Machu Picchu Tours from Cusco – Machu Picchu Travel Packages

Machu Picchu Travel Packages Itinerary

Day 1Cusco Airport Transfer – Cusco City Tour

Your epic Machu Picchu Travel Package starts with a transfer from the airport to your hotel in Cusco city. We highly recommend taking a morning flight from Lima so you will have some free time before beginning your Cusco City Tour.

At 01:00 PM, we will be picking you up from your hotel for the city tour. Our first stop will be in Qorikancha. To Incas, this was the holiest site. They worshiped one of their three supreme Gods, Inti (Sun God) from here.

Qorikancha:

During the Inca rule, the courtyard of Qorikancha was full of idols made entirely of Gold. The golden glory did not stay for too long though. It was tarnished soon when the Spanish rulers captured Atahualpa, the renowned Inca emperor.

The Incas stripped most of the gold to pay ransom for his release. True to the colonial form, on receiving the ransom, they reneged on his release and killed him.

Upon conquering Cusco, the conquistadors demolished the temple to build the church of Santo Domingo on its foundations.

Our local expert will be giving you a detailed tour of different prominent parts of the temple.

Once you have had your fill of the centerpiece of the Incan empire, we will be driving you off the city, up the hill to tour the remains of the prominent Inca fortress, Sacsayhuaman.

Sacsayhuaman:

Nestled on a hilltop, overlooking the center of Cusco, Sacsayhuaman was built using massive stones, each weighing over a ton. Even today, it is a mystery how the Incas managed to transport these stones here.

After soaking in the panoramic view of Cusco and marveling at the Incan architecture, we will be driving you further to Q’enqo.

Q’enqo:

Q’enqo is another notable Inca site. The incas used this place to do their offering to mother nature, often as a form of sacrifice. They also did mummification of corpses here.

Tambomachay:

Our next stop will be in Tambomachay. Not too far from Q’enqo, Tambomachay served as a spa to Inca’s political elites. They built a series of canals here linking them to the nearby Timpuc river through which the water flows even today.

Puca Pucara:

We will culminate the Cusco City Tour with a visit to Puca Pucara. In Quechua, the name signifies red rock as it gets a red shade at sunset. This served as a military watch tower to the Incas.

After getting an introduction to the Inca empire and visiting some of the notable sites in and around the city of Cusco, we will be dropping you off at Plaza Regocijo, a block away from the main square.

Day 2Cusco to Rainbow Mountain Tour

Cusco to Rainbow Mountain tour begins with an early morning (0500 AM) transfer from your hotel in Cusco. We will embark on a three hour drive to the south of Cusco City. Along the way, we will be having a brief stop in a local village for breakfast. 

Once at the starting point of the trek, our local expert will be sharing some tips to conquer the Andes. We will then begin with a gradual hike, up the hill to the summit of the Vinicunca Rainbow Mountain. 

Cusco to Rainbow Mountain Tour:

The two hours trek offers captivating views of highland Andean communities tucked amidst the snow capped Andean peaks. You will be hiking along herds of Alpacas and Llamas contemplating the pristine views of the highland Andean regions. 

As you reach the summit (5100m/16732ft), the tour guide will be introducing you to some Andean traditions including Apacheta. Apacheta is a process where stones are piled each on top of the other to express gratitude to Apus (Sacred Peak). 

You will have plenty of time to immerse in the tranquility of nature. You will also get a closer view of the mighty Ausangate peak that dominates the southern skyline of Cusco city. Ausangate is the highest peak in the region.

Once you have had your fill, we will begin our descent to  the starting point of the trek. Here, we will meet our transport for our ride back to Cusco. We will be stopping for lunch along the way and will be reaching Cusco city by 0600 PM.

Day 3Sacred Valley to Machu Picchu

At 0800 AM, we will be picking you up from your hotel in Cusco and will be driving you to Chinchero. Home to renowned Andean weavers, Chinchero was referred to as the Land of the Rainbow by the Incas. 

Chinchero:

The village is just 45 minutes away from Cusco city. Chinchero houses a beautiful white washed colonial church built on the remains of the former summer palace of Pachacutec, renowned Inca emperor who built Machu Picchu. 

Our local expert will be giving you a tour of the archaeological complex. You will then visit one of the textile industries here where locals would demonstrate the entire process of extracting wool from Alpacas and Llamas, dyeing and knitting them.

Maras:

After the tour, we will be driving you to Maras. Maras is home to the most picturesque site in the Sacred Valley of the Incas, the salt mines. They have existed since Pre Inca times and are built on the slope of a hill. 

Locals here practice the traditional solar evaporation method. They let in natural spring water and wait for it to evaporate. When it does, it leaves behind crystals of salt which are manually scrapped out. 

Moray:

Our next stop will be in Moray. Home to circular farming terraces, Moray was more like an agricultural laboratory to the Incas. The Roman amphitheater-like circular terrace is dug into the ground with different levels.

Each level has a different temperature which allows the Incas to determine the best weather condition needed to grow a crop. There is a difference of roughly 15 degrees celsius (27 degrees fahrenheit) between the top and bottom level. 

Urubamba:

After getting an immersive tour of these prominent Inca sites, we will be driving you to Urubamba. Here we will be stopping for lunch at a local restaurant.

Ollantaytambo:

We will then drive you to Ollantaytambo. This is referred to as the living Inca town. Ollantaytambo features notable Inca structures. The town snuggles amidst two hills, each home to Inca ruins.

We will be visiting the most prominent Inca complex here. It was a sacred Inca site and turned into a battle ground when the infamous battle of Ollantaytambo was fought in 1532. 

After the tour, we will be driving you to the train station where you will be boarding the 0300 PM train to Aguas Calientes. 

The two hour train ride snakes through highland Andean villages along the course of Urubamba river. Once in Aguas Calientes, our representative will walk you to your hotel in the center of the town. 

Aguas Calientes is famous for the natural hot springs. You can spend the evening soaking in the thermal waters relishing the view of the surrounding hills.

Day 4Visit to Machu Picchu – Return to Cusco

Early in the morning, we will embark on a 25 minute bus ride up the hill to the entrance of the inca citadel of Machu Picchu. Your tour guide will meet you at the entrance and will assist you in entering the citadel.

Your original passport will be verified against the entrance ticket by local authorities.

Once inside the citadel, you will witness the shimmering rays of the morning sun beaming on the mortar walls of Machu Picchu as the blanket of cloud would unveil the citadel. 

The two hours tour will begin with a short introduction to the Inca empire and the prominence of Machu Picchu to the Incas.

We will then visit the renowned sites, the remains of royal quarters, ceremonial sites and more. 

After the tour, you will have some free time to explore the citadel on your own. If you have booked to climb the Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu mountain, the tour guide will direct you to the respective trail head. 

Alternatively, you can also hike to Sungate. This is the point of entrance to those hiking the esteemed Inca trail to Machu Picchu.

After contemplating the views and getting an immersive insight into Inca civilization, we will exit the citadel and take the 25 minutes bus back to Aguas Calientes.  You will have some free time so you can stop for lunch or saunter the cobble stoned streets rimmed with shops selling souvenirs.

In the evening, we will be taking the train back to Ollantaytambo. Our representative will meet you on arrival and will drive you back to Cusco. We will be reaching Cusco by 09:30 PM. 

Day 5Cusco Airport Transfer

After breakfast, depending on the schedule of your flight, we will be transferring you to Cusco airport or bus terminal.