Cusco, Sacred Valley & Machu Picchu Tour 3 Days - Orange Nation Peru

Cusco, Sacred Valley & Machu Picchu Tour – 3 Days

2 Days Tour

From

537

/ per person

The Incas left some fascinating archaeological sites around Cusco, the capital of the Inca empire, and the Sacred Valley, with all of its treasures and ancient ruins to discover. These all lead up to the Wonder of the World, Machu Picchu, the ultimate destination at the end of this once in a lifetime adventure. Cusco was the capital of the Inca Empire called Tawantinsuyo and is a living museum with lively streets full of culture and tradition. You can see the different stages of development from ancient times, to the Spanish conquest and modern Cusco, all in one place! In Cusco, there are many archeological sites, 15th Century Cathedrals, museums, and traditional shops to visit and explore.

This tour package also takes us to the hotspots of the entire Sacred Valley with all of its ancient treasures and Inca sites, not to mention the world famous Machu Picchu! The Sacred Valley stretches from Pisac to Ollantaytambo with many small indigenous towns, secluded weaving villages, outdoor handicraft markets and 10th and 11th century Inca Ruins including Pisac, Ollantaytambo, Moray, Maras Salt Mines and Urubamba. Explore amazing ruins and sites, active Cathedrals and the Lost City of the Incas, Machu Picchu.

See all the detailed itinerary and information below about the Sacred Valley & Machu Picchu Tour!

Service Level:

Mid tier hotels with an option to upgrade. Exclusive modern vehicles with chauffer.

Difficulty:

Easy and relaxing.

Travel Style:

Cultural immersion, mid-tier hotels, train, shuttle bus and private van.

Group Size

Small group experience; Max 12, Avg 5..

Full Itinerary

In the afternoon your guide will pick you up ready for a tour of Cusco, often considered to be a living museum and officially accredited as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

We will visit Cusco Cathedral, completed in 1560 after nearly 100 years of construction. Our next stop will be Qoricancha, an ancient Inca Palace and the main place of worship for the Incan Sun God, Inti.

We will also visit Sacsayhuaman, the fortress that overlooks the city. This is one of the most impressive Inca structures there is. The stonework is iconic Inca, and the size of the boulders used will blow you away.

On our last few stops on the tour, we will explore the archaeological wonders of Q’enqo, Puka Pucara, and Tambomachay before heading back to your hotel in Cusco around 6:30 pm.

  • 3* Accommodation: Maytaq Wasin or Waman Qoricancha

Our tour through the Sacred Valley begins at 7:30am with a pick-up up from your hotel lobby. We recommend having breakfast in your hotel before we set off.

Traditional Weaving Center

We begin our scenic drive through the Sacred Valley of the Incas, stopping along the way at a camelid farm just outside of Cusco. The four main species of camelid include the Llama, Alpaca, Guanacos, and the Vicuna which is the National Animal of Peru.

Inside the farm, you get to pet, feed and take pictures with the alpacas and llamas that call this place home. Passing through the center, we can watch the ladies in their traditional wear weaving different textiles, using the wool from the camelids.

We will learn about the natural way in which they dye the wool, using roots and indigenous plants. At the exit, there is a museum with a souvenir shop where you can purchase authentic alpaca garments and if your budget allows, the more luxurious and protected Vicuna creations.

The Vicuna has super soft material and feels lush and luxurious. Because Vicunas are protected animals, all garments made from their wool have to be sold with a certification of trade and authentication. Their wool is some of the most expensive in the world.

Mirador of Taray and Pisac Archeological site
Our second stop on our Sacred Valley tour is the stunning Mirador of Taray, where we get to enjoy magnificent panoramic views of the valley, including of our next destination, Pisac.

Pisac is regarded as the gateway to the valley and the view from this outlook is a glimpse into what you have to look forward to for the rest of the day.

Next, we drive to the entrance of the archeological site, siting perched atop the mountain side. The Sacred Valley was agriculturally important to the Incas and still plays a major role in the sustenance of the Cusco region.

Evidence to support the theory of agricultural practices has been found at the top of the hill, which is laden with many food warehouses. These warehouses were used by the Incas to store food where the temperature is much cooler compared to the bottom of the valley.

These ruins are also home to the biggest Inca cemetery, with over 2000 tombs decorating the mountain side. It is said that if you visit these tombs, you can still find human skeletal remains.

Town of Coya, Calca and Urubamba
We drive through the small indigenous towns of Coya and Calca before stopping at the foot of Urubamba for a buffet lunch. The restaurant has an impressive spread and is vegan and vegetarian friendly. There is a variety of fresh vegetables, salads, protein dishes, desserts, a selection of teas and coffee. (Lunch is not included)

Maras and Moray Salt Mines
After lunch, we continue our journey to the colonial town of Maras, walking downhill to the Pre-Inca Salt Mines. The locals use over a thousand salt pans to collect water from the salt stream at the top of the hill.

They extract the salt by allowing the naturally salty water to evaporate until only the salt remains in the pool, ready to be collected for distribution.

This technique can be traced back to Pre-Inca times. The locals still maintain this ancient technique. This is Peru’s main salt supply, supplying over 90% of the country with salt.

This a rich custom and tradition and the saltpans have been passed down from one generation to the next. This is the communities main source of income and they have exclusive rights to these mines.

Salineras is one of the very few salt mines left in the world to have not switched to more modern salt extraction techniques. The communal company of Maras (cooperative) packages and distributes the salt and splits the profits with the families according to the number of saltpans they own.

Later, we visit Moray, which was an experimental farming site built in the form of an amphitheater with each level comes a different temperature, and so each level grows different types of crops.

These levels of terraces were carved before the Incas took control of the Sacred Valley. Then the Incas used it for their experimental farming, to research optimal growing conditions for their crops.

The Incas brought in different soil samples from other regions in order to optimize their research. The locals were still using the site for growing their crops until the Peruvian government decided to preserve and protect it for tourism in the 1970s.

Archeological site in Ollantaytambo
For our final stop on the tour, we drive to Ollantaytambo. This quaint Inca village and the amazing Inca Ruins on the hilltop overlooking the town are the highlight for many travelers visiting.

These ruins are where the Incas fought their last battle with the Spanish conquerors before they had to retreat and flee into the dense jungle. Most of the structures were unfortunately incomplete or destroyed by the intense battle.

There is a section with a number of boulders that were carved but didn’t make it to their destination. We stop here to learn the fascinating history of the final days of the Inca Empire, before heading back into the small town.

Finally, we enjoy a delicious dinner at a restaurant before catching a late afternoon train to Aguas Calientes and checking into our hotel, ready for a magical day tomorrow.

  • Accommodation: Ferre Hotel
  • Meal: Breakfast at your hotel
  • Boleto Turistico * Allows you entry to many archeological sites along the Sacred Valley of the Incas

After an early breakfast at your hotel, we join the queue for the bus up to Machu Picchu at 5:30am, just in time to witness the sunrise. Somehow even better than the pictures, this mystical site is the pinnacle of many travelers trips to Peru.

Watch as the sun creeps over the mountains, and as the morning light glances off the peaks that surround you, your guided tour of the citadel begins. The tour shares many important parts of the citadel with you, and lasts for roughly 2 hours.

If you have booked an additional hike- either to Machu Picchu Mountain or Huayna Picchu, you will be able to climb the peak after the tour has finished. When you have had your fill of the citadel, head back down to Aguas Calientes on one of the waiting shuttle buses.

Once you arrive back in the town, grab some lunch (not included), and explore the market, visit the hot springs, or simply treat yourself to a happy hour until your scheduled train departure.

The Expedition train will take you back to Ollantaytambo at 2:55pm or 3:20pm, and the tracks follow the spectacular Urubamba River. Once you arrive in Ollantaytambo, your driver will meet you at the exit from the train station, taking you back to your hotel in Cusco in our private van. You can expect to arrive at your hotel at around 7:00pm.

  • Meal: breakfast at your hotel

***IMPORTANT:

  • You can upgrade to the Vistadome Train for the same times, 2:55pm or 3:20pm, 4:22pm, or 4:43pm. The cost is $57 USD.
  • We can organize an earlier train if you request at booking.
  • The Huayna Picchu Mountain Hike depends on availability, let us know at booking.

 INCLUDED IN THE MACHU PICCHU TOUR PACKAGE?

  • Pick up at your hotel
  • Entrances to the Inca Cities and all Archeological Sites
  • Private transportation
  • Round Trip Expedition Train Ollantaytambo – Aguas Calientes
  • Hotel accommodation with breakfast in Ollantaytambo and Aguas Calientes
  • Meals as indicated on itinerary
  • Roundtrip bus ticket Aguas Calientes – Machu Picchu
  • Entrance fees to Machu Picchu
  • Professional English-speaking guide
  • Boleto Turistico

WHAT IS NOT INCLUDED FOR THE MACHU PICCHU TOUR PACKAGE?

  • Meals not indicated on the itinerary
  • Entrance fee to the hot springs of Aguas Calientes (optional)
  • Ticket for Huayna Picchu –$75 USD
  • Upgrades train – For Vistadome train add $57 USD per person
  • Tips for your guide
  • Upgrades for Hotel (see under pricing)
  • Travel insurance
  • Hotels  before  and after your tour
  • Flight tickets

This fantastic Cusco, Sacred Valley & Machu Picchu Tour Package can be done on any date that is best for you, as long as we have a minimum of 2 participants!

No. OF PEOPLE PRICE
2 to 12 people (with 2 nights hotel) $ 587 USD per person
2 to 12 people (without hotel) $ 537 USD per person

***All entrance fees are included and we operate our tours in small groups averaging 5 people with a maximum of 12!***

DISCOUNTS

  • 18 to 25 years old: $30 USD. Information required on student card: name of university, student name, photo of student, expiration date etc. A copy of the card at booking is required & government approval for discount.
  • Under 18 years old: $30 USD. Please send us a copy of your passport at the time of booking.
  • Under 11 years old: $40 USD. Please send us a copy of your passport at the time of booking.

EXTRAS

  • Huayna Picchu Mountain: $75 USD. This will need to be booked in advance, let us know about it at the time of booking.
  • Upgrade to Vista Dome Train: $57 USD.
  • Upgrade Hotel – La Cabaña Hotel 3*: $50 USD per person
  • Upgrade Hotel – Tierra Viva Hotel: 4* $90 USD per person
  • Upgrade Hotel – El Mapi Hotel: 4* $120 USD per person
  • Single Supplement: $35 USD

WHAT YOU SHOULD BRING

  • A small backpack or carry bag (larger bags are not allowed on the train or in Machu Picchu)
  • A change of clothing
  • Comfortable shoes
  • Camera
  • Water to drink
  • Rain poncho
  • A fleece or jacket
  • Basic toiletries
  • Sunscreen
  • Insect repellent
  • Hat for the sun
  • Some extra money for lunch, snacks and souvenirs
  • Original passport (you cannot enter Machu Picchu without it)
Cusco, Sacred Valley & Machu Picchu Tour – 3 Days
From

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/ Per Person
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Why travel with Orange Nation Peru?

We have become the leaders in small group adventure travel over the past three decades by consistently listening to our travelers and delivering what they desire: adaptable itineraries, the freedom to explore, smaller group sizes, safety and peace of mind, and knowledgeable local guides who provide unique insights into the destination that would be missed through any other means of travel.

EXPERT GUIDES

Our expedition staff are experienced, enthusiastic and among the best in the industry - they are our secret to success

SMALL GROUPS

Travelling with us will always feel like going with friends and not with a group of strangers in an organized tour.

OUR EXPERIENCE

With fifteen years’ experience and over 25 Packages to Machu Picchu alone, our team knows how to deliver a successful expedition.

ENVIRONMENTAL

Education and conservation are our passion. We aim to create lifelong ambassadors for the protection of all wilderness areas.

Design Your Ideal Adventure

Forget generic tours. With Orange Nation, you can create a tailor-made itinerary with the level of adventure, culture, or relaxation you choose.

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Welcome

Our Reviews

Discover why thousands of people around the world trust us to explore the best of Peru.

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Jaffet hasan c

The guys were very efficient throughout the trip and attentive when we arrived at the campsite. The kitchen service was super delicious , the food quality and healthy, dishes suitable for people (vegans) and a buffet that has nothing to envy others.
Their kindness and efficiency are greatly appreciated for this journey to the Inca Way.

Written June 22, 2025

Friends

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Glen

We had a great experience doing the 4d3n Inca Trail. Our porters were so hard working and made sure our tents and equipment were always ready for us. The chef Mario was outstanding and prepared restaurant quality vegetarian food everyday. Our guide Carlos made the trip exceptional, always making sure we were informed and making sure we were all enjoying the trail. He went above and beyond to encourage me when I was unwell. He made the trip the best ever. A beautiful and wonderful trek.

Written July 14, 2025

Family

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Kendall C

Hiking the Short Inca Trail was hands-down one of the highlights of my entire trip to Peru. This trek is the perfect option if you want a taste of the iconic Inca Trail without committing to the full 4-day hike.

From the moment we started the hike at KM 104 Carlos our guide was amazing and patient. we were surrounded by breathtaking mountain views, lush cloud forests, and fascinating Inca ruins. The trail itself is moderately challenging—expect a steady incline, stone steps, and a bit of cardio—but it’s absolutely doable for anyone with a decent fitness level. The sense of accomplishment when you reach the Sun Gate (Inti Punku) and get your first glimpse of Machu Picchu is

Written July 8, 2025

Couples

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