girl Machu Picchu fullday tour
girl on her back with machu picchu in the background
Panoramic train to Machu Picchu
Scenic train to Machu Picchu
walls and stairs of machu picchu urban area
archaeological site of machu picchu as seen from above during the guided tour
machu picchu mountain landscape
interior of the ruins of machu picchu
Transfer Cusco <> Ollantaytambo
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Machu Picchu full day tour

Train excursion from Cusco in one day: includes entrance to Machu Picchu

(18 reviews)

🚨 Tickets to Machu Picchu sell out fast! 🚨 Book in advance.

Cusco
1 day
Spanish / English
Starts: From your accommodation in Cusco at 3:50 a.m.
Ends: To your accommodation in Cusco between 6:30 and 7:30 p.m.
Flexible cancellation policy

Briefing

The Machu Picchu day tour from Cusco is perfect for anyone who’s short on time but still wants to check out one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World. After a two-hour drive, you’ll hit Ollantaytambo and hop on the famous train that takes you to Aguas Calientes. Once you get there, you’ll catch a bus up to the Inca Citadel and follow the route based on your ticket. When you’re done exploring, it’s back on the bus to Aguas Calientes and then a train ride back to Ollantaytambo. The train included in the tour is a tourist-class panoramic ride (Expedition / Voyager), but if you want to roll back in style with first-class (Vistadome / 360), you can add that when you book. Once you get to Ollantaytambo, a minibus will be ready to take you back to Cusco.

✅ At Howlanders, we’ve got this tour with awesome guides, great train schedules, and access to Machu Picchu (subject to availability), so get ready for an unforgettable experience!

Tour details

Included

  • Transfer Cusco-Ollantaytambo (round trip)
  • Train Ollantaytambo - Aguas Calientes in the selected category (round trip)
  • Bus Aguas Calientes - Machu Picchu (round trip)
  • Machu Picchu Ticket

Not included

  • Meals

Important information

The tour includes entry to Machu Picchu and transportation on a tourist train. When you book, the best available schedules and entry types will be assigned to you. If you already have an entry ticket and don’t want to include it in your reservation, please contact us.

You can enhance your tour by adding one of these extras during the booking process:

  • 🚂 Upgrade to first-class train – Upgrade your train tickets to travel in panoramic cars with onboard service and entertainment.
  • 🙋 Upgrade to a private guided tour of Machu Picchu – Instead of joining a group tour, you will have a private guide just for you and your companions.

Cancellation policy

If you cancel more than 15 days before the tour start time you will receive an 70% refund*. If you cancel less than 15 days before the tour start time you will receive a 50% refund*. After this time, or in case of no-show, you will not be entitled to a refund.

Tour itinerary

Cusco - Ollantaytambo - Aguas Calientes - Machu Picchu

4:00 A.M.

Pick up in Cusco

Your guide will pick you up at your accommodation in Cusco around 4:00 a.m. with a minibus and you will head to Ollantaytambo train station. From there, you will take the 6:10 a.m. train to Aguas Calientes. Also known as Machu Picchu village.

🚆🕐 The journey takes about an hour and a half, circulating through spectacular scenery with views of the snow-capped mountains, the Vilcanota River and the semi-tropical and high jungle zone.

perurail train blue color running from ollantaytambo to aguas calientes
8 : 00 AM

Machu Picchu

When you get to Aguas Calientes, you’ll hop on a bus that’ll take you up to the Machu Picchu archaeological park. Once you're there, you'll follow the route based on your ticket since there are different paths to explore the citadel. After the tour, you’ll have some free time to check out certain areas of Machu Picchu, but just a heads up—you won’t be able to wander around wherever you want because they’ve limited visitor movement to help preserve the site.

view of the citadel of machu picchu during the machu picchu full day tour

Aguas Calientes - Return to Cusco

We will take the bus again from Machu Picchu to Aguas Calientes town, where you can have lunch in one of its restaurants before taking the train that will take you back to Ollantaytambo.

At the Ollantaytambo train station, a minibus will be waiting for you to take you back to Cusco. You will arrive in the city around 6:30 p.m.

🚆🕐The exact arrival time in Cusco may vary depending on train schedules and will be indicated in your booking confirmation.

town of aguas calientes during the machu picchu full day tour

What to bring to Machu Picchu full day tour

  • Passport
  • Insect repellent
  • Sunscreen
  • Sunglasses
  • Warm clothing
  • Comfortable footwear (if possible waterproof sneakers)
  • Refillable water bottle
  • Raincoat
  • Swimwear and towel (for the thermal waters of Aguas Calientes)
  • Medication to avoid altitude sickness (in case you consider it necessary)

Where does the tour Machu Picchu full day start

The tour includes pick up from your accommodation in Cusco. If your starting point to get to Cusco is Lima, you can arrive by bus (24 hours of travel) or take a plane that has a journey time of one hour.

If you arrive from Arequipa, the bus ride takes ten hours. You can also choose to make the trip by plane, in this case the only airline that offers direct flights is LATAM Airlines.

If you arrive from Puno the best option is to do it by bus, a journey of six and a half hours. We also offer the possibility of making this journey in a tourist bus that makes stops at the most important places along the way. Departure is at 7:00 in the morning and arrival in Cusco at 17:30.

Finally, LATAM Airlines operates a direct route Iquitos - Cusco. This route is not available on a daily basis, so we recommend you check the dates on which it is available to plan your trip.

Questions & Answers

  • What ticket does my reservation include?

    Due to the high demand for tickets to the Citadel, we cannot guarantee the exact circuit and time of your ticket. We will confirm your reservation with the ticket that is available at that time.

  • Is there a discount for children?

    Yes, children under 17 years old have a discount of 20 USD. If you want to include children in your reservation please contact us here.

  • Will I be able to take the typical photo in Machu Picchu?

    From Howlanders we understand how important it is to capture those memorable moments during your visit to Machu Picchu, that's why we will do our best to confirm your reservation with the best available circuit and take the classic picture with the majestic citadel in the background.

  • What is the best time to travel to Machu Picchu?

    Any time of the year is good for traveling to Machu Picchu, but the best time is between June and September to avoid the rain.

  • Has this tour ever been canceled in the rainy season?

    No, we have never canceled this tour because the roads you pass through to get to Machu Picchu are safe. During the rainy season, we recommend you book with the extra Vistadome train to avoid delays (due to rain) and enjoy the scenery better.

  • What's the difference between trains?

    There are two companies that operate the route between Ollantaytambo and Aguas Calientes (Machu Picchu town): Inca Rail and Peru Rail. Their trains are touristic, since they run at low speed to be able to appreciate the landscape during the one and a half hour journey. They mainly offer 2 categories. The standard category, called Expedition or Voayager and the higher category called 360 or Vistadome. In case you want a more luxurious category or to personalize your tour, contact us.

  • How long will I be in Machu Picchu?

    The tour is approximately 4 hours, which includes 2 free hours to explore the area freely.

  • What to bring to Machu Picchu in one day tour?

    In addition to what is indicated in the section "what to bring" we want to clarify that the temperature varies a lot in the same day and the sun can be strong, so it is important to bring several layers of clothing, a rain poncho, as well as sunglasses, sunscreen and a hat or cap. A small backpack will be very comfortable to carry everything. We recommend that you leave some of your luggage at your accommodation in Cusco (yes, all hotels offer this service) and take only what is necessary for the tour. Also Machu Picchu has lockers, they have a price of 5 soles.

  • Is it possible to book the tour, discounting the price of the entrance ticket or train if I have booked them in advance?

    Yes, we offer various discounts depending on what you have already booked. If you want to customize your tour, contact us.

  • Do you offer discounts to students?

    Yes, we offer a discount of 20 USD to students under 25. In order to apply the discount, it is important that you send us a picture of your student ID card.

  • Is it possible to stay a night in an accommodation in Aguas Calientes and return to Cuzco the next day?

    Yes, to add an extra night in the Aguas Calientes you just have to contact us to offer you personalized help.

  • Where does the tour start?

    The tour offers accommodation pick up, so you will be picked up at your accommodation as long as it is located in the historical centre of Cuzco. If the street is not accessible for the minibus, the coordinator will accompany you from your accommodation to the pick-up point. In case your hotel is not located in the centre the minibus will not be able to deviate so much from its pick-up route and you will be offered a pick-up point as close as possible to your accommodation.

Machu Picchu full day tour reviews with Howlanders

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