- 7 Days & 6 Nigths
- Up to 12
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MACHU PICCHU ONE DAY TOUR
Journey to the World Wonder Along the Stunning Andean Railway Machu Picchu is one of the New 7 Wonders of the World, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, considered one of the most important energy centers in the world, and an iconic, world-renown…
Duration
Full Day Tour
Group Size
Up to 12
Distance
-
Difficulty
Easy
Departures
Daily departures
Ideal For
For Everyone
THE EXPERIENCE
MACHU PICCHU ONE DAY TOUR
MACHU PICCHU TOURS · Cusco, Peru
Journey to the World Wonder Along the Stunning Andean Railway
Machu Picchu is one of the New 7 Wonders of the World, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, considered one of the most important energy centers in the world, and an iconic, world-renowned tourist destination. It awaits to captivate you with its splendor! Are you short on time but don’t want to miss out on its mystical powers? What better way to enjoy the place than our one-day Machu Picchu tour by train?
To reach the site, you’ll cross the breathtaking Urubamba Valley until the Ollantaytambo train station. There, you’ll take the train to the town of Aguas Calientes and a bus to get to the Royal Inca City. You’ll explore all the most significant sectors with your guide before making your way back to Cusco.
Itinerary
Day-by-day information for this experience.
Day 01: Cusco | Ollantaytambo - Aguas Calientes – Machu Picchu
Epic Day Out to Machu Picchu
Your epic day begins very early with a pick-up from your accommodation and a drive to Ollantaytambo. Here, you’ll board the train to Aguas Calientes, which will take you through the stunning Andean mountainous landscape and mysterious Amazonian cloud forest. During the trip, you’ll see several glaciers and snowy peaks, as well as fertile green fields and Inca agricultural platforms on both sides of the valley.
Upon arrival in Aguas Calientes, you’ll board a bus that’ll take you straight to the entrance of the Historic Sanctuary of Machu Picchu. You’ll have an approximately two-hour guided tour, where you will receive detailed information about the Citadel’s history and culture. Your guide will take you to the most important areas, allowing you to connect with nature and recharge your energies in this magnificent, sacred place. You’ll be astounded by the amazing architecture and how innovative the Incas were for their time.
After the tour, you’ll be able to climb Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu Mountains if you booked your tickets in advance (not included in the tour). You’ll return to Aguas Calientes in the afternoon, where you can hunt for a good spot to lunch or explore the town before heading to the train station.
In Aguas Calientes, you’ll board the train to Ollantaytambo and then travel to Cusco in our private transport. We’ll drop you off at the door of your accommodation. Your arrival time will depend on your scheduled train ticket.
DAY FACTS
- DIFFICULTY: Easy
- ACTIVITY DURATION: 2-3 hours exploring Machu Picchu
- MACHU PICCHU CITADEL ELEVATION: 2,430 m / 7,972 ft
- OPTIONAL MOUNTAINS: Moderate to Challenging
- MACHU PICCHU MOUNTAIN ELEVATION: 3,000 m / 9,843 ft (3-4 hours)
- HUAYNA PICCHU MOUNTAIN ELEVATION: 2,720 m / 8,924 ft (2 hours)
- HUCHUY PICCHU MOUNTAIN ELEVATION: 2,497 m / 8,192 ft (1.5 hours)
Inclusions
Services included and excluded from the trip.
WHAT IS INCLUDED
Permits & Entrance Tickets
Machu Picchu Circuit 2 offers the most complete and popular route through the citadel, making it the most requested. Although included in this experience, availability is limited, so we strongly recommend booking at least three months in advance.
If Circuit 2 is unavailable, we will arrange Circuit 3-B, which explores the lower area of the citadel, including the urban sector and key ceremonial sites. If this is also sold out, Circuit 1-B will be arranged, covering mainly the upper panoramic area with the iconic postcard viewpoint.
High Quality Service & Safety
Pre-departure Briefing
Experienced Tour Guide
Our official tour guides speak English and Spanish and are professionally trained and certified. We choose them for their experience, responsibility, unbridled passion for exploring, and pride in sharing our culture and history. In every experience, they will keep you safe and comfortable so you can enjoy your time worry-free!
Medical Kit or First AID Kit
All Salkantay Trekking guides have specialized first aid training and attend mandatory training sessions every February. Your guide will always carry a first aid kit and oxygen to handle basic emergencies (altitude sickness, diarrhea, cuts, scrapes, etc.). If needed, we will evacuate you from the trail as quickly as possible and ensure you arrive at a clinic for treatment.
24/7 Customer Service
We have telephone service available 24 hours/day for ease of communication with Salkantay Trekking leading up to your tour.
Transportation
Transport
- Pickup from your hotel and transfer to Ollantaytambo train station
- Transport from Ollantaytambo train station to your hotel in Cusco
Train Tickets
- From Ollantaytambo to Aguas Calientes
- From Aguas Calientes to Ollantaytambo
Round-Trip Bus Ticket from Aguas Calientes to Machu Picchu
WHAT IS NOT INCLUDED?
Meals in Cusco and Aguas Calientes
Travel Insurance
Tips for our staff
Tipping is usual on any excursion to Peru. Although we pay good salaries to our team, something extra is always welcome.
Additional costs or delays beyond our control
Landslides, bad weather conditions, itinerary modifications due to a safety concern, illness, pandemic, government policy changes, political instability, strikes, acts of God, etc.
Before You Go
Practical information to help you prepare for the journey.
We want to make your trip to Peru as memorable and carefree as possible. In this section, you’ll find the answers to all your questions about traveling with Salkantay Trekking. Please read the following information carefully – it will also help you with any questions about our services.
Briefing or Informative Meeting
“The evening before your trip, our staff will contact you to provide full instructions on the tour (between 6 to 8 p.m., by phone call and Whatsapp). Please make sure you are available at that time. If not, please contact us by email or phone to schedule a different time or visit the Salkantay Trekking Office.”
Tour Balance Payment
The tour has to be paid in full at most 2 days before your departure. Otherwise, your reservation will not be confirmed.
It would be greatly appreciated if you pay the tour balance (US dollars or Peruvian soles) at our office in Cusco. You can withdraw money from several ATMs located in the historical center. We also accept payments by CARD or PAYPAL online, but please note this is subject to a 5% fee (charged by Niubiz and PayPal). We do not accept bank checks or traveler’s checks as payment methods.
Can I store my luggage at your office?
Of course! During the trip, you can store your main luggage for free at our office (arrange it with us on the briefing day or by email).
You can also safely keep any equipment you won’t need for the tour in your hotel. Almost every hotel offers this service. Please do not leave valuable items in your bags; put them in the hotel safe and ask for an itemized receipt (in the unlikely case of theft, many insurance companies require that you have a copy of the receipt). For extra peace of mind, place items like credit cards inside a sealed and signed envelope.
Pick up of guests
Please note:
- All pickups are within Cusco City, but we recommend booking a hotel in the historic center for its convenient location.
- Our guide or staff will confirm the pickup time the day before the tour.
- Due to traffic conditions, the pickup time may vary between 30 and 45 minutes.
- Cusco is an old city and has many narrow cobbled streets. Some hotels and Airbnbs are located on streets without car access or on long, steep slopes, making it difficult to transport luggage. For such reasons, we strongly advise you to book accommodation with good access.
Return to Cusco
Returning from Machu Picchu requires quite a bit of logistics, but don’t worry. Everything is included in your tour!
- In Machu Picchu, you’ll board a bus that’ll take you for 25 minutes to the small city of Aguas Calientes. The buses are boarded according to arrival.
- In Aguas Calientes, you’ll board a train to Ollantaytambo (or Poroy). Your guide will give you the train tickets where the boarding time will be shown. Make sure you’re on the platform 30 minutes early. The train from Aguas Calientes to Ollantaytambo takes 1:45 hours.
- Once you arrive at the station, our representative, identified with the Salkantay Trekking clothing, will be waiting to transfer you to Cusco or directly to your hotel. The trip from Ollantaytambo to Cusco takes 1:30 hours.
- In Cusco, depending on your hotel’s location, we’ll take you to a smaller car from our company (Hyundai H1) to transfer you faster to your hotel.
Group Tours
Group tours are made up of different people with varying physical conditions and ages. By agreeing to be part of a group tour, you acknowledge that some people may be faster or slower than you. Therefore, each person can go at their own pace on the route.
In some cases, a group may want to modify the tour; however, the guide will be the one who decides, after consulting with all participants, whether such changes are possible.
Strikes and demonstrations
“Strikes and demonstrations are usually common in Peru, which may interrupt some of our tours. Roads and train tracks can be blocked or taken over. However, we will try to keep your trip as originally planned, even if it means leaving the night before the scheduled date.
In case of changes or cancellations, our operations department will coordinate everything with you. Your safety is our highest priority, and we will make our decisions to protect it.”
Lost objects
Please pay attention to where you leave your belongings and remember to take everything once you leave a place or a transport. You’re the only one responsible for your objects during the tour.
Packing List
Recommended items for a comfortable and well-prepared trip.
- Valid Passport
- Extra money (recommended soles)
- Personal medication
- Water bottle or CamelBak – (optional water purifying pills)aa
- Sunblock: factor 70 or more
- Insect repellent
- Light footwear or sandals
- Trekking pants (*)
- Trekking socks
- Shorts
- Waterproof gaiter
- Long sleeve t-shirts
- Warm jacket
- Waterproof jacket
- Raincoat or rain poncho
- Sun hat to protect neck and face
- Neck gaiter or buff
- Sunglasses with UV protection
- Medium trekking backpack (15 - 25 liter)
- Camera and charger
- Power bank
Pricing
Rates and important commercial information for this tour.
Starting From
US$ 380
per person
Frequently Asked Questions
General travel information for Inja Expeditions guests.
Booking with Inja Expeditions is simple. First, choose the tour or trekking experience you are interested in and send us your travel details, preferred date and number of passengers. Our team will confirm availability and provide the corresponding booking instructions. Once the required deposit or payment has been received, we will send you a confirmation with the details of your reservation. We recommend checking all passenger information carefully after receiving your confirmation.
For multi-day treks, the briefing allows you to meet your guide and review the most important details before departure. We will explain the itinerary, weather conditions, recommended equipment, pickup time, luggage arrangements and any specific considerations for your route. It is also a good opportunity to ask last-minute questions and make sure you are fully prepared for the experience.
For selected multi-day programs, luggage storage can be coordinated before departure. Travelers normally take only the items required for the trek and leave their main luggage securely stored until they return. Please confirm this service with our team before your departure, as arrangements may vary depending on the itinerary.
Water arrangements depend on the specific itinerary. For many multi-day treks, travelers should begin the first day with their own drinking water and additional safe water is provided or made available during the route. Your trip briefing will explain exactly how water is managed on your chosen trek. We strongly recommend carrying a reusable water bottle or hydration system.
Yes. We recommend carrying some Peruvian soles in cash, especially on trekking routes and in remote areas where cards may not be accepted. You may need cash for snacks, drinks, optional activities, local services, hot springs, tips or unexpected transportation. The amount you need will depend on the length and type of your trip.
Tips are completely optional and should reflect your satisfaction with the service you receive. If you feel your guide, cook, muleteers or support team provided excellent service, a gratuity is always appreciated. There is no mandatory amount, and our team can provide general guidance during the pre-trip briefing if you wish.
Group size depends on the tour, season and number of confirmed travelers. Inja Expeditions aims to keep groups comfortable so guides can provide personal attention and travelers can enjoy the experience without feeling part of an excessively large group. The expected group size can be confirmed before you book.
For trekking programs, you should carry a small daypack with the personal items you need during the day, such as water, sunscreen, rain protection, a warm layer, camera and snacks. Depending on the trek, Inja Expeditions may also provide or coordinate a duffel bag for additional belongings transported by the support team. Weight limits vary by route and will be explained before departure.
Electricity and internet access vary considerably between routes and campsites. Some accommodations or camps may offer charging points and limited Wi-Fi, sometimes for an additional fee, while remote sections may have no connectivity at all. We recommend bringing a fully charged power bank and downloading any important information before leaving Cusco.
A group tour allows you to share the experience with other travelers who have booked the same departure, making it a social and generally more economical option. A private tour is reserved exclusively for you and your companions, allowing greater flexibility with pace, attention from the guide and certain logistical details. Private tours are especially suitable for couples, families and groups of friends looking for a more personalized experience.
Bathroom and shower facilities depend on the route and the type of accommodation used each night. Some campsites provide basic bathroom facilities, while certain locations may offer hot showers for an additional local fee. On routes that include a hotel night, standard bathroom and shower facilities will normally be available. Please review your specific itinerary for exact details.
On certain trekking routes, especially Salkantay and Ausangate, horses may be available for assistance on specific sections of the trail. Availability depends on location, weather and local operators, so this service cannot always be guaranteed at every point of the trek. If you are concerned about your fitness or altitude, please let us know before departure so we can explain the available options.
Why you'll love it
Tour Highlights
Journey on one of the most beautiful railways in the world as you stare out the window at incredible landscapes in the middle of the Andes.
Enjoy your trip in pure comfort, knowing that every last detail is taken care of.
Explore Machu Picchu and discover its amazing secrets.
Feel your energy spike as you visit the most significant parts of the site with your knowledgeable guide.
Spend time in the World Wonder and Heritage Site before heading back to Cusco.
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