English and Spanish-speaking guide
Group tour
This tour is non-refundable
Pickup included
Check the Dates
Experience the natural beauty of the Peruvian Andes on this well-organized 1-day tour to Machu Picchu from Cusco featuring panoramic train views. This personalized trip includes early morning hotel pickup, a guided tour of the majestic citadel, and all necessary transportation logistics. You will explore Circuit 1, 2, or 3 with an expert guide, ensuring you witness the most impressive architecture of this majestic site.
Highlights:
- Enjoy an early morning pickup and transfer from Cusco to the Ollantaytambo train station.
- Board a comfortable tourist train for a scenic 2-hour journey to Aguas Calientes.
- Ascend to the sanctuary by bus for an in-depth, 2-hour guided tour of the citadel.
- Learn fascinating insights into the history and architecture of this New Wonder of the World.
- Return to Cusco in the evening with a transfer directly back to your hotel.
- This all-inclusive tour covers all hotel transfers, train tickets, bus fares, and entrance fees.
About this tour:
This private 1-day Machu Picchu tour from Cusco is a comprehensive, 12-hour excursion designed for travelers who want to experience the majesty of the Inca citadel in a single, well-organized day. By utilizing a combination of private road transport and a tourist train, this tour maximizes your time at the sanctuary while providing a comfortable and scenic journey through the Sacred Valley.
Your adventure begins with an early morning pickup from your Cusco hotel at approximately 4:00 AM. You will be transferred by private car to the Ollantaytambo train station, a scenic drive of about 1 hour and 40 minutes. Upon arrival, you will board a comfortable tourist train for a 2-hour journey to Aguas Calientes, known as the Machu Picchu town. This rail trip is a highlight in itself, featuring panoramic windows that allow you to admire the dramatic Andean peaks, rushing rivers, and lush cloud forest flora and fauna along the Urubamba River.
In Aguas Calientes, you will be met by staff and directed to the bus station for a short, 30-minute zigzagging ride up the mountain to the main entrance of Machu Picchu. Your professional bilingual guide will then lead you on a 2-hour in-depth tour of the citadel. Depending on availability, you will explore Circuit 1, 2, or 3, visiting iconic landmarks such as the Temple of the Sun, the Main Square, and the agricultural terraces. Throughout the tour, your guide will share fascinating insights into the history, architecture, and spiritual significance of this New Wonder of the World.
After the guided visit, you will take the bus back down to Aguas Calientes, where you have free time to enjoy lunch at a local restaurant or explore the town’s artisanal markets. In the afternoon, you will board the return train to Ollantaytambo, followed by a transfer back to your hotel in Cusco. This all-inclusive package covers all necessary transportation, including hotel transfers, round-trip train and bus tickets, and the official entrance fee to the sanctuary.
Included:
- Transportation: Hotel pickup and drop-off in Cusco. Tourist transportation to Ollantaytambo station. Roundtrip train tickets (Ollantaytambo-Aguas Calientes). Roundtrip bus tickets (Aguas Calientes-Machu Picchu Sanctuary).
- Guiding: Professional bilingual tour guide for the Machu Picchu Sanctuary.
- Tickets: Official entrance ticket to the Sanctuary of Machu Picchu.
Essential Information:
- Exclusions: Meals and drinks (breakfast, lunch, and dinner) are NOT included. Personal expenses, snacks, and tips are excluded.
- Pickup: Please wait in your hotel’s lobby 5 minutes before the scheduled pickup time. Your driver will call you at the reception.
- Not Allowed: Baby strollers/carriages, drones, selfie sticks, walking sticks, and alcohol/drugs.
- Important Requirements: You must provide a passport copy for each traveler immediately after booking to secure tickets.
- Recommendations: Bring your original passport/ID, sunscreen, insect repellent, comfortable clothes, and cash for meals.
Activity provider: Libertrek Peru Travel Agency
Frequently Asked Questions
What does this 1-day Machu Picchu tour from Cusco include?
This comprehensive Cusco to Machu Picchu 1-day tour is designed for maximum efficiency, covering all the complex logistics required to visit the citadel in a single day. The package includes round-trip transportation from your Cusco hotel to the train station, as well as tourist train tickets and the bus transfers between Aguas Calientes and the sanctuary. You will also receive an official entrance ticket to the Machu Picchu Sanctuary and the services of a professional bilingual guide for a two-hour in-depth tour.
What is not covered by the tour price?
It is important to note that all meals and drinks—including breakfast, lunch, and dinner—are not included in the package price. You should also account for personal expenses, snacks, and tips for your guide and driver, which are excluded. Additionally, any optional activities such as a visit to the thermal baths in Aguas Calientes are at your own expense.
What should I bring for this Cusco to Machu Picchu 1-day tour?
You must bring your original passport or ID card, as it is mandatory to present this alongside your entrance ticket at the sanctuary gate. For your comfort, we recommend bringing sunscreen, insect repellent, sunglasses, and a camera to capture the spectacular views. Since meals are not included, you should also carry enough cash for lunch in Aguas Calientes and any additional snacks or water you may need.
What is not allowed on this tour?
To preserve the archaeological site and ensure the safety of all visitors, several items are strictly prohibited inside the sanctuary. You are not allowed to bring drones, selfie sticks, baby strollers, or walking sticks (unless medically necessary). Additionally, alcohol, drugs, and baby carriages are not permitted within the archaeological complex or during transportation.
What should I know before I join this tour?
The most critical thing to know is that this activity is non-refundable and dates cannot be changed once booked, so you must be certain of your travel plans. You are required to send a copy of your passport for every traveler immediately after booking so the operator can secure your specific entry circuit. Please be aware that the specific circuit you visit (1, 2, or 3) depends on government availability at the time of your reservation.
What will I experience during this 1-day tour to Machu Picchu from Cusco?
Your day begins with a pre-dawn departure from Cusco, transitioning from a private car journey into a scenic rail adventure through the Sacred Valley. From the comfort of a tourist train with panoramic windows, you will witness the landscape transform as the rugged Andean peaks give way to the lush, high-altitude cloud forest and the rushing Urubamba River. Upon arriving in the vibrant town of Aguas Calientes, you will ascend the mountain by bus to reach the gates of the world-famous “Lost City of the Incas.”
Inside the sanctuary, you will experience an in-depth exploration of the citadel’s most significant architectural and spiritual landmarks with an expert guide. Depending on the available circuit, you will walk through ancient plazas, visit the Temple of the Sun, and admire the masterful agricultural terracing that clings to the mountain slopes. This 1-day Machu Picchu tour from Cusco is a sensory immersion into Incan history, offering breathtaking vistas and a profound connection to one of the New Wonders of the World.