Pre-trek briefing
For our Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu 2 Days 1 Night, we’ll provide you a through briefing at your accommodation in Cusco at 5:00 pm, the night before your tour, and you can take this opportunity to ask final questions and make any final preparations.
Trip Itinerary:
Day 1: Cusco – Pisac Ruins – Ollantaytambo – Aguas Calientes.
To begin the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu 2 Days 1 Night, our professional guide who speaks English will pick you up from your hotel in Cusco at either 7:00 am or 8:00 am, depending on what train you will take to Aguas Calientes, after touring the Sacred Valley of the Incas.
You and your tour guide will take our private transportation to the first stop, the Awanacancha Alpaca farm. Here, you will see the traditional animals of the Incas: llamas, alpacas, viñuna, and guanaco. Your guide will give you background information, show you a potato display and a textile center, showing how the wools are woven and colored. Good quality alpaca wool will be for sale.
Then, we’ll drive to El Mirador del Valle Sagrado, the Sacred Valley Lookout Point, for amazing views and photos. Following, we will visit the famous Pisaq Market, where women come down from the Andean villages to sell their textiles and vegetables. The market is open every day, but is busiest on Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursdays. After the visit to the market, we will continue the journey up to the Pisaq Inca Archeological site, located on top of Pisaq Mountain in the Sacred Valley. Your tour guide will take you to the most impressive spots.
Then, we will drive along the valley for about 45 minutes, until we reach Urubamba, where we will stop for lunch. You will have an amazing selection of fresh dishes, served buffet-style. After lunch, we will drive to Ollantaytambo, where the second heaviest Inca monoliths are to be found. The ruins have an amazing Temple of the Sun, Moon, and The Temple of the 10 Niches. This living Incan town displays narrow walkways, lined with water channels.
After that we’ll go to the train staon, which we can walk to in 15 minutes. There you’ll board the our train heading to Aguas Calientes. During the trip, you’ll see several glaciers and snowy peaks, as well as ferle green valleys and
Inca agricultural plaorms on both sides of the valley. Once in Aguas Calientes, you’ll stay in a pleasant and comfortable hotel.
Our representatives will meet you just outside the train station, upon arrival and lead you to your hotel.
- Accommodation in Hotel Mantu Boutique or similar.
- Meals included: Buffet Lunch.
Day 2: Sunrise in Machu Picchu – Cusco.
Today you will be visiting the famous Sacred City of the Incas, the crystal city of the Inca civilization. You will determine, with your tour guide, the best time to start your day. Most people prefer to rise at 4:45 a.m. walk to the bus station to take one of the first buses up to Machu Picchu. It can be enjoyable to arrive at the ruins as soon as they open, at 6 a.m., to catch the magical mists on the ruins as the sun rises. After a 25 minute bus ride to Machu Picchu, your tour guide will take you to the best views before the day trippers arrive.
Then, we will start the two hour guided, walking tour, exploring all of the famous places of this impressive citadel: The Temple of the Sun, The Royal Tomb, The Intiwatana (sun dial rock), Main Plaza, Temple of the 3 Windows, The Artisan Sector, the Condor Temple and many others. If you have booked permits to climb Huayna Picchu Mountain or Machu Picchu Mountain, you will head to that adventure. If you chose not to book a hike, you can climb to the Sun Gate and witness its amazing views. After that you will need to take the bus back down to Aguas Calientes to enjoy lunch (Not included) at one of the many restaurants there.
Be sure to arrive at the train station 30 minutes before your departure. Our train schedule is usually at 14:30 p.m. to Ollantaytambo, where you will catch our transportation for another two hour drive back to Cusco.
Note: Machu Picchu Inca site is different from Machu Picchu Mountain. When most people refer to Machu Picchu, they are referring to the archeological site. Machu Picchu Mountain requires a separate permit to climb. Please notify us if you are interested and we can book this for you. It must be done in advance and is a part of your entry into the site.
- Meals included: Breakfast