The Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu lie on the same route: the train to the citadel leaves from Ollantaytambo, the last town in the valley. That is why the most logical way to see them is back to back, in two days, sleeping in between. You avoid returning to Cusco, reach Machu Picchu rested and sleep lower each night than the one before. This guide explains how to organise it, with timings and what to book. If you would rather spend both days on the city and the valley, without Machu Picchu, see 2 days in Cusco.
The plan at a glance
| Day | What you do | Where you sleep |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sacred Valley from Cusco, ending in Ollantaytambo | Ollantaytambo, at 2,792 m |
| 2 | Morning train, Machu Picchu, return train and transfer to Cusco | Cusco |
Day 1: the Sacred Valley, with your luggage
We pick you up at your Cusco hotel with your luggage. For this plan the Sacred Valley VIP works best: it visits Chinchero, Moray and the Maras Salt Mines, has lunch in Urubamba and ends in Ollantaytambo. Pickup is at 8:00 and in the late afternoon, after visiting the fortress, we drop you at your Ollantaytambo hotel instead of returning to Cusco.
If you would rather see Pisac and its market, the Classic Sacred Valley can also end in Ollantaytambo: just tell us when booking and we reorder the day. The two routes are compared in Classic or VIP.
Your large suitcase can stay at your Cusco hotel. Only hand luggage of about 5 kilos is allowed on the train, so the practical thing is to travel these two days with a backpack.
The night in Ollantaytambo
The town goes quiet once the afternoon groups leave. There is time to stroll its Inca streets, have dinner and get an early night. The station is a few minutes’ walk from almost every hotel. What to see is in the Ollantaytambo guide, and other places to stay in where to stay in the Sacred Valley.
Day 2: Machu Picchu
The morning train runs down the Urubamba canyon to Aguas Calientes in an hour and a half to two hours. There you take the bus, about 25 minutes, to the citadel gate. The guided visit takes around three hours, along the circuit on your ticket. Then the bus down, lunch in Aguas Calientes, the train back to Ollantaytambo and the transfer to Cusco, arriving in the evening.
Compared with doing it all in a day from Cusco, this plan saves almost two hours on the road before dawn and lets you take an earlier train.
The variant: sleeping in Aguas Calientes
If you want to enter Machu Picchu in the first slot, take a late-afternoon train on day 1 and sleep in Aguas Calientes. The valley day has to be a little tighter to make the train, and accommodation costs more, but you reach the citadel before the morning trains.
What to book and when
| What | When |
|---|---|
| Machu Picchu ticket, with date, time and circuit | Two months ahead; June to August, three or four |
| Outbound and return trains | Together with the ticket |
| Hotel in Ollantaytambo or Aguas Calientes | Weeks ahead in high season |
| Sacred Valley tour | A few days is enough |
| Tourist Ticket, partial Circuit III or full | On day 1, at the first stop |
The Machu Picchu ticket rules everything: first you secure the date and the circuit, and the rest is arranged around it. If you message us with your dates, we coordinate both days, with the train, ticket, bus and guide of our private Machu Picchu service.
Frequently asked questions
Can you do the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu in a single day?
Not sensibly. Machu Picchu from Cusco already takes about sixteen hours. The minimum to see both is two days.
Is it better to sleep in Ollantaytambo or Aguas Calientes?
Ollantaytambo is more comfortable and has more charm. Aguas Calientes lets you enter the citadel earlier. It depends on how much you value the first slot.
What do I do with my suitcases?
Your large suitcase stays at your Cusco hotel and you travel with a backpack. Only hand luggage is allowed on the train.
What if I have three days?
Add the City Tour on the afternoon you arrive, before these two days. That is the 3-day itinerary.
Is altitude a problem?
This plan is as gentle as it gets: you sleep lower each night. Even so, read the acclimatisation guide.
Book
- Sacred Valley VIP, ending in Ollantaytambo.
- Private Machu Picchu Full Day.
- Complete Machu Picchu guide and 10 tips.
