Short Inca Trail (KM104)
Curated schematic — not walking distance. Pin-to-pin OSM named-waypoint line Chachabamba (KM104) → Wiñay Wayna → Inti Punku → Machu Picchu. Cited itinerary ~12 km one-way (provisional, secondary). Government permit, licensed operator. High 2,720 m is the Sun Gate landmark.
Last verified 2026-09-21 vs Ministerio de Cultura / DDC Cusco
Byline
- The Hiking World editorial · author
Desk byline for seed records. Named surveying editors replace this once a trail is verified.
Figures marked provisional are seed data and still need verification. Source and last-checked date sit under each cited value.
Permits and fees
| Permit | Cost | Quota / restriction | Issuer | Source | Verified |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Government permit — KM104 short Inca Trail (licensed operator)Reported (secondary) — confirm before travel | Not recorded | — | Ministerio de Cultura / DDC Cusco | Issuer page | Unverified |
This line is a schematic. The files are not a GPS track. GPX · GeoJSON
Editorial v1 · Provisional catalog
- SAC T2 (mapped — no official SAC grade)
- Mountain hiking. Continuous trail, some steep ground, sure-footedness helpful.
- YDS Class 1
- Class 1. Walking on an established path; low fall risk.
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Curated schematic from named OpenStreetMap nodes (ODbL). The line is pin-to-pin, not a surveyed walking path. Pin-to-pin 2-D length 6.86 km is schematic — not walking distance and is not this DataPoint. The published distance is the cited ~12 km one-way (operator itinerary, secondary, provisional). Ascent and descent are Copernicus GLO-30 samples at those four pins only, not a walking profile, and remain provisional. The elevation-profile km axis follows the schematic pins, not the cited itinerary.
No connected KM104 / 2-day Inca Trail hiking relation resolved on 2026-09-21. Pins: Chachabamba → Wiñay Wayna → Inti Punku → Machu Picchu. osmRelationId is unset. Never graduate to verified without a connected OSM hiking relation. Distinct from inca-trail (relation 15703494, Camino Inca a Machu Picchu / classic 4-day) — relate-not-merge. Not Qhapaq Ñan.
typicalDays 2 is the cited itinerary window (secondary), not a DataPoint.
High 2,720 m is the cited Inti Punku / Sun Gate landmark (Wave P evidence, lastVerified 2026-09-21) — not the GLO-30 sample at the Inti Punku pin (2,689 m). Low 2,166 m is Copernicus GLO-30 at the Chachabamba pin (lastVerified 2026-09-21), still provisional. Ascent 523 m / descent 236 m are pin-sample DEM, not a walking profile.
Permit is the headline: KM104 is a government-permit route with a hard daily quota and a mandatory licensed operator (Wave P evidence, reported secondary, 2026-09-21). Classic-network Camino Inka tickets are reserved on tuboleto.cultura.pe through authorized agencies (https://www.gob.pe/institucion/cultura/noticias/1290142-ministerio-de-cultura-inicia-hoy-el-proceso-de-venta-de-boletos-de-ingreso-a-la-red-de-caminos-inka-y-a-la-llaqta-de-machupicchu-para-2026, checked 2026-08-25). A 2026 Llaqta de Machupicchu ticket is a separate reservation (RM 306-2025-MC, https://transparencia.cultura.gob.pe/rm-ndeg-306-2025-mc). The classic Red de Caminos Inka closes all February (https://www.gob.pe/institucion/sernanp/noticias/1340984-comunicado-red-de-caminos-inka-suspension-temporal-por-conservacion-y-mantenimiento-anual, checked 2026-08-25). Operator copy that the KM104 short route operates outside that February closure is reported secondary — not asserted from that SERNANP notice.
Water
No water sources recorded.
Surface
Surface is not recorded. This field is filled only from an OSM surface tag, not from the grade.
Permits & fees
- Permit
- Government permit — KM104 short Inca Trail (licensed operator)
Log in to view cost, booking, and issuer
Getting there
Sourced legs to the Chachabamba / KM104 (schematic start) base start station — where this trail record begins. This is not a route planner: durations are approximate and marked provisional until an official transport page confirms them.
Rail · Cusco (CUZ) → Ollantaytambo / KM104
Sacred Valley rail hub for the KM104 short Inca Trail. 2026 Camino Inka tickets are reserved on tuboleto.cultura.pe through authorized agencies (https://www.gob.pe/institucion/cultura/noticias/1290142-ministerio-de-cultura-inicia-hoy-el-proceso-de-venta-de-boletos-de-ingreso-a-la-red-de-caminos-inka-y-a-la-llaqta-de-machupicchu-para-2026, checked 2026-08-25). Distinct from the classic KM82 start (inca-trail) — relate-not-merge.
gob.pe · 2026-08-25 · official · provisional
Schematic start is the Chachabamba / KM104 pin. Mandatory licensed operator. Llaqta de Machupicchu is a separate 2026 ticket. Relate-not-merge with inca-trail.
Plan from your location
Type a city, then pick a match. These links open external search tools — they do not fetch fares or timetables.
Trailheads
- Chachabamba / KM104 (schematic start) car-free: unknown
- Machu Picchu (schematic end) car-free: unknown
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Hazards
- Altitude: cited Sun Gate landmark 2,720 m (GLO-30 at the Inti Punku pin 2,689 m).
- Classic Red de Caminos Inka closed every February (https://www.gob.pe/institucion/sernanp/noticias/1340984-comunicado-red-de-caminos-inka-suspension-temporal-por-conservacion-y-mantenimiento-anual, checked 2026-08-25). Operator copy that KM104 operates outside that closure is reported secondary.
- Related record inca-trail (classic relation 15703494) shares Machu Picchu / Inti Punku geography — relate-not-merge.
Questions
Do I need a permit for Short Inca Trail (KM104)?
A permit is listed as required for Short Inca Trail (KM104): Government permit — KM104 short Inca Trail (licensed operator). Status is unverified. This desk does not treat that as an official ruling.
When is the best time to hike Short Inca Trail (KM104)?
On this record the best season is: Dry season May–Sep (reported secondary, 2026-09-21). Classic network closed all February (SERNANP)..
How difficult is Short Inca Trail (KM104)?
Short Inca Trail (KM104) is graded SAC T2 (mapped — no official SAC grade) · YDS 1. A sourced hazard on this record: Altitude: cited Sun Gate landmark 2,720 m (GLO-30 at the Inti Punku pin 2,689 m).
How long is Short Inca Trail (KM104)?
This figure is 12 km (provisional): a schematic straight-line estimate between waypoints — not a measured walking distance; published figures are the better guide. See /guides/how-long-is-the-trail
How do I get to Short Inca Trail (KM104)?
The record’s base start is Chachabamba / KM104 (schematic start). A primary gateway on the record is Alejandro Velasco Astete International Airport (CUZ). Trailhead transit notes are not included in this public FAQ.
Related trails
- Ausangate Circuit · Peru
- Choquequirao Trek · Peru
- Colca Canyon Trek (Cabanaconde path) · Peru
- Cordillera Huayhuash Circuit · Peru
- Huchuy Qosqo · Peru
- Inca Trail (Classic 4-day) · Peru
Featured in
Related links
- OfficialMinisterio de Cultura — 2026 Camino Inka / Llaqta ticketsgob.pe · 2026-08-25 · official
- Officialtuboleto.cultura.petuboleto.cultura.pe · 2026-08-25 · official