Tour Packages to Machu Picchu, Cusco and the Sacred Valley – 5 Days

We will meet you at Cusco airport and take you to your hotel to settle in and rest. At 1:00 p.m., we will pick you up for the city tour of Cusco and the surrounding Inca sites.

The tour begins at Cusco Cathedral, with its carved wooden altars and paintings from the Cusco School.

Next, we will walk through the historic center to Qoricancha, or the Temple of the Sun. According to the chronicles, during Inca times, visitors entered barefoot and fasting. The site was dedicated to the Sun, the Moon, the stars, the rainbow, thunder, and lightning. Here, you can see the stonework of the Inca walls, which have withstood several earthquakes.

From Qoricancha, we will drive uphill to Sacsayhuamán, about 3 km away, overlooking the city. It was built with enormous limestone blocks arranged in three levels of zigzag walls. Inti Raymi is celebrated on its esplanade every June 24.

Next is Qenqo (its name refers to a labyrinth or zigzag), one kilometer from Sacsayhuamán: a complex carved into limestone associated with ceremonial uses. Then we will visit Puka Pukara (“red fortress”), a checkpoint on the route into and out of Cusco.

The last stop is Tambomachay, about 8–9 km from the city, known as the Baths of the Inca for its continuously flowing water fountains.

The city tour ends near the Plaza de Armas, with time to have dinner and return to your hotel.

Our team will pick you up at your hotel at approximately 7:00 a.m. The drive to Pisac takes about 1 hour.

We will visit the Pisac archaeological site, above the town, with its agricultural terraces. Next is the handicraft market. At midday, we will have a buffet lunch at a restaurant in Urubamba.

In the afternoon, we will head to Ollantaytambo, about 76 km from Cusco. The site features large stone structures, terraces, and checkpoints. It served as a military, agricultural, and religious center at the entrance to the valley that descends toward the edge of the high jungle.

Ollantaytambo preserves its Inca urban layout, with stone streets and water channels that are still in use. Several present-day homes stand on original foundations.

From Ollantaytambo station, you will take the train to Aguas Calientes (approximately 1 hour and 50 minutes), alongside the Vilcanota River. Upon arrival, we will take you to your hotel. The rest of the evening is free to explore the town, browse the shops, or have dinner.

Overnight hotel stay in Aguas Calientes.

Early in the morning, our guide will pick you up at your hotel and take you to the bus station for the ride up to the Historic Sanctuary of Machu Picchu. The bus ride takes approximately 25 minutes.

At Machu Picchu, we will tour the main circuit (Circuit 2, subject to ticket availability), and you will get the classic photo of the citadel. Your guide will accompany you through the agricultural and urban areas: plazas, temples, paths, stairways, terraces, and aqueducts. The tour lasts approximately 2 hours.

From several points along the circuit, you can see the mountains surrounding Machu Picchu and the Urubamba River. After the tour, we will return to Aguas Calientes for lunch and then board the train back to Ollantaytambo, where transportation will be waiting to take you to your hotel in Cusco.

To begin the tour of Moray and the Maras Salt Mines, we will pick you up at your hotel at approximately 7:30 a.m. and drive to both sites.

First, we will visit Moray, about 38 km from Cusco. It is considered an Inca agricultural laboratory, with concentric terraces, or muyus. The main complex has four circles; the deepest reaches about 80 meters, and the lowest terrace is about 36 meters in diameter. Temperatures can vary by approximately 0.5 to 1.5 °C between terraces, creating different microclimates. It is believed that the site was used to adapt crops that were not native to that altitude.

Next, we will visit the Maras Salt Mines: about 3,000 ponds fed by a saltwater spring. Each pond can produce about 50 to 80 kilograms of salt per season. The system was already in use during Inca times to supply the area. The process is natural, and a harvest cycle takes about two months. Maras pink salt is the most sought-after variety; along the way, there are stalls selling salt and related products.

The guide will explain the history of both sites along the way. The return to Cusco is at approximately 2:00 p.m.

OPTIONAL: On this day, for an additional $10, you can switch to the Rainbow Mountain Tour.

Breakfast at the hotel. At the appropriate time, we will take you to the airport for your departing flight, bringing your Cusco, Sacred Valley, Machu Picchu, and Maras Moray tour to an end.