Group tour
FromUS$325per person
- Expedition or Voyager train, round trip
- Standard hotel (single, double or matrimonial room)
Day Trips
Machu Picchu 2-Day Tour by Train with a Night in Aguas Calientes
Machu Picchu
- Duration
- 2 days
- Physical level
- Easy
- Max. altitude
- 3,399 m
- Group size
- Group or private (min. 2)
- Accommodation
- Hotel in Aguas Calientes
- From
- US$325
A night at the foot of the mountain and Machu Picchu first thing in the morning
Two days from Cusco: train through the Sacred Valley to Aguas Calientes, a night at the foot of the mountain and a guided morning tour of Machu Picchu, with tickets, trains, bus and hotel included.
Sleeping in Aguas Calientes changes the experience: no rush, an afternoon to enjoy the town and its hot springs, and Machu Picchu early the next morning. This 2-day tour suits every age — solo travellers, couples, friends and families — and you can choose between a group tour with the Expedition or Voyager train and a private tour with the Vistadome train.
What you will see at Machu Picchu
The places you visit depend on your ticket and circuit, and some sectors are open only at certain times of day. These are the highlights of the routes:
Guardian’s House: in the highest part of the citadel, it controlled the entrance to the Inca city. From here you get the famous panoramic view, with the Inca Trail and the Inca Bridge in sight.
Temple of the Sun: a semicircular tower with perfect stonework, used for ceremonies at the June and December solstices. Its windows are aligned with the sunrise on those dates.
Temple of the Three Windows and Main Temple: walls of enormous polygonal stones fitted without mortar. Behind the Main Temple, one stone has 32 angles.
Intihuatana: "where the sun is tied" in Quechua, a carved stone on the highest point of the urban sector, linked to the movement of the sun through the year.
Sacred Rock, Water Mirrors, the Temple of the Condor and the water fountains: a rock carved in the shape of a mountain, two circular stones that reflect the sky in the rainy season, a condor carved into the rock and a system of 16 fountains still fed by a spring.
Why spend the night in Aguas Calientes
You visit Machu Picchu in the morning, without the long journey of a day trip, and have time to rest before the return. It is the most relaxed way to see the citadel if you have two days.
- Machu Picchu in the morning, without the rush of a day trip
- A night and a free afternoon in Aguas Calientes
- Panoramic train through the Sacred Valley
- Group tour or private tour with the Vistadome train
Machu Picchu 2-day tour route map
← Swipe →© OpenStreetMap
01
Cusco – Ollantaytambo – Aguas Calientes
Sacred Valley by road, train to Aguas Calientes and a free afternoon.
Overnight: Aguas Calientes
Machu Picchu 2-day tour itinerary
Aguas Calientes
3,399 mDay 1: Cusco – Ollantaytambo – Aguas Calientes
09:00 – 11:00 · Pick-up from your hotel in Cusco and drive to Ollantaytambo station, with short stops at viewpoints for photos. 11:15 – 12:41 · Train from Ollantaytambo to Aguas Calientes along the Urubamba river. Our staff meets you at the station and takes you to your hotel. Free afternoon to explore the town or relax in the hot springs (entrance not included). 19:00 · Your guide meets you at the hotel for a short briefing on the next day.
Machu Picchu
Breakfast, lunch2.5 h2,430 mDay 2: Machu Picchu – Ollantaytambo – Cusco
07:00 – 08:00 · Bus from Aguas Calientes up to Machu Picchu. 08:00 – 10:30 · Guided tour of the main sectors of the sanctuary, according to your ticket and circuit. Bus back down to Aguas Calientes and lunch at a local restaurant, included. 14:30 – 16:10 · Train from Aguas Calientes to Ollantaytambo. 16:20 – 18:20 · Transfer to your hotel in Cusco. Times are approximate and depend on your entrance time to Machu Picchu.
Customize this journey
Change the pace, upgrade hotels, add days — this itinerary is yours to shape.
What's included
Included
- Airport – hotel – airport transfers in Cusco
- Hotel pick-up and drop-off in Cusco
- Transport Cusco – Ollantaytambo – Cusco
- Train Ollantaytambo – Aguas Calientes – Ollantaytambo (Expedition/Voyager or Vistadome, depending on the option)
- Bus Aguas Calientes – Machu Picchu – Aguas Calientes
- Machu Picchu entrance ticket
- Professional guide in Spanish, English or Portuguese
- 1 night in Aguas Calientes with breakfast (hotel upgrade on request)
- Lunch on day 2
Not included
- Other meals
- International or domestic flights
- Huayna Picchu ticket
- Hot springs entrance
- Tips and personal expenses
- Hotel in Cusco on day 2 (we can book it for you)
Machu Picchu 2-day tour prices
Private tour
FromUS$435per person
Minimum 2 people
- Vistadome train, round trip
- Hotel (double or matrimonial room)
- Private service: only your group
Before you go
Passport
Bring the same passport you used to book: it is checked at the entrance to Machu Picchu and on the train.
Luggage
The train allows one small bag of up to 5 kg. Leave the rest of your luggage at your hotel in Cusco.
Clothing
Layers for sun and cold, a rain poncho or waterproof jacket, a hat, comfortable walking shoes and a swimsuit for the hot springs.
Health and care
Sunscreen, sunglasses, insect repellent, water and your personal medication. Bring cash in soles for small purchases.
What to pack
PassportOriginal, not a copy
Soles in cashFor tips and markets
Personal medicationPlus something for altitude
Reusable bottleStay hydrated at altitude
Machu Picchu 2-day tour FAQs
G
Machu Picchu tickets have a daily limit and are issued with your name, circuit and entry time. From June to September book 3 to 6 months ahead; the rest of the year, at least a few weeks.
The group tour travels on the Expedition or Voyager train and stays at a standard hotel, from US$325. The private tour is just for your group, with the Vistadome train and its panoramic windows, from US$435 per person (minimum 2 people).
It is not mandatory, but it is highly recommended: tickets have fixed circuits and times, and trains, buses and the hotel all have to fit together. We arrange everything so the visit runs smoothly.
Yes. We adapt the tour to your ticket; we just need to check your entry time and train availability. Write to us and we will confirm it.
The dry season, from April to October, brings sunny days and little rain. From November to March it rains more often, but the landscape is greener and there are fewer visitors.
We plan a gradual ascent, starting in the lower Sacred Valley. Our guides carry oxygen, monitor how you feel and adjust the pace whenever needed.
What our travelers say
- ★★★★★
“Fast, honest answers on WhatsApp before we booked and real support during the trip. When a train was delayed, everything was rearranged before we even noticed.”
Laura & James P., United KingdomPeru Essentials in Style - ★★★★★
“Walking the Inca Trail had been on my list for twenty years. The team handled the permits, the porters were incredible and arriving through the Sun Gate was pure emotion.”
Michael K., AustraliaClassic Inca TrailGoogle - ★★★★★
“Travelling with three kids could have been stressful, but the pace was just right. The llama trek and the chocolate workshop were the highlights for our children.”
The Harrison family, United StatesFamily Adventure in the AndesTripadvisor - ★★★★★
“The perfect honeymoon. The Hiram Bingham train, a private sunrise at Machu Picchu and three nights in the Amazon — Giovanni designed something that felt completely ours.”
Emma T., United KingdomRomantic Peru HoneymoonGoogle - ★★★★★
“Our guide on the Salkantay trek knew every plant, every story and exactly when we needed a break. Crossing the pass at sunrise is a memory we will keep forever.”
David & Claire R., CanadaSalkantay Trek to Machu PicchuTripadvisor - ★★★★★
“Every single detail was taken care of, from the airport pick-up in Lima to a quiet table overlooking the Sacred Valley. We never once had to think about logistics — we just enjoyed Peru.”
Sarah M., United StatesPeru Essentials in Style
Similar journeys
Machu Picchu Day Tour from Cusco
The Inca citadel in one full day, by train and with a local guide
fromUS$285
Easy
Sacred Valley & Machu Picchu 2-Day Tour
Pisac, Ollantaytambo and the Inca citadel, with a night in Aguas Calientes
fromUS$395
Easy
Machu Picchu by Car
Over the Andes and through the cloud forest, two days and one night
fromUS$225
Moderate