The Best Machu Picchu Vacation
James Bustamante is Native to New York but born to Peruvian parents. He has been traveling throughout Latin America since early 2003 and finally made his home in Peru. James has made his way by eating and traveling through almost every country in Central and South America.
Last Updated on October 18, 2023 by James Bustamante
So you plan on coming to Peru and want to ensure you are taking the Best Machu Picchu Vacation possible.
Most travelers coming to Peru on a trip will usually only do so once in their life, so they would like to make sure the Machu Picchu vacation is the best one you can plan.
There are several itineraries that include a Hike to Machu Picchu as well as several other great places to visit. As long as you are in the country, you should visit some of the other fantastic locations the country offers.
Below, we’ve provided one of the Peru tour packages for travelers looking to experience as much as possible during their vacation in Peru.
This guide to daily activities in seven days is one of travelers’ most popular Machu Picchu vacation routes. Let’s go over what these activities would entail.
Begin Your Machu Picchu Vacation in Lima, Peru
Lima is one of the oldest cities in Latin America. There is also a significant variance between the culturally focused city of Lima and the more upbeat restaurant and bar side within each central district.
You can see a significant change in scenery and places of interest between Lima city center and Miraflores or Barranco. The latter two are where you’ll most likely stay during your capital vacation.
Lima should take at least two days to go through during your Machu Picchu vacation. There is plenty to see and experience within or near the capital. One of the first stops at the capital should be the Plaza Mayor or Plaza de Armas (The city’s main square).
The main square is considered the birthplace of Lima. It is also an excellent point to begin exploring the city center and its breathtaking architecture. Located in the Historic Centre of Lima, it is surrounded by the Government Palace and Cathedral of Lima.
Information on the Plaza Mayor in Lima:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plaza_Mayor,_Lima
Peruvian Gastronomy & Machu Picchu Vacation
Lima is also known for its culinary expertise. Peru has been awarded top culinary destination in the world several years running, and for good reason.
Peruvian food involves delicious spices, local techniques, and only the freshest produce in order to prepare its always delicious signature dishes.
Peruvian Signature Dishes
- Ceviche – Seafood marinated in Lime juice and spices
- Lomo Saltado – A beef stirfry made with local spices
- Aji de Gallina – A chicken or hen stew made with yellow hot peppers
- Seco de Res – A slow-cooked stew made with local spices
- Pollo a la Brasa – Rotisserie chicken made with a Panca base
Some Popular Peruvian Recipes
- How to Make Lomo Saltado
- A good Peruvian Ceviche Recipe
- Learn how to prepare Peruvian Causa
Machu Picchu Vacation and Cusco
The second day starts relatively early with a drive to the Jorge Chavez Lima airport to hop onto a plane and fly to Cusco.
This city, located in the Andes mountain range, is over 11,152 feet (3,399 meters) above sea level, so it is required to take it easy upon arrival.
This part of the Machu Picchu vacation will require you to be well-acclimated to the elevation, so make sure to follow the protocol we put into place so that you don’t suffer from altitude sickness during your stay.
The Cusco city tour will take you through some of the most enigmatic locations in this very old city. From Koricancha to the Sacsayhuamaman fortress, known as the capital of the Incan empire, his city tour will fascinate all travelers.
The Cusco city tour begins with a scheduled pick-up at 9:00 a.m. at your hotel. The agency representatives will start by reviewing the city’s history as we visit many locations throughout the Cusco center and the outskirts. The tour ends at your hotel by 3:00 p.m., giving you time to plan your afternoon and evening in Cusco.
Machu Picchu Vacation Into The Sacred Valley
Next, in your Machu Picchu vacation, we take a whole day to visit the Urubamba Valley, also known as The Sacred Valley of the Inca.
During this portion of the package, you’ll see Inca fortresses in Ollantaytambo and Andean street markets (Pisac) and have a Peruvian-style buffet lunch overlooking the Urubamba river.
The tour into the Sacred Valley begins with our staff picking you and your group up at the hotel by 8:30 a.m. and ends at 6:00 p.m. back in Cusco.
After a long day of hiking through Urubamba, rest as much as you can since the following morning, we begin our journey to Machu Picchu.
The Train to Aguas Calientes
The train to the town of Aguas Calientes will leave around 10:00 a.m., so we’ll have the entire morning to travel to the Ollantaytambo train station and make our way on board.
The pick-up at your hotel in Cusco will typically be scheduled for 6:00 a.m., but in some cases, it can be a couple of hours later. The ride will take around one hour to reach the town of Ollantaytambo.
Remember to pack light since you’ll need clothes for the next couple of days; only take the essentials in a backpack or a small piece of luggage. Most of your luggage will stay behind in a secure storage deposit at your Cusco hotel.
Once you check back in after the Machu Picchu tour portion of the trip, your luggage will be waiting for you in your room.
Once we arrive at the small town of Aguas Calientes, we’ll check into your hotel and relax for the rest of the afternoon. Take advantage and walk around this tiny town. You’ll immediately notice the difference from the highland city of Cusco.
Aguas Calientes is located in what we call a “cloud forest.” The name is in reference to the town being situated between the Andean highland and the rainforest. So Aguas Calientes has rainforest qualities but is high in the mountains enough to have low-lying clouds.
The air is more humid than in Cusco, and you might also notice how much greener it is.
An activity your group can do on its own would be to visit the hot spring. The name Aguas Calientes means “hot water,” which refers to the thermal waters in this region.
The walk should be at most 15 minutes, and we have a map of the hot springs using the train station as a reference.
Map to Hot Springs in Aguas Calientes
Take a Tour of Machu Picchu
On day 5 of this Machu Picchu vacation package, we finally get to the Inca city. To travel to Machu Picchu, we must first take the Consettur shuttle.
We begin by walking to the shuttle station, which is conveniently located 5 minutes from your hotel.
Boarding will be done very quickly. The bus ticket is included in your Machu Picchu reservations already. Our guide will handle all the paperwork and have your boarding ASAP.
The ride up to Machu Picchu will take 20-25 minutes, depending on the weather conditions. Take this time to look at your surroundings as we quickly drive up the road to the Inca citadel.
The view is spectacular as you gaze at the valleys below and the surrounding mountains. You’ll see Machu Picchu breaking down from above the clouds in just a few minutes.
As we leave the shuttle and enter Machu Picchu, the guide will take your tickets and have everyone go through the checkpoint. You can look at the ancient stone city in just a few steps while our tour guide starts the tour.
The guided tour on your Machu Picchu vacation will take around 2 hours, and the expert guide will go over the history of the city, its uses, the most relevant areas, and why the Inca left it.
Some notable areas of Machu Picchu would be:
- Intihuatana.
- The temple of the Sun.
- Temple of the Condor.
- Temple of the three windows.
- The Moon Temple (Reserved with Huayna Picchu permit).
Additional Hikes in Machu Picchu Vacation
Two additional hikes within the confines of the complex are readily available during your Machu Picchu Vacation. These extra hikes are called Huayna Picchu and Mount Machu Picchu.
They offer something entirely different to travelers wanting to book these hikes.
Mount Machu Picchu has winding paths around the mountainous terrain, while Huayna Picchu is more of a vertical climb.
They both count with amazing views of the city. Nearly all the postcard-level pictures you see of Machu Picchu have been taken from either of these peaks.
To take either path, you’ll need to make sure they are booked as soon as you book your package; this ensures availability since each hike has a certain number of travelers allowed each day.
We end the day with a shuttle back down to the small town of Aguas Calientes. You’ll have ample time to have lunch before we embark on the return train to the station in Ollantaytambo.
The departure train will be scheduled to leave by 3:30 p.m. and will take the same route back.
We will be scheduled to arrive back at the Ollantaytambo train station by 5:30 p.m. We will have appointed one of our drivers to pick you (and your group) up at the station and drive you back to your hotel in Cusco.
The scheduled time for arrival back to the city of Cusco will be 7:00 p.m.
Machu Picchu Vacation Final Day
On the last day of the Machu Picchu vacation, we can take a few hours out to visit the San Pedro market in Cusco or walk around the main square and get the last pieces of local alpaca, mementos, and souvenirs we might need for our return.
The San Pedro market issues a perfect opportunity to do all that within the confines of one location. This local market is focused on Andean products but also receives important shipments from the Amazon region of Peru.
Shop for souvenirs and get a hearty breakfast in one of the food stands scattered throughout the market. This might be your last chance to order a smoothie with some of the sweetest, most delicious fruit you’ve ever tried.
We will have our driver pick you up at your hotel in the late morning or afternoon. We then head to the Velasco Astete Airport in Cusco for your domestic flight back to Lima.
All international flights (except for some Bolivia flights) either arrive or depart from the airport in Lima, so your final day during your Machu Picchu vacation will involve quite a bit of travel.
The flight back will be programmed according to your international departure schedule, and we’ll make sure you are back in Lima hours before your flight back home.
Alternatively, we can include some more time in Peru on your itinerary. Some notable destinations would be the Nazca Lines, Lake Titicaca, or The mysterious Amazon rainforest.
Peru has many destinations worth visiting for your Machu Picchu vacation in all country regions.
Contact us today for one of our scheduled Machu Picchu vacation packages or receive a fully customizable one tailor-made for you and your group!
Frequently Asked Questions About Machu Picchu Vacations
Machu Picchu permits go by shifts now. Each permit will grant access to the traveler and allocate 3-4 hours in the complex.
Yes. We can emit a permit for you to hike Huayna Picchu for your Machu Picchu vacation.
Machu Picchu will only take a day to go through. We suggest making an itinerary of at least five days in Peru to take advantage of your trip as much as possible.
Correct. We include all required permits, tickets, and passes once you book your Machu Picchu vacation with us.
Yes, your appointed guides will all be bilingual.
Yes, you can have your passport stamped in Machu Picchu. Most travelers choose to get this stamp before they leave the complex. It isn’t an “official stamp” but nonetheless it’s a nice stamp to have on your passport.
The Machu Picchu vacation package includes domestic air travel but not international.
