Machu Picchu by train
| country: | Peru |
| location: | Inca Trail, Machu Picchu |
| price: | From £429 (4 days) excluding flights |
| vouchers: | Gift vouchers can be used with this holiday |
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introduction to Machu Picchu by train
Perhaps the most famous of all pre-Columbian ruins, magnificent Machu Picchu should be on every traveller's lifetime must-see list. Start your adventure in colonial Cuzco, once the epicentre of the Incan Empire, and spend a day exploring the Spanish, indigenous and natural aspects to the area. The next day ride a train through the spectacular Urubamba Valley to Machu Picchu, perched on a mountain ridge 600m above the river below. Join a local guide for a detailed interpretation of the site and some free time before catching your train back to Cuzco.
day-by-day itinerary
| Day 1: | Arrive Cuzco. Pickup at the airport in Cuzco and transfer to your hotel. Relax and explore the fascinating city of Cuzco. Overnight in Cuzco. Peru is frequently referred to as the 'Land of the Incas'. It is true that the Incas formed the greatest empire on the continent and left mysterious cities such as Machu Picchu. However, the Incas were only the last in a long series of Peruvian civilizations spanning several thousands of years. |
| Day 2: | Cuzco (B). Today is free to explore Cuzco on your own or to choose from the numerous optional activities, including horseback riding to archaeological sites such as Sacsayhuaman, Tambo Machay and Puca Pucara; white water rafting on the Urubamba River; and mountain biking down to the Sacred Valley, perhaps visiting an Inca ruin along the way. Cuzco is the continent’s oldest continuously inhabited city, and the hub of the South American travel network. The city attracts travellers who come not just to visit a unique destination but also to experience an age-old culture very different from their 21st Century way of life. Inca-built stone walls line most of the central streets and you don't have to go far to see other major Inca ruins. It is a city steeped in history, tradition and legend as well as the perfect base for optional explorations around the city and area and a range of outdoor activities. Relax and explore this fascinating city, and take time to acclimatize to the high altitude. Cuzco’s numerous colonial churches are one of the city’s most common sights. The Cathedral was started in 1559 and took 100 years to build; it is also one of the city’s greatest repositories of colonial art. Immediately in front of the entrance is a vault containing the remains of the famous Inca historian, Garcilaso de la Vega. Also worth visiting are the churches of La Compañía, La Merced and San Francisco. While most ruins are just outside of the city, the main ruin within is that of the Coricancha, once the Inca Empire's richest temple. Today the ruin forms the base of the colonial church of Santo Domingo. During Inca times this temple was literally covered with gold, but within months of the arrival of the first conquistadors this incredible wealth had all been melted down. It is left to the individual imagination to envision the magnificence of the original structure. There are several good museums in Cuzco, including the Archaeological Museum, which also houses a small art museum, the Regional History Museum and the Religious Art Museum. Our best advice for making the most of Cuzco is to wear a comfortable pair of shoes, arm yourself with a city map and set off to explore! |
| Day 3: | Machu Picchu/Cuzco (B). Board a morning train that winds through the spectacular Urubamba Valley to the end of the line: the village of Aguas Calientes, a frontier town nestled in the hills beneath Machu Picchu. Join our local guide for a detailed interpretation of the site and Inca history. There is free time to explore on your own after our tour, and the opportunity to climb Wayna Picchu, providing the chance to see Machu Picchu and its surroundings from a more exclusive vantage point. In the afternoon return by train to Ollantaytambo or Poroy and will then be transferred by van to Cusco, arriving in the evening. Machu Picchu is both the most impressive and the least understood of the Inca ruins. It is not mentioned in any of the chronicles of the Spanish conquistadors and archaeologists today can do no more than speculate on its function. The local Quechua farmers in the area knew of Machu Picchu for centuries, but it was not until an 11-year-old boy led the American historian Hiram Bingham (who was in search of Vilcabamba) to the site on July 24, 1911, that the rest of the world became aware of its existence. At that time the site was covered in thick vegetation, and Bingham and his team returned in 1912 and 1915 to clear the growth. Over the years, much work has been done on excavating and studying the site. Despite these efforts, many unanswered questions remain. |
| Day 4: | Depart Cuzco (B). Depart Cuzco at any time. Transfer to the airport is included. |
how this holiday makes a difference
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Travellers are accompanied by one of our experienced local guides who is knowledgeable of local culture, history, flora and fauna of the Machu Picchu Sanctuary. By working with local guides we provide economic benefits directly to local people and operators.
On this tour we visit two UNESCO World Heritage Sites, the city of Cuzco and the historic sanctuary of Machu Picchu. In Cuzco, we support Inti Runakunaq Wasin (IRW), Quechua for “House of the People of the Sun”, a non-profit organisation that acts as a haven for children and adolescents who live in extreme poverty on the streets. IRW is run by a staff of professional social workers that provide support programs for women, families, people with special needs and victims of family violence. Children are given the opportunity to voluntarily drop-in and participate in a variety of classes and workshops that teach them valuable skills including carpentry, handicrafts, shoe repair, cooking, music and English. We also support the work of the Inka Porter Project (IPP), a non-profit organisation which works to improve the working and living conditions of Porters in Peru. Together with IPP we have provided four porter communities with first-aid and job training workshops and ensure fair working conditions to all of our porters. |
Tourism can be good and bad for destinations & local people. We carefully screen every holiday against our criteria for responsible travel. 'Look behind the brochure' to find how each holiday makes a difference (see left). We don't claim to be perfect - there is no global accreditation - but we've led the way since 2001 and screened 1000's of holidays. We invite every traveller to write a review about their experiences and responsible tourism. This valuable feedback is sent to the people who run the holidays. We keep a very close eye on it and take off holidays that don't live up to our standards. |
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