Private Guide to Machu Picchu from Aguas Calientes

Move through Machu Picchu on your own schedule with a guide who knows where to stand for photos.

A private guided tour of Machu Picchu departing from Aguas Calientes, where a professional guide meets you at your hotel, train station or a central plaza and leads you through the site's temples, ceremonial enclosures, terraces and housing over 2 to 3 hours. The guide speaks English or Spanish, sets the pace to your comfort, and helps with photographs and site-specific advice throughout the visit.

Step-by-step itinerary

Private guided tour of Machu Picchu

• Meet guide in Aguas Calientes
• Take bus to Machu Picchu
• Explore sacred temples and enclosures
• Visit housing and agricultural terraces
• Enjoy personalized tour and photos

The experience

The guide meets you in Aguas Calientes at a time that works for your schedule (your hotel, an Airbnb, the train station, or Plaza de Aguas Calientes), then you take a bus up to the citadel, a 25-minute ride. From there, the tour is yours to shape. You move through the Sacred Temples, ceremonial enclosures, housing areas and agricultural terraces at whatever pace suits you, stopping for photos and questions without the pressure of a group schedule.

Because it's a private tour, the guide tailors explanations to what interests you most: the history of the site, the mysteries of its construction, or the ceremonial purposes of specific enclosures. You're not locked into a fixed route or a set time at each stop. The whole experience runs 2 to 3 hours depending on how deep you want to go and how many photographs you want to take.

What’s included

• Hotel, Airbnb, train station or plaza pickup in Aguas Calientes.
• professional tourist guide in English or Spanish.
• bus transportation from town to the citadel.
• guided access to the temples, ceremonial enclosures, terraces and housing areas.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish and Spanish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

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

Prices and times updated 6 days ago

Good to know

Easy physical levelPublic transport nearbyNot for heart conditions

Operated by WPeru-Travel

Is this one for you?Choose a private guide if you want to move at your own pace and have the guide's full attention for questions and photographs. This format works well for travelers who prefer depth over speed and want to linger at sites that matter most to them.

Traveler reviews

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Top questions

What languages is the guide in?

Live guide in English and Spanish.

How do I meet the guide in Aguas Calientes?

The guide can meet you at your hotel, Airbnb, the train station, or at Plaza de Aguas Calientes, whichever is most convenient for you.

What's included in the tour of Machu Picchu itself?

The guide takes you through the Sacred Temples, ceremonial enclosures, housing structures and agricultural terraces, explaining the history and significance of each area. The guide also helps with photography and personalized advice throughout.

How long does the actual tour at Machu Picchu take?

The guided portion lasts 2 to 3 hours, depending on your pace and how long you spend at each location.

Is there transportation from Aguas Calientes to the site?

Yes, you take a bus from Aguas Calientes to the citadel, which takes approximately 25 minutes.