Machu Picchu Overland
Two days by road over Abra Málaga, with the walk along the railway
- 2 days
- 4,316 m max
- Moderate
- Cusco to Cusco
The cheapest honest way to reach the citadel. You cross the Andes at 4,316 m by road, drop into the jungle at Hidroeléctrica, walk three hours along the railway to Aguas Calientes, and are at the gate when it opens the next morning.
This is the route people use when the train fare is the thing standing between them and Machu Picchu. It deserves to be described accurately rather than sold, because what you save in money you spend in hours.
The trade is straightforward. A return train ticket to Aguas Calientes costs more on its own than this whole two-day trip, and there is only one railway, so the price is what it is. Going over Abra Málaga to the end of the road at Hidroeléctrica and walking the final stretch along the rails takes the train out of the equation altogether.
What you get in exchange is not a lesser Machu Picchu. It is the same Circuit 2 permit, the same certified guide, a night in the same town and an earlier entry than most of the train arrivals manage. You simply earn it — six hours walking, thirteen hours of Andean road, and a view from the pass that nobody on the train sees at all.
What you'll see
A third of the price
Skipping the train is what makes this trip cost what it does. Everything else — the permit, the guide, the hotel, the meals — is the same standard as our train itineraries.
Abra Málaga
The road crosses the pass at 4,316 m, above the treeline and in sight of glaciers, then loses three kilometres of altitude into the cloud forest in a single afternoon.
Three hours beside the rails
A flat, well-trodden path along the railway from Hidroeléctrica, following the Urubamba through dense jungle. Orchids, hummingbirds, and the occasional train going past at walking pace.
First through the gate
Because you sleep in Aguas Calientes, you can be inside for the six o'clock opening and see the citadel before the day's trains arrive.
Two and a half hours with a guide
A full guided circuit of the citadel with a certified bilingual guide, same as on every other trip we run.
Machu Picchu Overland: 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
Over the pass and into the jungle
A long day in a vehicle followed by an easy three-hour walk. You start at 3,400 m, cross 4,316 m before lunch and go to bed at 2,040 m.
- 06:15We collect you from your hotel or flat in Cusco.
- 09:00Abra Málaga. The road tops out above the treeline, then begins the long descent into the cloud forest.
- 12:15Hidroeléctrica, at the end of the road, after roughly six hours of driving.
- 13:00Lunch at the station, included, before the walk.
- 14:00The walk to Aguas Calientes begins — about three hours along the railway, essentially flat, on a single path you cannot lose.
- 17:00Aguas Calientes. We take you to your hotel, which has a private bathroom and hot water, and you have time to wash and settle.
- 19:00Dinner at a restaurant in town, included, and the briefing for tomorrow — your entry time, the bus, and what to carry up.
- Meals
- Lunch and dinner
- Night
- Hotel in Aguas Calientes
Day 2
The citadel at dawn, then the long road back
In through the gate at six, two and a half hours with your guide, then back down the valley on foot and the drive to Cusco. It finishes late.
- 05:00Light breakfast at the hotel, included.
- 05:30Down to the bus station for the Consettur shuttle up the switchbacks.
- 06:00Into the sanctuary as it opens, with the light still low and the coaches from Ollantaytambo hours away.
- 06:15Guided tour of the citadel, about two and a half hours across the Temple of the Sun, the Sacred Plaza, the terraces and the main viewpoints.
- 09:00Down to Aguas Calientes. The descent bus is not included, so most people take the stepped footpath, which is steep but quick.
- 11:00The walk back along the railway to Hidroeléctrica. Be at the station by 14:30, where our transport is waiting.
- 15:00The drive back over Abra Málaga to Cusco, about six and a half hours.
- 21:30Dropped at your hotel or flat in Cusco.
- Meals
- Light breakfast
- Night
- Not included — you are back in Cusco
What the price covers
Transport and logistics
- Tourist transport from Cusco to Hidroeléctrica, with pick-up from your hotel or flat
- Tourist transport from Hidroeléctrica back to Cusco and to your accommodation
- A professional driver and all coordination of the group's timings and transfers
- Consettur bus up from Aguas Calientes to the citadel gate
The night and the meals
- One night in a hotel in Aguas Calientes, with private bathroom and hot water
- Lunch on day one at Hidroeléctrica
- Dinner on day one in Aguas Calientes
- Light breakfast on day two, before you go up
At the citadel
- Your Circuit 2 entrance permit, secured when you book
- Certified bilingual guide, English and Spanish, for about two and a half hours inside
Not included
- A guide for the walk on day one — it is one path along the railway and nobody gets lost on it
- Breakfast on day one, before we collect you
- Lunch on day two, on the road back
- The Consettur bus down from the citadel, which you can buy on the day if you would rather not walk
- Travel insurance
- Tips, which are genuinely optional
- Anything personal — bottled water, snacks, drinks, souvenirs
Machu Picchu Overland: prices and options
Add-ons
- +£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
- A daypack you can carry for three hours, 25 litres at most
- A refillable water bottle
- Snacks with some sugar in them for the walk
Sun and skin
- High-factor sun cream
- Sunglasses with UV protection
- Insect repellent, which on this route is not optional
- Your own toiletries and any medication you take
Clothes
- Light, breathable clothing for the jungle
- A change of clothes for day two
- A light jacket or jumper for the pass
- A rain poncho
Feet
- Sturdy walking shoes, already worn in
- Socks that breathe
- Sandals for the hotel
Questions we get asked
Why is this so much cheaper than the train?
Because the train is the expensive part. A return ticket to Aguas Calientes costs more than this entire trip, and there is no way around that price because one company runs the line. Going by road to Hidroeléctrica and walking the last stretch removes it. What you pay instead is time — about twelve and a half hours in a vehicle across the two days, plus six hours on your feet.
How hard is the walk?
The walk itself is easy. It follows the railway beside the river, it is flat, and it is a single obvious path. Three hours each way is what makes us grade this trip Moderate rather than Easy — not the terrain, but the total. If you walk regularly at home, it will feel like a pleasant afternoon. If you do not, you will feel it on day two.
Is the 4,316 m going to affect me?
You cross it sitting in a vehicle, in the morning, and you are down in the cloud forest by lunchtime. It is the highest number on the page but the least demanding thing about the trip. The genuine warning is different — the road over Abra Málaga is long and full of bends, so bring something for travel sickness if you are prone to it.
Do I get a guide on the walk to Aguas Calientes?
No, and we would rather say so plainly than bury it. The path from Hidroeléctrica runs along the railway with the river on one side and the mountain on the other. There are no junctions and there is a steady stream of other walkers. Your guide meets you in Aguas Calientes for the briefing that evening and is with you throughout the citadel.
Why is the bus down from the citadel not included?
Because plenty of people prefer to walk it, and charging everyone for a ticket half of them would not use would raise the price for no reason. The footpath cuts down across the switchbacks — steep, stepped and shaded, and quicker than the bus queue. If you would rather ride, tickets are sold at the gate on the day.
What about my main luggage?
Leave it in Cusco. Every hotel we work with stores it at no charge, and on this route you genuinely do not want to be carrying more than a daypack for six hours. Take one change of clothes and the essentials.
Is this suitable for children or for older travellers?
Be honest with yourself about the walking. Six hours on foot over two days, an early start, and thirteen hours in a vehicle is a lot for young children and hard on anyone with knee or hip trouble. For teenagers and for adults who walk regularly it is a superb trip. If in doubt, our two-day train itinerary gets you to the same place with almost no walking at all.
What if it rains?
Then you walk in the rain, because the path and the timings do not change. You are in cloud forest, where showers arrive in any month and heavily between December and March. Bring a poncho rather than an umbrella, keep your phone and camera in a waterproof bag, and accept that mist over the citadel is its own kind of view.
Is there a reduced rate for students or children?
Yes. Under-18s and university students pay about £20 less per person. The student rate needs a physical plastic card showing your university, your name, your photograph and an expiry date valid when you travel — digital cards and ISIC cards are not accepted, and you must be under 25. Send us a photograph of it when you enquire.
What time do I actually get back to Cusco?
Around 21:30, at your accommodation. It is a late finish after an early start, so leave the following morning clear and do not book an onward flight or bus for that night.
Ask us about Machu Picchu Overland
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.