Machu Picchu in a Day
One long day from Cusco, there and back by train
- 1 day
- 2,430 m max
- Easy
- Cusco to Cusco
A pre-dawn start, the train down the Urubamba gorge, two and a half hours inside the citadel with a guide, and back in Cusco for dinner. No trekking, no overnight bag.
This is the compromise trip, and it is worth being clear about which way the compromise runs. You gain a day — your Cusco hotel stays booked, your luggage stays in it, and nothing needs repacking. You pay for that with a four o’clock alarm and about six hours of travelling.
What you do not give up is the citadel itself. The guided circuit is the same two and a half hours the two-day trip gets, and the permit is the same Circuit 2. The difference is that you arrive having been awake since before dawn.
If your dates allow a night in Aguas Calientes, take it. If they do not, this is the version that still works, and we run it often enough to have the timings down to the minute.
What you'll see
Machu Picchu without an overnight
You keep your room in Cusco, leave your luggage in it, and walk back into the same hotel that evening. Nothing to pack beyond a daypack.
The gorge by train
Ninety minutes from Ollantaytambo to Aguas Calientes, following the Urubamba as the high Andes turn into cloud forest. Most people spend it at the window.
Two and a half hours with a guide
A full guided circuit of the citadel, not a hurried lap. Your guide is a certified local who works these stones most weeks of the year.
Every ticket arranged
Train, bus, entrance permit and transfers are all in the price and all booked before you land. Nothing to queue for on the day.
Lower than Cusco
The citadel sits at 2,430 m, almost a kilometre below your hotel. For most people this is the easiest day of altitude on the whole trip.
Machu Picchu in a Day: day by day
Times are what we actually aim for, not a best case. Traffic into Cusco and the train timetable move them by a little.
Day 1
Cusco to Machu Picchu and back again
Roughly fifteen hours door to door. It is a genuinely long day, and we would rather you knew that before you booked than discovered it at four in the morning.
- 03:45We collect you from your hotel or flat in Cusco. Pick-ups run until about 04:00 and we make no attempt to dress up the hour.
- 05:30Ollantaytambo station, after an hour and three quarters through the Andes in a private vehicle.
- 06:10The train leaves for Aguas Calientes — either the 06:10 or the 06:40, depending on how the timetable falls on your date.
- 07:40Aguas Calientes. You meet your guide for a short briefing, then the Consettur bus takes half an hour to climb the switchbacks.
- 08:30Guided tour of the citadel on Circuit 2, about two and a half hours across the temples, terraces and sacred enclosures.
- 11:30Bus back down to Aguas Calientes, with free time to pick a restaurant and have lunch at your own pace.
- 15:30Return train to Ollantaytambo, usually mid-afternoon. We confirm the exact departure when your tickets are issued.
- 18:30Private transfer into Cusco, dropping you one block from the Plaza de Armas between 18:30 and 19:00.
- Meals
- None included
- Night
- Not included — you sleep in Cusco
What the price covers
Before you set off
- Briefing at your hotel the evening before, any time between 18:00 and 20:00
- Pick-up from your hotel or flat in Cusco, or from most addresses in the Sacred Valley
- Certified guide, English and Spanish
Getting there and back
- Private transfer, Cusco to Ollantaytambo station
- Tourist-class train to Aguas Calientes — Expedition on PeruRail or Voyager on IncaRail
- Return Consettur bus between Aguas Calientes and the citadel gate
- Tourist-class train back to Ollantaytambo
- Private transfer to central Cusco, one block from the Plaza de Armas
At the citadel
- Your Circuit 2 entrance permit, secured when you book
- Guided tour of roughly two and a half hours inside the sanctuary
Not included
- Breakfast, because we collect you before any kitchen in Cusco opens
- Lunch in Aguas Calientes
- Drinks of any kind, including bottled water
- Travel insurance
- Tips, which are genuinely optional
- Anything personal — snacks, souvenirs, the hot springs
Machu Picchu in a Day: prices and options
Add-ons
- +£45
Vistadome train, one leg
Panoramic glass roof and table service instead of the standard tourist carriage.
- +£40
Private guide at the citadel
Your own guide inside Machu Picchu rather than a shared group.
What to bring
Papers and the day bag
- Your original passport — they check it at the gate and on the train
- A small daypack, 25 litres at most
- A refillable water bottle
- Some cash for lunch and tips
Sun and skin
- High-factor sun cream
- Sunglasses with UV protection
- A sun hat
- Insect repellent for Aguas Calientes
- Any medication you take
Clothes
- T-shirts you can layer
- A light jacket for the four o'clock start
- A rain poncho
Feet
- Comfortable walking shoes, already worn in
- Socks that breathe
Questions we get asked
Is one day too much to do in one go?
It is a fifteen-hour day that starts at a quarter to four, so it is not restful. What it is not is chaotic — every connection is pre-booked and timed, so you spend the day travelling and looking rather than queueing. If your Peru itinerary has any slack in it at all, the two-day version with a night in Aguas Calientes is the better trip. If it genuinely does not, this works.
Why does the pick-up have to be quite so early?
The morning trains out of Ollantaytambo leave between 06:00 and 07:00, and the drive from Cusco takes an hour and three quarters. Working backwards from the train, a quarter to four is what is left. Leaving later would mean a later train and about an hour less inside the citadel.
How fit do I need to be?
Fit enough to walk on uneven stone and climb a fair number of steps for two and a half hours. There is no trekking. If stairs are a problem, tell us before you book and we will talk about which circuit suits you, because they are not all equally steep.
Will the altitude bother me?
Less than Cusco does. The citadel is at 2,430 m, which is roughly a kilometre lower than the city you have just left. The usual advice still applies — give yourself two nights in Cusco before any of this, drink more water than feels necessary, and go easy on the first evening.
What time am I back in Cusco?
Between 18:30 and 19:00, dropped a block from the Plaza de Armas. Do not book an evening flight out of Cusco on this day. If you have a flight the following morning, that is fine.
Can you collect me from the Sacred Valley instead?
Yes, and it makes for a shorter day, because you are already most of the way to the station. Tell us your address in Urubamba, Ollantaytambo or Pisac when you enquire and we will set the pick-up time accordingly.
Are the buses up to the gate included?
Yes, both directions. The Consettur shuttle is the only vehicle allowed on the road up, and its return ticket is part of your price.
Is there a reduced rate for students or children?
Yes. Under-18s and university students pay about £20 less per person. For the student rate the Peruvian authorities require a physical plastic card showing your university, your name, your photograph and an expiry date — digital cards and ISIC cards are not accepted, and you must be under 25 on the day of your visit. Send us a photograph of the card when you enquire.
What happens if Circuit 2 is sold out for my date?
We tell you straight away and offer the best circuit still available rather than quietly substituting one. The Ministry of Culture caps permits per circuit per day, and in the May to September window those caps bite months ahead. Early dates are the whole game here.
Ask us about Machu Picchu in a Day
Tell us your dates and we'll come back with availability, the circuit we'd recommend, and a firm price. No deposit to ask, and we answer within one working day.