Machu Picchu by Train Short Break

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~~$718~~

$683

Machu Picchu by Train Short Break

3 Days Starting and ending in Cusco

Visiting: Cusco, Cusco - Sacred Valley - Aguas Calientes, Machu Picchu - Cusco

Tour operator:

Intrepid Travel

Tour code:

GGHT

Guide Type:

Fully Guided

Group size:

1 - 16

Physical rating:

Low

Age range:

5-99 years

Tour operated in:

English

Interests:

Rail Tours

From: $718 $683 Travel Club discount: -$34

NB: Prices correct on 21-Nov-2024 but subject to change.

Tour Overview

Discover South America’s ancient ruins, explore the best sights and wander through vibrant markets to get a real taste of Andean village life in the Sacred Valley. Take a winding train journey through the steep Urumbamba Valley to Aguas Calientes, the gateway to Peru’s most famous site. The ancient ‘Lost City’ of Machu Picchu is truly extraordinary and has to be seen to be believed.

Highlights

Explore the ancient ruins of Machu Picchu
Immerse yourself in the culture of Cusco
Experience traditional Andean life in the Sacred Valley

Itinerary

tourhub | Intrepid Travel | Machu Picchu by Train Short Break | GGHT | Route Map

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Day 1: Cusco

Location: Cusco

Accommodation: Hotel

Bienvenidos! Welcome to Cusco, the heart and soul of Peru.
There will be a welcome meeting in the hotel lobby at approximately 2pm. Be sure to take it slow while your body adjusts to the altitude (3,400 m). Following the meeting your Intrepid guide will take you on an orientation walk around Cusco. You’ll visit the facade of Qoricancha temple, the local San Pedro market, the main square, past the 12 Angled Stone, Regocijo Square and San Blas Square. Finally you’ll visit the Chocolate museum where there will be an opportunity to sample a hot chocolate made from local cacao beans. This might be a good opportunity to purchase some gifts or souvenirs. There’s a small store where you’ll find various handicrafts and a variety of artisanal chocolate products. Tonight is free. Your guide will be able to recommend some good places to eat!

Day 2: Cusco - Sacred Valley - Aguas Calientes

Location: Cusco - Sacred Valley - Aguas Calientes

Accommodation: Hotel

Meals Included: breaksfast, lunch

This morning starts with a pick-up from your hotel.
Pick-up will take place will be between 07:00 and 07:20 in the hotel foyer. The Intrepid representative will confirm this with you at the briefing on day 1.
In Cusco some of the streets are quite narrow and many have strict parking restrictions so it's likely you will need to take a short walk with a representative to where the bus is.

Head out to the Sacred Valley on a shared bus service. Known as Wilcamayo by the Incas, this lush and fertile valley has long been the main source of food for the high Andes. Maize crops can be seen surrounding the river and covering the terraces carved high into the valley walls.

The first stop is at Pisac ruins from where you will enjoy a lovely view of the Pisac valley and the town below. Explore the market and maybe barter for a few items yourself before heading out to cross the Valley. Leaving Pisac behind you find yourself driving through amazingly fertile lands that are one of the main agricultural areas in the surroundings and that played an important part during Inca times.

We have a stop along the way to enjoy our lunch at Urubamba town and then continue approximately 20-25 minutes until we reach the town of Ollantaytambo, one of the few, if not the only, living example of a city plan that has remained the same for many centuries.

Here you’ll visit the archaeological site of Ollantaytambo, and try to figure out how those terraces were build or the big boulders that are part of the temple of the Sun got to the place where you can find them now, the top of the mountain.

Your guide will point you in the direction of the train station where you will wait for the departure of your train that takes you to Aguas Calientes. (Please note that depending on the time of your train, if your departure time is later then you may have some time to explore the town)
A 1.5 hour train ride through the winding Urubamba Valley takes us to Aguas Calientes, nestled in the cloud forest (2040m above sea level) at the foot of the magnificent Machu Picchu.

Upon arrival a representative will be waiting for you to take you to your hotel and give you the last instructions for your tour the very next day.

Overnight at Aguas Calientes hotel

Included Activities:
-Cusco - Half Boleto Turistico Pass (access to selected archaeological sites, transport & guides not included)

Day 3: Machu Picchu - Cusco

Location: Machu Picchu - Cusco

Meals Included: breaksfast

After an early breakfast, catch a bus to Machu Picchu (approx 30 minutes along a winding road). The first bus departs at around 6.30am. Please note that you will need to check out and leave your luggage on storage at the hotel while you visit Machu Picchu.

A local guide will take you on a 2 hour tour through the ruins. While it is thought Machu Picchu was built around 1440 as a country retreat for Incan nobility, there is evidence this had been a sacred site for much longer. Another school of thought is that this was an astronomical observatory. There is plenty of time to decide for yourself as you wander around the many temples, palaces and living quarters.

After taking advantage of the seemingly endless photo opportunities it is time to return to Cusco, travelling first by train to Ollantaytambo (approx 90 minutes) then a shared transfer to Cusco (approx 90 minutes).

Upon your arrival to Cusco your tour comes to an end. Please contact us if you need assistance with extra accommodation in Cusco.

Departure flight on final day:

If you need assistance with this, please speak with your travel agent.
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Leave your feedback here - www.intrepidtravel.com/feedback

Visiting Machu Picchu:
According to Machu Picchu visiting regulations, all visitors must follow a pre-determined route within the site. This route must be followed in one direction only and once the guided visit commences exiting and re-entering the site is not permitted. Once the guided visit concludes, visitors must exit the site and personal exploration of Machu Picchu is not permitted.

Included Activities:
-Machu Picchu - Entrance and guided tour

What's Included

Accommodation
Hotel (2 nights)
Cusco - Half Boleto Turistico Pass (access to selected archaeological sites, transport & guides not included)
Machu Picchu - Entrance and guided tour
Meals

2 breakfasts, 1 lunches

What's Not Included

Tipping and Gratuities
International Travel

Included Activities

Cusco - Half Boleto Turistico Pass (access to selected archaeological sites, transport & guides not included)
Machu Picchu - Entrance and guided tour

Transport

Bus , Taxi , Train

Accommodation

The style of accommodation indicated in the day-to-day itinerary is a guideline only and may change. On some occasions, alternative arrangements may need to be made due to the lack of availability of rooms in our preferred accommodation. In these cases, we will use a similar standard of accommodation.
Throughout the trip, we request that our properties prepare rooms in time for our arrival, especially if we're arriving prior to normal check-in time. However, this isn't always possible which means we won't be able to check-in immediately on arrival at some hotels. Instead, we can store our luggage and explore our new destination or on some trips, have use of shared day rooms until all rooms are available.

Important Information

1. Full passport details are required at the time of booking. The passport you travel with must match the booking details provided to us. This will be used to apply for your Inca permit and if any info doesn’t match your passport, the Inca authorities will refuse your entry. Delays in providing this information may result in booking fees or changes to your itinerary.
2. This trip starts in Cusco on Day 1 at 2 pm. This trip finishes upon arrival in Cusco on Day 3. Please do not book any flights until after 10 pm this evening.

Mode of Transport

Bus , Taxi , Train

Check out our Q&As

Is this trip right for you

This Short Break Adventure is a ‘join in’ group departure, which means you are not accompanied by an Intrepid group leader. Instead, our local representative in each location will fill this role and the configuration of any fellow travellers in the group might change during the trip. This trip will run with a minimum of one person, so you may be joined by other travellers booked on the same date as you, or you may be on your own.

On Day 2, up to 35 people may join you for the day’s activities. The Machu Picchu tour on Day 3 will be for Intrepid travellers only, with a maximum of 16 in the group.

This trip visits places that are at high altitude, and as a result some people can suffer from altitude sickness, regardless of age or physical health. Please see the Medical and health information section of the Essential Trip Information for more detail.

According to Machu Picchu visiting regulations, all visitors must follow a pre-determined route within the site. This route must be followed in one direction only, and once the guided visit commences exiting and re-entering the site is not permitted. Once the guided visit concludes, visitors must exit the site and personal exploration of Machu Picchu is not permitted. Please refer to the Itinerary for details.
What policies are in place for Covid-19?

Please contact us for latest COVID-19 policies
How long has the tour company been trading?

Intrepid Travel has been taking travellers around the world for over 30 years
Will the accommodation included meet local health and safety regulations?

Yes
What Ethical Travel credentials does the tour company have?

Since 2002, The Intrepid Foundation has supported over 130 organisations across the world. We’re creating positive impact through the joy of travel, community and connection.

Do you operate a “single share” option and how does it work?

Over 50% of traveller travel solo with Intrepid. You can choose to share a room with another solo travelle of the same sex for no additional charge, or choose to pay a single supplement if you’d like your own room. Please request this when booking, and we will secure you a single supplement wherever possible. Please note, if you are booking a last-minute trip, it may be harder for us to secure a single room

Reviews of this operator

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03-Jun-2024

I have travelled with Intrepid a number of times now and can't recommend them enough. The trips are always exciting, full of history and immersive in the culture and environment. The office staff are great too and always happy to help with any questions you might have. Everywhere I have gone with the company has been different but the guides and itinerary have always been excellent and full of knowledge and passion for their country. Add in the social responsibility angle the company has and it top quality ethical practice and you can't go wrong

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I recently went on an...

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13-Aug-2024

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