Day 1 | Sacred Valley Circuit – Aguas Calientes
Begin your journey with a morning departure from Cusco, heading into the Sacred Valley, a region that played a central role in Inca agriculture and settlement.
The Experience
Your first stop is Pisac, where expansive terraces climb the mountainsides and an ancient Inca city reveals its ceremonial and residential sectors. Explore the site and understand how agriculture and spirituality were deeply connected in Inca life.
Continue through the valley to Moray, a unique circular terrace system believed to have been used as an agricultural laboratory. Each level creates its own microclimate, allowing the Incas to experiment with crops at different conditions.
From here, travel to the Maras Salt Mines, where thousands of salt pools cascade down the mountainside. These pre-Inca salt pans are still in use today, fed by a natural underground spring that produces mineral-rich salt.
The journey continues to Ollantaytambo, one of the last living Inca towns. Walk through its stone streets and explore the massive terraces and temple complex that once served as a strategic and ceremonial center during the Inca resistance.
The Transition
In the evening, board the train to Aguas Calientes, following the Urubamba River as the landscape transitions into lush cloud forest.
The Stay
Spend the night in Aguas Calientes, resting before your visit to Machu Picchu.
- Start Time: 7:30 AM
- End Location: Aguas Calientes
- Overnight: Hotel stay included
Day 2 | Machu Picchu – Return to Cusco
The highlight of the journey.
Early Ascent
After breakfast, take the shuttle bus up to Machu Picchu, arriving early to experience the site in the softer morning light.
The Experience
Enjoy a 2-hour guided tour through the citadel, exploring its most important sectors:
- Agricultural terraces
- Ceremonial temples
- Urban and residential areas
Learn how the city was designed in harmony with the surrounding mountains and how it functioned within the Inca empire.
After the guided tour, you’ll have free time to explore, take photos, or simply absorb the atmosphere of one of the world’s most iconic archaeological sites.
The Return
Descend to Aguas Calientes for lunch before boarding the train back to Ollantaytambo. From there, private transport returns you to Cusco.
- Guided Tour: 2 hours
- Return: Afternoon train + evening arrival in Cusco