Machu Picchu visit on the last day
  • See small lagoons along the way. 
  • A single day chance to see Machu Picchu
  • Two mountain passes to traverse through

Inca Trail 2-Day Fast Facts

  • Visit two Inca ruins along the way.
  • A full-day hike with Machu Picchu visit on the last day
  • No lagoons along the way
  • Two days chance to see Machu Picchu

AVAILABILITY AND FLEXIBILITY

Inca Trail 4 days.– Only 500 people are allowed to enter the Inca Trail per day, including tourists, guides, porters, and cooks. If you really want to do this hike, plan well in advance to secure your Inca trail permit. Otherwise, you will arrive at taking alternative treks such as: Lares Trek, Salkantay Trek, and Ausangate trek.

Inca Trail 2 days.- There is no need to pre-book months in advance, as there is always availability for the short inca Trail. We only recommend you to book for July 3 months in advance because the permits run out quickly.

CAMPING ESTABLISHMENTS

Inca Trail 4 Days .- The Inca trail porters set up the camping tents, one kitchen tent, dining tent, and passenger tents for overnight. There are some shower stalls for those who would like to take shower after the hike (nighttime shower). As for the restrooms, there are only squat toilets, unless you find some proper toilets in the first-day hike but bear in mind these are private, so you will be charged by someone else.

Inca Trail 2 days.– Most people who hike the short Inca Trail, they spend the night in hotels because it is not allowed to camp along the Inca Trail with the short inca Trail permit. All companies who offer the short inca Trail with camping, they spend the night in tents in Puente Ruins campsite. This place is located 30 minutes aways from the Aguas Calientes.

THERMAL HOT SPRINGS

Inca Trail 4 days.- It is important to clarify that you won’t find any hot springs in the mid-hike. The way you can get it is if you have an extra night at Aguas Calientes, so you can visit the hot springs just a few minutes away from the main square.

Inca Trail 2 days.- After hiking 7 hours on day 01, you will take a bus to Aguas Calientes where you will check in your hotel then you will have time to go to the hotspring which is 10 minutes away from the town. If you taking the short inca Trail with camping, you dont have chance to go to hotspring because it is like 1 hour hiking round trip. There are shower at the campsite to take shower.

DIFFICULTY

Inca Trail 4 days.- You don’t need to be an intrepid hiker to do the Inca Trail 4 day trek, but you have to be in reasonable shape. To get an idea, we recommend you do a hike before you book the trail. The trail should be up and down, and the roundtrip should be around 10 km (6 miles). If you are miserable doing that, then we advise taking the train instead.

Inca Trail 2 Days.- As long as you do some exercise and cardio, it is going to be good. You don´t need to be a hiking expert, to make the one-day Inca trail, because on the second day you visit Machu Picchu, and as you know, people of all shapes and physical conditions go to Machu Picchu. There is not much concern. It is for everyone.

WHICH IS BEST FOR YOU AND WHY?

Who should choose the Inca Trail 4 days?

If you still remain true to what you wanted for a long time, and no matter what, you want to hike the 4-day Inca trail, then do it and listen: We don´t think you will regret doing the world´s famous Trail, just scout out the thousands of reviews written by previous hikers, the majority of them said they enjoyed it so, in the end, it is worth it. You are getting it right.

One of the key factors for a much better experience on the 4-day Inca trail is to see when is the best time to know inca Trail. 

Who should choose the Inca Trail 2 Days

On many occasions, time is just not enough to do everything we want while on vacation journeys. It clearly means that if you are tight with your schedule and want to see some other places around Cusco but still want to experience the Inca trail, then adjust your hiking desires to a 2-day Inca trail. In addition, there is one thing you will feel after doing this trek; you will be glad to know you did walk more around Machu Picchu without spending four days.

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