2 day Inca trail hike
 

Has anyone gone on the 2 day Inca trail hike? Is it worth going on? I know that the 4 day is supposedly worth it but we dont have enough time to do that. We also have kids and don't think they would want to hike for 4 days. Is the scenery so beautiful that it is worth the extra $600 for the four of us? Is that hike the same as the last day of the 4 day hike? If so, how is that day compared to the other 3. We also be going at the end of December which is the rainy season.

The way most tour operators organize it these days, the "two-day" hike is really a few hours of hiking, arriving at MP in late afternoon, spending the night at a lodging in the village of Aguas Calientes, and going back up to MP by shuttle bus the second day. The one real day of walking runs mostly on the same route as the last day of the four-day hike. That's the easiest of the four days. It doesn't have quite the stunning scenery of the first three days, but it's a very nice excursion. I think I'd choose two days over four days if I were going in December, when there is a very good possibility of rain.

It doesnt sound like it is worth paying $1100 for the four of us to do the 2 day hike. We can still get on the first bus from Aguas Caliente to Machu Pichu. Is it at 5:30am or 6:30am?

We did the 2-day hike in August and while it was beautiful, I cannot imagine doing the 4 day, and with children. We saw a child who was on the 4 day hike and we honestly felt sorry for her, she did not appear to be having too good a time.

The hike is somewhat strenuous (we are both 30 and in shape) and I can only imagine that it is worse in the rainy season. In addition, there aren't really any guard rails and there is a potential to slip and fall so I would be wary about that. I remember seeing my husband's foot slip a couple of times and I was quite worried.

It is beautiful and the view when you arrive at MP is like no other but unless your children are used to hiking and the altitude, I would suggest the 2-day. Quite honestly, I would not take my children on the hike unless they were in their late teens.

Thanks for the advice. I think we are going to pass on the 2 day hike. If it is dangerous to hike, then I don't want me kids going on it.