Sacred Valley VIP Tour & 2 Day Short Inca Trail to Machu Picchu

Day 1: Sacred Valley VIP, Maras & Moray (Overnight in Ollantaytambo)

1. Cusco
   3h
   Your journey begins with an early hotel pickup in Cusco, heading into the Sacred Valley on a carefully designed VIP route that connects its most significant cultural and archaeological sites.
   
   The first stop is Chinchero, a traditional Andean village where Inca foundations blend seamlessly with colonial architecture. Here, you will witness living textile traditions preserved by local communities and explore the remains of Inca constructions that reveal the engineering precision of the empire.
2. Maras Moray Tours
   2h · Admission ticket included
   The route continues to Moray, home to remarkable circular terraces believed to have functioned as an advanced agricultural experimentation center during the Inca period. The changing microclimates within each terrace level demonstrate the Incas’ deep agronomic knowledge.
   
   Next, visit the iconic Salineras de Maras, where thousands of salt ponds cascade down the mountainside, forming one of the most striking landscapes in the Andes. This ancestral salt extraction system is still operated by local families.
3. Ollantaytambo
   Pass by
   After lunch in the Urubamba area, the journey continues to Ollantaytambo, one of the last continuously inhabited Inca towns. Explore its monumental fortress, ceremonial platforms, and original stone streets before settling in for the night. Staying here allows a strategic and efficient start for the Short Inca Trail the following morning.

Day 2: Short Inca Trail: Inca paths and arrival at Aguas Calientes.

1. Aguas Calientes
   10h
   An early departure marks the beginning of the Short Inca Trail, following original stone pathways built by the Incas and surrounded by dramatic mountain scenery and cloud forest vegetation.
   
   Along the route, you will explore important archaeological remains, most notably Wiñay Wayna, an impressive complex of agricultural terraces and ceremonial structures perched on a steep mountainside.
   
   The trek culminates at Inti Punku, the legendary Sun Gate. From here, you gain your first panoramic view of Machu Picchu, a moment that traditionally marked the ceremonial entrance to the sacred city.
   
   After descending, you continue toward Aguas Calientes, where you will spend the night resting in preparation for the next day’s guided exploration.

Day 3: Visit to Machu Picchu and return to Cusco.

1. Machupicchu
   8h · Admission ticket included
   The final day begins with an early ascent to Machu Picchu, where you will take part in a comprehensive guided tour through its agricultural terraces, urban sectors, temples, and ceremonial spaces. The visit provides insight into the historical, architectural, and spiritual significance of this UNESCO World Heritage Site.
   
   After the guided circuit, you will have free time for photographs and to appreciate the surrounding Andean landscape before descending back to Aguas Calientes.
   
   The return journey includes a scenic train ride followed by comfortable tourist transport back to Cusco, concluding a carefully structured cultural and trekking experience that integrates archaeology, living heritage, and high-Andean landscapes.

Pickup details

Transportation from hotels located in the historic center of Cusco. Please be ready in your hotel lobby 10 minutes before the scheduled time. Our guide or representative will contact you the day before to confirm the exact pick up time.

For travelers staying outside the pick up area, a nearby meeting point will be arranged.

• Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
• Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness