Duration: 3 days/ 2 nights or longer.
Departure Dates: Any day you would like!
HIGHLIGHTSOur Machu Picchu Sacred Valley tour is the perfect solution for travelers with a limited time to explore Cusco´s most incredible highlights. If you’re short on time and would like to visit the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu through interesting, off the beaten path experiences, consider this customized, off-the-beaten-path experience.
We begin with two day visit to the Sacred Valley, a serene and wonderfully slow-paced region that’s studded with Inca ruins, time-worn towns and authentic markets. It’s here where you’ll get a taste of the locals’ warmth and traditions.
On the evening of day two, travel in style with a scenic train ride to Peru’s unforgettable attraction: the famed Inca citadel of Machu Picchu. The final day of our Machu Picchu Sacred Valley tour is spent exploring these incredible ruins, filled with perfectly hand-carved stone temples, dramatic terraces, and breathtaking views of the surrounding peaks and valleys. After a private tour of the citadel and a Huayna Picchu climb (optional), return to Cusco in time for a good night’s rest.
As with all Ayni Peru travel, this itinerary can be customized or combined with tours in Cusco and beyond. Please contact us for custom itineraries, quotes and questions. Please click here to check Huayna Picchu availability.
Today we depart for the beautiful Sacred Valley of the Incas. Our first stop is the Inca fortress of Saqsayhuaman, constructed of huge, skillfully carved stones. From there, continue to the stunning Inca ruins of Pisac overlooking the valley. After time to appreciate the impressive ruins, descend to Pisac village to browse handicraft stalls and sample fresh empanadas in a traditional market. From there, enjoy lunch with a local family, then continue to your cozy Sacred Valley hotel.
Meals: L
This morning we head to the archeological complex of Moray, characterized by sunken, circular terraces thought to be a site of agricultural research for the Incas. Next, continue to the Salineras. The Salineras are a cluster of hundreds of spring-fed, artisanal salt pools cascading down a steep hillside, and have been in use since before the arrival of the Incas in the area. You’ll likely have the opportunity to observe salt harvesting in the manner it has been done for hundreds of years, and learn from locals about the process. We’ll break for an early lunch at a delicious local restaurant, then depart by train for Aguas Calientes, located at the foot of Machu Picchu. Board your comfortable train, then relax and enjoy views of dramatic snowcapped peaks, fields of corn and barley, and finally lush, subtropical forest. Evening free to relax or visit local hotsprings.
Meals: B, L
We awake this morning to catch the bus to the gates of this Wonder of the World. You will ascend stone steps, through heavy tree cover to finally emerge at the top of the world – Machu Picchu! The incredible Inca stone construction will be spread below, alternately hidden and revealed by clouds. You`ll have a 2.5-3 hour private tour with your guide, and the option to climb either Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu Mountain(additional cost; please enquire at the time of booking). After time to explore on your own, descend to Aguas Calientes for your return train to Ollantaytambo. We will be waiting in the station and bring you to your hotel in Cusco for a good night’s rest.
Meals: B
I could go on and on about how wonderful Ayni is but if anyone is contemplating booking with them – DO IT. You will not regret it, you will not be disappointed. In fact, I think you will be blown away. My only complaint – is that they’re not all over the world 🙂
Thank you Ayni, truly, for making our time in South America so incredible. A trip that I will never forget.
“Ayni Peru deserves recognition for the truly lovely vacation in Peru that they planned for me and a few girlfriends. We visited Lima, Paracas, the Nasca Lines and Cusco/Sacred Valley, and had a fabulous time. The guides in each location were warm, funny and caring, and the service was perfect.”