“Explore the beauty of Peru”
2 Day Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu Sightseeing Holiday in Cusco Region, Peru
Aguas Calientes, Machupicchu, Urubamba, Cusco Region, Peru
Peru Wellness Holiday
This package is a combination of the famous tour of the Sacred Valley and the classic train tour to Machu Picchu. Peru Hike offers you great amounts of beauty and history over two days.
Highlights
- 2 days of activities
- Excursions to archaeological sites and markets
- Exploring Pisac, Ollantaytambo, and Machu Picchu
- Various astonishing views and wild atmosphere along the train ride
- 1 night accommodation
- Daily meals
- Transportation
Skill level
- Beginner
2 days with instruction in English
The organizer also speaks: Spanish
Group size: Maximum of 12 participants
Accommodation
You will sleep in a double room at a hotel in Aguas Calientes.
Program
- Maximum altitude: 2430 meters / 7972 feet
- Difficulty: Relaxed
The holiday includes a full-day tour of the Sacred Valley, a trip to Aguas Calientes on the beautiful Vistadome Train, a night of rest in a comfortable and pleasant hotel, and dinner at the best restaurant in Aguas Calientes. You will end with a visit to the fantastic citadel of Machu Picchu, where you will have the opportunity to climb Huayna Picchu Mountain or Machu Picchu Mountain.
The Sacred Valley is an incomparably beautiful place with small towns and ancient archaeological sites amid rugged mountains northeast of Cusco. This valley was of great value to the Incas due to its geographical location and good climate. To this day, it stands as one of the best places for corn production in Peru. In the middle of the mountains runs the sacred river of Urubamba (also called Willkamayu or Vilcanota), the Inca cosmology’s main element.
The Incas knew that this river was not only fully linked to the constellations and snow-capped peaks, but was also the reflection of the Milky Way. On the second day, you will visit Machu Picchu, make your dreams come true, and enjoy this archaeological sanctuary to the fullest in a package that gives you, like no other tour, the most significant amount of time in Machu Picchu.
Why take the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu?
- Machu Picchu was built by the Inca Pachacutec and his people around the year 1460.
- After being forgotten for many years, in 1911, the American Hiram Bingham reached Machu Picchu on an expedition and spread the news worldwide.
- Feel free to climb Huayna Picchu or the symbolic mountain of Machu Picchu, the highest behind the Incan city.
- The Sacred Valley in Peru is home to ancient monuments and ruins dating back to the Incas’ days.
- Pisac is one of the most amazing places in the Sacred Valley. In this archaeological complex, you will appreciate the beauty of the Inca architecture, the quality of its hydraulic engineering, and the impressive cultivation platforms.
Daily itinerary
Day 1: Cusco - Písac - Ollantaytambo - Aguas Calientes
Peru Hike will pick you up from your hotel at approximately 7:00 a.m. and go to Písac to visit the first archaeological site on the route. The architecture and engineering of the Incas here is truly amazing. You will have a guided tour of Písac that will last approximately two hours. Then, you will visit one of the most colorful traditional markets in the entire region. Take advantage of the great prices and buy directly from the producers. Your next destination is Urubamba, where you will arrive at approximately noon.
In this quiet place, you will have the opportunity to choose your lunch place among several restaurants (included in the tour). The last archaeological destination of the tour is 30 minutes from Urubamba. The Ollantaytambo fortress was built from pink granite rocks and is another impressive example of Inca creation. Here, you will be able to appreciate the second-largest Inca stone preserved to date (90 tons), which was used as part of the Temple of the Sun. You will discover all the secrets of Ollantaytambo on a guided tour.
Later, you will go to the train station, which you can walk to in 15 minutes. There, you will board the Vistadome Train heading to Aguas Calientes. During the trip, you will see several glaciers and snowy peaks, as well as fertile green valleys and Inca agricultural platforms on both sides of the valley. Once in Aguas Calientes, you will stay in a pleasant and comfortable hotel. An unbeatable way to spend free time is to visit the hot springs of Aguas Calientes. In the evening, you will get to enjoy a delicious dinner in the best restaurant.
- Meals: Lunch and dinner
- Difficulty: Relaxed
- Accommodation elevation: 2040 meters / 6693 feet
- Duration: 4 hours
Day 2: Aguas Calientes - Machu Picchu - Cusco
They will wake you up very early to enjoy your breakfast without being rushed (5:00 a.m.) This way, you can board one of the first buses that leave for Machu Picchu (2,400 meters above sea level / 7,875 feet above sea level). At the entrance to the Inca citadel, you must show your entry ticket and your passport. If you are a student, you must carry your student card with you. Feel the powerful energy of this fantastic archaeological site as soon as you enter.
You will have the happiness of observing how the golden light of the dawn sun gradually covers all the corners of Machu Picchu. Learn all its secrets and mysteries thanks to a guided tour where you will also have information about its history and local flora and fauna. Your guide will take you for two and a half hours through the most important places, and then you will have some free time to explore Machu Picchu on your own.
If you choose to climb Huayna Picchu Mountain (not included in the package), you must do so at 10:00 a.m. After Machu Picchu, you will come to return to Aguas Calientes by bus. In Aguas Calientes, you will board the expedition train heading to Ollantaytambo, and later, you will travel to Cusco in a private van. They will drop you off at the hotel door. The time of your arrival will depend on the time of your train ticket.
- Meals: Breakfast
- Difficulty: Easy
- Duration: 2 - 5 hours
- Machu Picchu site elevation: 2,430 meters / 7,972 feet
- Huayna Picchu mountain elevation: 2,720 meters / 8,924 feet
- Machu Picchu mountain elevation: 3,000 meters / 9,843 feet
Briefing or informative meeting
All information meetings are held in your hotel at 6:00 p.m., one night before the tour begins. If you cannot attend, you must coordinate another time at the Peru Hike offices. These meetings last approximately 30 to 45 minutes and there, you will be given a small duffel bag, in which you will put all the belongings you intend to bring on the trek that will not be in your day pack.
Luggage storage
During the travel, your main luggage can be stored at the office (you can organize a briefing day or by email) or at your hotel, both free of charge. Any equipment that you are not going to need on the trek can be stored safely in your hotel. Nearly every hotel will provide this service. Do not leave items of value with your bags; please put them in the hotel safe and obtain an itemized receipt (in the unlikely case of theft, many insurance companies require that you have a copy of the receipt itemizing all the items). Best put items such as credit cards inside a sealed, signed envelope for extra peace of mind.
Pick up of guests
Peru Hike can pick you up from your hotel, as long as it is in the Historic Center of Cusco. The pickup time will be coordinated with your guide in the briefing. The pickup time may vary between 30 and 45 minutes due to traffic. Cusco is a very old city, therefore, it has many narrow cobbled streets. Some hotels and Airbnbs may be located on streets without access to cars or on long, steep slopes, making it difficult to transport luggage. They strongly recommend that you book accommodation with good access.
Return to Cusco
Returning from Machu Picchu requires quite a bit of logistics, but everything is included in the price. In Machu Picchu, you will board a bus that will take you for 25 minutes to the small city of Aguas Calientes. The buses are boarded according to your arrival. In Aguas Calientes, you will board a train to Ollantaytambo or Cusco. Your guide will give you the train tickets where the boarding time will be shown. Make sure you are on the platform 30 minutes early.
The train from Aguas Calientes to Ollantaytambo takes two hours. Once you arrive at the station, your representative, identified with the Peru Hike clothing, will be waiting to transfer you to Plaza San Francisco, in Cusco. The trip from Ollantaytambo to Plaza San Francisco takes two hours. In San Francisco, depending on your hotel’s location, they will take you to a smaller car from their company (Hyundai H1) to transfer you faster to your hotel in Cusco.
Group tours
Group tours are made up of different types of people. Physical conditions and ages can vary. By agreeing to be part of a group tour, you also accept that some people may be faster or slower than you. Therefore, each person can go at their own pace on the route. It may be the case that a group wishes to modify the tour; however, it will be the guide who decides, after consulting with all the participants, if said modifications can be made.
Strikes and demonstrations
Strikes and demonstrations are usually frequent in Peru and this may interrupt some of their tours. Roads can be blocked and train tracks can be taken over. However, they will try to keep your excursion as planned, even if it means leaving the night before the scheduled date. Under these circumstances, tours may also be canceled. In case of changes or cancellations, all situations will be coordinated with you by their operations department. Your safety is their highest priority and their decisions will be made to protect it.
Location
The holiday will take place in Cusco Region, Peru.
Food
You will be served daily meals included in the price.
The following meals are included:
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
The following dietary requirement(s) are served and/or catered for:
- Regular (typically includes meat and fish)
If you have special dietary requirements it's a good idea to communicate it to the organiser when making a reservation
What's included
- Program
- 1 night accommodation
- 1 breakfast
- 1 lunch
- 1 dinner
- Pre-departure briefing
- English and Spanish-speaking experienced guide
- Medical kit with first-aid kit
- Customer service 24/7
- Entrance ticket to Machu Picchu circuit (1 or 2)
- Transportation to all archaeological sites
- Train ticket from Ollantaytambo to Agucas Calientes
- Bus ticket to Machu Picchu round trip
- Train ticket from Aguas Calientes to Ollantaytambo
- Private transport from Ollantaytambo train station to your hotel in Cusco
What's not included
- Airfare
- Airport transfers
- Travel insurance
- Tips for the staff
- Additional costs or delays out of control of the management
- 8% credit card fee may apply to any balance you pay directly to Peru Hike
How to get there
Recommended Airports
CUZ
Alejandro Velasco Astete International Airport
75 km
Transfer not provided
Cancellation Policy
- A reservation requires a deposit of 14% of the total price.
- The deposit is non-refundable, if the booking is cancelled.
- The rest of the payment should be paid 30 days before arrival.
For this organizer you can guarantee your booking through Tripaneer.com. All major credit cards supported.
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