Cusco Enigmático: 4 Days with a Night in Aguas Calientes
from US$ 515 per person
Four days that bring together Cusco, the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu, with a night in Aguas Calientes at the foot of the citadel. We meet you at the airport with a cup of coca tea, and that same afternoon you do the city tour: Qoricancha, the Cathedral and the four archaeological sites in the hills.
The next day you visit Pisac, Urubamba and Ollantaytambo, then continue by train to Aguas Calientes. Since you sleep there, only a short bus ride separates you from Machu Picchu for the guided tour; in the afternoon you take the train back to Cusco.
Trains, buses, the Machu Picchu ticket, hotels and transfers are all coordinated. You choose the hotel category.
Highlights
- A night in Aguas Calientes, a short bus ride from Machu Picchu
- Round-trip Expedition or Inca Rail train, up-and-down bus and Machu Picchu entry ticket
- City tour with four archaeological sites and Sacred Valley with buffet lunch
- Three hotel nights with breakfast: two in Cusco and one in Aguas Calientes
- Airport transfers and hotel pickup for every tour
Gallery
- Duration
- 4 days / 3 nights
- Schedule
- Airport pickup on day 1
- Capacity
- Minimum 2 people (double room)
- Service
- Shared
- Languages
- Spanish and English
Itinerary
Four days across Cusco, the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu, with a night in Aguas Calientes.
- Day 1
City tour and four archaeological sites
We meet you at the airport, take you to your hotel and welcome you with a cup of coca tea. Between 12:45 and 13:20 you are picked up for the city tour: Qoricancha, the Cathedral, then 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
After breakfast, between 7:50 and 8:30, you are picked up to visit Pisac and its craft market, the villages of Coya, Lamay, Calca and Yucay, and Urubamba, where you have a buffet lunch. In the afternoon you visit Ollantaytambo and then head to the station for the Expedition or Inca Rail train to Aguas Calientes. You walk from the station to your hotel on your own and spend the night in Aguas Calientes.
- Day 3
Machu Picchu and return to Cusco
You have breakfast at the hotel and, at the time set by the guide, go to the bus stop to ride up to Machu Picchu, where the group meets for the guided tour. Afterwards you take the bus back down to Aguas Calientes for a buffet lunch and some free time, for instance at the hot springs. In the afternoon you take the train to Ollantaytambo or Poroy, where we pick you up and drive you to your hotel in Cusco.
- Day 4
Transfer to the airport
You have breakfast at the hotel, check out and are driven to the airport for your departing flight.
Included
- Arrival and departure transfers between the airport or bus terminal and your hotel
- Welcome coca tea
- Hotel pickup for every tour
- Round-trip transfers to the train station
- Guide in Spanish and English
- City tour and four archaeological sites
- Sacred Valley tour with buffet lunch
- Round-trip Expedition or Inca Rail train, with a complimentary snack and drink on board
- Bus up to and down from Machu Picchu
- Machu Picchu citadel entry ticket
- Buffet lunch in Aguas Calientes
- 3 nights' accommodation in a hotel of the chosen category: 2 in Cusco and 1 in Aguas Calientes
- Breakfast at the hotel every morning
- Ongoing assistance throughout the trip
Not included
- Meals not listed in the itinerary
- Aguas Calientes hot springs entrance
- Qoricancha entrance (S/ 25)
- Cathedral entrance (S/ 45)
- Full Cusco Tourist Ticket (foreigners: S/ 130 adults, S/ 70 students and children; Peruvians: S/ 70 adults, S/ 40 students and children)
Safety
- Day one is a half-day tour mixing vehicle transfers with short walks, so you can adjust to Cusco's altitude (about 3,400 m).
- Drink water, eat light and take it easy during the first hours; the welcome coca tea helps.
- A guide in Spanish and English on every tour, and ongoing assistance throughout the trip.
Important
- Rates are per person for foreign travelers and apply to a minimum booking of 2 people in a double or twin room. For 1 traveler or groups of more than 2, the price changes.
- The price depends on the hotel category you choose, from 2★/3★ economy up to 5★.
- If you live in Peru or are a citizen of the Andean Community (Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador), ask us for your rate. There are also rates for students aged 12 to 17 and children aged 4 to 11 with valid ID.
- Children up to 3 years old travel free and share their parents' bed.
- Rates do not apply on public holidays, Holy Week, Peru's national holidays (Fiestas Patrias), New Year, Inti Raymi, some festive days or long weekends. Ask us about those dates.
- Tours are run as a shared service. At Machu Picchu there may be a wait before the guided tour, as the group is completed with passengers arriving on other trains.
- Tours end at Plaza Regocijo, two blocks from the Main Square. Only if your hotel is on the way back will the vehicle drop you at the door.
- The Sacred Valley buffet lunch is at a tourist restaurant for 2★ and 3★ hotels, and at a VIP restaurant for 4★ and 5★ hotels.
- To enter Machu Picchu you need your original, valid passport or ID, the same one used for the booking.
- You can add entry to Huayna Picchu, Machu Picchu Mountain or the museum, the Vistadome train or an earlier train back, at extra cost and subject to availability. Extra entries are booked together with the package.
- There are no cars in Aguas Calientes and you walk from the station to your hotel on your own, so bring only what you need for that night.
- The booking is secured with full payment. Check availability before paying.
- No-shows, cancellations and postponements are charged at 100% of the package.
Frequently asked questions
Why do we spend a night in Aguas Calientes?
You arrive by train on the afternoon of day 2, so the next morning you only need the bus up to Machu Picchu, with no pre-dawn trip from Cusco. After the visit you still have free time in town before the train back.
Which entrance fees are not included?
The Full Cusco Tourist Ticket (covering the city tour and Sacred Valley sites), the Qoricancha entrance (S/ 25), the Cathedral entrance (S/ 45) and the Aguas Calientes hot springs. Bring some cash in soles.
What luggage should I take to Aguas Calientes?
Only what you need for one night, in a backpack or small bag. The town has no cars and you walk from the station to the hotel.
Can I add Huayna Picchu or the Vistadome train?
Yes, at extra cost and subject to availability. Entries to Huayna Picchu, Machu Picchu Mountain or the museum must be booked at the same time as the package.
Are the tours private?
No, they are a shared service with a guide in Spanish and English. At Machu Picchu there may be a wait while passengers from other trains arrive.
