About this experience
Discover Machu Picchu, one of the New 7 Wonders of the World, on an unforgettable full-day tour from Cusco. Your journey begins with hotel pickup and a scenic train ride from Ollantaytambo to Aguas Calientes, offering breathtaking views of the Andes and the Sacred Valley. Upon arrival, our staff will assist you to board the bus up to the Inca citadel, with stunning panoramas of the Urubamba River canyon along the way. At the entrance, meet your expert local guide and explore the ancient paths, terraces, and impressive engineering of this UNESCO World Heritage Site. Learn about the history, symbolism, and legacy that make Machu Picchu one of the most awe-inspiring places on Earth. After the guided tour, enjoy free time in Aguas Calientes or choose an optional traditional Peruvian lunch. Return by train at the end of the day with unforgettable memories. Transport, guidance, and entry (depending on the option selected) are all taken care of.
At a glance
- Duration: 14 hr
Plan your experience
Set aside 14 hr for the experience itself, with additional time to reach your meeting or pickup point.
Compare the available options before choosing: their itinerary, inclusions and pickup arrangements can differ. Check the price for your date and whole group.
Before you go
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- To issue your Machu Picchu ticket, please send your full name (as it appears on your passport), document number, date of birth, and nationality as soon as possible. Once the ticket is issued, changes to personal information or the entry date are not allowed
Local guides to help you plan
Machu Picchu Day Trip From Cusco
A Machu Picchu day trip from Cusco is possible, but it requires advance entry tickets, carefully matched transport, and a very early start. Use this practical guide to choose a circuit, build a realistic schedule, compar
Machu Picchu Train From Cusco Guide
Plan the Machu Picchu train from Cusco with clear advice on bimodal routes, entry tickets, train classes, timings, baggage, and booking order.
Choosing the Right Train to Machu Picchu
PeruRail or IncaRail, Vistadome or Expedition, Ollantaytambo or Poroy. The trade-offs nobody explains until you're already at the station.
What is included
- Professional Tour Guide (English, Spanish and Portuguese)
- Round-trip train ticket from Ollantaytambo to Aguas Calientes
- 2.5-hour guided tour of Machu Picchu
- Admission to Machu Picchu(if option selected)
- Round-trip bus ticket from Agua Calientes to Machu Picchu
- Contemporary Peruvian lunch at Cafe Inkaterra Restaurant (only for the option "with lunch")
- Hotel pickup and drop-off from Cusco's historic city center to Ollantaytambo Station
- Access to Lima Tours' office in Aguas Calientes for support and information
Not included
- Other visits or items not specified in the itinerary
- Gratuities
Itinerary and highlights
Start with a pickup in a minivan or bus from your hotel in Cusco (starting at approximately 5:30 a.m.) and travel to Ollantaytambo station on a 1 hour and a half ride to board the train to Aguas Calientes. This train station is located in the town of Ollantaytambo, in the Sacred Valley of the Incas. Here you will board your train to the next train Station (Aguas Calientes). If you book in the Tourist category, you can travel on the Expedition or Voyager train and if you book in the Superior category, you can travel on the Vistadome or 360° train, depending on availability.
The train has ample seats with large windows allowing for grand views of the surrounding jungle and mountains
Known as Machu Picchu town, it is the closest town to the Machu Picchu National Park and the site of the last train station.
This town is pedestrian and after arriving you will cross the local Indian market where you can appreciate peruvian handicrafts. If you need to go to the bathrooms, recharge your cell phone, store your things and carry what you need, you can go to the Lima Tours office in Aguas Calientes and our staff will assist you.
Then, our guide will contact you and the other passengers, to take you to the bus station and board the bus that will take you to Machu Picchu in a 25-minute trip.
The "lost city of the Incas" is the reason why thousands of people arrive in Peru. Hidden among the vegetation, get closer to our past through its rooms, temples, bridges, and religious sites, built in communion with the surrounding landscape.
Take a 2.5-hour guided tour of the site which explains the origins behind this awe-inspiring citadel and its most prominent landmarks. Consider that to preserve the Historical Sanctuary of Machu Picchu, as well as its condition as World Heritage, the Ministry of Culture has established a maximum of 4 hours per person to stay in the Sanctuary. After the guided tour, you can stay on your own until completing the maximum time established or return to Aguas Calientes.
Depending on the time of entry of your ticket, you can have lunch before or after the tour. Our staff will inform you before the tour.
Meeting and pickup information
- Pick-up from hotels located at Cusco Historic Center.
Languages and tickets
- Portuguese — Guide
- English — Audio
- English — Guide
- Spanish — Audio
- Spanish — Guide
- Mobile Only
Tour operator
- LimaTours
Accessibility and practical details
- Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- To issue your Machu Picchu ticket, please send your full name (as it appears on your passport), document number, date of birth, and nationality as soon as possible. Once the ticket is issued, changes to personal information or the entry date are not allowed
- IMPORTANT: We recommend not booking other activities or return flights on the same day as the Machu Picchu tour, as it typically ends between 8:00 PM and 10:00 PM.
- For conservation purposes, the Ministry of Culture has established fixed circuits to visit Machu Picchu. You may be assigned Circuit 2 or 3, depending on availability.
- Upon confirmation, please advise us of your arrival date in Cusco and the name and address of your accommodation to organize your pickup
- The guided tour lasts about 2 hours and a half accompanied by a guide.
- Lima Tours offers tourist support at their local office in Aguas Calientes: customers may use the restrooms and use lockers for keeping volumes while taking the tour
- Rates do not apply to Peruvians or residents over 60 days; sales tax may be added.
- For your return to the city of Cusco, please note that the waiting time at Ollantaytambo station is up to 30 minutes from the arrival of your train, before departing to Cusco.
- Hotel pickup times are between 4:00 AM and 8:00 AM. The exact time will be confirmed a day before.
Cancellation policy
All sales are final. No refund is available for cancellations.
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