Option A – Adventure!

If you know you want to hike Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu Mountain, or if visiting Machu Picchu at dawn would be your dream-come-true, this option is for you! You’ll begin your Machu Picchu by train tour by travelling through the Sacred Valley, stopping to visit the quaint weaving village of Chinchero and the ruins of Ollantaytambo on your way to the train station.

From here, travel to Machu Picchu by train through gorgeous, changing vistas until reaching Aguas Calientes where you’ll spend the night. The next morning, wake up early in order to visit Machu Picchu by the early morning light, with the option to do a Machu Picchu hike. Then, take an afternoon train back to Ollantaytambo, arriving in Cusco by private transport in the early evening.

The downside to this option is that you’ll be sharing your Machu Picchu by train tour with a thousand other people…

Option B – Taking it slow. 

This Machu Picchu by train itinerary goes against the grain as we take you on a circuit that runs opposite to what most agencies do – meaning you get to avoid the largest crowds and enjoy more quality time visiting the iconic highlights of Machu Picchu and the Sacred Valley.

We travel by car to Ollantaytambo to catch an early train to Aguas Calientes, arriving in time for lunch. We enter Machu Picchu in the afternoon, when the majority of the crowds have dispersed giving us the chance to enjoy this impressive site in relative quiet.

After an overnight in Aguas Calientes, we head back to Ollantaytambo for a late morning visit to the ruins above this quaint city. On our way back to Cusco from there, we stop in the renowned weaving village of Chinchero.

The downside to this Machu Picchu by train option is that you cannot do either of the Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu Mountain hikes, as these are only available in the morning.