Fantastic holiday, a real adventure. We saw sights I had only dreamed about. Every day there was something new to wonder at, from…
Anonymous | Traveled in MayThe Sacred Valley & Machu Picchu Tour 2 Days brings together two of the most important areas of the Inca world: the fertile Sacred Valley and the stone citadel of Machu Picchu. Instead of going straight from Cusco to the train, you spend the first day moving through valleys, terraces, salt pools, old towns, and Inca sites that help you understand why this region mattered so much.
You will visit Pisac, Moray, Maras Salt Mines, and Ollantaytambo before taking the train to Aguas Calientes, where you spend the night. The next morning, you go up to Machu Picchu with your guide and visit the citadel with more calm than a same-day trip usually allows.
Since Machu Picchu tickets, especially Circuit 2A and Circuit 2B, can sell out quickly, booking early is strongly recommended. This is even more important during high season, when train schedules, hotel space, and entrance times become limited.
With Machu Picchu Peru Lovers, this route is arranged with small groups, organized transport, local guiding, hotel coordination, train logistics, and support from Cusco to Machu Picchu and back.
Your guide picks you up from your hotel in Cusco in the morning. From there, you travel by private tourist van toward the Sacred Valley of the Incas.
The first stop is the Taray Viewpoint, where the Urubamba Valley opens below. From this point, you can see traditional farming areas, small villages, and the softer geography of the valley. Compared with Cusco, the Sacred Valley sits at a lower altitude and has a milder climate, which made it ideal for agriculture.
You then continue to the archaeological site of Pisac. Here, the route takes you through Inca terraces, mountain paths, ceremonial spaces, and areas linked to one of the largest Inca cemetery zones in the region. The ground includes stone steps, uneven walkways, and terraced paths, so comfortable shoes are important.
After the archaeological visit, you go down to the town of Pisac for a short stop at the market. This is a good moment to see local crafts, textiles, and the daily movement of the town.
The tour then continues toward Urubamba, where lunch is not included. You will have time to choose a restaurant before continuing the route.
In the afternoon, you visit Moray, a set of circular agricultural terraces built inside natural depressions. The temperature changes between levels, which likely helped the Incas test crops under different growing conditions. The site is wide, open, and exposed to the sun, so sun protection is useful.
Next, the route goes toward Maras Salt Mines, where thousands of salt pools cover the slope of a narrow valley. The saltwater comes from a natural spring and is distributed into small pools where the water evaporates, leaving salt behind. The area can be bright under the sun, and the paths may be dusty or slightly slippery in some sections.
Later, you continue to Ollantaytambo, an Inca town with stone streets, water channels, and one of the most important archaeological sites in the Sacred Valley. Your guide leads you through the terraces and explains the role of the site during the early period of Spanish invasion.
After dinner time in Ollantaytambo, you take the train to Aguas Calientes. The train usually departs around 7:04 PM and arrives around 8:45 PM, depending on the confirmed schedule. Once in Aguas Calientes, you check in at your hotel and rest before the Machu Picchu visit the next morning.
Day Highlight: Move through the Sacred Valley’s most important Inca sites before taking the train to Aguas Calientes.
Technical Details
This is the Machu Picchu day.
After breakfast at the hotel, you take one of the early shuttle buses from Aguas Calientes to the entrance of Machu Picchu. The bus ride takes around 30 minutes on a winding road through green mountain slopes.
Once at the entrance, your guide helps with the entry process. You must bring your original passport, and it must match the information used for your booking.
Inside Machu Picchu, your guide leads a visit through the assigned circuit. The guided tour usually takes around 2 hours, depending on the official route, entrance time, and visitor flow. You will learn how Machu Picchu is arranged into agricultural, residential, and religious areas, and how the Incas adapted the citadel to the shape of the mountain.
The walking surface includes stone paths, steps, narrow sections, and uneven areas. The tour is not physically hard, but travelers should walk carefully.
After the guided visit, you take the shuttle bus back down to Aguas Calientes. Lunch is not included, so you will have time to choose a restaurant in town. Depending on your train departure time, you may also have time for a short walk, shopping, or an optional visit to nearby paid attractions.
In the afternoon, you board the Expedition Train back to Ollantaytambo. The return train may depart around 2:55 PM or 3:20 PM, depending on availability. The route follows the Urubamba River through the valley. In some sections, you may see narrow canyon walls, river rapids, and, if you look carefully, the Wiñay Wayna area high on the mountainside.
Once you arrive in Ollantaytambo, your driver meets you outside the train station and transfers you back to your hotel in Cusco by private van. Arrival is usually around 7:30 PM, depending on the train schedule and road conditions.
Day Highlight: Visit Machu Picchu with a guided tour and return to Cusco by train and private van.
Technical Details
This package includes Circuit 2A or Circuit 2B, as long as tickets are available.
These circuits are among the most requested options because they provide one of the most complete routes through the citadel for first-time visitors. They allow travelers to see important areas of Machu Picchu while following the official one-way route.
Important Circuit Notes
The standard package includes the Expedition Train between Ollantaytambo and Aguas Calientes.
This train is practical, comfortable, and well suited for travelers who want an organized route to Machu Picchu without adding a premium train upgrade.
Included Route
Travelers may upgrade the return train to Vistadome Train for an additional cost.
Upgrade options
The Vistadome service offers larger panoramic windows and a more visual train ride through the valley. It is a good option for travelers who want the return journey to feel more comfortable and scenic.
Possible return times
Return schedules depend on availability and must be requested at booking time.
This tour includes 1 night in Aguas Calientes.
The standard package includes accommodation at a 3-star hotel, such as Ferre Hotel Machu Picchu or similar, depending on availability.
Included hotel features
Travelers may request upgraded accommodation, such as:
Hotel availability can change quickly, especially in high season, so early booking is recommended.
Trip went very smoothly and was very well organized. Easy to highlight is Machu Picchu, but our visit of Amantani island on Lake Titicaca was a real interesting and unique experience. Read more.
This was an excellent well-organized tour at a great value with plenty of variety and lots of free time to explore. Read more.
This was our first trip with Bookmundi and we are extremely happy. From start to finish the experience was excellent. Read more.
We saw all the highlights, the guides were excellent and the trip flowed nicely. The pacing was just right. Read more.
| Option | Price per person |
|---|---|
| Without hotel | $457 USD |
| With 3-star hotel included | $477 USD |
| With other 3-star hotel | By request |
| With 4-star hotel | $577 USD |
This tour can be arranged on the date that works best for you, with a minimum of 2 travelers.
Group Service Characteristics
If you have mobility limitations, medical conditions, dietary needs, or require special assistance, please inform our reservations team before booking.
If you plan to bring professional photography or video equipment, ask in advance because some equipment may have restrictions inside Machu Picchu.
Pick-up is included from your hotel in Cusco on Day 1, usually around 7:30 AM.
Please send your hotel name and address in advance so our operations team can organize the pick-up properly.
For this tour, bring only a small overnight bag or backpack.
Large bags are not recommended on the train or in Machu Picchu. Your main luggage can usually be stored at your hotel in Cusco. You may also ask our team about storage options at our office.
Do not pack anything you will need during the tour inside your stored luggage.
A deposit is required to confirm your booking and secure Machu Picchu entrance, train tickets, hotel, guide, transport, and tour logistics.
The remaining balance can be paid before the tour according to the method confirmed with our reservations team.
Cash payments in Cusco may help avoid extra card processing fees. Online or card payments may include service fees depending on the payment platform.
Once Machu Picchu and train tickets are issued, they are non-refundable, non-transferable, and cannot be changed according to official and supplier conditions.
Machu Picchu availability is controlled by the Peruvian government and depends on date, circuit, and entrance time.
For this package, Circuit 2A or Circuit 2B is included as long as tickets are available. These circuits can sell out quickly, especially during high season. Booking up to 6 months in advance is strongly recommended.
Last-minute bookings may be possible, but availability is not guaranteed. If the preferred circuits are sold out, our reservations team will offer the best available alternatives.
For other Machu Picchu circuit options, travelers may request a private or customized service, subject to ticket availability.
After the guided visit of Machu Picchu, you take the shuttle bus back down to Aguas Calientes.
You will have time for lunch, which is not included. Depending on the train schedule, there may also be time for a short walk through town.
Later, you board the Expedition Train back to Ollantaytambo. Return trains may depart around 2:55 PM or 3:20 PM, depending on availability.
If you choose a Vistadome upgrade, return times may include 2:55 PM, 3:20 PM, 4:22 PM, or 4:43 PM, depending on availability.
Upon arrival in Ollantaytambo, your driver meets you outside the train station and transfers you back to your hotel in Cusco by private van.
Expected arrival in Cusco is around 7:30 PM, depending on the confirmed train schedule and road conditions.
Strikes and demonstrations are common in Peru and may affect roads, train operations, and access to tourist services.
If this happens, our operations team will try to keep your trip as close as possible to the original plan. In some cases, this may require leaving earlier, changing transport, or adjusting the itinerary.
Tours may also be canceled if safety conditions are not suitable. Any change or cancellation will be coordinated with you by our operations department. Your safety is always the priority.
Please pay attention to your personal items during hotel pick-up, van transfers, site visits, train rides, hotel stay, bus rides, lunch time, and the Machu Picchu visit.
You are responsible for your belongings during the tour. Always check your seat, hotel room, restaurant table, train area, and daypack before leaving.
This tour is considered mild, but it includes walking through archaeological sites, stone steps, uneven paths, market areas, train stations, and Machu Picchu circuits.
Travelers with knee problems, balance issues, respiratory conditions, or mobility limitations should inform us before booking so we can advise whether the route and selected circuit are suitable.
Older travelers can usually take this tour, but they should walk carefully and use the guide’s support when needed.
The Sacred Valley usually has a milder climate than Cusco, but weather can still change quickly.
Machu Picchu may feel humid and warm during the day, with possible rain at any time of year. Bring a light jacket, rain poncho, sunscreen, and insect repellent.
The Sacred Valley & Machu Picchu Tour 2 Days is one of the best ways to understand the Inca world before standing inside Machu Picchu.
You do not just go straight to the citadel. You see the valley that fed it, the terraces that shaped Inca farming, the salt pools that supported local life, and the town of Ollantaytambo before taking the train to Aguas Calientes.
With Machu Picchu Peru Lovers, the tour is arranged with small-group service, local guidance, hotel coordination, train planning, and clear support from Cusco to Machu Picchu and back.
If you have a question about this or any other trip, our travel experts are ready to help with dates, availability and private options.
