Take a Trip to Machu Picchu

Last Updated on August 17, 2020 by James Bustamante

Taking a trip to Machu Picchu is probably going to be in a lot of people’s bucket list for the next few years.

After the travesty that was Covid-19 for everyone’s travel plans in 2020, we expect a huge uptick of incoming groups in 2021. 

That being said, we want to be proactive with our readers and suggest what might be the most interesting route when taking a trip to Machu Picchu.  

Where can you start the trip to Machu Picchu? What other sites should we see? How do I get around? What should I know before taking a trip to Machu Picchu?

Let’s take a look below at what the best route would be to finally take that much-needed hike to Machu Picchu.

Let’s Begin in Miraflores

Let’s begin this trip to Machu Picchu at the very popular district of Miraflores which is located in Lima.

We choose Miraflores as a hub for all of our incoming travelers for various reasons.

The first reason is that Miraflores is one of the safest places to visit in all of Lima, there are hostels and hotels of every rating scattered throughout the district as well. 

Miraflores is full of restaurants, shops, coffee shops, museums, etc. It pretty much has everything needed to start your trip.

Our Lima office is also located in Miraflores so this makes it a perfect location for all of our travelers since our travel advisers will be able to visit you at your hotel to check on how the group is doing. 

Some of the more popular places to visit in this district would be Kennedy Park in Miraflores, Larcomar center, Iglesia Parroquia La Virgen Milagrosa (A church). 

During this time in Miraflores, you might want to check out the Lima city tour.

This tour will take you through Miraflores, the center of Lima, San Isidro and Barranco all in just a few hours.

We start the tour early at 9:00 am and finish by 2:00 pm. Afterward, we head back to your hotel in time for lunch. 

After spending a few days in Miraflores (we recommend at least 2 days in Lima) we can now plan the rest of this trip to Machu Picchu. 

Remember we can’t go from Lima to Machu Picchu directly, we have to travel to Cusco first. 

The Andean City of Cusco

We left Lima and took a quick flight to Cusco. This city is located high in the Andes mountains at around 11,000 feet above sea level (3,399 meters above sea level).

Upon arrival, you’ll see the vast difference between a cosmopolitan city like Lima and a highland city like Cusco. 

You will also feel quite differently thanks to the sudden change in elevation. You might want to take the first day as an acclimatization day.

So just take it easy for the first 24 – 48 hours and eat light meals, have plenty of fluids and make sure you take short walks around your hotel.

As we continue to travel to Machu Picchu remember that it is imperative for you to feel well throughout the activities so make sure to go through the protocol for elevation sickness. 

Some of the more notable locations to visit in the Cusco would be The Cusco main square, the San Blas artistic neighborhood, The Koricancha museum, Sacsayhuaman, The 12 angled stone, and several more. 

You can actually visit all these great locations and many additional places in our Cusco city tour that starts at 8:30 am and ends back at your hotel by 6:00 pm.

The tour of Cusco includes all required permits and tickets, transportation, and a bilingual guide.

The Sacred Valley of the Inca

If you are prone to suffer from elevation sickness then we recommend staying in the Sacred Valley for the first couple of days instead of Cusco.

It is located about 2 hours from the city and our driver will be more than happy to take you. 

We actually include this option in all of our Peru tour packages, we simply move the Cusco portion toward the end of the stay instead of the beginning. 

The Sacred Valley (9,400 feet or 2,871 meters above sea level) is located at a lower elevation when compared to Cusco, this might make the trip to Machu Picchu a bit easier on some travelers.

The difference might seem negligible at best, this however can be deceptive since just a few hundred feet can make a world of a difference when it comes to high elevation. 

The Sacred Valley is also one of the locations used for people that want to try Ayahuasca in Peru. Large and small groups gather in Urubamba to be greeted by shaman at these Ayahuasca retreats.

The other location used for Ayahuasca retreats would be the Amazon rainforest. Both of these destinations have a significant connection to both nature and ancient cultures. 

While at the Sacred Valley there are some notable places to visit as well.

First, we have Pisac and the Pisac Andean Market where you’ll be able to shop and haggle prices with the locals.

You can buy Alpaca sweaters directly from the people that raise the animals, taste some Andean treats, shop for silver, etc. 

There is also the town of Ollantaytambo where the train station is located as well as another set of Inca ruins, Maras y Moray as well as more great places to visit.

Again, all of these can be included in your Trip to Machu Picchu as part of our Sacred Valley tour. 

It will start at 9:00 am, we’ll tour through Urubamba and have a lunch buffet near the river.

We end this tour at around 6:00 pm back at your hotel.

Riding the Train to Aguas Calientes

We continue your Trip to Machu Picchu by going to Ollantaytambo and boarding the train to the town of Aguas Calientes.

We are traveling to the cloud forest which happens to be at a lower elevation.

The 2-hour train ride will take you through the Sacred Valley’s Andean features to a more rainforest surrounding. 

The views are absolutely spectacular so make sure to take as many photographs of the changing landscapes as possible. 

Some background information on Aguas Calientes: The name translates to hot water, this is because this area has geothermal activity.

There is a hot spring located a few minutes from the center of Aguas Calientes. 

This small town was created with tourism in mind. It was put together so travelers could organize their groups, rest, pick up Machu Picchu reservations, meet other groups, etc. 

Upon arrival to Aguas Calientes, also known as Machu Picchu Pueblo, we’ll head over to your hotel for the night so guests can check-in and leave their backpacks.

Take the rest of the day to walk through this small town and visit some of the local shops or head over to the local hot springs.

Make sure you have a filling dinner and get plenty of sleep, the following morning we’ll travel to Machu Picchu on the shuttle so we can get on with the hike. 

Guided Machu Picchu Tours

We are finally at the pinnacle of this trip to Machu Picchu. There are several schedules to pick from for entering Machu Picchu.

If you are looking for the early morning experience, you’ll have a chance to catch the most spectacular sunrise ever.

The sun rising over the Andes as you enter the city on your Machu Picchu tour truly is unequal.

We recommend getting the early shift of 6:00 am to achieve this view of the sun and mountains. 

If you would like to sleep in before heading up on your Machu Picchu hike we then a 9: 00 am time slot or even an afternoon Machu Picchu guided tour might work better for you.

Just remember that if you choose an afternoon hike of the Inca complex it means you will most likely spend one additional night in Aguas Calientes or return to Cusco very late. 

Once we enter Machu Picchu the guided tour will take you through various areas such as:

The temple of the Condor, Temple of the three windows, Intihuatana, The Inca baths, etc.

The tour will take around 2 hours, afterwards, you will have a chance to go through Machu Picchu on your own if you’d like. 

If you are feeling adventurous we suggest taking one of the two available hikes within Machu Picchu.

They are called Huayna Picchu and Mount Machu Picchu.  Each of these presents an additional challenge for hikers, both have magnificent birds-eye views of Machu Picchu.

So if you have the time and lungs we can’t recommend them enough. 

To end this trip to Machu Picchu we will take a train back to the town of Ollantaytambo, the normal departure time for our groups is 3:30 pm.

This however can change depending on which Mach Picchu schedule you decided to pick for the hike.

The trip will take around 2 hours and once we arrive at the station we will have private transport waiting to take us back to Cusco. 

The Day After Machu Picchu

This trip does not have to be over simply because Machu Picchu is behind us.

There are many activities for you to join while you are in Cusco not to mention the rest of Peru. 

Think of Cusco as a hub for travelers, all activities in this area will depart from the city.

If you have time left and want to extend your itinerary with us why not visit the Rainbow mountain or Humantay Lake.

Both are full-day tours that include permits, gear, and even lunch.

Both are pictured below and both can be added to the trip to Machu Picchu.

Frequently Asked Questions About Trips to Machu Picchu