2-Day By Train, Maras And Moray

Spend 2 days on a small-group tour from Cusco that visits the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu by train, with Maras and Moray along the way. The sightseeing is bundled together, so travellers skip the hassle of coordinating transport and multiple stops.

Overview

This two-day trip from Cusco links the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu into one booking, so the trains, buses and hotel night are handled for you. Day one runs through Chinchero, the circular Inca site of Moray and the salt mines of Maras, then a buffet lunch at a colonial-style restaurant in Urubamba, then the archaeological site at Ollantaytambo. From there a panoramic train carries you down to Aguas Calientes for the night.

Day two is the reason most people book. A bus climbs to Machu Picchu, a guide who speaks English, Spanish or Portuguese walks you through the citadel, and the train and road bring you back to Cusco in the afternoon. The entrance ticket, the bus, the train and the accommodation all sit inside the package, and you pick the hotel category, with a single room if you travel alone.

It suits travelers who want both headline sights plus the salt mines and Moray without piecing the transport together themselves. Groups are capped at ten travelers and can run as small as four in low season. Budget for the Sacred Valley entry fee in cash, and note that Huayna Picchu, if you want it, must be requested months ahead.

What's Included

Itinerary

1. Departure from CuscoThe group leaves Cusco and heads into the Sacred Valley, a transfer listed at 2 hours. A representative confirms the exact meeting arrangement the day before.
2. Chinchero, 1 hourA one-hour stop at Chinchero with no admission charge.
3. Moray, 1 hourOne hour at the circular Inca site of Moray. Admission is not included in the tour price.
4. Salinas de Maras, 1 hourOne hour at the salt mines of Maras. Admission here is also paid separately.
5. Buffet lunch in UrubambaA one-hour buffet lunch at Restaurante Tunupa, a colonial-style restaurant in Urubamba, included on Day 1.
6. Ollantaytambo, 1 hourOne hour at the Ollantaytambo archaeological site. The entrance ticket is not included.
7. Train to Aguas CalientesThe panoramic train runs from Ollantaytambo down to Aguas Calientes for the overnight stop. The hotel category is your choice, with a single room for solo travelers.
8. Machu Picchu, 3 hoursThree hours at Machu Picchu with admission and a guided visit included, then the afternoon return by train and road to Cusco.

What To Expect From The Tour

A handful of practical points shape how this tour runs, and most of them come down to tickets, luggage and cash.

• Passport details. The Machu Picchu authority requires your full name, passport number, date of birth and nationality to issue the entrance ticket. You must supply these at booking, exactly as they appear on your passport.
• Circuit and timing. The first ticket option is Circuit 2, and the operator recommends booking 2 to 3 months in advance because capacity at Machu Picchu is limited. If Circuit 2 is sold out, Circuit 1 or Circuit 3 is assigned instead. Entry runs in hourly shifts from 6:00 AM to 3:00 PM, and the tour aims for the shifts between 6:00 AM and 10:00 AM.
• Pack an overnight bag. Bring only a small backpack with enough clothing for the night in Aguas Calientes. Leave the rest at your hotel in Cusco, where most will store belongings at no charge, or at the operator's office on Calle Ayacucho in the historic center. Several travelers said the logistics and the handoffs between transport stages were handled well.
• Cash for entry fees. The Sacred Valley entrance ticket is not in the package and costs 90 Peruvian soles per person, paid in cash. The salt mines and Ollantaytambo stops also carry admission charges that are not included. Bring enough soles for the day.
• Food and drink. Day 1 includes the buffet lunch in Urubamba, and Day 2 includes breakfast at the hotel in Aguas Calientes. Breakfast and dinner on Day 1, plus lunch and dinner on Day 2, are on you. One bottle of water comes with the tour.
• Group and pace. The operator caps the group at ten travelers, and in low season it can drop to four for a more personalized run. One reviewer described the pace as gentle and said the tour was not as hard going as expected. One traveler with a family of six reported the whole flow worked without a hitch.

Common issues. The Sacred Valley entry fee is not in the price, at 90 Peruvian soles per person in cash, and the Huayna Picchu mountain ticket costs extra and must be requested several months in advance. The tour is not wheelchair accessible, though a private version is offered at additional cost and even then not all areas are accessible. The listing also flags it as not recommended for travelers with back problems or pregnant travelers. One reviewer reported no representative waiting at the Aguas Calientes train station and no advance notice of the hotel name, which took a phone call to resolve. If the 6:00 AM to 10:00 AM entry shifts at Machu Picchu are unavailable, the operator confirms the next available time instead.

Common Questions