1 Day Machu Picchu Tour from Cusco: Private or Group

The Temple of the Sun and the stepped terraces, explained by someone who knows them.

A 1-day tour from Cusco to Machu Picchu with private or group transport, round-trip train tickets, entrance to the citadel and a 3-hour guided tour of the main sites, followed by free time to wander. You leave your hotel at 5:00 AM or later (private option) or 4:30 AM (group option), travel by car to Ollantaytambo, take the train to Aguas Calientes, ride the bus up to the ruins, and return to Cusco by evening. The guide meets you at the train station and walks you through the temple of the sun, the solar observatory, the central plaza, the palace of the Inca and the temple of the condor before you have the rest of the afternoon to explore. A minimum of 2 people per booking is required. Children from age 5 are welcome.

Step-by-step itinerary

Full day Machu Picchu tour from Cusco

• 5:30 AM hotel pickup in Cusco
• Transfer to Ollantaytambo train station
• 7:45 AM train ride to Aguas Calientes
• 9:45 AM arrive Aguas Calientes, meet guide
• Bus ride to Machu Picchu sanctuary
• 10:30 AM guided tour of Machu Picchu
• Free time to explore Machu Picchu
• Bus back to Aguas Calientes
• Free time for lunch or town visit
• 3:48 PM train ride to Ollantaytambo
• 5:45 PM transfer to Cusco hotel
• 7:30 PM arrive at Cusco hotel

The experience

The day starts before dawn. A private car picks you up from your hotel in Cusco and drives you through the Sacred Valley to Ollantaytambo, where you board the train. The Expedition train takes about 1 hour 50 minutes and passes through river valleys and cloud forest. The Vistadome has large windows and a glass roof. Either way, you arrive in Aguas Calientes (the small town at the base of Machu Picchu) by mid-morning, where your guide meets you at the station with a sign bearing your name.

From Aguas Calientes, a bus climbs 400 meters in roughly 30 minutes to reach the citadel. Once you pass the checkpoint and collect your entrance ticket, your guide leads a 3-hour tour of the main structures: the sacred sundial (Intiwatana), the temple of the sun, the royal quarters, the main square, the temple of the three windows, the temple of the condor and the stepped terraces that terrace the mountainside. The guide explains the Inca engineering and the history of each site. After the tour ends, the rest of the afternoon is yours. You can walk the quieter paths, sit on the terraces, or simply stand in the main plaza without anyone talking.

At 2:00 PM you head back down to Aguas Calientes for lunch (on your own, your guide can recommend restaurants) and free time in the town. The return train departs at 3:48 PM and takes you back to Ollantaytambo by early evening, where the driver meets you again and drives you back to your hotel in Cusco, arriving around 7:30 PM. The whole day runs 12 to 14 hours door to door. If you book the private option, your departure time from Cusco is flexible (5:00 AM, 6:00 AM or 7:00 AM), and is arranged during a briefing your guide gives at your hotel the day before. Group tours depart earlier and are coordinated the same way.

What’s included

• Round-trip private or group car transport from your hotel in Cusco to Ollantaytambo.
• round-trip train tickets (Expedition or Vistadome, your choice).
• round-trip bus tickets from Aguas Calientes up to Machu Picchu and back.
• entrance ticket to the citadel.
• a 3-hour guided tour of the temple of the sun, the solar observatory, the royal quarters, the main plaza, the temple of the three windows, the temple of the condor and the stepped terraces.
• pickup and drop-off at your hotel.
• a professional guide who speaks English and Spanish (Portuguese and Italian available on request).

Options for this experience

3 options

Guide in 4 languagesAvailable from 14 Nov · 05:30

Guide in 4 languagesAvailable from 14 Nov · 05:30

Guide in 4 languagesAvailable from 14 Nov · 05:30

You pick the guide language when booking. Options with the same name differ in details you'll see when you pick a date.

You see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates & prices

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 05:30

AgesAdult (18 to 75 years) · Youth (12 to 17 years) · Child (5 to 11 years) · Under 5: can't be included in the booking

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 6 days ago

Good to know

Easy physical levelInfant seats availableNot for heart conditions

Operated by MACHU PICCHU VIAJES PERU

Is this one for you?Pick the private option if you need hotel pickup and your own vehicle for the full day. Choose the group option if you're comfortable sharing transport to Ollantaytambo and Aguas Calientes but want a dedicated guide at Machu Picchu itself.

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Top questions

What languages is the guide in?

Live guide in English, Spanish, Italian and Portuguese.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (12 to 17 years); Child (5 to 11 years). Under 5: they can't be included in the booking.

What's the difference between the Expedition and Vistadome trains on this tour?

The Expedition train is the standard option with regular windows and takes about 1 hour 50 minutes through the Sacred Valley to Aguas Calientes. The Vistadome has large windows and a glass roof so you see more of the landscape during the same journey. Both are included in the tour. You choose which one when you book.

Do I have to stay with the guide the whole time at Machu Picchu?

No. Your guide leads a 3-hour tour of the main sites (the temple of the sun, the solar observatory, the royal quarters, the main plaza and others), and then you have free time to explore on your own for the rest of the afternoon. The guide does not follow you during the free time.

What's included in the price and what do I need to pay for separately?

The tour includes round-trip private or group car transport from your hotel to Ollantaytambo, round-trip train tickets, the bus up to Machu Picchu, entrance to the citadel, and the 3-hour guided tour. Lunch in Aguas Calientes and any snacks or drinks are on you. Your guide can recommend restaurants.

Is this tour private or shared with other people?

You choose at checkout. The private option means your own car from Cusco and your own guide at Machu Picchu. The group option shares the car and train with other travelers, but the 3-hour guided tour at Machu Picchu is always just you and your companions, even on the group booking.

What do I need to bring or know before I book?

Bring a light backpack (5–6 kilos maximum), sunscreen and a hat for sunny days, or a raincoat during the rainy season (December to March). The Machu Picchu authority requires your full name, passport number, date of birth and nationality to issue your entrance ticket, so have that information ready. A minimum of 2 people per booking is required, and children from age 5 are welcome.

How early do I need to wake up, and when do I get back to my hotel?

The private tour departs between 5:00 AM and 7:00 AM depending on what you arrange with your guide during the briefing the day before. The group tour leaves at 4:30 AM. Either way, you return to your hotel in Cusco around 7:30 PM after a full day at the ruins and the train ride back.