How to Choose and Book a Sacred Valley Tour from Cusco

Which Sacred Valley Tour Should You Choose?

Choose a classic full-day tour if you want to explore the valley and return to your hotel in Cusco that evening. This works well when you already have separate Machu Picchu arrangements or want to keep your excursions on different days.

Choose a two-day Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu tour if you want to visit Pisac and Ollantaytambo, continue by train, and have your accommodation and Machu Picchu visit coordinated within one package.

There is also an important distinction: a two-day combined tour does not mean two full days exploring the Sacred Valley. In our combined itinerary, the first day covers the valley and the journey to Aguas Calientes. The second day focuses on Machu Picchu and the return to Cusco.

If you also want to explore Maras, Moray, and Chinchero, consider adding time rather than assuming those places are included in every two-day package.

What Does the Classic Sacred Valley Day Tour Include?

Our classic Sacred Valley tour from Cusco follows a full-day route through Taray, Pisac, Urubamba, Ollantaytambo, and Chinchero.

Pickup from hotels in central Cusco begins at approximately 8:00 a.m. The itinerary includes:

• A stop at the Taray viewpoint.
• A visit to Pisac’s market and archaeological site.
• A lunch stop in Urubamba.
• Time to explore the archaeological site at Ollantaytambo.
• A visit to Chinchero before returning to Cusco.

The scheduled return to central Cusco is around 6:00 p.m. This is a group excursion with a fixed route, so travelers should check the schedule before arranging other activities that evening.

The published reference price is US$38 per person, subject to confirmation. The Cusco Tourist Ticket is not included. Confirm the meal arrangements and complete inclusions when requesting your quote.

This tour returns to Cusco. If you want to leave the group in Ollantaytambo to catch a train, ask whether that arrangement is possible before purchasing train tickets.

How Does the Two-Day Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu Tour Work?

Our two-day Sacred Valley, Machu Picchu and waterfalls tour connects the valley with Machu Picchu through an overnight stay in Aguas Calientes.

The published reference price is US$550 per person, subject to confirmation. This is a group package lasting two days and one night.

Day 1: Cusco, Pisac, Ollantaytambo and Aguas Calientes

The tour begins with pickup from your hotel in Cusco and a journey into the Sacred Valley.

You visit Pisac’s archaeological site and traditional market, with a buffet lunch in Urubamba included in the package. The route continues to Ollantaytambo, where you explore its Inca terraces and stone structures before boarding the train to Aguas Calientes.

You spend the night in Aguas Calientes, the town used as a base for visiting Machu Picchu. Accommodation is included in a double or matrimonial room.

This itinerary avoids returning to Cusco between the Sacred Valley visit and your onward train journey.

Day 2: Machu Picchu, Waterfalls and Return to Cusco

The second day includes the bus journey to Machu Picchu and a guided visit lasting approximately two hours.

Afterward, the itinerary continues with a visit to the Aguas Calientes waterfalls. The published program describes a walk of approximately three kilometers round trip. Confirm how this activity fits around your Machu Picchu entry and return train schedule.

You then travel by train to Ollantaytambo and continue by transfer to Cusco.

The exact Machu Picchu route and entry time should be confirmed during booking. The entrance ticket is subject to availability, so check those details before finalizing your travel arrangements.

What Is Included in the Two-Day Package?

Comparing tour prices only makes sense when you also compare what each package covers.

The published inclusions for our two-day tour are:

• Hotel pickup in Cusco.
• Buffet lunch in Urubamba with a hot drink.
• The partial Tourist Ticket for the archaeological sites.
• A professional guide.
• Voyager or Expedition train travel to Aguas Calientes and back to Ollantaytambo.
• One night of accommodation in Aguas Calientes.
• Bus tickets to and from Machu Picchu.
• Machu Picchu admission, subject to availability.
• A guided Machu Picchu visit.
• Lunch in Aguas Calientes.
• A private transfer from Ollantaytambo station to Cusco.

The package excludes dinners, personal expenses, optional tips, travel insurance, and services not listed in the inclusions. Breakfast on the first day depends on your hotel arrangements.

Additional hikes such as Wayna Picchu, Huchuy Picchu, or Machu Picchu Mountain are not included.

Always review your final quotation, since room arrangements, availability, and requested changes can affect the booking.

Should You Choose a Shared or Private Tour?

Both tours described above are published as group services.

A shared tour suits travelers who are comfortable following a scheduled route with other participants. Before booking, ask about group size, guiding language, pickup arrangements, and time available at each stop.

If your group needs a different pace, a customized route, or specific assistance, request a private itinerary and confirm what can be arranged.

Private transport does not remove the physical demands of the archaeological sites. Pisac and Ollantaytambo involve uneven surfaces and stairs, so describe any mobility needs before choosing your tour.

How Should You Plan Around Altitude?

Sleeping at a lower elevation than Cusco can help some travelers adjust to altitude, but it does not guarantee that symptoms will be avoided. The CDC identifies descending to a lower sleeping elevation after arrival in Cusco as one possible acclimatization strategy. CDC guidance on altitude travel.

Keep this separate from the tour duration. Our two-day package includes a night in Aguas Calientes; it does not include one or two preliminary nights in Urubamba or Ollantaytambo.

If you want extra rest before sightseeing, add that time before the tour begins. Avoid planning a demanding archaeological visit immediately after landing without considering your arrival time and how you feel.

Also check the actual route: the classic day tour visits Chinchero, so spending part of the day in the valley does not mean the entire excursion stays below Cusco’s elevation.

What Should You Confirm Before Booking?

Before paying for a Sacred Valley tour, request written confirmation of the details that affect your trip:

• The complete route: which archaeological sites and other stops are included.
• The finishing point: Cusco or an agreed connection in Ollantaytambo.
• Admission fees: whether the Cusco Tourist Ticket and Machu Picchu entrance are included.
• Train arrangements: service, departure times, stations, and luggage allowance.
• Accommodation: hotel, room type, and any supplements.
• Meals: which lunches, breakfasts, and dinners are covered.
• Machu Picchu arrangements: entry time, circuit or route, and guiding.
• Booking conditions: payment requirements, changes, and cancellation terms.

For the combined package, coordinate the Machu Picchu entrance, train journeys, and hotel together. Confirm availability for your travel dates before assuming a particular entry time or train service is secured.

Choose the Tour That Fits Your Next Stop

If you want a day exploring the valley before returning to your Cusco hotel, review the classic Sacred Valley day tour.

If you want to connect Pisac and Ollantaytambo with an overnight stay in Aguas Calientes and a guided Machu Picchu visit, review the two-day Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu package.

Send your preferred dates, number of travelers, and room requirements to request availability and a confirmed quotation.