Shared Group
Shared Group
Shared Group

Machu Picchu Full Day Tour

Duration
Duration
Full Day
Tour type
Tour type
Shared Group
Difficulty
Difficulty
Easy to Moderate
Max altitude
Max altitude
2,430 m / 7,970 ft
Language
Language
English / Spanish

This full-day tour to Machu Picchu from Cusco allows you to visit the Inca city and return to Cusco the same day. The tour begins with a transfer from your hotel to the Ollantaytambo train station, followed by a train ride to Aguas Calientes and a bus ride to Machu Picchu. Once you arrive at one of the wonders of the world, you’ll take a guided tour following the designated route and schedule, depending on ticket availability. Finally, you’ll return to Aguas Calientes to catch the train and continue by road back to Cusco. This option is designed for travelers who don’t have much time and want to visit Machu Picchu without spending the night away from Cusco.

Overview

You can visit Machu Picchu from Cusco in a single day, provided that transportation and admission schedules are coordinated in advance. This tour includes all the main necessary transfers: pickup from Cusco, transportation to Ollantaytambo, train to Aguas Calientes, buses to and from the site, admission to Machu Picchu, a guide, and return to Cusco.

The tour inside Machu Picchu follows the route assigned at the time of booking. Currently, this wonder is organized into three circuits comprising ten official routes, so the areas included and the itinerary may vary depending on ticket availability.

This full-day tour is especially suitable for travelers who are already in Cusco and have one day to visit Machu Picchu without staying overnight in Aguas Calientes.

Tour Highlights

  • Round-trip journey from Cusco to Machu Picchu in a single day.
  • Transfer from Cusco to the train station in Ollantaytambo.
  • Scenic train ride to Aguas Calientes.
  • Shuttle bus between Aguas Calientes and Machu Picchu.
  • Guided tour inside Machu Picchu according to the assigned route and schedule.
  • Return to Cusco the same day, without needing to spend the night in Aguas Calientes.
  • Important: The tour itinerary and entry time for Machu Picchu are assigned based on ticket availability and current regulations. Train schedules may vary depending on the confirmed service.
Itinerary

Day 1: Machu Picchu full day – 2:30hr tour

This day, in the morning at the agreed time, we will pick you up from your hotel to go to the Ollantaytambo train station (a journey of almost 02 hours), once there, we will board the train in order to go to Aguas Caliente. After, we will arrive to the Aguas Calientes train station, where our tour guide will be waiting for you with a sign with your name to head to the bus station for the 30 minute journey up to Machu Picchu. We will zigzag up 400m of road to arrive at the “Historical Sanctuary of Machu Picchu” also known as “The lost city of The Incas”. On arrival at the citadel with your guide, we will queue at the entrance to Machu Picchu and we will begin our tour of this mind-blowing, archaeological site. For two and a half hours, we will visit the principal sites inside the site such as the Plaza Mayor, The temple of the Sun, The Sacred Sun dial (Intiwatana) the royal quarters, The Temple of the Three Windows, The Temple of the Condor, as well as other important sites inside the citadel of Machu Picchu.

After the guided tour, you will be allowed time to take photos, before we return to the town of Aguas Calientes. You will be able to have lunch in one of the many restaurants (lunch is not included), after which we will board the train on our return journey to Ollantaytambo (Depending on the departure time of the train) and we will return along the same road as we arrived, to get to the city of Cusco. In Ollantaytambo, the representative of the train will transport to the bus to take you on the final leg of the journey back to Cusco. Finally we will drop you off in your hotel.

IMPORTANT

From the 1st of January 2019, the rules changed with regards to the Machu Picchu. The visit to the archaeological site will all be in one direction, which means that once you have passed by a certain site, you are not allowed to return. There is no re-entrance to the site, if we leave the site for any reason, we are not allowed to re-enter. The only exception to this new rule is, if you have an entrance ticket to either Machu Picchu Mountain or Huayna Picchu mountain. Also, if you wish to climb one of these mountains, the guided tour of the main citadel will be reduced to coincide with the mountain entrance time. In the case of Machu Picchu Mountain, your guided tour will be for one hour to allow time for you to climb the mountain; In the case of Huayna Pichu, the tour of the main citadel will be for 2 hours approximately.

IMPORTANT ADVICE

After a hearty breakfast and the recommended coca tea before you go to Machu Picchu, we recommend that you leave your luggage/suitcases at the storage of the hotel in Cusco and only carry a daypack to take water, (please remember that Machu Picchu is a plastic free zone so plastic water bottles will be confiscated on entry). Passport, cash, entrance ticket, sunhat sunscreen and insect repellent. We should also take into account that there is usually a queue for the shuttle bus, to and from Machu Picchu. There is also usually a queue for the train back to Ollantaytambo also, so we will need to allow plenty of time in each case. Your guide will be there to orientate you in the best possible manner.

  • Overnight: Hotel in Cusco (not included)
  • Meals: none
Included

What's Included

  • Transfer Hotel – Ollantaytambo train Station - Hotel
  • Tourist train from Ollantaytambo – Aguas Calientes
  • Bus – Aguas Calientes - Machu Picchu Archaeological Site – Aguas Calientes (2 ways)
  • Entrance ticket to Machu Picchu
  • Professional, english guide
  • Guided tour of Machu Picchu
  • Tourist train from Aguas Calientes – Ollantaytambo
  • Transfer from Ollantaytambo to hotel in Cusco
  • 24/7 Assistance

Not Included

  • Drinks except those mentioned in the itinerary
  • Meals except those mentioned in the itinerary
  • Snacks
  • Phone calls
  • Tips / gratuities
  • Travel insurance

Optional Services

  • Return Train VISTADOME/360° with panoramic views, typical dance show (Aguas Calientes - Ollantaytambo) - Upgrade service: USD 65,00 per person
What to Bring
  • Passport with at least 6 months validity
  • Light daypack
  • Refillable water bottle
  • Toilet paper
  • Sunscreen
  • Repellent
  • Sunglasses
  • Clothing for hot and cold weather conditions
  • Walking shoes/boots
  • Camera
  • Extra memory stick and additional batteries
  • Personal medications (for headaches, anti-inflammatory´s etc).
  • Extra Cash in soles and small denominations if possible.
  • Sunhat
  • Rain gear or poncho
Prices
ServiceTravelersPrices
GroupFrom 2 person$387, price per person
FAQ's

If the tour is cancelled due to weather conditions, do I get my money back?

No. Tour cancellations due to bad weather conditions are non-refundable, as these are factors beyond our control.

If my tour is cancelled, is the entrance fee to Machu Picchu refundable?

According to the latest updates from the Direccion desconcentrada de Cultura de Cusco, all entrance tickets to Machu Picchu are for personal use. Therefore, tickets purchased for Machu Picchu are not reprogrammable, nor transferable to another date and/or person, nor are refundable.

For the train trip to Machu Picchu, what do I do with my luggage? do I leave it at the hotel or take it with me?

The company that takes you by train to Machu Picchu does not allow you to take a suitcase of more than 5 kg. This means that most people pack a smaller backpack to spend the day in Aguas Calientes and Machu Picchu, but people have doubts about where the larger luggage will stay during this time, you can leave it in the storage of the hotel in Cusco, at no extra cost.

can I choose the number of seats on the train?

PeruRail and IncaRail, the companies that provide train services in Peru, do not allow you to choose the seats on the trains. The distribution is done automatically by the company’s system.

To travel by train to Machu Micchu, which one do you suggest: EXPEDITION or VISTADOME?

We usually recommend to book the Expedition/Voyager train for the outbound trip and the Vistadome/360° panoramic train for the return trip, mainly because the outbound trip only has earlier departures, so this would mean missing the guided visit to the Ollantaytambo archaeological complex.

Is it obligatory to be vaccinated against Fiebre Amarilla?

Fiebre Amarilla vaccination is not mandatory for visitors to Peru. However, it is an additional precaution, especially since it is a tropical country.

Is travel insurance obligatory?

Travel insurance is not mandatory, but it is extremely important, especially for tourists who decide to travel to Peru.

Electrical plugs and voltage in Peru

The standard voltage in Peru is 230 volts, however, in some hotels there are plugs with 110, in this case, there are transformers that reduce the voltage.

What is the best currency to use in Peru, dollars or nuevo sol, and where to change?

Almost all establishments accept payments in dollars, so this will be the most used currency in the country. The ideal is to have an amount of dollars and a smaller amount of nuevo sol to make purchases at craft fairs, for example.

It is recommended to take dollars with you and exchange them in Peru at reliable exchange houses recommended by the travel agency.

What is the weather like in Peru?

The country’s weather is divided into two main seasons: rainy and dry.

The rainy season runs from December to the end of March and the dry season from April to October. In the region of Cusco and Machu Picchu, there is a lot of variation in temperature, but normally the maximum reaches 20°C and the minimum is close to 0°C.

In the Lima region, on the coast of Peru, temperatures are higher and range from 12°C to 35°C.

RECOGNITION

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