About this experience
Explore Machu Picchu without hassles! Come to Peru and experience the incredible marvels of Machu Picchu in just one day! On our private, all-inclusive Machu Picchu One Day Tour you’ll visit the breathtaking Incan Citadel of Machu Picchu with round-trip tickets from Cusco on the incredible Expedition train. The trip lasts 16 to 18 hours. You start out in Cusco at 3:50am and you'll arrive back in Cusco around 9:00pm. Pre-booking this tour ensures that you’ll have a ticket for this UNESCO World Heritage Site where daily visitor numbers are capped. You’ll explore the sprawling site on a private guided tour. We recommend that you book your Machu Picchu Day Trip Tour at least two weeks in advance and three weeks in advance during high season. This tours includes all of your entry tickets and one a la carte lunch at the exclusive Cafe Inkaterra Restaurant in Aguas Calientes.
At a glance
- Duration: 16 hr–18 hr
- Private experience
Plan your experience
Set aside 16 hr–18 hr for the experience itself, with additional time to reach your meeting or pickup point.
Before you go
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
- Each traveler is allowed a maximum of 1 carry-on bag.
- Passport name, number, expiry and country is required at time of booking for all participants
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
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
- Private tour
- Bottled water
- All taxes, fees and handling charges
- Driver/guide
- Lunch
Not included
- Gratuities
Itinerary and highlights
Our team will pick you up early in the morning and take you to the Ollantaytambo train station or the Poroy train station. The travel time overland takes 40 minutes to Poroy and the travel time overland to Ollantaytambo takes 2 hours.
From Ollantaytambo you will ride the Expedition train that will take you along the banks of the sacred Vilcanota River to the Sanctuary of Machu Picchu. The travel time by railroad is two hours. When you arrive at Aguas Calientes our team will be waiting there to welcome you and to take you to the bus station where you will catch the bus up to the citadel of Machu Picchu. The average time that it takes to wait for the bus and to ride up to Machu Picchu is about 1 hour.
Once you arrive at Machu Picchu you will be given a 3-hour private guided tour. You will explore the most important places in the Sanctuary of Machu Picchu. First you will visit the House of the Guardian. From there you can see Machu Picchu in all its splendor. You might as well take advantage of this opportunity to snap some amazing photos. You’ll continue on to the incredible Temple of the Sun, the Temple of the High Priest, the Sacred Plaza, and the Ushnu. After your guided tour you will go back to Aguas Calientes by bus.
When you arrive at Aguas Calientes in the afternoon you will have a delicious lunch at the famous Cafe Inkaterra, which is located in the exclusive Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel by Inkaterra.
After lunch you will go to the train station and there you will board the train back to Ollantaytambo. The train ride takes 2 hours to Ollantaytambo or three hours to the Poroy train station. At whichever station is your destination, our team will be waiting for you and will drive you back to your hotel in Cusco.
From the Ollantaytambo train station our team will drive you back to your hotel in Cusco. The overland trip from Ollantaytambo to Cusco takes approximately 3 hours and from the Poroy train station the ride takes approximately 1 hour.
Meeting and pickup information
- At the indicated time, our uniformed team will be in the Plaza of Cusco with their respective official photo ID from the agency. You will be able to see a banner with the name of our agency on it. That way you can easily recognize us. Here you will also be identified by your first and last name.
- Our team will be at the reception of your hotel at the agreed time. We strongly suggest that you also be at the hotel reception desk at the agreed upon time. You will be identified by your first and last name. At the same time, our uniformed team will present to you their respective official photo ID from our travel agency.
Languages and tickets
- English — Guide
- Spanish — Guide
- Mobile Only
Tour operator
- TRAVEL 1 TOURS
Accessibility and practical details
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
- Children must be accompanied by an adult
- Vegetarian option is available, please advise at time of booking if required
- A minimum of 2 people per booking is required
- Seats are assigned by the theater box office and will not be known in advance of the performance date
- Each traveler is allowed a maximum of 1 carry-on bag.
- Passport name, number, expiry and country is required at time of booking for all participants
- A current valid passport is required on the day of travel
- You will have available seats on the van from Cusco to Ollantaytambo for your baby, but not on the train from Ollantaytambo to Machu Picchu and back.
Cancellation policy
All sales are final. No refund is available for cancellations.
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