Begin your journey at Cusco airport and travel to the Sacred Valley to acclimate and minimize the effects of high-altitude sickness. In the Sacred Valley, you’ll discover awe-inspiring and colossal Inca temples.
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Minivan, Minibus, train
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3 Star Hotels upgrade available
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April to November
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02 breakfast 01 lunch
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English
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1 - 10
The highlight of the tour is Machu Picchu, a marvel of Inca architecture. The adventure continues with a visit to the UNESCO World Heritage city of Cusco, exploring its historic sites and nearby Inca temples.
Highlights
- Travel directly to the Sacred Valley to avoid altitude sickness.
- Explore huge Inca temples and discover Inca architecture
- Learn about the Andean Culture and religious syncretism
- Discover the magic of Machu Picchu traveling by train
- Places to visit: The Sacred Valley, Pisac, Ollantaytambo, Machu Picchu, Cusco, Sacsayhuaman, The temple of the Sun Qorikancha, and more.
- Departures: Daily based on Machu Picchu ticket availability
- Transport: Tourist van or minibus, and train.
- Overnights: 01 night in Aguas Calientes in a 3-star hotel.
Itinerary
Start your journey with a flight from Lima or another city in Peru to Cusco, where we’ll greet you at the airport. From there, we’ll start a captivating tour of the Sacred Valley, beginning with the archaeological site of Pisac. Explore its rich history and vibrant local handicraft market. Next, we’ll visit the impressive archaeological site of Ollantaytambo.
A delicious lunch is included at a charming restaurant in Urubamba, another picturesque town in the Sacred Valley. The tour concludes at Ollantaytambo train station, where you’ll board the train to Machu Picchu Village, also known as Aguas Calientes. You’ll arrive around 6 PM, and the friendly staff from your hotel will be waiting to escort you to your accommodation.
Aguas Calientes is a quaint, pedestrian-only village, perfect for a relaxing evening before your next adventure. Take time to recharge at your hotel, as the highlight of your journey awaits: the Machu Picchu tour! While dinner is not included, you’ll find plenty of delightful dining options in the village.
In the morning, your guide will meet you at your hotel. The pick-up time is scheduled according to your Machu Picchu entrance ticket. From there, we’ll take a short walk to the bus station and embark on a scenic 30-minute drive up the winding road to the mountain. This marks the beginning of the highly anticipated tour.
Led by a professional, English-speaking guide who is passionate about Peruvian history, you’ll be in excellent hands for an informative and engaging experience. The tour lasts approximately two and a half hours, during which you’ll explore the majestic temples, houses, Andean terraces, fountains, and more.
After the tour, enjoy a delicious lunch at Tinkuy, the restaurant of the Belmond Sanctuary Lodge Hotel, located next to Machu Picchu. Following the meal, we’ll take the shuttle bus back to Aguas Calientes village, where you’ll have some free time to explore the area. Later, we’ll board the train back to Ollantaytambo. From Ollantaytambo station, we’ll continue by road to Cusco, where we’ll pick you up and transfer you to your hotel. Your hotel in located in the heart of Cusco, at the historical center.
We will pick you up at around 8 AM to begin the Cusco & Inca Temples tour. This half-day excursion starts with a visit to the Inca temple of Qorikancha, known as the Temple of the Sun in Quechua. Next, we will explore the magnificent Cusco Cathedral, where you can admire unique canvases from the Cusqueña Art School, which reflect the religious syncretism of the 16th century.
After visiting these city highlights, we’ll head to the outskirts of Cusco to witness the awe-inspiring stonework of the Sacsayhuamán Inca complex and archaeological site. Your guide will share fascinating insights into the construction techniques used to create these massive stone walls. We’ll then continue to the ceremonial temple of Qenqo and the water temple of Tambomachay.
After visiting these city highlights, we’ll head to the outskirts of Cusco to witness the awe-inspiring stonework of the Sacsayhuamán Inca complex and archaeological site. Your guide will share fascinating insights into the construction techniques used to create these massive stone walls. We’ll then continue to the ceremonial temple of Qenqo and the water temple of Tambomachay.
Following the tour, we’ll take you to a tourist restaurant near the main plaza for a delicious lunch featuring Peruvian cuisine. After lunch, you’ll have some free time before we transfer you to the airport for your flight back to Lima. Please provide us with your arrival and departure flight information in advance.
End of the tour.
Included
- Airport transfers
- Sacred Valley tour from the airport
- Transfer to the train station in a tourist transport, van or minibus.
- Entrance tickets to visit the mentioned places
- Guided tours with a professional English-speaking guide.
- Roundtrip train tickets in the train selected.
- Lunch is provided at a tourist restaurant every day.
- 02 nights at a 3-star hotel. Request an upgrade to a 4-star or 5-star hotel.
- English-speaking professional tour guide.
- Roundtrip bus tickets to Machu Picchu.
- Entrance ticket to Machu Picchu.
- Transfer from the train station to your hotel in Cusco.
Not included
- Request a reservation to lunch next to Machu Picchu at Belmond Sanctuary Lodge hotel, in the Tinkuy restaurant. This way you don’t have to take the bus back to Aguas Calientes for a meal.
- Additionally you have hike options to Wayna Picchu or Machu Picchu mountain, buying an additional ticket.
- From January to April the train departure is from Wanchaq station and a bus is taken to Ollantaytambo and from there begins the train journey.
- There are two train options that depart and arrive at the same time. The Expedition train, called the tourist train, is comfortable and has affordable prices. The Vistadome is a panoramic train with upgraded services and wide windows to enjoy the scenery better. Also includes snacks and hot drinks along the way. The prices are not more expensive though. On the way back the Vistadome includes a fashion show and a folk dance show.
Map
Booking conditions
- We need a deposit of 30% of the total tour cost of the tour.
- The balance can be paid based on: From 1 to 8 participants, a full payment must be made 45 days before the tour start date.
- From 8 to more participants, a full payment must be made 70 days before the tour start date.
- Please see the full booking and cancelation policies clicking here.
More information
Machu Picchu Inca citadel:
Machu Picchu, an ancient Incan city in Peru, rests high in the Andes Mountains. It was built in the 15th century, during the reign of the Inca emperor Pachacuti, and rediscovered in 1911 by Hiram Bingham. It is renowned for its advanced dry-stone construction with structures seamlessly fitted together without the use of mortar. It has extensive agricultural terraces, which demonstrate sophisticated engineering techniques for water management. Machu Picchu is notable for its astronomical alignments, particularly the Intihuatana stone, which functioned as a solar clock or calendar. Today it is known as one on the seven wonders of the world.
Hiram Bingham
Hiram Bingham, an American explorer, is renowned for rediscovering Machu Picchu in 1911. Though local Quechua farmers had known of the site, it was Bingham who brought international attention to this Incan marvel. His expedition, sponsored by Yale University and the National Geographic Society, unveiled the ancient city’s splendor to the world, sparking global fascination. The artifacts found in the expeditions can be seen at Casa Concha Museum in Cusco city.
Temple of the Ray:
An important place of worship in Sacsayhuaman’s citadel was the temple of lightning. It is thought to have been a place of worship for Illapa, the Inca god of lightning. Illapa was a strong god in Inca mythology who commanded lightning and thunder and was revered as a protector of the Incas and their empire. It was constructed from huge stone blocks. No mortar was required to join the blocks together because they were carved and placed with such accuracy. The temple of lightning is thought to have been built in the 15th century, during the reign of the Inca Pachactec.
Cusco cathedral:
It is one of the most important religious buildings in Peru. The construction of the cathedral began in 1559 and was completed in 1669. It was built on the site of the temple of the Inca Wiracocha, which was destroyed by the Spanish conquistadors. The cathedral is a mix of architectural styles, including Renaissance, Baroque, and Gothic. It also has an impressive collection of religious art, with many works from the Cusco School, one of the most important schools of religious art in Latin America. The cathedral is famous for its main altar, which is made of silver and features many religious artworks and sculptures.
FAQs
Annapurna Base Camp is a Grade B or a moderately difficult trekking route. So any fit person can do this trek, even if you do not have any previous experience. You should be aware of what to expect and mentally prepare for it. Then, as long as you will too, you can.
On average, you walk about 4 to 6 hours per day. One or two days can be as less as 3hrs and one or two days can be as long as 7hrs.
The highest altitude reached is 4190m. This is the elevation of Annapurna Base Camp. ABC is the highest we will climb in this trek.
Yes, you can charge batteries en route. Charger should be brought. There are hot shower facilities as well. You may have to pay a certain amount for both ($1-$2). Negotiate. Also, a hot water facility could be free at a lower elevation.
No. There are no ATMs on this trek route. You will have to draw enough cash in Pokhara or Kathmandu. There are a number of ATMs in these cities. Everything is paid in Nepali rupees. So money should be exchanged before the start of the trek.
Yes. The Internet can be accessed in most places. Sometimes, there might be some technical problems. The Internet in Nepal is not as fast as you are used to and at times you can just lose connection.
Not really. It depends on you. If you want, ABC trekking can be done independently. You could hire a guide and a porter by yourself instead of going through an agency or not hire a guide at all. Although, not having a guide can be a little problematic during the offseason.
It really depends on you. Is it your first time in Nepal? How confident are you of being able to find your way around? How pressed on time are you? If you go through an agency, it will be costlier but everything will be planned. You will only have to come, trek and return.
For the Annapurna region, pay for guides range from $20 to $30 per day and porters take $15 to $25 per day.
