Sacred Valley & Machu Picchu Train Drop-Off: Pisac, Ollantaytambo, Small Group

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Free cancellationExcellent quality

1/11

Duration9h

GroupUp to 10

LanguagesEN · ES

PickupAt your hotel

See Pisac market colors, meet llamas, walk Ollantaytambo stones, catch Machu Picchu train

You’ll start your Sacred Valley day trip from Cusco feeding llamas at an animal sanctuary before exploring ancient Pisac ruins and wandering through its vibrant market. Enjoy a local lunch in Urubamba, then climb Ollantaytambo fortress with a small group before catching your train straight to Machu Picchu—no backtracking needed.

Step-by-step itinerary

Sacred Valley tour and train drop-off

Have breakfast at your hotel
Pickup from your Cusco hotel
Visit animal rescue center
Stop at Taray Viewpoint
Explore Pisac Archaeological park
Visit Pisac Market
Drive scenic route to Urubamba
Enjoy buffet lunch in Urubamba
Visit Ollantaytambo Archaeological park
End tour at Ollantaytambo train station

The Experience

I didn’t expect to be laughing with a llama before 9am, but that’s how our Sacred Valley tour from Cusco started. Our guide Rosa showed up right on time at the hotel (she somehow remembered everyone’s name by the second stop), and we were off—winding out of Cusco as the city slowly woke up. The animal rescue center was our first real pause. There was this sweet smell of hay and something else—maybe alpaca wool?—and I swear one of the llamas tried to eat my scarf. Rosa said it means good luck if they like you. Not sure if she was joking.

The drive down into the valley was quieter than I expected; even the chatter faded when we reached Taray Viewpoint. The light was sharp and cold on the terraces below—someone next to me whispered “wow” but honestly it felt too wide for words. At Pisac ruins, Rosa traced her finger over a stone wall and told us about Inca engineering—I couldn’t help running my own hand along it after her. It’s rougher than it looks in photos. We wandered through the Pisac market after that; I bought a woven bracelet from a woman who smiled but barely spoke Spanish (Quechua mostly). The colors there are almost loud enough to hear.

Lunch in Urubamba was buffet style—nothing fancy but I still think about that quinoa soup. Maybe because it was warm and we’d all gotten a bit sunburned by then (I forgot sunscreen again). Ollantaytambo came last, its stones towering above us and kids playing soccer just outside the walls like nothing historic was happening behind them. Rosa explained how people still live here in houses older than most countries—it’s wild.

If you’re heading to Machu Picchu after, they’ll drop you right at the Ollantaytambo train station with your luggage safe and sound (ours made it no problem). Some folks peeled off for their train while others headed back to Cusco—the day just kind of split there, which felt fitting somehow.

What’s included

Your day includes hotel pickup from Cusco or Airbnb, comfortable transport with secure luggage storage if needed, entry to an animal rescue center where you’ll meet llamas and alpacas, guided walks through Pisac ruins and market plus Ollantaytambo fortress with an English-speaking guide (small group only), one bottle of water each, buffet lunch in Urubamba—and you can choose to end at Ollantaytambo train station for your onward journey to Machu Picchu or return to Cusco by evening.

Good to know

Easy physical levelStroller friendlyInfant seats availableInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Machupicchu Latin America