Exploring Machu Picchu and Cusco

DAY BY DAY ITINERARY Exploring Machu Picchu and Cusco

• Day 1: Arrival to Lima + Overnight in Lima

  Upon your arrival to Lima one of our representatives will meet you at the airport and take you directly to your hotel in Lima, where you will spend a well-deserved overnight stay. *While in Lima, we highly recommend adding culinary activities such as cooking classes and tasting dinners in the best restaurants of Latin America. For more information check out our website: taste-of-peru.com and contact our travel specialists. Please let us know if you would like us to add extra activities.

• Day 2: Fly to Cusco, Afternoon City Tour & Overnight in Cusco (B)

  You will be transferred to the airport for the short domestic flight to Cusco, the ancient capital of the Incas located at 11,100 feet above sea level. You will be met upon arrival by one of our representatives. You will have the remainder of the morning to rest and freshen up. It’s best to take it easy this morning to let your body adjust to the altitude. Both lunch and dinner are on your own. After lunch you will set out on grand tour of Cusco, the former capital of the once vast Incan Empire. We visit Cusco’s impressive Plaza de Armas and both the Spanish cathedral and Incan temple of the sun, Qoricancha. After the first part of the tour, we visit the archeological site above the city that were considered an essential part of the ancient capital. We start from Sacsayhuaman, where Inti Raymi the Festival of the Sun, is held during the Summer Solstice, Tambomachay, the Temple of the Sacred Waters, which is a marvel of hydraulic engineering and Q´enqo where we will see the remains of a ceremonial site used for fertility rites and for celebrations of the solstice and equinox. * An extra day in Cusco can be added upon request as well as any additional activities and meals.

• Day 3: Sacred Valley of the Incas & Overnight in Cusco (B, L)

  After breakfast we set out into the Urubamba Valley, also known as the Sacred Valley of the Incas. We will start our visit at Pisac Ruins, one of the most beautiful archeological site that combines a beautiful architectural structure with a stunning landscape. Pisac site is located on the highest hill of the city, on a dry and rocky surface. Then we will have some time to have lunch and recover energies to continue with the tour. Finally, we head deeper into the Sacred Valley and visit the Inca town of Ollantaytambo. At the end of the tour you will be transferred to the Ollanta train station to catch the train to the town of Aguas Calientes. According to Peru rail regulations you can only bring a 5 kilos-backpack on the train, so the rest of your luggage will be taken to your Hotel in Cusco. A hotel staff member will be waiting for you at the train station. *An extra overnight at the Sacred Valley can be added upon request, as well as additional activities and meals.

  NOTE: Some people prefer to go directly to the Sacred Valley upon arrival to the Cusco airport. Please let us know your preference to include it in your itinerary.​

• Day 4: Machu Picchu & Overnight in Cusco (B, S)

  After breakfast at your hotel, we catch the early train to the town of Aguas Calientes and we will then continue by bus to Machu Picchu citadel. This day you will enjoy a full tour of the lost city and have lunch on your own after the tour. In the afternoon we say farewell to Machu Picchu as we take the train to reach Poroy station, where transportation will be waiting for you to bring you to Cusco. You will arrive at night at your Cusco hotel. * An overnight in Machu Picchu can be added upon request, as well as bus and entrance tickets for a second day at the citadel. Please let us know if you would like to add other activities and meals.

• Day 5: Flight to Lima & Flight Back Home (B)

  Your journey to Peru comes to an end as you will be transferred to the Cusco airport to catch your flight back to Lima. Flight time will depend on the time of your international flight back home. * Please let us know if you would like to add extra activities or a day-use in a hotel if your flight is late at night.

IMPORTANT:

As price depends on each passenger choices, please contact us to send you an updated price based on your specific request. Please send us the following information and we will respond within 24 hours with your updated price.

• Number of people in your party
• Level of accommodation (3,4,5*). Please see options 
• Private or Group Tour
• Train choice. Please see options
• Adding options: if you like to add day tours, extra days, meals, etc
• Need domestic or international flights?
• Have a special request (ie: special diet, wheelchair, children, senior, etc)

IMPORTANT NOTES:

About Machu Picchu Entrance Tickets

As of 2023, due to the increase and popularity of Machupicchu and in order to preserve the ancient paths, the government has implemented new regulations to control the crowds. The maximum number of visitors allow per day is 4004. This means that, once all the tickets are sold out, no further entrance tickets will be available. Tickets are now issued with specifics entry time and routes, and visitors are required to enter at the time stated on their tickets and show their passport or ID used to issue them. Visitors can stay up to 4 hours to reduce crowds. When you leave the site you cannot re-enter on the same ticket, and it is mandatory to be accompanied by a licensed guide. Tickets are not refundable and non-transferable.

About Huayna Picchu Tickets

Entrance tickets to Huaynapicchu are no longer free, Accessing comes with specific rules and a separate ticket from Machupicchu’s general entry. Only 200 visitors are allowed per day divided in 4 time slots (7:00 AM, 8:00 AM, 9:00 AM, 10:00 AM).  The average time allowed to complete the hike is about 3 hours. The minimum age for entry is 12 years and you must register at the entry and exit control points. The price of the ticket is slightly more than Machupicchu and get sold out quickly. 

WHAT’S INCLUDED?

• Expedition train Roundtrip. Change to other trains: Vistadome train, Hiram Bingham Train upon request.
• Bus to Machu Picchu roundtrip.
• Expert leadership, guides & support personnel for all listed tours
• Accommodations: 1 night in Lima/ 3 nights in Cuzco
• Meals as noted (B = Breakfast, L = Lunch, D = Dinner, S = Snack). We can add any meals upon request
• Land excursions as noted including entrance fees (BTG, Cathedral, Qoricancha & MachuPicchu)
• Private Transportation: Lima Airport/Lima Hotel, Lima Hotel/Lima Airport, Cusco Airport/Cusco Hotel, Cusco Hotel/Train Station, Train Station/Cusco
• Hotel, Cusco Hotel/Cusco Airport.

WHAT’S NOT INCLUDED?

• Airport taxes: Local (USD$ 5.00 – 6.00) and International (USD$ 31.00) departure tax of payable in local currency by each passenger at Lima International Airport upon departure (if applicable)
• International and domestic airfares, usually quoted separately
• Excess baggage charges
• Medical immunizations
• Insurance of any kind: mandatory evacuation insurance; suggested cancellation insurance, interruption, baggage loss, damage and delay
• Tipping & Gratuities (Guides USD $10.00 per person per day / Drivers USD $5.00 per person per day)  
• Items of a personal nature (clothing, sodas, liquor, snacks, laundry, etc.)
• Visas. Please be advised that some citizens other than Canadians and US may need visa to travel to Peru. Please advise us of your nationality to help you or check with the Peruvian Consulate

TYPE OF TOURS

All of our tours are offered in both Group and Private services; however, as we like to maintain control of the quality of our tours, even our group tours include PRIVATE transfers. This is important, as when you get picked up; you will go directly to your hotel without having to drive around the city to drop off other people in their hotels. Transportation is just for you.

MIXED GROUP/PRIVATE
Destinations Tours: Private Transfers + Group Cultural Tours
Special Interest Tours: Private Transfers + Private Special Interest Activities + Group Cultural Tours

All PRIVATE
Destinations Tours: Private Transfers + Private Cultural Tours
Special Interest Tours: Private Transfers + Private Special interest Activities + Private Cultural Tours

ACCOMMODATIONS

We offer all level of accommodations. When creating an itinerary it would be important to know which your preferred level of accommodation is. Please be sure that at all levels our recommended hotels offer great service and nice comfortable rooms. Our team has personally tried all our recommended hotels.

STANDARD
Hostels: Even though we can consider hostels in your itinerary, for travelers on a budget, we make sure to include a private room with private bathroom. We do not work with shared rooms. Hostels we work with have great location and service to travelers and include breakfast.
 3-star: Basic 3-star hotels with nice comfortable rooms. Perfect for travelers that prefer a less expensive option, but do not feel comfortable with a hostel. Buffet breakfast included. All hotels we work with are very well located and have 24-hour front desk service.

MODERATE                                                                                                                                                                                    
3-star Superior: These are 3-star that should really be considered as 4-star Hotels. Nice location, great rooms and charming decoration. Excellent service, with restaurant, room service, business center, laundry, etc. Buffet breakfast. Best value. Perfect for someone looking for an inexpensive option and still having some superior services.
4-star Hotels: Good location, very nice rooms, great decoration and excellent service. This hotel includes more services such as room service, business center, laundry, spas, more room features, etc. Some have gourmet restaurants. Buffet breakfast. Perfect for someone looking for some luxury and special services and do not need a 5-star option.

LUXURY                                                                                                                                                                                          
4-star Suites: Some 4-star hotels have suites that offer the same room features of a 5-star option. Perfect for someone looking to upgrade from a 4-star standard room and get more space and features.
5-star Hotel: What you usually imagine a 5-star hotel is. Great location, luxury accommodations and excellent service. Gourmet restaurants, spas, room service, business center, etc. Perfect for someone looking for a 5-star service but do not need the 5-star Deluxe option.
5-star Deluxe: These 5-star deluxe hotels offer ultimate luxury with outstanding service, luxurious rooms with deluxe room features and “you ask-you will get” concierge service. Properties have privileged locations or particular history behind it. Gourmet restaurants and spas. Ideal for the luxurious traveler.

TRAINS

Expedition: The least expensive tourist train, recently renovated offers nice seats and good train service.
Vistadome: A higher category of train service, with panoramic roof windows. It offers a snack and fashion show.            Vistadome Observatory: An upgrade from the regular Vistadome. This category of train has an observation car for a 360 view and an open-air balcony. Also, a bar car for drinks (at extra cost) and a show on board. It also offers a snack and fashion show.
Hiram Bingham: Luxury train which offers VIP service, includes a traditional welcome show, gourmet brunch, live music, tea-time at the Sanctuary Lodge a Belmond Hotel, entrance tickets to Machupicchu, and dinner service. This category of train has a Dining car, observation car and bar car.  

FLIGHTS

DOMESTIC AIRLINES
Latam: It offers great service and many frequencies to Cusco (almost 13 flights per day).  Prices are the highest on the market, but it is the most reliable airline.
Sky Airlines: Low-cost airline is an alternative for domestic flights. It flies to many destinations within Peru and offers good value prices. However, it has few frequencies and makes a lot of changes and cancellations of flights, especially in bad weather.
Jet SMART Airline: Low-cost airline. It flies to many destinations within Peru and South America. It has more frequencies than Sky to and from Cusco, but it usually has changes and cancellations, especially in bad weather.

Lima/Cusco/Lima:                                                                                                                                                                         
From US$185.00 per person. This is an example price, based on Full category; including selection of seat, 1 backpack, 1 carryon of 10kg. and 1 cheeked bag of 23kg. Other categories: Basic, Light (less expensive options) and Premium Economy category (fully refundable with more room for legs and middle seat blocked). Price will vary, depending on the date, time and category booked.

INTERNATIONAL AIRLINES
Depending where you are coming from, Lima is serviced by all major Airlines.  A few airlines offer non-stop services from major cities such as Miami, New York, Atlanta, Houston, Los Angeles, Montreal.                     

From USA: American, Latam, Delta, United, Spirit, Avianca, Copa
From Canada: Air Canada, Air Transat, America, Latam, Delta, United, Copa, Aero Mexico