Machu Picchu Day Trip

Machu Picchu Day Trip

Having picked you up from your hotel we'll make our way to the train station, from where we'll make our way to Machu Picchu.

This train journey is sure to be one of the biggest surprises you'll encounter in Peru: the 112 kilometres and 3.5 hours fly by, as the glass-roofed train cuts a swathe through the unforgettable landscapes of rural Peru. Green topped mountains, babbling brooks, and perhaps the occasional llama!

Once we arrive in Aguas Calientes, we'll take a 25 to 30-minute bus journey to the highest point on the mountain, where the Machu Picchu citadel can be found. Your first glimpse of this ancient Inca settlement are sure to stay with you forever.

In Machu Picchu, we'll take a guided tour lasting 2 hours 30 minutes so you can immerse yourself in the history, legends and secrets of the Inca citadel. We'll tour the narrow streets of the settlement, and take you back in time to the glory of the Incan empire.

With your camera full of photos, we'll take the bus back down to the village of Aguas Calientes. Here, you'll have between 2 and 5 hours of free time to have lunch and continue admiring the scenery before taking the train back up. The amount of free time you have will be dependent on the Machu Picchu operating hours and return train times on the day of our tour.

Then once back in the capital, we'll take you back to your hotel by bus.

Panoramic Train

The excursion takes place on panoramic trains with enormous windows and a glass roof. Travelling on these trains makes you feel almost as though you're flying. You have the option to travel in economy class (Expedition or Voyager train) or first class (Vistadome The 360º train).

Pickup

Pickup is between 4 am and 6 am from hotels in the historic center of Cusco. In case your accommodation is not in the center, we'll meet you at the door of the Cathedral, in Plaza de Armas.

We'll confirm the exact pick-up time, as it varies according to the availability of the trains.

Departure stations and duration

Trains to and from Cusco can operate from either Poroy station (30 minutes from Cusco) or Ollantaytambo station (1 hour and 30 minutes from Cusco), depending on availability. During the rainy season (December to March) the Poroy station is closed, so we'll go to Ollantaytambo by bus. We'll send you an email once the booking is confirmed that includes the exact hotel pickup time and the station from which you'll take the train. 

The duration of the transfers will vary depending on the boarding station. The journey between Poroy and Aguas Calientes takes around 4 hours, and the journey between Ollantaytambo and Aguas Calientes takes 1 hour and 30 minutes.

Important to note

Please note that if the activity is canceled due to strikes or in the event of unfavorable weather conditions, you'll be offered an alternative date for the tour. If it can't be rescheduled, you'll be refunded the full amount of the activity, except for the entrance fee to Machu Picchu (approx. S/ 200 (US$ 52.60)), which is non-refundable.

Occasionally, due to high demand, tickets to Machu Picchu may be sold out. In this case, we would offer you an alternative route. Using the following links, you can consult the map of the regular route and the alternative route that we would follow in the event of not finding availability:

Regular routes

• Regular route 2-A
• Regular route 2-B

Alternative routes

• Alternative route 3-B
• Alternative route 3-C 
• Alternative route 3-D
   

If the alternative routes are full, the local tour operator will offer remaining options (routes with views), which will cost an additional amount of US$ 70 (1 person) and US$ 35 (for 2 people).