We will pick you up at 6:20am from your hotel to take you to either Poroy train station (this train station is only 25 minutes away from Cusco) or possibly to Ollantaytambo which is 2 hours from Cusco (depending on weather conditions and availability). The train ride is breathtaking with very comfortable seats. During the trip, you will see many glaciers and snow-capped peaks, lush, green valleys and Incan farming terraces on both sites of the valley. You can also see the many Inca ruins along the way and Km 82, where the Classic 4-day Inca Trail begins. After a while, you will enter the subtropical areas with bromiliads and ferns growing and then arrive in Aguas Calientes (2000m/6000ft above sea level), the town for Machu Picchu . Our representative will meet you just outside the train station (and before the market) and take you to your hotel. You will have the afternoon free so you can organize some optional activities if you’d like, such as a visit to the hot springs, Mandor Gardens and waterfalls or visit the small Machu Picchu museum which has interesting photos of the condition of Machu Picchu when it was first discovered by Hiram Bingham in 1911, mummies, bracelets, stone working and metallurgy tools, weaving tools and pottery which were found on site. Dinner will be in town at a restaurant.

After an early breakfast at your hotel you will take the bus (which takes 25 minutes) up the switchback road to the ruins . Buses start at 5:30am and run as a shuttle, as soon as they get full, the go). If you don’t care to take the bus and prefer to hike along the Inca trail just let your guide know so that he can show you the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu which will take about 1 hour 30 minutes. Once in Machu Picchu park, you will have a 2 hour private guided tour. Then you’ll have extra time to explore the ruins on your own. If you have booked a permit to climb Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu Mountain, that will be your next adventure. The Sun Gate is a 1 hour climb (and is free and available to all) which is great to get those postcard pictures of the ruins from way above. Usual train departure time is in the afternoon to Ollantaytambo, and then by bus to your hotel in Cusco.