Travel through the Sacred Valley. Stand before Machu Picchu. Hike to Humantay Lake. Reach Rainbow Mountain. Four icons in one perfectly organized journey.
You start in Cusco. You explore Pisac, Moray, Maras and Ollantaytambo. Then you board the train to Aguas Calientes. The following day you enter Machu Picchu with your professional guide. Then you head high into the Andes to Humantay Lake at 4,200 meters and to Rainbow Mountain at 5,020 meters, where snow capped peaks frame a mountain striped in natural color.
This is our most complete short package. It is perfect for Inca history, Andean culture and high mountain adventure. No multi day trek is needed.
Your Machu Picchu visit includes entry to Machu Picchu on Circuit 1 and Circuit 3. This covers the classic postcard views from the upper terraces and the main citadel tour with your guide.
If you wish to visit the lower part of the citadel on Circuit 2, you will need an additional entrance ticket at US$55 per person. This is a new regulation from the Ministry of Culture and applies to all tour companies. No operator can include Circuit 2 within the standard ticket.
Tell us at booking if you want the extra Circuit 2 ticket. Availability is limited.
This adventure unlocks the absolute best of both worlds, combining Circuit 1 Panoramic for jaw dropping high altitude vistas with Circuit 3 Royalty Designed Route for an immersive walk through the lower ruins.
Circuit 1: Upper Terrace – The classic postcard photo with alpacas.
Circuit 3: Royalty Route – Temple of the Sun, Intihuatana, Temple of the Condor.
The heart of the Inca Empire in one day.
Private Pickup and Pisac at 2,970m
We pick you up from your hotel in Cusco at around 7:30 am. We drive 45 minutes to Pisac. Here we explore the impressive agricultural terraces carved into the mountain, the Inca tunnel, the religious area and the Inca cemetery with more than 2,000 tombs. About 2 hours of guided exploration.
After the site we descend to the town of Pisac to visit local shops showcasing silverwork and traditional handicrafts. Then we travel almost one hour to Urubamba for lunch on your own.
Moray and Maras Salt Mines
We continue to Moray, the famous Andean greenhouse or Inca laboratory. Admire the circular terraces and different levels that archaeologists believe were used by the Incas to experiment with crops and growing conditions.
We then visit the Maras Salt Mines. These pools have been worked since ancient times and are passed down through local families. A natural saltwater spring flows from the upper valley into the pools, where water evaporates to produce salt, including natural pink salt. One of the few places in the world where you can see this.
Ollantaytambo and Train to Aguas Calientes
We end the day in Ollantaytambo. Explore the Inca town that remains unchanged since Inca times and its impressive ruins. Learn about the amazing architecture of the Temple of the Sun at the top of the terraces and the importance of this site during the early Spanish conquest.
We include dinner at a local restaurant before you board the 7:04 pm train to Aguas Calientes, arriving at 8:45 pm. Overnight in hotel.
Overnight: Hotel in Aguas Calientes
Stats: Full day Sacred Valley with 4 archaeological sites | Train Ollantaytambo to Aguas Calientes 1 hour 40 minutes
The day you dreamed about.
Early Bus to Machu Picchu at 2,430m
After breakfast we take one of the first buses to the citadel with your guide. You will see temples and palaces and learn about Inca history and legacy. Your ticket includes Circuit 1 for the classic postcard photo from the upper terraces and Circuit 3 for the full citadel tour of 2.5 hours with your guide.
After the guided tour, travelers who booked Huayna Picchu Mountain at US$75 or Machu Picchu Mountain at US$75 in advance will have time to hike on their own. You then take the bus down to Aguas Calientes for lunch on your own. Depending on your train time, you may have time for shopping, walking around town, or visiting the museum or hot springs.
Return to Cusco
Your return train takes you to Ollantaytambo. After about 1 hour and 45 minutes, our private transportation will be waiting to bring you back to Cusco, arriving around 7:30 pm depending on train schedule.
Overnight: Hotel in Cusco
Stats: Machu Picchu guided tour 2.5 hours | Bus and train included
Turquoise lake at 4,200 meters.
Early Drive to Soraypampa at 3,900m
We pick you up at around 4:00 am from your hotel in Cusco. Drive 2.5 hours to Mollepata for breakfast at a local restaurant. After breakfast we continue about one hour to Soraypampa at 3,900m, the trailhead.
Hike to Humantay Lake at 4,200m
From Soraypampa we begin our hike. The trail is steep and will require strength, but it is worth it. We climb through high mountain scenery for about 1.5 hours until the turquoise waters of Humantay Lake appear. Time to explore, take photos and enjoy the stillness and glacier reflections.
We hike back down to Soraypampa for almost 2 hours, then drive to Mollepata for lunch included, and then drive about 3 hours back to Cusco.
Overnight: Hotel in Cusco
Stats: 6 hours hiking approximately | Max altitude 4,200m at Humantay Lake | Moderate to challenging due to altitude
Seven colors under Ausangate.
Sunrise Drive to Llacto at 4,638m
Pickup from your hotel at 4:00 am. We drive 3 hours through the South Valley to the trailhead at Llacto at 4,638m. Along the way see farming Inca terraces, traditional villages, valleys and high Andean peaks.
Herds of alpacas and llamas will entertain you near the breakfast spot. After a hearty breakfast, we drive 5 minutes to the trailhead. We hike following a lovely stream with views of Ausangate Mountain and glaciers. This is a great place to meet local people who still keep traditional Quechua culture alive.
Rainbow Mountain at 5,020m and Red Valley Option
After about 1.5 hours uphill, we reach Rainbow Mountain at 5,020m. After admiring the unique beauty of this colorful landscape, you will have about 30 minutes at the top for photos.
You can continue to the Red Valley for 45 minutes. Entrance to Red Valley not included, 30 soles paid on site. Enjoy the red colored valleys and mountains before walking back to the trailhead. The descent feels easy after the climb.
We drive back to Cusipata for lunch included, then 3 hours back to Cusco, arriving around 5:00 pm.
Overnight: End of service in Cusco
Stats: 3 to 4 hours hiking | Max altitude 5,020m at Rainbow Mountain | Moderate to challenging
Transportation and Logistics:
Access and Discovery:
Accommodations and Dining:
***Private service is available for an extra $300 per person (except in Paracas)
This is a moderate to challenging hotel based journey. Day 3 and Day 4 take you to 4,200m and 5,020m. That is higher than Dead Woman’s Pass on the Inca Trail and higher than any point in Cusco. What matters is you arrive in Cusco 2 full days before Day 1. No heavy tours on arrival. Just water, coca tea and rest. Tell your guide how you feel, always.
You travel light. For day hikes you carry only a small daypack 20 to 30 liters. Your big suitcase stays free and safe in our office in Cusco or at your hotel. On Day 1 your overnight bag for Aguas Calientes goes with you on the train, keep it under 6kg.
Your daypack inside Machu Picchu cannot be bigger than 25L. About 40 x 35 x 20 cm. Leave the big pack at the hotel.
Everything big is included. Trains, buses, entrances, guides. You only need small cash in Peruvian soles for water on Day 1, lunch in Aguas Calientes, Red Valley entrance 30 soles, and tips. ATMs in Aguas Calientes are unreliable. Get soles in Cusco.
Bring the original passport that matches your Machu Picchu ticket. Exact same number, exact same name. You will show it at every checkpoint, at Machu Picchu entrance and for the train. A photo, a copy, a different passport equals no entry, no refund. Check it twice before you leave Cusco.
This four-day itinerary includes Pisac, Moray, the Maras Salt Mines, Ollantaytambo, Machu Picchu, Humantay Lake, and Rainbow Mountain. You will travel through the Sacred Valley, spend time in Aguas Calientes, return to Cusco, and continue with two spectacular mountain experiences.
Yes. The tour includes admission to the Machu Picchu Archaeological Complex, tourist train transportation, the bus from Aguas Calientes to Machu Picchu, and a guided visit to the Inca citadel.
The Humantay Lake hike is listed as Moderate and takes approximately six hours according to the itinerary. The Rainbow Mountain experience reaches an altitude of 5,020 m / 16,466 ft and includes approximately 1.5 hours of uphill hiking to reach the mountain.
In Aguas Calientes, the itinerary lists Ferre Hotel Machu Picchu for the 3-star option and El Mapi or Tierra Viva in a superior room for the 4-star option.
In Cusco, the itinerary lists Maytaq Wasin or a similar hotel for the 3-star option and Costa del Sol or a similar hotel for the 4-star option.
We recommend bringing comfortable lightweight clothing, trekking pants, warm layers, a waterproof or rain jacket, a sun hat, gloves, a 20–30 liter daypack, a reusable water bottle, sunblock, sunglasses, insect repellent, energy snacks, personal medication, your passport, and your phone or camera.
Warm clothing is particularly important for the high-altitude portions of the trip.
Rainbow Mountain is located at approximately 5,020 m / 16,466 ft above sea level. After around 1.5 hours of hiking, you will reach the main viewpoint, where you will have time to explore the area, take photos, and enjoy the scenery.
The Humantay Lake excursion begins with hotel pick-up at approximately 4:00 a.m. The itinerary lists approximately six hours for the hiking experience, with transportation between Cusco, Mollepata, and Soraypampa.
No. Huayna Picchu Mountain is an optional additional hike and must be reserved in advance. The document lists an additional cost of USD 75 per person.
The itinerary offers the possibility of continuing to the Red Valley after visiting Rainbow Mountain. The Red Valley entrance is not included and is listed at 30 soles.
YOUR ADVENTURE. OUR EXPERTISE.
Guest Reviews
Real experiences from travelers who slept under the Andean sky
I never thought I could sleep in a luxury bed while staring at the Milky Way through a transparent dome. The Salkantay glacier right in front of you at sunrise — absolutely unreal. Worth every penny.
SkyDomeCamps - Sky DomeWe did the full Salkantay Trek and stayed at the dome on night two. After a hard day of hiking, coming back to a real bed, hot shower and that view of the mountain? Nothing compares to that.
SkyDomeCamps - Salkantay TrekI have camped across Patagonia and Nepal but nothing matched this. The dome is warm, beautifully designed and the silence at 4,600m is something else entirely. I woke up at 3am just to stare at the stars.
SkyDomeCamps - Sky Dome
Trusted Andes Network
We couldn't make this impact without our partners. Join us in changing lives.
