Cusco-Sacred Valley-Machu Picchu-Cusco (EA12)

Cusco – Sacred Valley – Ollantaytambo – Machu Picchu

Duration

4 Days / 3 Nights

Tour Details

This adventure highlights the Inca Empire through Cusco, the Sacred Valley, Ollantaytambo, and Machu Picchu, with opportunities to shop for local products and souvenirs while exploring some of Peru’s most important archaeological and cultural treasures.

Included / Not Included

Cost Includes

Airport and station transfers
Professional guide
Entrance fees
Lunch (1)
Round-trip train in Expedition service
Guided tours in Cusco, Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu

Cost Does Not Include

Accommodation (3 nights)
Meals except lunch on Day 2
Tips
Personal expenses

Trip Information

Season

Available throughout the year

Destination

Cusco - Sacred Valley - Ollantaytambo - Machu Picchu

Experience

Archaeology, Culture and Scenic Rail Journey

Train

Round-trip Expedition Service

Itinerary

Expand All

Cusco

Upon arrival in the ancient Inca capital, transfer to the hotel and welcome coca tea to help with acclimatization at 3,400 meters.

Cusco Walking Tour

In the afternoon, we take a walking tour of the main Plaza and nearby streets to get a sense of Cusco’s Inca layout, palaces, and surviving remains.

Sacred Valley of the Incas

After breakfast, we begin our excursion to the Sacred Valley of the Incas, known for its beautiful landscapes and mild climate. We descend to Pisaq (2,800 m) to visit its traditional market, where local people still wear elegant traditional dress and maintain ancient trading customs. We also visit the archaeological site.

Urubamba & Ollantaytambo

After lunch in Urubamba, we continue to Ollantaytambo, a former agricultural, military, and religious center with some of the finest Inca architecture and one of the best-preserved living Inca towns.

Chinchero

We then drive to Chinchero, surrounded by patchwork fields and views of the Chicón and Pitusiray snow peaks, before returning to Cusco. (L)

Cusco - Machu Picchu

Early transfer to the train station to begin our journey to Machu Picchu. From Ollantaytambo, we take the train for a 3-hour ride through picturesque Andean scenery, traditional villages, small rivers, and the Vilcanota River in the Sacred Valley of the Incas. The route then descends into a cloud forest valley with impressive views of the Urubamba Canyon, its rapids, and several small Inca sites.

Machu Picchu

On arrival in Aguas Calientes, below 2,000 m, we take a 20-minute bus ride up to the Machu Picchu citadel, perched 500 meters above the Urubamba River. Our guide will explain the history and myths of this archaeological wonder, set beside the granite peak of Huayna Picchu. The landscape features steep forested hills often wrapped in mist and views of the roaring Urubamba River below.

Return to Cusco

Later, we return by bus to Aguas Calientes and continue by train and bus to Cusco. Transfer to the hotel.

Cusco

Transfer to the airport or bus station, depending on your onward plans.