05 Ways to go Machupicchu from Cusco

Machupicchu one of the most impressive places worldwide recognized as one of the 7 wonders of the modern world, considered since 1983 as Cultural Heritage of Humanity, is an ancient Inca city which was built from the fifteenth century, the place was the center of political and religious administration, it represents one of the best legacies of the great Inca civilization with great architectural and engineering value in history, it shows great harmony with nature because the llaqta of Machupichu shows the union of the Andes with the beginning to the amazon

An amazing place full of history, scenic beauty and a lot of culture which can be visited in the style of travel that best suits your preferences.

Below we detail the 05 classic ways to get to this wonder, once you are in Cusco.

1. Hydroelectric Route by Car (Min 2 Days / 1 Night)

If the visit by train is not an option within our plans, we can visit Machupicchu with a more comfortable price option. The visit by car on the Hydroelectric side, this tour is carried out in at least two days

FIRST DAY: Early we meet to go towards Hidroeléctrica, this trip will take us around 6 hours, arriving to have lunch at the hydroelectric plant

It should be noted that this point is not a town, but only a stopping point to where there is no public bus service

After enjoying lunch with a peculiar view of the mountains, we must walk along the train tracks for approximately 10 kilometers, arriving in Aguas Calientes almost at sunset. According to your plan you can choose your accommodation in the best category you prefer (there is an option from hostels to 5-star hotels)

SECOND DAY: Ideally, an adventure like this requires getting up very quickly, ordering breakfast to go and the morning breeze should move along with our steps on the way to the wonderful Inca city. This journey is magical and opportune to test your abilities and climb more than 2,700 steps made of stone by the original Andean men of the Inca culture, a spectacular morning to listen to the sounds of birds.

When you arrive at the citadel, we suggest you take your printed or digital receipts with you. Likewise, the citadel is a planned and artificial city, created and built based on the surrounding environment to achieve specific objectives in each corner, so it is 100% recommended to visit it with an official and certified guide in the language you choose.

A prudent stay time of 3 hours with the classic ticket. Enough time to explore most of this wonder.

WHAT KIND OF TICKET?

Today there are more than 04 types, the only ones that allow you to take that classic photo are the llaqta circuit and Machupicchu mountain. The other 02 options allow you more of a trekking experience and a somewhat distant view of the citadel. You can consult our executives for the tutorial that best explains these routes.

Being this our second and last day, you must consider that it will be strenuous, given that added to the morning walk of 1.30hrs, the time in the citadel is added, and another 3 hours of walking to the car in Hidroeléctrica, so we could suggest for those who like adventure, but enjoy their time, reserve 1 extra night and return calmly the next day to Hidroeléctrica, or add a train section on the same day to Ollantaytambo and not stress with cooking many kilometers in the day so important part of your visit to Peru.

Code: MAPIBYCAR/PLT

2. Sacred Valley with connection to Machupicchu

This is the classic option to visit Machupicchu, combining the sacred valley of the Incas.

FIRST DAY: We visit the Sacred Valley of the Incas, where we can visit Pisac, a place recognized for its agricultural terraces, and the traditional Pisac artisan market. Then we go to Urubamba to enjoy an Andean buffet lunch, learning more about Peruvian gastronomy. In the afternoon we visit one of the most renowned tambos from Inca times, Ollantaytambo, which will impress you with its temples and squares.

After this tour, you must prepare to take the train to Aguas Calientes or Machupicchu town, where you will spend the night and be ready to visit Machupichu during the early hours of the next day.

SECOND DAY: The day has arrived!

If you chose a hotel with 3 stars or more, you can guarantee a pleasant stay and wake up with a unique atmosphere in the middle of the mountains that surround this magical town.

You have to go up by bus or on foot to the citadel and enjoy the landscape together with the vital information from your guide, since this travel format is of calm slabs, you can choose the Huaynapicchu routes if you are prepared for adventure.

At the end of your visit you must return and take your return train that will connect to Cusco by car from the point you choose. You must remember that this return trip will take at least 4 hours.

CODE: VMP/PLT

3. Full Day Machu Picchu

For travelers who go with just enough time, there is the option of visiting Machupichu in a single day, this day begins very early at approximately three in the morning, at this time we will leave Cusco in the direction of Ollantaytambo, immediately after arriving in Ollantaytambo we will We headed to the Ollantaytambo train station to board the train that would take us to Aguas Calientes. Once we arrive in Aguas Calientes we will have free time to have breakfast.

At half past nine in the morning we will meet to be able to board the bus that will take us to the llaqta of Machupicchu where we will be able to visit the most recognized Inca city for approximately two hours and thirty minutes, later we will take the bus to go down to Aguas Calientes. Here we will have time to have lunch, visit the thermal baths or tour the city.

At four in the afternoon we are ready at the train station to return to Ollantaytambo, where the transport that will take us back to Cuso awaits us. After a day full of emotions touring Machupicchu, we arrive in Cusco at night.

4. Inca Trail to Machupichu (4 Days / 3 Nights)

The Inca Trail is a long journey in which we will go through rough roads, with ascents and descents, in wide spaces or even very close to precipices, which is why, if you like to enjoy Trekking, this is the best option to get to know Machupicchu.

The tour lasts about four days and three nights in which, we will have to start from kilometer 82 of the railway that connects Ollantaytambo and Aguas Calientes, here the ascent will begin to visit the ruins of Llactapata, the day’s tour ends when we arrive at height of the town and Huayllabamba, approximately 13 kilometers were covered in the day.

On the second day the route is more demanding due to the physical wear and tear it will take to climb the Warmiwañuska pass, being at the highest point of the Inca trail at 4,215 meters above sea level, on this day we can visit the archaeological site of Runkurakay. Then we will make the descent to the Pacaymayo Valley, where we will spend the night. This day the route was 11 kilometers.

For the third day we will continue with the descent towards the Sayaqmarca enclosure, to later arrive at the Phuyupatamarca archaeological complex, known as the city in the clouds, finally, we will arrive at Wiñaywayna, a place that in Inca times was dedicated to agriculture, here we will camp for the night. The route this day was 16 kilometers.

On day four and the last day of the tour, there will be a descent with the most complicated part at the end to arrive at Intipunku, from this point we will only have about 30 minutes to reach the best known city of the Incas, Machupicchu awaits us.

After having lived one of the most recognized Treks in South America, we are ready to return to the city of Cusco by train, full of new energy and above all the experience of visiting magical places.

You can enjoy this Inca trail route in its version of 2 days and 1 night. Equally wonderful route with less demand and in less time.

5. Salkantay Trail to Machupicchu 

The preference to stop Machupicchu as one of the most iconic places in Cusco, allows us to know one of the seven wonders in the way that we like the most and suits us, the route with the best views without a doubt is the Salkantay route, which will take us a tour of 5 days and 4 nights.

On the first day we leave Cusco in the direction of Soraypampa located in Mollepata to the northwest of the city, this day we will visit the Humantay lagoon, one of the most beautiful of the route, we will return to Soraypampa here it will be the place of our first day of overnight and We will recover energy after a long trip, to start the adventure the next day. This day 12 kilometers were traveled.

On the second day of the tour we will depart towards the Salkantay pass at about 4800 meters above sea level. where we will appreciate a great view of the Nevado Salkantay and continue the path, this day will be the most demanding due to the ascent that we will make and the low temperatures of the place, then we make the descent and we will arrive at Chaullay, where we will camp the second night, we will travel about 16 kilometers in this day.

For the third day we already find a more welcoming climate, we will walk through the jungle of Cusco, here we will enjoy the cloud forest, where we will discover several coffee plantations and many varieties of orchids. The day ends arriving at the Lucmabamba camp. At this point you can choose to visit the thermal baths of Cocalmayo, this day we traveled about 13 kilometers away.

On the fourth day, our walk requires a high level of walking, we will ascend to the Llaqtapata area to visit said archaeological site, we will walk through the Vizcachani mountain and here we can see a beautiful view of the Machupicchu mountain in the distance. After this show, we descend towards the Hidroeléctrica station, where we can take a 2-hour walk following the railway line to Aguas Calientes or choose to board the local train. This day we traveled about 18 kilometers.

On the fifth and last day we wake up in Aguas Calientes to visit the Llaqta de Machupicchu, one of the seven wonders of the world, where we will remember the incredible journey enjoying the view of beautiful landscapes, after many days of walking the reward of such a beautiful view fills us with gratitude.

We finish the trip returning via train to Ollantaytambo, at this point we will board a car that will take us to Cusco. Very long tour, but just as beautiful, you will appreciate unique scenarios and above all you will take the extraordinary experience of visiting these places.