Sacred Valley & Machu Picchu Tour 2 days
Make the most of your Machu Picchu excursion by taking this two day private Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu Tour!
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While in Peru, it’s imperative to make sure you make time for the world-famous Machu Picchu, the iconic 15th century Incan citadel. Book a 2-day Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu tour with Haku Expeditions to get an in-depth tour of the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu that includes round-trip Machu Picchu train tickets, Machu Picchu entrance tickets, a private tour of the Sacred Valley ruins with a private car and secure driver, and a top-tier, English-speaking local guide. One day tours available as well!
At Haku Expeditions we believe that private tours are the best way to enjoy your adventure holiday. Don’t get stuck in a crowd or on a tourist bus! Let our private transport and local guide take you on the adventure of a lifetime!
The Sacred Valley is filled with Incan history and architecture. From the agricultural terraces of Moray to the last stronghold of the Incas at Ollantaytambo, a Sacred Valley tour does not disappoint.
Archaeologists believe that Machu Picchu was built as a palace for the Incan emperor Pachacuti in the 15th century. They abandoned it after roughly a century, during the Spanish conquest, and it remained virtually unknown until 1911, when American historian Hiram Bingham made Machu Picchu’s existence public. In 1983, it became a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and since then it has captured the imagination and awe of the millions of people who travel to experience its magic.
Day by Day
We’ll pick you up from your hotel at 8:00 a.m, then take a scenic drive through the stunningly beautiful Sacred Valley. If the skies are clear, you’ll get to see three of the highest peaks of the Vilcanota mountain range – Veronica, Salkantay, and Pitusiray. The Incas referred to these as “Apus,” or gods, because they believed mountain deities existed within these imposing peaks. On your private Sacred Valley tour, you’ll visit the textile market of Chinchero, the Incan ruins of Moray, and the 500-year-old salt mines of Maras, all while being accompanied by a knowledgeable, bilingual local guide.
We’ll take a lunch break at a beautiful restaurant on the shores of the Vilcanota river. After that, you’ll take a train to Aguas Calientes, also known as Machu Picchu Pueblo, or explore the ruins of Ollantaytambo and sleep a night in the Sacred Valley. Our travel specialist will discuss the options with you and help you decide which option is best for you.
Some things to note:
Rise and shine! Today’s the day to behold one of the most famous and breathtaking historical sites in the world, Machu Picchu!
You’ll ride one of the most scenic train routes in the world on the Machu Picchu train. When you arrive at Machu Picchu Pueblo you’ll be picked up either by your private local guide or an assistant that will explain how to get to Machu Picchu and where to meet your guide. If you have purchased our bus ticket add-on, you will take the bus up to the ancient citadel to begin your two-hour private Machu Picchu tour. If you do not plan to take the bus then you will begin your hike up to the sanctuary. This hike takes between 1.5 and 3 hours depending on your physical abilities.
Once you have arrived at Machu Picchu you will begin the journey around the ancient city. Your local guide will explain to you all the marvels and legends this place holds. After your tour you will either hike back down to Machu Picchu Pueblo or take the bus.
You will then take a train back to the Sacred Valley or Cusco, where our private taxi will pick you up and take you to your hotel. If you are staying in Ollantaytambo you can walk back to your hotel from the train station.
Things to note about this trip:
Sunrise at Machu Picchu is absolutely beautiful and worth the effort! Today you will wake early and leave your hotel by 4:30 am for your hike up to the sanctuary. Last night you will have met with your local guide or his assistant to explain when and where you will meet for your Machu Picchu tour. On arrival at Machu Picchu you will either meet your guide for your tour of the sanctuary or begin your hike* to Machu Picchu mountain or Huayna Picchu. After the additional hike you can explore the sanctuary or if you have taken a privately guided tour you can now enjoy a few moments on a terrace or relax for a while before your tour departure. Once done in Machu Picchu you will either take the add-on bus ticket down or hike back down. Now you can retrieve your luggage from your hotel and take the beautiful Machu Picchu train back to Cusco or the Sacred Valley.
Things to note about this trip:
*You can choose the Machu Picchu Mountain or Huayna Picchu hike instead of the private 2-hour guided tour with no change to the cost
General Information
What’s the price of our 2-day Sacred Valley & Machu Picchu Tour package? And what’s included?
Price Includes:
Not included:
Peru’s currency is called the Nuevo Sol. You’ll be able to exchange US currency for the Sol easily in Cusco. The exchange rate often fluctuates between 3.7 – 4 sol per US dollar.
We recommend you bring cash. Peru is still a cash society. Most people don’t have bank accounts as Peruvian banks charge up to $15 per month just to have the account open. So, services like Venmo, Pay-Pal, and Apple Pay aren’t used here. Most local stores, taxis, and local restaurants are cash only.
ATMS charge around $8 to take out $60-200. Banks only allow a small withdrawal daily. Thus, it’s probably a good idea to withdraw a good sum of cash before you come to Peru unless you have a bank that returns the ATM fees. You can also try the app called ATM hero and do a little research before you come to decide if an ATM card or cash is best for you.
The USD, EURO, CAD cash you bring should be non-ripped bills. Small rips or bills that are written on are not accepted for exchange.
Seeing as Peru is a cash society and it is difficult to withdraw large amounts of cash, we require your balance be brought in cash.
TIPPING: Local restaurants generally do not require a tip, however, leaving a few soles is a nice gesture. Tourist restaurants are generally a 10% tip.
Tipping your guide in Peru is generally 10-15% of the price you paid for the tour. Drivers are generally the same amount in soles. (If you tip a guide 200 USD the driver would get often 200 soles) Tips should always be based on performance and are never obligatory.
Each person is required to have a specific travel/trip insurance outside of your credit card or regular medical insurance.
You should get comprehensive coverage with trip interruption/cancellation and with personal liability. Mention all activities that you will be involved in such as mountain biking, hiking at high altitude and whatever other activities you may have planned.
We do not provide refunds. If you should get hurt or sick not only will travel insurance cover your medical expenses it will also cover the lost portion of the trip. Make sure you have trip interruption or trip cancellation included! South America is famous for people striking and shutting down all activities. If you miss your Machu Picchu trip, Galapagos or any other side trip, or even your flight due to strikes the insurance will cover the loss or additional costs that are incurred.
Check out our blog on travel insurance and why it is a must for any South America Vacation!
Machu Picchu requires a lot of hiking and tends to be a tiring day for most folks. There are many stairs and visiting the main sanctuary without anything additional (such as hiking to the Sun Gate, the Inca Bridge, Machu Picchu Mountain or Huayna Picchu) requires at least 3 hours of hiking up and down many stairs.
If you are not physically fit then we suggest that you begin a routine of walking, hiking or climbing stairs. To give you an example, most people who are physically fit can hike up the Inca stairs to Machu Picchu in 1.5-2 hours. I have had multiple people tell me it took them 4 hours just to get to the citadel. We think it is worth beginning a routine before you come to be in shape for the many Inca stairs to come.
Another thing to note is that Machu Picchu is located at 2430 m/7970 ft above sea level. The elevation makes hiking a bit harder even for those who are fit.
All international flights require a layover. Most layovers will be through Lima, Peru or Bogota, Colombia. In the case of flying through Lima most flights will arrive late at night in Lima and flights to Cusco will fly out in the morning. Many people get arrivals at 3-4 am and flights out around 5-6 am.
Your options for layovers in Lima, Peru.
Things to note when arriving in Lima:
As you can see there is a lot that you must do on arrival to Lima. You will need a bare minimum of two hours (if you have only carry-on luggage) in between flights.
In order to visit Machu Picchu you must come through the city of Cusco, Peru. You can arrive by flight or by bus.
This Machu Picchu package does not include airport pickup or dropoff.
Arriving at Machu Picchu is not exactly easy. Machu Picchu is 4 hours away from Cusco and 1.45 hours from Ollantaytambo in the Sacred Valley. While there are many ways to get to Machu Picchu we will explain here the easiest way to save the most time and make the most of your day at Machu Picchu.
Steps to get to Machu Picchu
The only other ways to get to Machu Picchu are through hiking or a combination of busses and cars and hiking. You can not arrive directly to Machu Picchu by car or bike. The only direct quick route is by train and then by bus.
Reviews
Nicole helped me make fairly last minute adjustments to a trip that was already partly planned, and the parts of my trip that she organized were the very best parts of my whole time in Peru. I didn’t really know specifically what I wanted to set up, and she really understood the kind of experience I wanted and helped me make it happen, including a great hike to Huchuy Quosco. She was also unbelievably helpful and available when it came to logistics like changing train tickets, organizing a guide and a hike at Machu Picchu, and contacting the guide for our Huchuy Quosco Hike when we needed to scale it back a bit due to my boyfriend’s gimpy knees. The guides she set up were fantastic. I could not have done it without her, no exaggeration, and in addition to being extremely competent and responsive, she was lovely and funny and great. I just got back from my trip, and now all I want is to go back to get her help planning some more serious hiking and trekking, and also maybe just to hang out with her 
We are a family with kids ages 15, 12, and 9. Haku Expeditions created an unforgettable trip of a lifetime for us that far exceeded our expectations. Our bucket list trip included ATV, zip line, hiking, and biking excursions that appealed to all of the age ranges in our family. They handled all the details and planning for the Machu Picchu adventure as well - which was unbelievable to say the least! They know the answers to questions that we didn't even know to ask (regarding permits, tickets, guides, schedules, etc...). They handle it all (travel, accommodations, ticketing, activities) so you can enjoy your adventure without hassles, setbacks, or surprises. Cannot say enough about how happy we are to have worked with this awesome company of experienced, passionate, and well connected adventure liaisons! They are the real deal! Thank you Haku Expeditions for helping make our family's dream of visiting Peru and Machu Picchu a reality that far exceeded everything we had hoped for. Amazing!!!
Our Sacred Valley & Machu Picchu tour package is perfect for those looking to make the most of their Machu Picchu excursion. Instead of spending most of your time traveling back and forth from Cusco to Machu Picchu, you take your time stopping along the way to visit beautiful and varied sites.
Our Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu tour package is ideal for you if:
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What’s the price of our 2-day Sacred Valley & Machu Picchu Tour package? And what’s included?
Price Includes:
Not included:
Our Cross Country MTB tours take you from one spectacular destination to the next. On these, you’ll cycle literally across whichever country you’re visiting. For instance, check out our Andes to the Amazon tour, where you travel from Cusco to the Peruvian Amazon.
Our current XC vacations are made up of long-distance rides on backcountry roads. If you are looking for XC singletrack, get in touch with us, and we’ll set up a one-of-a-kind MTB tour suited to your needs.
How we define XC: Anywhere from old logging or fire roads to rolling singletrack, Cross Country trails are generally long distances with both ascents and descents. While trails may be somewhat technical with rock gardens and tight switchbacks, they generally do not have intense steep rock gardens like those you might find in DH or Enduro racing.
An XC bike is often lighter with a slacker head tube angle for better climbing ability and tends to not have a dropper post although the trend is changing. Usually it will be a hardtail or a full suspension bike with a smaller amount of suspension — 100-130mm.
Most XC riders do not wear pads such as elbow or knee pads and wear a half-shell helmet.
Our MTB expeditions are multi-day trips that involve camping, hiking and/or local home stays in the mountains with cooks and porters. At the moment Haku Expeditions offers one complete mountain expedition and also two packages that combine an MTB vacation with a smaller expedition nestled in it.
The front travel for DH bikes is usually somewhere around 200mm with the rear measuring slightly less. Because they generally aren’t pedalled uphill, these bikes are rugged and heavy and usually have less gears. DH riders wear full-face helmets, goggles, and body armor.
At the moment we do not offer a 100% DH trip. Contact us and we can make a custom trip for you! Below, you’ll find our Enduro MTB tours listed that are mostly all downhill and can be done either with a DH bike or an Enduro bike.
How we define DH: DH riding – or Downhill riding — is regarded as an intense, extreme kind of cycling, made for advanced riders who love to navigate roots and rocks and huge drops with furious downhill speed. It requires a stellar sense of balance and technique and a bike with slacker geometry.
The front travel for DH bikes is usually somewhere around 200mm with the rear measuring slightly less. Because they generally aren’t pedalled uphill, these bikes are rugged and heavy and usually have less gears. DH riders wear full-face helmets, goggles, and body armor.
Our Enduro/All-Mountain MTB tours are by far our most popular trips to date. While some of them focus more on descent like Ecuador and Peru, others include plenty of pedaling such as those in Colombia and Nepal.
How we define Enduro/All Mountain: Enduro mountain biking, also known as All-Mountain biking, emphasizes technical ability. If you’re looking for a more adventurous ride, this is the kind of ride for you; usually, an Enduro/All-Mountain trail will involve adrenaline-pumping downhill mountain biking along with sustained climbs.
Enduro riders need bikes that can take burly drops and rugged technical obstacles efficiently while still being light enough to climb with; they almost always use full-suspension bikes with wide tires and longer rear and front suspension travel. Dropper post is a necessity and standard. The front suspension can be anywhere from 140mm to 170mm. Full-face enduro helmets and body amour are a must for Enduro racing.
1 – The Haku Christmas Drive, which includes yearly clothing giveaways, shoe drives, and a public hot chocolate panettone lunch.
2 – School supply giveaway for children of the High Andes.
3 – Bringing bread and fruit to kids living at elevations where none is available.
4 – Facilitating connections between local organic farmers and local restaurants.
5 – Affordable MTB classes for locals taught by professional coaches.
6 – Sustained commitment to hiring out locals to work as drivers, office workers, etc., allowing a great amount of flexibility for family commitments, and paying them fair, livable wages.
7 – Donating 1% of all profits to help educate children in a technical field such as carpentry.
8 – Helping young adults begin a small business working in their technical field or purchasing products from them to help them get started after high school.
1 – Getting your heart rate up isn’t really your thing, and you rarely (if ever) exercise. Your idea of a perfect vacation is total relaxation: sitting on a beach, sipping a mojito, and just generally vegging out.
2 – You don’t necessarily work out regularly but you aren’t averse to the idea of doing something active. Although you don’t exercise that often, you don’t necessarily consider yourself out of shape.
3 – You exercise one to two times a week but do not have a normal schedule that keeps you biking or doing other activities weekly. You don’t go to the gym or train for any specific sports but you lead a relatively active lifestyle by biking, hiking, skiing, or whatever it may be. For biking: climbs and long descents give you some trouble and you tend to get tired after about 2-3 hours on the bike.
4 – You exercise 3-4 times a week and enjoy physical activities such as biking, hiking, skiing. You are active. For biking: you enjoy climbs that are are moderately long and being on a bike for 3-5 hours in one day doesn’t get you too tired or fatigued.
5 – You exercise at least 4 times a week and are an avid athlete that is consistently in good shape. You’re more or less game for any kind of adventure. For biking: you’re comfortable with being on your bike for 5-7 hours a day.
6 – You live and die for exercise, sweat, and suffering. You only want to climb higher, go farther, and prove how much of an animal you are. Steep climbs, long descents and big days are something you are looking to do more of and you can’t wait for your next adventure.
Beginner:
You’ve been riding a mountain bike for a couple of years or less and you’re most comfortable on smooth single-track and wider, forgiving doubletrack. You like rides with scenic views; you like both ascending and descending on well-maintained, safe trails. You’re looking for an active but relaxing mountain bike vacation; you’re not into jumps, drops, super steep trails, rock gardens, roots or taking big risks on your bike.
Intermediate:
You’ve got two plus years of experience mountain biking on single-track trails under your belt; you’ve gotten pretty confident behind the handlebars and are beginning to expand your mountain bike abilities. You like riding most types of terrain, and you’re comfortable both climbing and descending on single-track trails with smaller technical features such as rocky sections, small drops, and small steep sections. You aren’t trying to walk on most of the trail and are looking to take small risks with things like speed, jumps, rock gardens, and stair sets to improve your skills as a mountain biker.
Intermediate Tech:
You’ve got three plus years of riding on singletrack trails of all sorts with features such as rock gardens, steep sections, rolls and drops, roots, and small jumps. You are confident on the bike in most situations. You’re constantly looking to improve your riding skills and enjoy riding for extended periods of time climbing and descending in terrain of all sorts.
Advanced:
Ten plus years of experience riding single-track, freerides and biking of all sorts. You live for steeps, jumps, rock gardens, techy trails, long descents, big ascents and discovering new terrain. Mountain biking is one of your passions and you are ready and confident to do what you love in a new and challenging place. You can handle anything we throw at you — jumps, rock gardens, steps, technical descents, tough ascents, etc. Biking is a central part of your life. For you, the bigger the challenge, the more excited you get.
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The Cusco trip was absolutely amazing. Haku Expeditions delivered a great experience. They took care of all of the details and were incredibly accommodating. My flight was late due to a cancellation, and they reworked the trip so that we could all still ride together. I also appreciated that they took care of all the lodging arrangements, as well as the optional side trip to Machu Picchu. This level of detail just lets you relax, ride, and experience a new country with much less stress.