Machu Picchu Day Trip from Cusco
Cusco, Peru
- 14 hours (approx.)
- Pickup offered
- Offered in: English
Overview
Spend the day exploring the Inca citadel and UNESCO World Heritage Site of Machu Picchu on a small-group, full-day tour from Cusco—no need to worry about transport logistics. Visit the legendary mountaintop site with a guide who brings its construction and history to life as you explore. Designed with a relaxed, non-strenuous pace, this experience is well-suited to first-time visitors and families.
- There's no need to tackle the roads yourself—round-trip transport lets you relax
- Entrance fees are included, so there aren't any hidden costs to surprise you
- A local guide provides insight you'd miss out on if exploring solo
- Choose the tour grade and transport option that best suits your budget and interests
Why Travelers Choose This Tour
Enjoy seamless travel, without the hassle of booking multiple bus and train tickets.
What's Included
- Local Expert guide (The guidance is in Spanish or English)
- Pick up and drop-off from your lodging in Cusco.
- Admission ticket to Machu Picchu Citadel.
- Selected round trip train ticket or bimodal bus&train service from Cusco.
- Round trip shuttle bus ticket to go up & down to the citadel from Machu Picchu town.
- Gratuities
- Lunch
- Bottled water
Meeting and Pickup
Pickup points
Select a pickup point
Pickup details
This activity includes roundtrip transfer from your hotel, apartment or your house.
Itinerary
Your day begins with hotel pickup in Cusco and a transfer to the train station, where you board your selected service for the journey toward Machu Picchu. Depending on the option you choose, travel on the Expedition train, upgrade to the panoramic Vistadome with wraparound windows, or ride in Executive Class for added comfort. The scenic rail route winds through dramatic Andean landscapes, offering views of mountains, rivers, and cloud forest along the way.
On arrival in Aguas Calientes, the village at the base of Machu Picchu, continue by bus up the mountain to the entrance of the citadel. Built in the 15th century during the height of the Inca Empire and later abandoned after the Spanish conquest, Machu Picchu remains one of the most remarkable archaeological sites in the world.
Enter the sanctuary with your guide and walk its main paths as you learn about Inca engineering, architecture, and daily life. Explore highlights such as the central plaza, religious and ceremonial areas, agricultural terraces, and stone stairways while your guide explains the site’s design and historical significance.
After your guided visit and free time at Machu Picchu, return by bus to Aguas Calientes, then board the train back to Cusco, to be transferred to your hotel.
On arrival in Aguas Calientes, the village at the base of Machu Picchu, continue by bus up the mountain to the entrance of the citadel. Built in the 15th century during the height of the Inca Empire and later abandoned after the Spanish conquest, Machu Picchu remains one of the most remarkable archaeological sites in the world.
Enter the sanctuary with your guide and walk its main paths as you learn about Inca engineering, architecture, and daily life. Explore highlights such as the central plaza, religious and ceremonial areas, agricultural terraces, and stone stairways while your guide explains the site’s design and historical significance.
After your guided visit and free time at Machu Picchu, return by bus to Aguas Calientes, then board the train back to Cusco, to be transferred to your hotel.
Cusco (Pass By)
Aguas Calientes (Pass By)
1
Historic Sanctuary of Machu Picchu
3 hours • Admission Ticket Included
Aguas Calientes (Pass By)
Cusco (Pass By)
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not wheelchair accessible
- No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
- Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
- MANDATORY: The Authority of Machu Picchu asks full name, passport number, date of birth, nationality details to issue the admission ticket.
- The admission ticket of Machu Picchu is NOT REFUNDABLE and date changes or amendments are NOT accepted. *If you need to change your visit date, you will need to purchase a new entrance ticket.
- Due to high demand and limited entrances to the citadel, VIPAC will issue your admission ticket on trail 2 as a priority. If it is not available, trail 3 or 1 will be provided, after prior coordination with the passenger before issuance.
- Machu Picchu Admission ticket and train tickets are included in this tour. Our sales team will send them 72 hour after paid.
- Shifts entry by hours from 6 am to 3 pm. Our shared tour considers 9 am, 10 am and 11 am shifts. If the shifts are not available, we will open a new shared tour in the next hour available. Our staff will inform you for acceptance.
- Travelers must arrive to Cusco city at least one day before Machu Picchu day tour. The authority of Machu Picchu do not accept travel date ammends of admission ticket.
- This shared tour could have a waiting time of up to 40 minutes to start the tour, depending on Machu Picchu shift time and train timetable avaliability.
- One day before the company's staff will contact the travelers to send the pick-up time through Viator or Tripadvisor experiences extranet.
- For weather reasons, from January to March, all excursions departs on bimodal service (Bus from Cusco to Ollantaytambo & train from Ollantaytambo to Machu Picchu.
- The guided tour inside Machu Picchu takes around 2h 30m following a delimited trail.
- Machu Picchu has two seasons. Rainy season from December to March. Dry season, the rest of the year.
- VIPAC is not responsible for flight cancellations or delays. We recommend arriving in Cusco one day before the scheduled tour date."
- Machu Picchu has implemented new visitor circuits, with three main routes with specific differences to distribute passengers in various areas. These changes are intended to improve the visitor experience and preserve the integrity of the archaeological site. The circuit with route 2 will be given as priority and if it is not available, the options of taking circuit 3B or circuit 1B will be informed so that you can confirm your decision before the tickets are issued.
- Remember that, if you are a Peruvian national, you must have a valid National Identity Document (DNI) in order to be able to issue your ticket to Machu Picchu. In addition, this document must be sent through the corresponding platform and presented on the day of the visit. The system does not allow the issuance of tickets with a passport for Peruvian citizens.
- The option to take the Panoramic Circuit 1 tour from the moment you enter the Citadel of Machu Picchu can be extended for a maximum of 2 hours.
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 15 travelers
Supplied by
Frequently Asked Questions (2)
Q:Where is the meeting point?
A:The meeting point for this tour is our Cusco Head Office located at Av. El Sol 817.
Jul 2019
The answers provided are based on answers previously given by the tour provider to customers’ questions.
Cancellation Policy
This experience is non-refundable and cannot be changed for any reason. If you cancel or ask for an amendment, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
Traveler Photos
Reviews
4.5
based on 1,669 reviews
Zonia_C, Apr 2026
We had a lovely time our tour guide Paul was excellent he was patient and always look up for us to take the best pictures also very knowledgeable of the surroundings, he give us a lot of history context and very detailed descriptions we really enjoyed plus know we understood more Inca culture.
Mie_J, Apr 2026
Very well organised. I was picked up at my hostel in the morning, transferred to the bus, then the train and bus again. The staff kept me well informed and I always knew what was next and what to expect. The tourguide was the best. He shared a lot of historical knowledge and kept a perfect pace! All together a five star experience no doubt!
Zeev_L, Apr 2026
Super organized and very efficient and professional. Everything was done on time, handouts between buses and trains and pick ups and everything was perfect. Tour guides were excellent.
Paula_D, Apr 2026
We had an amazing day trip to Machu Picchu! Everything was perfectly organized—the transportation was smooth, efficient, and stress-free. Our guide, Veronica, was fantastic—knowledgeable, engaging, and made the experience truly special. The train ride was a highlight on its own, with breathtaking views, great entertainment, and excellent service—special thanks to John for making it so enjoyable. Overall, we are very satisfied and highly recommend this experience!
Brijesh_C, Apr 2026
It's a long hectic day. Unfortunately, we were provided with a van to olontontambo train station from Cusco, which prolonged our journey. Otherwise, guide Abraham was really good at Machu Pichu and greeted us at the station. Van journey to olontontambo station is really bumpy and full of sharp turns.
NAEEMIRSHAD_C, Mar 2026
It was amazing tour. The guide Robert was very nice and friendly guy who took wonderful pictures.
Travelling time is too much from Cusco so if you guys manage it stay overnight at Machu Picchu.
It was long journey about 5 hours going and 5 hours coming back but a couple of hours at Machu Picchu was worth it.
Mark_M, Mar 2026
Great experience to see one of the wonders of the world...I did a same day trip from Cusco...it was a lot of traveling from shuttles to buses to trains...if I did it again, I would stay a night or 2 in Agua Calientes to not be so rushed...that said, the tour was well organized, all the staff were friendly and helpful...my tour guide (Francisco??) was great and Machu Picchu is a must see
Madeline_W, Mar 2026
This experience was unforgettable. It’s incredibly complicated to get to and from Machupicchu, and our guides made it as seamless as possible. Our tourguide was amazing, very thoughtful and knowledgeable. This was an absolutely amazing experience and I would highly recommend booking with this team in the future.
Albert_T, Mar 2026
Jonny, our tour guide was very knowledgeable about Machu Picchu and surrounding areas. He brought his fact book and explained a lot of things we would never be able to find online. The vistadome train was terrific. We got nice views, food, and entertainment along our way to and back from Machu Picchu. It’s a lifetime experience we will never forget.
Victoria_B, Mar 2026
This was such an awesome experience. We did circuit 1 and still saw machu picchu’s panoramic view. The staff was super nice and took great pictures. Johnny was awesome!
Chad_W, Mar 2026
An unmitigated disaster. Inadequate communication and I’m pretty sure they forgot to buy our admission tickets until the day of. We were picked up at 4AM and arrived to Machu Picchu at 8:45AM. We then learned that our park admission tickets were for 2PM. There were still tickets available on-site for 2PM when we arrived. Odd since I booked months in advance. Why did we get picked up so early? So we were forced to hang out for 5 hours before going into the ruins. The ruins are amazing and the guide who showed us around was too. The operator then made us wait an additional two hours after our tour because they booked us to depart at 6:30PM. To make matters worse; they didn’t leave enough time between the train and bus connection back to Cusco and we missed the bus. And bus service was over for the evening. Forcing us take an alternate route without even hearing from the tour provider. In short; 20 hours later we made it back to Cusco. I gave a one star; because the guide who met us in the park (Abraham) was fantastic and I gave a pity star as a result. Otherwise; this would have been a zero. I’ve dealt with Viator many times and this is the first huge let down.
SLAVKA_F, Mar 2026
Everything from excellent, from morning pick up, train ride , tour guide at Machu Picchu thanks Viator
Eoghan_O, Mar 2026
The day started off quite smoothly, with our bus collecting us on time and a seamless transfer to the train. However, upon arrival to Machu Picchu, it became clear that our guide did not have great English, considering we booked an English speaking tour. It was quite hard to follow anything she was saying. I understand that this is the company’s fault as they should not have assigned her to an English speaking tour. In addition, we felt quite rushed throughout the tour of Machu Picchu, not getting many opportunities to take in the view or take photos. This was particularly frustrating considering the price. Our tour guide also did not offer to take any photos at any stage. I would highly recommend not getting a guided tour so you can explore at your own pace. If you want to learn some of the history, a google search beforehand would be best. Also, it was not communicated to us that there would not be a chance to eat until 2pm, after the tour had finished. We were not told to bring any snacks. Finally, we had a three hour wait in Aguas Caliente before our train back. However, this may be due to the fact that our tour was very rushed.
Gary_R, Mar 2026
It is a long day of travel, but Machu Picchu and the scenery to and from is well worth it. The train ride had local entertainment. The ruins of Machu Picchu and the views were amazing. You need to be ready to walk a lot of steps. I had a one on one local guide that had lots of information and history to share.
Shankar_A, Mar 2026
I had booked the trip from Cusco. This involves a 2 hour bus trip to Ollantaytambo followed by the train ride to Aguas Calientes and then the bus trip up to Machu Pichu. I think it would have been wiser on my part to have booked a hotel in Ollantaytambo as it would have cut down the duration of my journey significantly for both this trip as well as the Sacred Valley tour.
I had also taken the Vista Dome train both ways, but it was a waste on the return trip since night had already fallen by the time we came back. I would recommend using the Vista Dome going up to Machu Pichu, and one of the other trains on the return trip.
From the bus stop, it is a moderate climb to reach the top from where you get the panoramic view of the site (circuit 1), and this can be accomplished by most people. Just make sure that you spend a day or two getting acclimatized to the high altitude before you do the tour, to avoid altitude sickness.
Our guide Rudi was phenomenal and helped us to get some memorable photos in addition to educating us about the history of the place. I'd recommend him, and the tour, to anyone planning a visit there.
darren_s, Mar 2026
My wife is a double leg amputee. This company made the whole day from Cusco easy. She got to highest point of Mach Picchu thanks to the guide.
Everything was stress free and worth every penny. Was back in Cusco by 8pm
If going to Cusco this company and trip is a must
Thanks again
Sierra_T, Mar 2026
This was perfect as a solo traveler! They were extremely organized and very friendly. I did not worry once on my journey. Everything was planned and explained so clearly. I will definitely recommend to anyone wanting to go to Machu Picchu!
Kushal_M, Feb 2026
Take the vistadome rail to enjoy scenic beauty of the rail road, machu pichu is awesome and mesmerizing
IrinaB, Feb 2026
Very well organized logistics! I also had a an individual guide to Machu Picchu, Ronaldo he was very knowledgeable and friendly!
Jake_T, Jan 2026
My tour guide Herman was excellent, his guidance and knowledge further enhanced my wonderful Machu Picchu experience. Furthermore, dealing with Yimmy was excellent, he catered to my tight scheduling needs and was responsive on WhatsApp in difficult scheduling moments for myself. Cannot recommend this tour enough!!!
John_R, Jan 2026
We had a wonderful time on our day trip to see Machu Machu Picchu from Cusco. It's a lot to do in one day but it was super memorable. The train trip to Machu Picchu was fun and exploring Machu Picchu with our guide Johnny was amazing.
Sharon_M, Jan 2026
Beautiful trip ! We had a great experience with the railway journey and a great time with our tour guide! The sights are unbelievable
Adam_P, Jan 2026
Well organized tour by Vipac. All staff were professional and made sure I arrived at the handover points for the hotel pick up, train and bus journeys.
They made sure there was open communication especially for me since I don't speak Spanish.
The pickup service was on time.
The Peru rail panaromic view Train was amazing.
The bus ride up to the park entrance was well coordinated
Paul my guide into Machu Piccu was an absolute treasure house of information. He showed me the archeology and anthropology of the Quecha people and Inca civilization.. Plus a great photographer too!
Overall an amazing experience!
Schneider_M, Jan 2026
One of the most amazing experiences I’ve ever had , our guide made sure we were safe and most importantly enjoyed every part of the experience. I genuinely recommend doing this tour with this company and will 100% be back
chad_F, Jan 2026
Wow! There’s literally a whole team to guide you through the entire process. Our tour guide was awesome he seamlessly spoke 3 languages while also accommodating some seniors in our group. Overall it was a great experience. Highly recommend this tour.
Ray_C, Jan 2026
I had an amazing experience absolutely enjoying it the weather was nice the guide was very knowledgeable and he help take plenty of pictures
Mitchell_S, Jan 2026
our tour guide for this trip was fantastic!
Hector Rocca was so good, he should be training people on how to give tours. Thank you for making this such an enjoyable experience!
dempsey, Jan 2026
We had a fantastic time enjoying Machu Picchu with VIPAC tours. It was seamless although our pickup was a bit early for the day. A representative was available to us every step of the way during our epic day. We enjoyed the Vistadome trip and thought it was an added bonus. Ben was a great tour guide for Machu Picchu. Such a remarkable day!
LORITZ_P, Jan 2026
Amazing trip. Loved the train ride and the staff. They put a great show. Great coordination of several forms of transportation. Our Guide was very informative.
Xavier_C, Jan 2026
We were extremely lucky to be able to fully experience our visit to Machu Picchu, as the tragic train crash on 30Dec2025 occurred for the next train after ours. The tour company, Viajes Pacifico (ViPac), went above and beyond to help their customers navigate the situation, as hundreds of people were stuck at Aguas Calientes since the train tracks were closed for over 16 hours while the authorities investigated. ViPac did their best to communicate with their customers through a WhatsApp group chat (at the mercy of train company updates) from their office staff, and additionally by having a member of their staff (Sandra) actively at the station notifying the latest information, so that the customers could use their time to enjoy Aguas Calientes - eating, shopping, or even staying on their own in hotels - instead of waiting in the crowded station. ViPac helped prioritize those with next day travel arrangements or with the patience to stay up into the early morning hours to board the first trains back to Ollantaytambo (instead of Poroy/Cusco) - with the foresight of avoiding the regularly scheduled morning trains - and had van transport ready to drive us back directly to our accommodations in Cusco. Special recognition and thanks to Frank, Sandra, Daniela, Ronald, Jimmy and Deysi for working the late hours to help my group get back to Cusco.
As for the Machu Picchu visit itself - we initially were worried because we arrived when it was raining and fully covered with clouds, but mountain weather changes so fast and it cleared up and even got so warm that we had to shed some of our clothing layers. The long 3.5 hour train ride on PeruRail felt shorter due to the entertainment, snacks, and great service from the train staff. I thought about booking my trip and transport to Camacho Picchu on my own but so glad I did not as ViPac made the experience so stress-free and worry-free and proved that they are well organized and can handle emergency situations. I will definitely book with them the next time I am back and recommend them 10/10.
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