Machu Picchu Full-Day Tour by Panoramic Train from Cusco
Description
Explore the ancient ruins of Machu Picchu on this full-day tour from Cusco. Begin your adventure with a morning pickup from your hotel, followed by a scenic train ride to Aguas Calientes. Once you arrive, enjoy a guided tour of Machu Picchu, where you'll learn about its rich history and breathtaking architecture. After the tour, savor a delicious lunch and take the time to soak in the stunning surroundings before heading back. This experience is perfect for travelers looking for a comprehensive tour with expert guidance. - Full-day guided tour of Machu Picchu with hotel pickup - Scenic train ride from Cusco to Aguas Calientes included - Lunch provided during the tour - Small group size of up to 8 travelers for a personalized experience
Tour Options
Itinerary
The tour begins early in the morning with 3:30am pickup from your hotel in Cusco. You’ll travel in a comfortable private vehicle to Ollantaytambo train station, located in the Sacred Valley. From there, you’ll board the train toward Aguas Calientes, the gateway to Machu Picchu, enjoying beautiful views of the Andes and the Urubamba River along the way.
Board the train to Aguas Calientes town, enjoying a beautiful panoramic journey along the Urubamba River surrounded by majestic mountains and lush Andean landscapes. Upon arrival at Aguas Calientes train station, our staff will be waiting outside the station to assist you and guide you toward the bus that will take you up to the Machu Picchu Sanctuary, where your guided visit begins.
Upon arrival in Aguas Calientes, our staff will be waiting outside the train station to meet you. From there, you will walk together to the bus station, where you’ll join the line to board the official bus to Machu Picchu. The scenic ride takes approximately 25 minutes, ascending the mountain until you reach the main entrance of the Machu Picchu Sanctuary.
After finishing the guided tour, you will take the bus back to Aguas Calientes. Once in town, you’ll have some free time to enjoy lunch at one of the many local restaurants or explore the charming streets of Machu Picchu town before your return journey.
Before entering Machu Picchu, please have your passport ready for verification. Then, begin your two-hour guided exploration of this magnificent Inca citadel, walking through its terraces, stairways, temples, and finely carved stone structures. Your expert local guide will bring the site to life with stories and legends about its history, culture, and architecture, as you admire the breathtaking views of the surrounding Andean mountains and lush landscapes that make Machu Picchu one of the New Seven Wonders of the World.
Finally, at the scheduled time, you will board the tourist train back to Ollantaytambo or Poroy. Upon arrival, our private transport and staff will be waiting to take you back to your hotel in Cusco, marking the end of this unforgettable journey to Machu Picchu.
Upon arrival in Ollantaytambo or Poroy, our staff will be waiting outside the train station to transfer you back to your hotel. Return times may vary depending on your Machu Picchu entrance schedule, usually between 8:00 p.m. and 11:00 p.m., concluding this unforgettable adventure to the Historic Sanctuary of Machu Picchu.
Finally we will drop off you in your hotel of cusco
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
One day before the tour, we will coordinate the exact pickup time with the passenger. Our staff will be waiting at the reception of your accommodation.
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Reviews(24)
Joel Guzman was an extraordinary guide! Excellent command of the history and of English. Absolutely enjoyed the day!
Communication with the company was not great. Was supposed to have circuit 2 tickets but then ended up with circuit 3 tickets. However, the actual day with our guide was great. Joel was amazing and was very knowledgeable about the history of Machu Picchu. Would recommend Joel as a guide but the companies communication needs some improvement
ONCE IN A LIFETIME EXPERIENCE Amazing experience — the ruins and views exceeded all expectations. Our guides were excellent (knowledgeable and friendly), transportation was seamless, and the instructions/support were top-notch. Big thanks to Max for helping me booking everything last minute. He helped me a lot. I highly recommend this tour to anyone visiting Machu Picchu.
Excellent experience! Joel was a knowledgeable and helpful guide. He added greatly to my trip!!
Love Love!!! Loveeee. Thanks
Thank you so much for your amazing review! 😊 We're thrilled to hear that you loved your experience at Machu Picchu. Your kind words truly mean a lot to our team and motivate us to continue creating unforgettable experiences for our travelers. Thank you for choosing Peru Trekkers. We hope to welcome you back to Peru for another incredible adventure! Warm regards, The Peru Trekkers Team
This was a once in a lifetime day. Machu Picchu was one of the best sights I have ever seen. Our tour guide, Joel, was so knowledgeable and the perfect person to lead us throughout the day. I would definitely recommend this excursion!
Thank you for taking the time to share your experience! We are delighted to hear that your visit to Machu Picchu was everything you hoped for. It truly is a remarkable place, and we're so happy it left such a lasting impression on you. We're especially pleased that Joel helped make your day even more enjoyable. His dedication to sharing the history and beauty of Machu Picchu is something we are very proud of, and we'll be sure to pass along your kind words. Thank you for your recommendation and for choosing Peru Trekkers. We hope to have the opportunity to welcome you back to Peru again soon! Best wishes, The Peru Trekkers Team
Our tour guide, Joel, did such a great job in sharing the history of Machu Picchu. Very smart and articulate. He provided context and sources of the Inca history, and gave insights on the historical accounts that have archeological evidence versus those that may be speculations. I learned so much from him. The pick-up from the hotel was on time. The van rides were smooth. The train experience was truly amazing. Beautiful views of the mountains. Minor feedback: response time on Whatsapp is slow, hope they get this fixed. Overall great experience and highly recommended!
Thank you so much for your thoughtful and detailed review! We are delighted to hear that you had such a memorable experience visiting Machu Picchu. It means a lot to us that you enjoyed every part of the journey, from the scenic train ride to exploring this incredible wonder of the world. A special thank you for your kind words about Joel. We are proud to have such a passionate guide on our team, and we're thrilled that his knowledge and enthusiasm helped make your visit even more meaningful. We will be sure to share your compliments with him. We also appreciate your feedback regarding our WhatsApp response time. Your comments are valuable, and we will continue working to improve our communication so we can provide an even better experience for future travelers. Thank you once again for choosing Peru Trekkers and for recommending us. We hope to welcome you back to Peru for another unforgettable adventure! Warm regards, The Peru Trekkers Team
We booked this Machu Picchu tour over three weeks in advance expecting a well-organised experience, but unfortunately it was anything but. Communication from Peru Trekkers was poor from the outset. We had to chase our booking confirmation the day before our 4:00 am departure, and although our bus and entrance tickets were sent via WhatsApp, our train tickets were emailed without anyone telling us. As a result, we missed our train at Ollantaytambo Station and had to pay $69 per person for replacement tickets. Another passenger on the same transfer experienced exactly the same issue, so this was clearly a communication failure rather than user error. We were also placed on Circuit 3 despite booking weeks in advance, apparently because the preferred circuits had sold out. This suggests our entrance tickets were not secured when we originally booked. The return transport was equally disorganised. Despite being told a driver would be waiting with our names, no one arrived, leaving us stranded until we repeatedly contacted the company. Eventually another taxi was arranged after waiting longer. During the trip I was contacted 4 different numbers, never at anytime understanding who I was dealing with. A positive was that Machu Picchu itself was amazing as was our tour guide. However, this is down to the people who run Machu Picchu and not the tour operator. Finally, we have serious concerns about the safety of the return journey to Cusco. The driver’s overtaking on bends and over speed bumps at high speed, in the dark, was reckless and made us feel very unsafe. For a tour costing almost £300 per person, we expected far better organisation, communication and customer service. Had we not had mobile data, we would have been left stranded in an unfamiliar place with no way of contacting the operator. Sadly, I cannot recommend this company based on our experience.
Thank you for your review. Unfortunately, several statements in your review are inaccurate and do not reflect what actually happened. The operational information was not sent at the last minute. Your train tickets, Machu Picchu entrance tickets, bus tickets, and all travel instructions were sent approximately 24 hours before your departure, in accordance with our standard operating procedures. More than 10 other passengers traveled with the same departure and successfully boarded their trains without any issues using the exact same information we provided. In your case, you initially believed that breakfast was included in your tour and waited for it before heading to the station. This delay caused you to miss your train. Later, you acknowledged that this misunderstanding was on your side. It was not the result of missing or late information from Peru Trekkers. Your reservation was also made less than one week before your travel date. During periods of high demand, Machu Picchu circuits are assigned according to official availability, and this is clearly explained before booking. We are a direct local operator, and despite your last-minute reservation, we successfully organized your transportation, train tickets, entrance tickets, bus tickets, and guided tour. While we respect your opinion, we believe this review does not accurately reflect the facts or the level of service that was provided, you should be more honest. Thank you Peru trekkers
I booked a Machu Picchu tour with Peru Trekkers through GetYourGuide on February 3, 2026. Over three months before our visit on May 18. The tour included entrance tickets to Machu Picchu. I provided both passengers' passport numbers at the time of booking, which is all they needed to purchase the tickets online. They never bought them. On May 10, just days before our trip, they sent a generic WhatsApp message blaming a "policy change by the Ministry of Culture" and offered two options: extend my trip by 3 days (impossible) or accept a refund of the tour only. By then, online tickets for May 18 were completely sold out across all circuits. They had my passport numbers and three months to make a simple online purchase at tuboleto.cultura.pe, and they didn't. What followed was a nightmare. I had to restructure my entire itinerary at my own expense: change train tickets, book an extra hotel night, cancel a non-refundable reservation, and travel to Aguas Calientes a day early to try to buy presential tickets in person. Total additional cost: approximately $1,500 USD. Peru Trekkers offered zero help beyond a refund of their tour fee. Here's what every traveler should know: You can buy Machu Picchu tickets yourself at tuboleto.cultura.pe for about 152 soles (~$40 USD). Peru Trekkers charges you hundreds of dollars for a "tour package" that includes these same tickets, except in my case, they never actually bought them. Once you're in Aguas Calientes, you can hire a licensed local guide at the entrance for a fraction of what these operators charge. You don't need a middleman.
We respectfully disagree with this review because it omits key facts about the booking. This reservation was made under our Last Minute Machu Picchu service. The conditions of this product clearly state that travelers must arrive in Aguas Calientes 1–2 days in advance in order to obtain a Circuit 2 ticket in person, as required under the Ministry of Culture's procedures in effect at that time. We provided the customer with this information and supporting documentation. Unfortunately, the traveler decided not to arrive early and was therefore unable to follow the required process. At no point did we refuse a refund. On the contrary, we immediately informed the customer of the available options and assisted throughout the process. The claim that Peru Trekkers caused approximately USD 1,500 in additional expenses is entirely the customer's own estimate. Those costs were not incurred through services purchased from our company, and no evidence has been provided showing that Peru Trekkers was responsible for those expenses. In fact, even the most expensive train tickets do not approach the amount claimed in this review. We always strive to be transparent with our customers and to comply with the regulations established by the Ministry of Culture. While we understand the customer's disappointment, we believe this review does not accurately reflect what occurred or the assistance that was provided. Thank you Peru trekkers Team
We truly lucked out scoring the circuit 2 tour last minute. Definitely recommend that route as a first timer since you get to see it all. Also recommend going with this booking if you're traveling from Cusco since it really took away the stress of working out the travel logistics. Our guide, Joel, made the experience all the better too! He had a ton of history and cool facts to share and did a great job at taking photos. Don't overthink it, just book it!
