Machu Picchu, Sacred Valley & markets

Day 1: Local market, farm, and picnic, Ollantaytambo & transfer to Aguas Calientes

We pick you up from your hotel (Cusco at 7 am, Ollantaytambo at 7.30 am) and enjoy a drive through beautiful Andean mountains and farmlands to the town of Urubamba.

Urubamba market

We visit the local market in Urubamba. Here, local families sell fruits, vegetables, flowers, and natural medicinal plants. Your guide shows you the market, and you can taste Peruvian fruits and foods such as passion fruit, lucuma, and chirimoya.

Farm visit

We then drive 20 minutes to the town of Yanahuara, where we visit a farm. This gives an insight into how locals still work and depend on this fertile land.

We walk the farmlands, cut alfalfa to feed the guinea pigs, and see first-hand how chicha—Inca maize beer—is made. This is followed by a picnic lunch, eaten outside overlooking the Sacred Valley.

Ollantaytambo

After breakfast at your hotel, we visit the Inca ruins at Ollantaytambo (2,792 m/9,160 ft). 

Ollantaytambo is one of the best-preserved Inca towns in all of Peru. Many of the original 15th-century buildings are still standing. Ollantaytambo was an important town—it was home to the Inca emperor Pachacutec—and was the base for military victories against the Spanish.

We explore the exquisite terracing, fountains, aqueducts, and ruins that surround the town. A highlight is Temple Hill with its Sun Temple and the impressive Wall of the Six Monoliths. The Pinkuylluna Inca storehouses are also spectacular.

Note: You can start this tour in Cusco, Urubamba, or Ollantaytambo. We may change the order of the tour to suit your starting points - ask us for more ideas and information.

Aguas Calientes

In the evening, we take the 7 pm train to Aguas Calientes, the town at the foot of Machu Picchu. Note that it will be dark at this time.

You need to take an earlier train (3.37 pm, Vistadome observatory available for an extra $65pp one-way, $120 return) to take in the views on the spectacular two-hour journey to the town of Aguas Calientes. The train ride allows for fantastic views of the countryside, so keep your camera well-charged.

On arrival in Aguas Calientes, we take you to your hotel, and the rest of the evening is free. We wake early the next day for the tour of Machu Picchu. 

Day 2: Machu Picchu and return to Sacred Valley or Cusco

From Aguas Calientes, it’s a 20-minute bus ride up a zig-zag path to the entrance to the Machu Picchu ruins.

Our Machu Picchu guided tours last around two hours. There is free time to take pictures and add on a visit to Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu Mountain (early morning entry required).

The first entry to Machu Picchu is at 6 am, and then entry is available on the hour, every hour, until the last entry at 2 pm. Please ask about the time that works best for you.

Below are some of the highlights you will see.

Intihuatana (Sun Clock)

This mysterious and beautiful sundial was carved directly into the bedrock of Machu Picchu. Much is not known about its unusual design and markings. What is known is that it aligns with the sun during the winter solstice (June 21 in Peru). At midday, the main stone casts no shadow at all.

The Temple of the Sun

The Temple of the Sun was the most sacred temple at Machu Picchu. It was most likely accessible only to priests and high-ranking Incas. 

It is built over an enormous rock in a unique semi-circular fashion and features a tower and a trapezoidal window. It is believed that the Incas worshipped their sun god, Inti, and other theories exist as well.

These range from royal tombs to observatories and sacrificial centers.

Temple of the Condor

This is one of the most spectacular sites at Machu Picchu. The Incas took a large, natural rock formation and sculpted it to resemble a condor in flight, wings spread and magnificent.

There are details alongside its majesty; a condor’s head and neck feathers complete the condor. A mummy was found in a small cave under the rock, and there is speculation that sacrifices happened here, too. Behind the temple is a prison complex and dungeons.

Temple of the Three Windows

We will see this temple in the Sacred Plaza area of Machu Picchu. It is a large structure, with three walls, and the main attraction is the three large windows. 

There are many theories as to why there are three windows. Your guide will discuss their and your opinions during the tour.

Huayna Picchu and Machu Picchu Mountain

Huayna Picchu

You need to buy a permit (limited in number) to climb Huayna Picchu, and it sells out well in advance.  Please ask us for more information. 

It is well worth the entry fee. It’s an energetic 1-2-hour walk to the top, with steep staircases and steel cables at points. In wet weather, it can be slippery. Once you reach the top, you have a new and wonderful perspective of Machu Picchu. Huayna Picchu also offers access to the Temple of the Moon, one of the three main temples at Machu Picchu.

The peak of Huayna Picchu sits at 2,693 m/8,835 ft, about 260m/850ft higher than Machu Picchu.

Huayna Picchu is not recommended for people with vertigo or a fear of heights. There are some steep stairs and vertiginous areas.

Machu Picchu Mountain

Like Huayna Picchu, you need a pre-bought permit for Machu Picchu Mountain. It doesn’t sell out as fast, but it is still recommended to buy the ticket as soon as possible.

The Machu Picchu Mountain trek is considered moderate to challenging. You follow an original stone Inca Trail up to its peak, at 3,082m/10,111ft, which offers breathtaking views of the ruins and the valleys, and is 652m/2,139ft above Machu Picchu.

We recommend around 90 minutes to climb up and an hour to descend. During the wet season, the trail can become more slippery. Again, this is not suitable for people with a fear of heights—in places, the trail is very steep and often follows the mountain edge.

Aguas Calientes hot springs

The town of Aguas Calientes sits at the foot of Machu Picchu. It is named after the warm, thermal waters that come to the surface. If you have time, it’s well worth paying the entry fee for an hour or two to soak in the warm waters.

If you end the tour today, you will arrive at the Sacred Valley around 7 pm and in Cusco around 08:30 pm.

Don’t forget to read our FAQs, covering altitude, money, and more.

Machu Picchu & markets tour prices

Minimum two people

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