Machu Picchu by Car – 2 Days / 1 Night

Machu Picchu by Car itinerary

Day 1: Transfer from Cusco to Hidroeléctrica and trekking from Hidroeléctrica to Aguas Calientes.

• Transfer from Cusco to Hidroeléctrica and trekking from Hidroeléctrica to Aguas Calientes. We will meet early in the morning at Galería Las Mercedes, Av. El Sol, to start this Machu Picchu by car tour. Our first stop will be in the town of Chinchero, where we will pause to have breakfast and use the restroom facilities. Then we will continue our journey on a winding, poorly maintained road, passing through Abra Málaga, the highest point of the route at 4,300 m altitude.
• Afterwards, we will begin the winding descent, observing how the landscape changes as we go, from a cold, mountainous setting to a warmer, jungle one.
• We will resume the difficult route until we reach the Hidroeléctrica station. After lunch and a short rest, we will walk for three hours following the train line until we reach Aguas Calientes, where we will be taken to our assigned accommodation. If we have time, we can explore the town and visit the hot springs to relax. We will meet with the group for dinner with the guide, who will give us instructions for the next day. Then we will retire to rest to get up early the next day.

Day 2: Visit to Machu Picchu, trekking from Aguas Calientes to Hidroeléctrica and transfer from Hidroeléctrica to Cusco.
to Cusco.

• Visit to Machu Picchu, trekking from Aguas Calientes to Hidroeléctrica and transfer from Hidroeléctrica to Cusco. We will get up very early to ascend to the citadel by bus or walking for an hour, following the stairs to the entrance of Machu Picchu. We will meet our guide to start the guided tour of Machu Picchu. We will receive explanations about some highlights, the rediscovery of the site by Hiram Bingham, and then we will have free time to explore the archaeological site.
• Around midday, we will leave the citadel to walk for three hours following the train line until we reach Hidroeléctrica. There, we will take our transport to start the return journey by road. We will make a stop in Santa Teresa, where we can buy something to eat and use the restroom facilities. This is advisable, as we will not make any more stops until we reach Cusco, where the tour ends.
• The road to Hidroeléctrica has many curves and is not in very good condition, which can make the trip heavy for some people.

Visit to the archaeological site:

To enter Machu Picchu you need the ticket called «Llaqta Machu Picchu». Remember that if you choose a program without a ticket, you can purchase it on the Ministry of Culture's website.

The ticket will give you access to the archaeological site following one of the 4 available circuits, which you must choose once you are at the citadel entrance:

• Circuit 1: covers the upper and lower parts of the archaeological site, as well as the terrace and terrace area for 3 hours.
• Circuit 2: includes the upper and lower parts of the archaeological site, as well as the routes to Inti Punku and the Inca Bridge for 4 hours.
• Circuit 3: focuses on the lower part of the archaeological site and includes the agricultural area, the Temple of the Sun, the Inka House and the archaeological reserve for 1 hour and a half.
• Circuit 4: covers the lower part of the archaeological site, including the agricultural area, the Temple of the Sun, the Inka House, the Sacred Rock and the water mirrors for 2 hours and a half.

We recommend choosing circuit 2 to tour Machu Picchu, as you will be able to visit more attractions and take the classic photographs.