How far in advance should I book?

At least 3 months ahead, especially for May to October. Machu Picchu entrance tickets and train seats are limited and sell out early, and we can only confirm your final timings once they are secured. Travelling sooner? Message us on WhatsApp and we will check what is still available.

Is accommodation included?

No, accommodation is not included in the price. Every day starts and ends at your Cusco hotel. If you would like to stay a night in Aguas Calientes, the town below Machu Picchu, ask us when you book. We are happy to arrange that hotel, and your hotels in Cusco, on request.

How fit do I need to be?

If you are comfortable walking for 2 to 3 hours with stops, you will be fine. Expect uneven stone paths and stairs at Machu Picchu and the Sacred Valley sites. Palccoyo is the most demanding day because of the height, not the distance, and you set the pace.

Is it private, or will we join a group?

You choose. We run it as a private trip with your own guide and vehicle, or in a small group of no more than 8 travellers. Either way, there are no big buses and no unnecessary shopping stops.

What is your cancellation policy?

Cancel 90 days or more before your trip for a 100% refund. Between 90 and 7 days before, you get a 50% refund. Within 7 days, or if you do not show up, no refund is possible. Train and entrance tickets already bought for you are non-refundable. Changes within 30 days of your trip may not be possible. We recommend travel insurance.

Machu Picchu Inca citadel with Huayna Picchu mountain rising behind it, Peru

4 DAYS · CUSCO, SACRED VALLEY & MACHU PICCHU

The Best of Cusco: a 4-day experience

Cusco, the Sacred Valley, Machu Picchu and the quieter Palccoyo rainbow mountain, in the order that's easiest on your body at altitude. Private or small group, never more than 8 travellers, with a local guide who explains what you are seeing.

From US$699 per person · minimum 2 travellers

Check my dates on Whatsapp

See the day-by-day plan

Rated Excellent on Tripadvisor · Book at least 3 months in advance to secure Machu Picchu entrances.

DURATION

4 days

GROUP SIZE

Private or small

group, max 8

DIFFICULTY

Easy to moderate

ALTITUDE

2,430m to 4,900m

STARTS

Your hotel in Cusco

PRICE

From US$699pp

Max 8 travellers

Licensed English-speaking guides

We reply within 24 hours

Your 4 days at a glance

The Best of Cusco is a 4-day private or small-group trip that covers Cusco's four essential experiences: a city tour of Cusco, a full day in the Sacred Valley, a guided visit to Machu Picchu by train and a walk at Palccoyo rainbow mountain. Every day starts and ends at your Cusco hotel, unless you choose to stay a night in Aguas Calientes. The Machu Picchu train, bus and entrance ticket are arranged for you, and groups are never larger than 8 travellers.

It suits couples, friends and families who want to see Cusco properly in a short time without having to plan the logistics themselves.

Why this order works

Cusco sits at about 3,400m, so the order of your days matters. The highest day comes last, once you've had three days to adjust.

Day 1

Cusco
~3,400m

Day 2

Sacred Valley
2,790 to 3,760m

Day 3

Machu Picchu
~2,430m

Day 4

Palccoyo
up to ~4,900m

Day by day

Exact times are confirmed with you once your Machu Picchu train and entrance are booked, as they depend on availability.

Cobbled street in San Blas, Cusco, with views over the city's rooftops

DAY 1

Cusco: San Blas, San Pedro Market, the Cathedral and Sacsayhuamán

Cobbled lanes in San Blas, a market explained by a local guide, and Inca stonework at Sacsayhuamán.

Easy pace

About 3,400m

Hotel pickup

San Blas artisan quarter and city viewpoints.
San Pedro Market, with a local guide explaining what's on sale.
The Cathedral and the fortress of Sacsayhuaman.

Day 1 is an easy-paced walking day in Cusco at about 3,400m, planned so your body can start adjusting to the altitude.Your guide collects you from your hotel and starts in San Blas, the artisans’ quarter, where steep cobbled lanes open onto wide views across Cusco’s terracotta rooftops. At San Pedro Market, a local guide shows you the fruit, breads and herbs that people in Cusco actually cook with. At the Cathedral on the Plaza de Armas, the Cusco School paintings mix Catholic imagery with Andean details. The day ends at Sacsayhuamán, the Inca fortress above the city, where builders fitted stones weighing many tonnes together without mortar.Good to knowAltitude: about 3,400mPace: easy, mostly on footPickup: from your Cusco hotelNot included: entrance tickets for Cusco sites, and mealsBring: comfortable walking shoes, a hat, sunscreen and a light layer

Maras salt pools on the hillside in the Sacred Valley of Cusco

DAY 2

The Sacred Valley: Chinchero, Maras, Moray and Ollantaytambo

Weavers in Chinchero, the salt pools of Maras, Moray's circular terraces and the Inca town of Ollantaytambo.

Full day, about 10 hours

2,790m to 3,760m

Lunch included

Traditional weaving demonstration in Chinchero
The salt pools of Maras and the circular terraces of Moray
Lunch in the Sacred Valley, then the Inca town of Ollantaytambo

Day 2 is a full day in the Sacred Valley, about 10 hours with lunch included, visiting Chinchero, Maras, Moray and Ollantaytambo between 2,790m and 3,760m.In Chinchero, local weavers show how alpaca wool is washed with a local root, dyed with plants and insects, and woven in patterns passed down through families. At Maras, thousands of salt pools step down the hillside and are still harvested by local families. At Moray, the Incas built circular terraces where the temperature changes from ring to ring, probably to test crops. After lunch in the valley, the day ends in Ollantaytambo, one of the last living Inca towns, beneath its hillside temple fortress.Good to knowDuration: full day, about 10 hours.Altitude: 2,790m to 3,760m, mostly lower than Cusco.Included: guide, private transport and lunch.After the tour: you return to your Cusco hotel, or, if you asked for it when booking, continue by train to Aguas Calientes (the town below Machu Picchu) and stay the night there. Not included: entrance tickets for the Sacred Valley sites and the Maras salt pools.Bring: layers, sun protection and a little cash for crafts or souvenirs.

Machu Picchu Inca citadel set among Andean mountains, Peru

DAY 3

Machu Picchu by Train

The train along the Urubamba River and a guided visit to Machu Picchu at your own pace.

Early start

About 2,430m

Train, bus and entrance included

Train journey along the Urubamba River.
Guided visit of the Machu Picchu citadel
If you stayed overnight in Aguas Calientes after Day 2, you start from your hotel there, then take the train back to Ollantaytambo and transfer to Cusco in the evening

Day 3 is a guided day at Machu Picchu, reached by train from Ollantaytambo to Aguas Calientes and a short bus ride up to the citadel at about 2,430m, the lowest point of the trip.A private transfer takes you to Ollantaytambo for the train along the Urubamba River. Your guide then explains how the terraces, temples and water channels of this Inca citadel, built in the mid-1400s and now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, were designed to work. You follow the circuit on your ticket at an unhurried pace, then have time for lunch in Aguas Calientes before the train back and the transfer to your Cusco hotel in the evening.Good to knowDuration: full day, with an early start.Altitude: about 2,430m.Included: train, bus, Machu Picchu entrance ticket, guide and private transfers.Not included: lunch in Aguas Calientes.If you stayed overnight in Aguas Calientes after Day 2: you start from your hotel there, take the train back to Ollantaytambo and transfer to Cusco in the evening.Timings: confirmed once your train and entrance are booked, because they depend on availability.Bring: your passport (needed for the train and entry), a small daypack, a rain layer and sun protection.

Travellers walking towards Palccoyo rainbow mountain near Cusco

DAY 4

Palccoyo, the quieter rainbow mountain

Three striped mountains and a stone forest, with far fewer people than Vinicunca.

Up to 4,900m

Breakfast included

Lunch included

Three rainbow-coloured mountains and the Palccoyo stone forest
Gentle, gradual walking, far from the crowds
Breakfast and lunch included

Day 4 is a full day at Palccoyo, a quieter alternative to Vinicunca rainbow mountain, reaching about 4,900m on the last day of the trip, after three days of acclimatising.Palccoyo has the same red, gold and green striped slopes as Vinicunca, but the walk is shorter and gentler and there are far fewer people. You see three striped mountains and a natural stone forest and, on clear days, the glacier of Ausangate. Your guide carries hiking poles, a first-aid kit and oxygen, and you walk at your own pace.Good to knowDuration: full day, with an early start and back in Cusco in the afternoon.Altitude: up to about 4,900mIncluded: breakfast, lunch, guide, private transport, hiking poles, first-aid kit and oxygenNot included: the Palccoyo entrance ticketBring: warm layers, a waterproof jacket, a hat, sunscreen, water and sturdy shoes

Machu Picchu tickets for the dry season go fast. Tell us your dates and we'll check availability for you.

Check my dates on Whatsapp

What's included

Included

Licensed English-speaking guide every day (Spanish on request)

Private air-conditioned transport, with hotel pickup and drop-off each day.

Round-trip train between Ollantaytambo and Aguas Calientes.

Round-trip bus between Aguas Calientes and Machu Picchu.

Machu Picchu entrance ticket.

Breakfast on Day 4, and lunch on Days 2 and 4.

Hiking poles, first-aid kit and oxygen on the Palccoyo day.

Not Included

Meals not listed above, including lunch in Aguas Calientes, and drinks.

Entrance tickets other than Machu Picchu (Cusco and Sacred Valley sites, Maras salt pools, Palccoyo): about US$48 per person in total, paid on the day.

International and domestic flights.

Accommodation (we're happy to arrange hotels on request).

Travel insurance (strongly recommended).

Gratuities and personal expenses.

From US$699 per person, based on a minimum of 2 travellers. Travelling as a family or group of friends? Ask us about group rates.

Cancel 90 days or more before your trip for a 100% refund. Full details are in our Terms & Conditions.

Make it yours

Every trip can be adjusted. These are the extras our travellers ask for most.

Pachamanca

"From earth to table": a traditional Andean feast cooked underground on hot stones.

Ask about adding this

Pago a la Tierra

A traditional Andean offering to Mother Earth, led by a local guide who explains each part.

Ask about adding this

Cooking class in Cusco preparing a traditional Peruvian meal

Extra days and hotels

Add a night in the Sacred Valley, a cooking class, or let us arrange hotels that suit your budget.

Ask about adding this

Questions travellers ask us

The price is from US$699 per person, based on a minimum of 2 travellers. Included: a licensed English-speaking guide each day (Spanish on request), private transport with hotel pickup and drop-off, the train and bus to Machu Picchu, your Machu Picchu entrance ticket, lunch on Days 2 and 4, breakfast on Day 4, and hiking poles, a first-aid kit and oxygen at Palccoyo. Not included: flights, accommodation, travel insurance, other entrance tickets (Cusco and Sacred Valley sites, the Maras salt pools and Palccoyo), other meals, drinks and tips.

For most healthy travellers, yes. That is why the days run in this order: Cusco first, then the lower Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu, and Palccoyo (up to about 4,900m) last, after three days of acclimatising. The walk at Palccoyo is gentle, and your guide carries oxygen and a first-aid kit. If you have a heart or lung condition or are pregnant, please check with your doctor before you travel and let us know when you book.

Machu Picchu terraces below Huayna Picchu mountain, Peru

Tell us your dates

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Send us your travel dates and the number of travellers. We'll check Machu Picchu availability and send you a clear proposal, with no obligation.

Plan my 4 days on Whatsapp

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The Best of Cusco: a 4-day experience

Your 4 days at a glance

Why this order works

Day by day

Cusco: San Blas, San Pedro Market, the Cathedral and Sacsayhuamán

Show Day 1 detail

The Sacred Valley: Chinchero, Maras, Moray and Ollantaytambo

Show Day 2 detail

Machu Picchu by Train

Show Day 3 detail

Palccoyo, the quieter rainbow mountain

Show Day 4 detail

What's included

Included

Not Included

Make it yours

Pachamanca

Pago a la Tierra

Extra days and hotels

Questions travellers ask us

How far in advance should I book?

What is included in the price?

Is accommodation included?

Is this trip OK with the altitude?

How fit do I need to be?

Is it private, or will we join a group?

Can we change the order or add days?

What should I bring?

What is your cancellation policy?

Tell us your dates