Trip Summary
- Day 1 – MACHU PICCHU: Full-day trip to Machu Picchu, with all services included.
Experience a full-day trip to the breathtaking Inca citadel of Machu Picchu. This professionally guided tour includes all transfers, round-trip train tickets, entrance tickets to Machu Picchu, and a guided group excursion. Enjoy a seamless adventure as you explore one of the world’s most iconic archaeological sites.
Journey to the Lost City of the Incas: Machu Picchu
Your adventure begins early in the morning with a hotel pick-up between 4:00 and 5:00 a.m. You will be transferred to the train station, located just 20 minutes outside Cusco (11,152 ft / 3,399 m). The train ride to Aguas Calientes (6,693 ft / 2,041 m) is one of the most breathtaking experiences in South America. As you travel through the stunning landscape, the region’s rich flora and fauna gradually emerge from the misty mountains of the cloud forest.
Machu Picchu (7,972 ft / 2,430 m), hidden for centuries, remains remote and challenging to reach, perched high on a mountainside. The town of Aguas Calientes (6,693 ft / 2,041 m) lies in the valley beside the Vilcanota River (6,693 ft / 2,041 m), just a few kilometers away from Machu Picchu. However, the bus ride up the steep, narrow zigzag road takes about 20 minutes to reach the citadel’s entrance. During the train journey, you’ll enjoy plush seats with tables, large windows to admire the stunning countryside, soothing background music, and an assortment of delicious local drinks made from fresh fruits and herbs.
Upon arrival at Aguas Calientes, you’ll be welcomed by our local representative, who will guide you to the bus station for a scenic 30-minute ride up the winding road to Machu Picchu (7,972 ft / 2,430 m).
Guided Visit of Machu Picchu & Hike to Huayna Picchu
Once you arrive, the adventure continues with a guided tour of Machu Picchu (7,972 ft / 2,430 m). From here, you’ll have the option to hike up Huayna Picchu (8,920 ft / 2,720 m), a towering peak that overlooks the citadel. Only 200 visitors per day are allowed to hike this steep trail, which leads to ancient terraces and temples built by the Incas at the summit. This 6 km hike offers an unforgettable view of Machu Picchu from above, and according to local guides, this peak was once home to the high priest and local virgins.
As the sun rises each morning, the high priest and his followers would walk to Machu Picchu, signaling the beginning of a new day. One of the most fascinating temples in the area is the Temple of the Moon (7,218 ft / 2,200 m), located lower than Machu Picchu on the side of the mountain. Adjacent to this is the Great Cavern (7,218 ft / 2,200 m), another sacred temple known for its beautiful stonework.
Throughout the citadel, you will visit the Temple of the Condor, Temple of Three Windows, Principal Temple, the Unfinished Temple, and the Temple of the Sun (also known as the Torreon). As part of the guided tour, you’ll explore the Main Plaza, The Circular Tower, The Sacred Sun Dial, the Royal Quarters, and various other significant structures that form part of this ancient wonder.
Inti Punku: The Sun Gate
One of the highlights of visiting Machu Picchu is walking up to Inti Punku (8,923 ft / 2,720 m), also known as the Sun Gate. This viewpoint, located high in the Andes, offers one of the most iconic views of the Machu Picchu citadel. The two stones of the Sun Gate are perfectly positioned to catch the first rays of the sun as they shine through each morning. Visitors flock here to capture the stunning sight that graces many postcards of this legendary site.
Return to Cusco
After a full day of exploring, you’ll return to Cusco (11,152 ft / 3,399 m) via train, with departures either at 2:30 p.m. or 7:00 p.m. Once you arrive back in Cusco, you will be transferred to your selected hotel for the night.
“INCAS EXPEDITIONS” is a 100% Peruvian local company and tour operator in Cusco, with many years of experience in hikes, adventure tours, and travel packages. We are a 100% local company.
Our dream as a local company is to offer personalized travel and hiking experiences, operated solely by local professional staff, focusing on a PERSONALIZED and HIGH-QUALITY SERVICE.
We are proud of our reputation as a travel operating agency, in addition to practicing RESPONSIBLE and SUSTAINABLE actions with the environment and local people.
We consider our staff as family and guarantee them a fair salary. We are very proud of our team! Without their support, we could not offer the quality of service that hundreds of our travelers have enjoyed.
At “INCAS EXPEDITIONS,” we are aware that our reputation and what our passengers say are crucial for our travelers to trust their next vacations; you can check the reviews our travelers leave on TripAdvisor, Facebook, and Google; in an honest and reliable operator to create your adventure in Peru.
To offer a more personalized service at “INCAS EXPEDITIONS,” we maintain a limit of 8 people for each of our groups. This distinguishes us from other companies that operate with larger groups.
We are very proud of our guides. They are experts and professionals, fluent in English. They are experts and knowledgeable about the routes, and they are passionate about Inca heritage and history. Our guides are dedicated to their continuous personal and professional development, researching to offer you accurate and recognized theories about Inca and Andean culture. They are friendly, athletic, and well-educated, with degrees in Archaeology, Tourism, Botany, History, or Anthropology.
Hiking with “INCAS EXPEDITIONS” is an uplifting experience, we prioritize your comfort and enjoyment throughout the hike, and you will have the assistance of our porters. You will interact with local people, explore incredible sites, and rediscover ancient Inca ancestral towns. Our porters carry your gear, prepare your meals, set up our camp tents, and take care of you while you relax.
We provide our porters for free with: jackets, sun hats, warm hats, shirts, pants, hiking boots, comfortable travel bags, canteens, back support belts, sleeping bags, mattresses, and travel insurance. All are hired from isolated communities, improving their economic circumstances and supporting the education of their children. We treat all our porters like family!
Our team (guides, cooks, porters, muleteers) and our equipment make “INCAS EXPEDITIONS” stand out among our competitors. On our adventure hikes, we include:
At “INCAS EXPEDITIONS,” we have always believed in giving back to isolated local communities. As part of our commitment to responsible tourism, we carry out various social projects and always hire local people.
We are very proud to support our local people. We not only employ them but also support their families, contributing to a holistic approach with our employees from the Peruvian Andes and their loved ones.