2 Day Sacred Valley to Machu Picchu from Cusco
2 Day Sacred Valley to Machu Picchu tour is the best trip to Machu Picchu through the famous Sacred Valley. Visit Pisac, Ollantaytambo to Machu Picchu
Description
The 2 Day Sacred Valley to Machu Picchu tour offers a complete and immersive experience throughout its journey, starting with a visit to the famous Pisac Market, where you can meet and observe the different stalls full of crafts and local products. After this, you will venture to the Ruins of Pisac, a fascinating archaeological site that offers information about the ancient Inca civilization; Later, your trip continues to the archaeological site of Ollantaytambo, an impressive example of Inca architecture and engineering.
From Ollantaytambo, you will board a train to Machu Picchu, spending the night in the charming town of Aguas Calientes, gateway to the Inca citadel, where you will spend the night in one of the best hotels to relax and prepare for the highlights. of his journey.
The second day, early in the morning you embark on a bus trip to the entrance of Machu Picchu. Here, according to the designated circuit you will have the opportunity to explore the impressive Inca city; What's more, for those looking for an additional adventure, you can climb the Huayna Picchu mountain (note: this requires advance purchase and is included in an additional cost). After exploring this magnificent site, you will return to Aguas Calientes to take the return train. The tour concludes with return to your hotel in Cusco, leaving you with unforgettable memories of this extraordinary trip.
Curious fact: Did you know? Machu Picchu, which translates as "Old Peak" in the native Quechua language, is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world. This is located 122 kilometers from Cusco and sits at an altitude of 2,430 meters above sea level on the Machu Picchu mountain. It overlooks the Urubamba River and is surrounded by the lush vegetation of a cloud forest, so its scenic beauty and archaeological importance have been factors in its recognition as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
What to Expect
Visit our reviews of the Sacred Valley to Machu Picchu.
Sacred Valley to Machu Picchu Overview
Sustainable Tourism: At Tierras Vivas, we are happy to promote and practice sustainable tourism by being eco-friendly and supporting local communities
Service Level: Comfortable accommodations, comfortable tourist-class, activities and professional guided tour English or Spanish.
Physical Rating: 2 - Moderate walking and hiking suitable for most fitness levels. Not too challenging
Age requirement: 1+ / All travellers under age 18 must be accompanied by an adult.
Staff: A Tierras Vivas representative and Profesional guide
Meals: 1 x Breakfast and 1 x buffet lunch on the Sacred Valley tour
Transportation: Tourist transportation, Train, van
Accommodation: Hotel (1 night) with private bath
Itinerary:
Day 01: Cusco - Sacred Valley - Aguas Calientes
- 07:30 Pick you up from your hotel in Cusco
- Visit Pisac Inca site, Pisac Ruins
- Lunch in the best restaurant of Sacred Valley
- Continue the guided tour of Ollantaytambo
- Train from Ollantaytambo to Aguas Calientes town
- Transfer and accomodation in the hotel
Day 02: Machu Picchu - Ollantaytambo - Cusco
- Wake up and take the bus up to Machu Picchu
- Guided tour of Machu Picchu according to your circuit
- Climb up to Huayna Picchu (Additional cost and book in advance)
- Take the bus down to Aguas Calientes
- Return train from Aguas Calientes to Ollantaytambo
- Driving to Cusco.
Highlights of the Sacred Valley to Machu Picchu tour
- Walking in the Sacred Valley of the Incas
- Visit the Pisac Market
- Guided tour of Pisac and Ollantaytambo archeological
- View the amazing Sacred Valley
- Visit the Machu Picchu
- Climbing to Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu Mountain
Sites to visit in the Sacred Valley tour
Cusco | Pisac Market | Pisac Ruins | Urubamba | Ollantaytambo | Aguas Calientes village | Machu Picchu
Itineray Details
Day 01: Sacred Valley - Train to Machu Picchu
At 07:30, we pick you up from your hotel to take you to the Sacred Valley of the Incas, a lush agricultural region, created by the Urubamba River and an important source of food for the Incas that keep supplying the city of Cusco with a majority of its production until nowadays! Our first stop after half an hour is Pisaq. There we first visit its ruins of a large Incan city situated above the today´s Pisaq Town. Then, we descend by our car to the modern Pisaq to visit its famous traditional handicraft market.
After that, we head for lunch to Urubamba Town considered to be a capital of the valley. There, we have a buffet lunch in one of its lovely tourist restaurants offering traditional Andean cuisine.
Then, we continue our trip to later visit the still alive Incan town of Ollantaytambo, where our Tour Guide guided us around its Incan fortres and explains us about its purpose and history. The town and fortres are strategically located overlooking the beautiful valley! This major ruin site is known as the best surviving example of the Incan urban planning and engineering. It is admired for its huge steep terraces guarding the Incan fortress and for being one of the couple places where Spaniards lost a major battle during their conquest!
In the afternoon, catch the train from Ollantaytambo to Machu Picchu and spend the night in Aguas Calientes town. Our guide will meet you at your hotel to provide a briefing for the next day.

Day 02: Machu Picchu - Cusco
We wake up and transfer to the bus station, where you will board a shuttle bus that will take you up a zigzag path to the archaeological complex of Machu Picchu, a journey of about 30 minutes.
Upon arrival at Machu Picchu, you will check in at the gate by showing your passport and ticket. The ranger will give you instructions for your route, depending on the circuit you have chosen. If you book with us, our reservations department will assign you the available circuit. For those who book in advance, we recommend Circuit 2 of Machu Picchu, which allows you to explore the entire Inca citadel in approximately three hours.
Our guide will show you the main attractions of this ancient Inca site, including the Main Plaza, the Temple of the Sun, the Intiwatana (Sun Clock), the Royal Rooms, the Temple of the Three Windows, and the Royal Inca Cemetery.
Please note that according to the new Machu Picchu rules for 2025, the ticket only allows access to one route and cannot be changed. The ticket is one-way, meaning that you cannot return to the starting point or explore areas outside of the itinerary listed on your ticket.
For an enhanced experience on your Sacred Valley to Machu Picchu tour, we recommend visiting the nearby mountains. You can climb Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu Mountain for a breathtaking panoramic view of the citadel. Don't forget to bring your camera to capture your visit to one of the "New Seven Wonders of the World"!
Once you've fully enjoyed the site, you'll take a shuttle bus back to Aguas Calientes, where you can have lunch (not included in the package) in one of the many charming restaurants serving traditional Andean and international cuisine.
In the afternoon we will take the train back to Ollantaytambo (or alternatively to Poroy), where our driver will meet you at the train station for your transfer to Cusco.
Group Tour: Our driver will drop you off at Avenida Sol, near the main square, from where you can take a taxi to your hotel.
Private Tour: Our driver will drop you off at your hotel.

Included
What is Included in this tour?
- Pre-trek briefing (Our guide will visit your hotel a day before the trek for your briefing)
- Accommodation: Hotel (01 night)
- Meals: 01x Breakfast and 01x Lunch on the Sacred Valley Tour
- Entrance fee to Machu Picchu
- Entrance fee to Pisac and Ollantaytambo archeological
- Professional guide in the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu
- Train ticket around trip to Machu Picchu
- A tickets bus up and down to Machu Picchu
- Tourist transportation in the Sacred Valley
Not Included:
Solo Traveller: Please note that if you have booked the "Solo Traveller" option for this 2 day Sacred Valley to Machu Picchu tour, you receive your own single room for the nights.
Local flights: No local flight is included in the cost of the tours.
Essential Information
Tour Guide & A Representative
Our guide will be visiting your hotel 2 or 1 day before the tour. It is very important, let us know, where you will be staying in Cusco.
All Sacred Valley to Machu Picchu group tours are accompanied by a Tierras Vivas Tour Guide, a Representative or an expedition team. The aim of our Tour Guides is to take a hassle out of our customers’ trips and to help them to have the best trip possible. The Tour Guides provide information on places visited, offer suggestions of what to see and to do, recommend a good place to eat and introduce to his/her colleagues. The Guides have a broad general knowledge of each country visited during a tour, including historical, cultural, religious and social aspects. We also use local Tour Guides where we think that more specific knowledge could add more enjoyment to visited places.
Accommodation
Accommodation during the Sacred Valley to Machu Picchu
These following hotels are used to accommodate you during your tour:
Hotel Casa de Luz
Address: Avenida Hermanos Ayar 703, Aguas Calientes 08681, Peru
We spend a night in small locally owned hotel with private bathrooms and breakfast facilities (Double or Matrimonial room). All of the hotels we use in Aguas Calientes are located within walking distance of the train stations.
During the 2 Day tour to Sacred Valley to Machu Picchu, we request our hotels to get ready your rooms for time of your arrival, especially, if you arrive prior to standard check-in time. Nevertheless, this is not always possible. In this case, you just store your luggage in that hotel storage room and you can explore around your new destination in between.
We recommend the early booking of single supplements and of pre/post-tour accommodation. Single accommodation can be arranged for a supplement, subject to availability. Please request this at the time of booking.
UP-GRADING HOTELS SACRED VALLEY TO MACHU PICCHU
If you would like to upgrade your accommodation, the discount is U$ 20 per person (Double or Single room). we can recommend the following hotel in Machu Picchu or you can choose and book the hotel by yourself:
|
|
Accommodation |
Accommodation |
MACHU PICCHU HOTELS |
STAR |
SINGLE |
DOUBLE |
Santuary Lodge Machu Picchu |
5 Star |
U$ 1500.00 |
U$ 1500.00 |
Casa Andina Machu Picchu |
3 Star |
U$ 218.50 |
U$ 218.50 |
Tierra Viva Machu Picchu |
3 Star |
U$ 110.00 |
U$ 150.00 |
Ferre Machu Picchu |
3 Star |
U$ 230.00 |
U$ 230.00 |
Santuary Lodge Machu Picchu: The accommdation is Standard Patio
Casa Andina Machu Picchu: The accommdation is Standard Traditional
Tierra Viva Hotel Machu Picchu: The accommodation is Standard
Ferre Machu Picchu Hotel: The accommodation is Standard
Suggest Items
A kind of luggage you need to take with depends on a kind of tour you plan to undertake, a part of the country you like to visit, a year season and a length of your trip. In general, you should pack as lightly as possible because you carry your own luggage during most of our tours (however, there are not long walking distances – up to 30 minutes). We recommend you to keep weight of your luggage under 7 kg (20 lb.).
Most of travelers use a suitcase. However, a big backpack would be more suitable. In any case, please do not forget a small rucksack that you will need for daily travels (to carry your bottled water, camera, snacks, etc.). It is better to avoid a wheeled luggage and use luggage with shoulder straps.
What Kind of Clothing to Pack to Peru
Clothing to take with you depends on a year season in Peru and a part of country you plan to visit.
If you plan to visit Cusco Peru and Machu Picchu (Andean mountain range or Altiplano), then we recommend you to take some trousers suitable for hiking, shorts, T-shirts and trekking shoes for the days; and sweaters, fleeces, hats, scarves and warm jackets for the nights. You also should take a sun protection cream, sun glasses and in some cases, mosquito repellent (depending on a route chosen). It is very convenient to have a light rain-gear available in a daypack (e.g. a waterproof poncho or jacket and/or waterproof trousers) as weather changes quickly and rains can suddenly occur. For more details, please check the below link of What to Bring on the “Sacred Valley To Machu Picchu Tour”.
What to take on the Sacred Valley to Machu Picchu
- Passport Original and copies
- Travel insurance(+ copies for a case of lost),
- Cash in USD or credit cards,
- Day pack (to carry your personal items during daily travels),
- Rain gear (a rain-jacket and a waterproof trousers or a rain poncho - this can be purchased in Cusco),
- Resistible footwear, waterproof trekking shoes are recommended,
- Sandals (for a higher comfort while at a hotspring in Aguas Calientes),
- Hat or a cap (to protect you against the Sun, rain as well as cold),
- Sun cream or sun block,
- After-sun cream or hydrating cream for face and body,
- Insect repellent– recommended minimum is 20% DEET (please note that no malaria has been reported during this trip!),
- Camera and its charger/batteries (please note that batteries are consumed quickly under cold conditions),
- Small towel and toiletries,
- Sufficient reserve of underwear,
- Swimsuit (to visit the thermal baths of Aguas Calientes),
- Snacks (biscuits, energy bars, chocolate, raw fruits, muesli, etc.)
Please note: we do provide a daily morning snack and our meal service is very complete and well supplied. The recommendation of taken own snack applies only for customers who like a specific snack that might not be in our menu.
- Bottled water for the first morning and a water bottle.
How Long is the train ride from Sacred Valley to Machu Picchu?
The train is leaving from Ollantaytambo train station and the duration train ride is 1 hrs 45 min round trip.
Extra Luggage
If you have extra luggage, you can be left safely in your hotel in Cusco, in the Ollantaytambo train station or Tierras Vivas store luggage. if you decided in our store luggage, in the morning our driver will pick your luggage and He leave in our office and we will save 2 days and when you will return to Cusco, you can pick your luggage..
How long is the Sacred Valley to Machu Picchu Tour?
The distance from Sacred Valley to Machu Picchu: 153.3 km
On the Sacred Valley the duration tour is 8 hrs 30min, between to 08:00 to 15:30
The Machu Picchu Train departs from Sacred Valley at the Ollanta Station - 1 hr 45 min Minutes from Ollantaytambo to Machu Picchu. Total travel time including transfer from Cusco is approximately 10 hours 30 min each way.
Sacred Valley to Machu Picchu from Lima
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