Cusco Adventure: Machu Picchu, Vinicunca and ATVs in 6 Days
from US$ 660 per person
Six days to see the classics of Cusco with a dose of adrenaline added. You arrive, check in and that same afternoon visit Qoricancha, the Cathedral and the four Inca sites in the hills above the city.
The next day you head down to the Sacred Valley, board the train in Ollantaytambo and sleep in Aguas Calientes, so you reach Machu Picchu without a pre-dawn start from Cusco. Then come the Rainbow Mountain hike and a morning or afternoon on an ATV to the Maras salt pans.
Tours are shared, with a guide in Spanish or English and a hotel pickup every day.
Highlights
- Machu Picchu with a night in Aguas Calientes, round-trip train, bus and entrance included
- Rainbow Mountain hike with breakfast, lunch and entrance
- ATV tour to Maras, with Moray or the Piuray and Huaypo lagoons
- City tour with four Inca sites and Sacred Valley with a buffet lunch
- Arrival and departure transfers, plus hotel pickup for every tour
Gallery
- Duration
- 6 days / 5 nights
- Schedule
- Airport pickup on day 1
- Capacity
- Minimum 2 people (double room)
- Service
- Shared
- Languages
- Spanish and English
Itinerary
Day-by-day itinerary. Pickup times are approximate and confirmed when you book.
- Day 1
Arrival in Cusco and city tour with four Inca sites
We meet you at the airport, take you to your hotel and welcome you with coca tea. Between 12:45 and 13:20 you are picked up for the city tour: Qoricancha, the Cathedral, Sacsayhuamán, Qenqo, Puka Pukara and Tambomachay. You are back in Cusco around 18:00 and spend the night at your hotel.
- Day 2
Sacred Valley and train to Aguas Calientes
Pickup between 7:50 and 8:30 to visit Pisac and its craft market, the valley towns and Urubamba, where you have a buffet lunch. Then you visit Ollantaytambo and take the Expedition or Inca Rail train to Aguas Calientes. You walk to your hotel on your own and spend the night in town.
- Day 3
Machu Picchu
After breakfast, at the time your guide gives you, you take the bus up to the citadel for the guided visit with the group. Back in Aguas Calientes you have a buffet lunch and free time, for example for the hot springs. In the afternoon you ride the train back to Ollantaytambo or Poroy and are transferred to your hotel in Cusco.
- Day 4
Rainbow Mountain (Vinicunca)
Pickup between 4:40 and 5:10 and a drive of about 2 hours 45 minutes to Japura, where you have breakfast. From Quesiuno, at about 4,400 m, you hike an easy trail to Rainbow Mountain, at about 5,000 m; you can rent a horse if you prefer. After lunch you reach Cusco between 18:00 and 19:00, at Plaza Regocijo.
- Day 5
ATV ride to Maras
Pickup at 8:00 or 12:30 to the ATV base, where you get a briefing and safety gear. Depending on the route you choose, you ride through farmland to Moray or to the Piuray and Huaypo lagoons, and both routes end at the Maras salt pans. Then you return to Cusco.
- Day 6
Departure from Cusco
Breakfast at the hotel, check-out and transfer to the airport.
Included
- 4 nights in Cusco and 1 in Aguas Calientes, at a hotel of your chosen category
- Breakfast at the hotel every morning
- Arrival and departure transfers from the airport or bus station
- Hotel pickup for every tour
- Guide in Spanish or English
- City tour with four Inca sites
- Sacred Valley tour with buffet lunch
- Transfers to the train station
- Round-trip Expedition or Inca Rail train, with complimentary snacks and drinks
- Round-trip bus up to Machu Picchu
- Machu Picchu citadel entrance
- Buffet lunch in Aguas Calientes
- Rainbow Mountain tour with breakfast, lunch and entrance
- ATV tour to Maras with safety gear
- Ongoing assistance
Not included
- Full Cusco Tourist Ticket (foreigners: S/ 130 adults, S/ 70 students and children)
- Qoricancha entrance (S/ 25)
- Cathedral entrance (S/ 45)
- Maras salt pans entrance (S/ 10)
- Hot springs entrance
- Horse rental at Rainbow Mountain
- Meals not listed
- Flights
Safety
- Take the first day easy and drink plenty of water: Cusco sits at about 3,400 m and Rainbow Mountain reaches about 5,000 m, which is why it comes on day four.
- The ATV tour is a high-risk activity and the service carries no insurance, so each passenger takes responsibility. We recommend traveling with personal insurance.
- Always wear the safety gear provided and follow the guide's instructions at the ATV base.
- At Rainbow Mountain you can rent a horse if the altitude gets to you; tell your guide if you feel unwell.
Important
- Prices are per person for foreign travelers. If you live in Peru or are from an Andean Community country, ask us for your rate.
- The published rate applies to a minimum of 2 people in a double or matrimonial room; for solo travelers or groups of more than two, the price varies.
- The price depends on the hotel category you choose, from 2★/3★ economy to 5★. The Sacred Valley lunch is at an economy restaurant with 2★ and 3★ hotels, and at a VIP restaurant with 4★ and 5★ hotels.
- Not valid on public holidays, Holy Week, Peru's national holidays (Fiestas Patrias), New Year, Inti Raymi, some festive days or long weekends.
- Children up to 3 years old travel free and share their parents' bed. Discounts are available for children and students with valid ID; ask us.
- Tours are shared services. At Machu Picchu there may be a wait until passengers from other trains arrive.
- Tours end at Plaza Regocijo, two blocks from the Main Square; you are dropped at your hotel only if it is on the way back.
- You need your original passport or ID to enter Machu Picchu.
- Huayna Picchu, Machu Picchu Mountain, the museum, the Vistadome train or an earlier return train cost extra and are subject to availability; they must be booked together with the package.
- If ATV access to Maras is restricted, the last stretch is done by tourist vehicle.
- No-shows, cancellations or postponements are charged 100% of the package.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I sleep each night?
Four nights in Cusco and one in Aguas Calientes, on day two, after the Sacred Valley tour and the train from Ollantaytambo. All nights include breakfast.
Which entrance fees do I pay separately?
The Cusco Tourist Ticket (covering the city tour ruins and Moray), Qoricancha, the Cathedral and the Maras salt pans are paid in soles. The Machu Picchu and Rainbow Mountain entrances are included.
What is the ATV tour like?
You choose between two routes: Moray and Maras, or the Piuray and Huaypo lagoons plus Maras. Before setting off you get a short briefing and safety gear. Two people can share an ATV, each paying the same price.
Can I take my large suitcase to Aguas Calientes?
We recommend packing only what you need for one night. Aguas Calientes is a small town with no motor vehicles, and you walk to your hotel from the station.
