High-Altitude Journeys · Route 6 · 1N/2D

Machu Picchu

A A Loop around Apu Veronica, Crossing from the Andes into the Amazon, and Arriving at Machu Picchu

This route exists for those who don’t want to reach Machu Picchu through the classic tourist route.

On this path, we cross the Malaga Mountain Pass, which separates the Andes from the Amazon. There—speaking as a true cacao lover—you will most likely drink the best hot chocolate of your life. We get close to Veronica Mountain, and along the way we stay in contact with both culture and nature—the Andes and the Amazon—descending gradually into the rainforest and, if you wish, pausing at the beautiful hot springs of Santa Teresa.

In this way, we drive all the way to the other end of the Sacred Valley. From there, with an easy and truly enjoyable 2.5-hour walk along the river inside the valley, we reach Aguas Calientes, the town located right beneath Machu Picchu. As you’ll see under “Extras,” there is also a train option for those who do not want to walk.

After visiting the Wonder of the World, you return by panoramic train, because that journey is also a beautiful experience in itself. (If you prefer, you can also save money by returning the same way by car.)

The Route

Summary

Detailed Information

Sacred Valley- Hidroelectrica Road:

I set off from Vamoss Experience (San Salvador). I meet you in Pisac (or wherever you prefer), we chew coca, load your bags into the car, and we begin.

After driving about 2 hours from the Sacred Valley toward Ollantaytambo along the banks of the Urubamba/Vilcanota River, we turn into a side valley and begin to climb. On a winding road we ascend to the Malaga Mountain Pass [4,350m]. We travel with the view of Veronica Mountain [5,893m], believed to be one of the 12 mountains that “hold” Cusco, and of course we take a break at this beautiful pass. If you wish, we can also do an 800-meter trek from the pass to a hill where we can see Veronica clearly.

Here, there is a small café run by a very special cacao producer using a unique fermentation method. If you like, you can purchase their cacao—and, as everyone I’ve ever taken there agrees, you can drink an exceptional hot chocolate.

From the pass, we begin descending toward the Yanatile Valley, which runs parallel to the Sacred Valley and is locally referred to simply as “the Valley.” Many tropical products from the Cusco region—including coca, coffee, and cacao—come from this valley.

Now we are in the Amazon. We pass through fertile lands known as the high rainforest, seeing tropical produce for sale everywhere. After Santa Maria [1,172m], we arrive in Santa Teresa [1,480m].

Santa Teresa Hot Springs:

Here you’ll find some of Cusco’s most beautiful natural hot springs. If you wish, we take a 1-hour break in these springs—deep in the Amazon—to rest and reset. From Santa Teresa, we still have a cliffside road of about 1 hour (under normal conditions) to reach Hidroelectrica.

The road from Pisac to Santa Teresa is asphalt. It is approximately 200 km and takes about 5 hours. The road from Santa Teresa to Hidroelectrica used to be a difficult rocky road, but a new road construction has been underway for some time.

Trekking or Train Ride-Hidroelectricia-Aguas Calientes:

We park the car at Hidroelectrica, put on our backpacks, and start walking toward Machu Picchu—this time from the other side of the Sacred Valley (toward the Pisac direction). For 10 km, we walk alongside the train tracks through a nature that is not only lush, but truly special, all the way to Aguas Calientes. The walk takes on average 2.5–3 hours. Because we are at low altitude and always by the river, the weather is warm and the walk is easy.

For those who do not want to walk, there is now also a train option from this point. It’s possible to reach Aguas Calientes with a 1-hour train ride that runs right next to the walking route.

Aguas Calientes (1 night)

We spend one night in Aguas Calientes, the town located directly beneath Machu Picchu. This is not an ancient Inca town—it is a highly touristic village that formed after Machu Picchu was discovered. After dinner in one of the 2–3 warm, sincere restaurants we love (without getting too tangled in the crowds), we rest—because tomorrow is a special day.

Machu Picchu (and maybe Huayna Picchu)

Early in the morning, we take the shuttle up to Machu Picchu. There isn’t much to “explain” here—it truly is a Wonder of the World. Going early is beautiful: the light is strong, the clouds are alive, and the crowds are still minimal.

With those who wish (extra payment and advance notice required), we climb Huayna Picchu. This is another peak located within Machu Picchu—said to be Huayna Capac’s meditation place, and perhaps one of the most important energy centers within the ruins.

After visiting this mystical place, we descend back down to Aguas Calientes. You spend time there, and in the afternoon you take the panoramic train to Ollantaytambo. Meanwhile, I return the same way to Hidroelectrica and set off by car. We meet at the Ollantaytambo train station.

Return by panoramic train through the Sacred Valley

Reaching Machu Picchu by car and then on foot is beautiful, and the train journey through the valley is also wonderful. I designed the route so you return by train. (If you don’t want to return by train, we can also return together by vehicle the same way.)

The trains to Ollantaytambo are tourist trains. After a comfortable, panoramic, and very scenic 2-hour ride with large windows, we meet at the Ollantaytambo Train Station, and I drop you off at your accommodation for the night.

There are two railway companies operating toward Machu Picchu. Because PeruRail offers a higher-quality service, we choose this company for your journey.

Sample Program

Our program isn’t fixed—it shapes itself on the road. To help you sense the flow, here is an example:

Day 1

07:00
Depart toward Machu Picchu
08:30
We turn from the Sacred Valley into a side valley and begin the ascent
09:30
Break at the Malaga Mountain Pass
10:30
Lunch in Alfamayo
13:15
Santa Teresa
13:30
Cocalmayo Natural Hot Springs
14:30
Depart from Santa Teresa
15:30
Trekking from Hidroelectrica (we leave the car)
14:50
Train departure time for those who don’t want to walk
18:00
We are in our rooms in Aguas Calientes (if we go by train: 16:30)

Day 2

06:30
Shuttle ascent to the ruins
07:30
Machu Picchu (on your preferred circuit)
11:30
Aguas Calientes
15:30
Panoramic train departure
18:00
Meeting at Ollantaytambo Train Station
20:00
Arrival

Machu Picchu Ticket Options

With the pandemic era, Peru’s Ministry of Culture created different circuits inside Machu Picchu, and unfortunately it is no longer possible to move freely inside the ruins. Each circuit follows a different path, and on that path we can only walk in one direction. Since this new system can be confusing, we wanted to summarize it briefly here:

Circuit 1: Includes 4 routes that tour the upper part of the ruins. They allow you to see the central and popular areas from above, but they do not take you deep inside.

Route 1-A gives access to the climb to Machu Picchu Mountain, the mountain that gives the site its name. If your priority in Peru is trekking—climbing to high and special places—we recommend Machu Picchu Mountain. This climb takes about 2 hours and is moderately challenging. The summit is around 3,000m.

Route 1-D offers the walk to the Inca Bridge. This is an easy walk and takes about 20 minutes.

Route 1-C takes you to Intipunku, the famous Sun Gate.

All Circuit 1 routes offer a beautiful angle from above; we recommend them for travelers whose priority is photography.

Circuit 2: Includes 2 routes that go the most inside the ruins. You still get a good chance to photograph the ruins from above (though not as much as Circuit 1). They can be completed comfortably in 2–3 hours. There is almost no difference between 2-A and 2-B.

Circuit 3: Passes through the inner parts of the ruins, but does not allow you to see a very wide area. However, those who choose this circuit gain access to special add-ons: Huayna Picchu (3-A), Temple of the Sun (3-B), Great Cave (3-C), or the walk to Huchuy Picchu. The Huayna Picchu climb requires 2–3 hours total time and a meaningful physical effort.

If you experience Peru mainly through a cultural lens, with deep interest in Inca culture and a desire to explore the ruins in more detail, Circuit 2 is usually the most appropriate.

If you experience Peru more in a photographic way, choose Circuit 1.

If you experience Peru more in a spiritual way—and you don’t feel the need to see every corner of Machu Picchu, but rather want to feel its mystic atmosphere, experience its mystery, and climb Huayna Picchu, the most special of the site’s energy points—then Circuit 3 is suitable.

If you want to do more than one circuit, it is also possible to buy two tickets (with an additional cost).

We will also talk about ticket selection during our meeting with you.

You can find detailed information and a map of the circuits on this site:

https://tuboleto.cultura.pe/llaqta_machupicchu

Machu Picchu Details

Should you go?

First, we should say this clearly: Peru is absolutely, definitely not “just Machu Picchu.” We have had many visitors who came without building their whole program around it—and after seeing other ruins, meeting Indigenous communities, stumbling upon festivals, experiencing high altitudes, the Amazon, or the Pacific coast, they decided not to go to Machu Picchu at all. For example, the Pisac Ruins are very much like Machu Picchu—some would even say more impressive from certain angles.

Seasonality:

Machu Picchu can be visited comfortably all year round. In the rainy season, of course, it rains more—but the rain does not prevent our visit or stop us from seeing the ruins. Still, especially in January–March, choosing an entry time a bit later rather than 6 or 7 a.m. can make the experience more pleasant. The rare situation where the ruins become invisible due to heavy mist happens very infrequently (perhaps once every 1–2 years).

Since the ruins sit at the meeting point of the Andes and the Amazon, the area is generally misty and cloudy throughout the year. But the cloud circulation here is very fast. So the ruins appear, disappear, and appear again—creating an even more mystical atmosphere. For this reason, I personally tend to prefer and recommend going in the rainy season.

Trekking and Machu Picchu:

Salkantay Trek:

Arriving at the ruins after several days of mountain trekking is of course very beautiful. If the walking route in Route 7 feels too simple for you and you like pushing yourself, our suggestion would be the Salkantay Trek. This route is difficult. It includes high passes, but offers magnificent glacier views, the experience of moving around a special mountain like Salkantay, and a real high-altitude journey. Since the route has become very popular, we no longer operate it; many large tour operators out of Cusco offer it, and you can easily find a good company online. Prices vary depending on accommodation standards, but they all follow the same route. With most companies, porters carry your bag.

Inca Trail:

This is the most preferred trekking route to Machu Picchu. It requires reservation months in advance. It is beautiful, yes—but because it has been heavily marketed for a very long time, prices are unnecessarily high and it tends to be overrated. Yes, it is a good route, passing through high altitudes and other Inca ruins. I have never done it; unless you have a specific interest, I don’t particularly recommend it.

We can say with ease: instead of reaching Machu Picchu through these two touristic programs, visiting some hidden but very special ruins around the Sacred Valley and seeing Ausangate Mountain can give you far more than what you would experience on the Salkantay Trek or the Inca Trail.

Buying the Machu Ticket

Machu Picchu entry tickets—depending on the season and the chosen circuit—sell out 2 to 4 months in advance.

If ticket sales on the internet have not yet closed for your dates, we purchase your entry tickets immediately after you make your prepayment and confirm your trip.

If the tickets sold online are already sold out for your travel dates, we obtain your tickets from the Peru Ministry of Culture office in Aguas Calientes, from an additional quota of 1,000 people that opens for the next day. This normally does not change our program. Since we already arrive in Aguas Calientes the day before visiting the ruins, we can usually secure tickets for the next day without waiting too long.

However, on certain periods or days, the number of people coming to use this method can be very high (Easter week, Christmas holidays, etc.). Before we set off toward Machu Picchu, we check the crowd situation through our contacts in Aguas Calientes. At this point, we should note that based on what we learn, we may need to adjust the program.

Although we have used this extra quota for many years without problems, during very busy periods we have also had cases where we needed to buy tickets not for the next day, but for the day after. For this reason, we may need to add one extra “spare day” after the program as a backup.

What to Bring
  • Passport
  • Sunglasses (polarized if you have them), sunscreen, insect repellent
  • (At least) 1 warm layer
  • Walking shoes, windbreaker/rain jacket, plastic poncho for heavy rain
  • Spare socks, underwear, pants
  • Towel, swimsuit
  • Water bottle, snacks

If you don’t have some of the items above, let us know—we can lend them to you.

If we are more than 5 people, we place suitcases and backpacks on the roof of the vehicle. In that case, please bring only essential items inside the car.

Food

We want to note that preparing for your dietary needs (if you have any) is truly a pleasure for us—please keep us informed.

Throughout the trip, we bring plenty of coca leaves, cacao beans, maca, tea varieties, coffee, fruit, peanuts, and raisins for everyone.

Day 1

Lunch in Alfamayo:

At this point overlooking the rainforest from above, we eat from the day’s lunch menu—or, if available (it may not be every day), the region’s famous Caldo de Gallina (a hearty village chicken soup with vegetables such as carrot, yuca, three kinds of potatoes, rice, etc.).

Day 2

Breakfast at the hotel:

You have breakfast at your hotel. Since Machu Picchu entries begin at 6:00 a.m., hotels start serving breakfast from 5:00 a.m.

Other meals:

We did not include other meals in the program, since there are many options in Aguas Calientes.

Participation Fee
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Fee ($)750550500460430410400

Extras and Discounts

For those who don’t want to do the 3-hour walk between Hidroelectrica and Aguas Calientes on the way there, a train departs at 14:50. Those who want to go by train will need to purchase a $40 train ticket.

If, for your travel dates, the quotas for the Huayna Picchu or Montaña Machu Picchu climbs have not yet sold out, and if you would like to see one of these, there is a $15 price difference.

If you prefer to return by car instead of using the train, you will pay $100 less per person.

If you want to upgrade the class of your return train ticket, there is an extra $50. The difference between these two classes is a folkloric dance show during about 20 minutes of the 1 hour 45 minute journey, plus larger windows for an even better view.

If you want to do your return train journey on the Luxury Hiram Bingham 12, there is an extra $490 per person. Honestly, we don’t particularly recommend it, because this special carriage runs only once per day and departs in the evening when it is already getting dark.

If, beyond my explanations, you would also like a Peruvian licensed guide with an official badge, we can arrange one at the entrance to the ruins. They charge about 150–250 soles for the group ($40–60 USD).

If you want to stay at a different hotel, there will be a price difference between hotels. You can find details in the accommodation section.

If you want to do more than one circuit inside Machu Picchu and therefore purchase two different tickets, there will be an extra ticket cost.

Accommodation

Some of the hotels we prefer for accommodation include: Sayac Marca Classic Inn, Inkas Land, Margarita’s House, Machu Picchu Dream. These are straightforward traveler hotels run by Peruvians. The rooms are, of course, very clean and have private bathrooms, but they do not offer the luxury or modern style of large hotel chains, and even if they are “richer,” they still serve an American breakfast.

If you have a specific place, you especially want for accommodation, please let us know in advance. In that case, we will make the reservation and ask you to cover the price difference.

If you change your accommodation to one of the hotels below, the average per-person difference you would pay is:

  • Ausangate Hotel: $40
  • Jaya Suite: $70
  • Casa del Sol: $100
  • Inka Terra: $200
  • Sanctuary Lodge: $740
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