About this experience
Explore the Incan citadel of Machu Picchu on this small-group tour from Cusco, which allows you to leave all of the logistics to the experts. All of your transfers, including hotel pickup and train tickets from Ollantaytambo to Aguas Calientes, are included and you will explore the UNESCO-listed Machu Picchu in the company of a guide who will reveal its secrets.
At a glance
- Duration: 13 hr–14 hr
Plan your experience
Set aside 13 hr–14 hr for the experience itself, with additional time to reach your meeting or pickup point.
Before you go
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
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
- Round-trip bus ticket between Aguas Calientes and Machu Picchu
- Guided visit of Machu Picchu
- Round-trip train ticket (Voyager or Expedition)
- Entrance ticket to Machu Picchu
- Round-trip transfer from Cusco to Ollantaytambo train station
Not included
- Breakfast
- Lunch
Itinerary and highlights
We will pick you up from your hotel in Cusco at 6:30 a.m. and take you in our private transport to Ollantaytambo, a drive of about two hours.
Upon arrival in Ollantaytambo, we will go to the train station to board the train to Aguas Calientes, the town from which you access Machu Picchu.
The train ride from Ollantaytambo to Aguas Calientes takes about one and a half hours.
Upon arrival in Aguas Calientes at approximately 10:00 a.m., our accredited guide will take you to the bus station, where you will board the bus to the citadel of Machu Picchu.
The bus ride takes around thirty minutes, and you will arrive at the entrance to Machu Picchu at about 11:00 a.m.
Upon arrival at Machu Picchu you will pass a control so we recommend you bring your original passport. After passing the control, our accredited guide will take you on a tour of the citadel of Machu Picchu. You will visit the agricultural area where you can see farming terraces or Andenes, which are structures made up of stone walls of different sizes. In the urban area, you will visit the sectors of Hurin or Sacred Space and Hanan or Residential Space. In the Sacred Sector, the Cover Group, the Temple of the Sun, the Royal Mausoleum, the Royal Residence, the Temple of the Three Windows, the Main Temple and the Intihuatana group stand out, which occupies the highest place in the Sacred Space. In the Residential Sector you will see various groups, such as the Condor Sector, Los Espejos de Agua (Los Morteros), Las Tres Portadas, Grupo Alto and Roca Sagrada. After visiting all these places you will take the bus back to Aguas Calientes. The trip takes around thirty minutes.
You will arrive in Aguas Calientes at approximately 1:00 p.m. and have free time to have lunch, relax in the thermal baths, or explore the town. You will have approximately three hours of free time.
After this, you will return to the train station to board the 6:20 p.m. train.
After a train ride of about one and a half hours, you will arrive in Ollantaytambo at around 8:00 p.m.
Upon arrival in Ollantaytambo, our private transport will be waiting to take you back to Cusco, where you will arrive at approximately 9:30 p.m.
Meeting and pickup information
- Our collaborators will come personally to your hotels with a previous call within 10 minutes.
Languages and tickets
- Portuguese — Guide
- English — Guide
- Spanish — Guide
- Mobile Only
Tour operator
- Viajes Speedy Tour Operator
Accessibility and practical details
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- The 2 hours and 30 minutes duration that remains will be allocated for walks, leisure time in Machupicchu town, and waiting for the train service.
Cancellation policy
All sales are final. No refund is available for cancellations.
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