One day trip Sacred Valley
The trip is Sacred Valley, the daily trip is wonderful, the guide Grobert and the driver are nice. We enjoyed the full trip.
Sacred valley and Short Inca trail to Machu Picchu 3 days
- Duration 3 days
- Type Up to 8 people
- Group Size Group or private
- Languages English, Spanish
From $517.00 / Person
Overview
This adventure tour & trek package is an excellent experience visiting the of the most important sites in the Sacred Valley of the Inca and the short Inca Trail to Machu Picchu through the Sun Gate where the most famous photos of Machu Picchu have been taken, all in 3 Days . The Sacred Valley is very large and stretches for miles with many small indigenous towns, secluded weaving villages, outdoor handicraft markets and ancient Inca Ruins including Pisac, Ollantaytambo and Urubamba. The Inca Trail displays many ancient Inca ruins, towering mountains, various types of flora & vegetation with various micro-climates. The trail goes through the National Park and enters through the Sun Gate with breathtaking views of Machu Picchu, through cloud forest and sub tropical climates. When we arrive to Machu Picchu, we will have a private guided tour, visiting all the hidden nooks and crannies of this small Inca hideaway. You will have plenty of time to explore Machu Picchu on your own after learning about the history and secrets of its past and the culture of the Incas who lived there.
Trip Details
We will pick you up from your hotel at 7:30 am with our private van and head to the Sacred Valley of the Incas, taking the route to Pisac. Our first stop is the mirador of Taray to enjoy a beautiful view of the Sacred Valley. Next, we head to the Pisac archeological site, where you can see the biggest Inca cemetery with more than 2,000 tombs. There, we can admire the hand-carved farming terraces on the side of the Mountain, explore the Inca tunnel, and the religious site of this great Inca ruin. Here, we will spend approximately 2 hours exploring the Inca city. Then, we will visit the colorful Pisac market, which is the largest in the area, admiring unique handicrafts before driving to Urubamba for lunch. After lunch, we visit Moray, which was an experimental farming site built in the form of an amphitheater, which each level naturally with a different temperature to grow different types of crops. These levels of terraces were carved before the Incas took control of the Sacred Valley and then used by the Incas to research optimal growing conditions for their crops. We continue our journey to the colonial town of Maras, walking downhill to the pre-Inca salt mines. Over three thousand salt ponds have been used for salt extraction since before Inca times and still supply Peru with over 90% of its salt. A hot spring at the top of the valley runs a stream of salt water into salt ponds and evaporates to produce salt. Finally, we drive to Ollantaytambo and explore this traditional Inca village and the Inca Ruins with our English-speaking guide. Here we spend the night at your hotel in Ollantaytambo, so we are ready to catch an early train to the start of the Inca Trail the next day. Your guide will pick you up from your hotel at 5:30 am to go to the Ollantaytambo train station, which is very close, to take the 6:10 am Expedition train. At the train station, your guide will give you your picnic lunch to add to your daypack and you will leave your overnight bag to be sent by train to Aguas Calientes. After an hour and a 15-minute train ride, we arrive at kilometer 104 (Inca Trail Starting Point – 2,100m/6,927ft) where we begin our trek and pass by the first checkpoint. Afterward, we begin a moderate climb for three hours to the ancient archaeological site of Wiñay Wayna (2,650m/8,747ft), where we will have fabulous views of the Urubamba Valley, Inca sites and the connection with the original 4-day Inca Trail. After we rest and have lunch at the nearby campsite, we continue our Trek towards the Sun Gate (2,730m/9,007ft). Here we will have our first view of Machu Picchu! You will be able to take the same popular photos of Machu Picchu you see on social media. It is all downhill from here as we walk the last hour to Machu Picchu. We will have time to take photos of the spectacular UNESCO World Heritage site while it is emptying of tourists in the afternoon. Then we take our 25-minute bus ride down to Aguas Calientes, where we spend the night in our hotel and enjoy a celebratory dinner. On this exciting morning that we have all been waiting for, we will take the 5:30 am shuttle bus to Machu Picchu, arriving in time for the sunrise over Machu Picchu. This is a magical experience that you won’t want to miss! Our guide will give us a 2.5-hour private tour teaching us the history, and little secrets hidden away by the Incas who once lived there. Then, you have plenty of time to take photos on your own. When you are ready, we will depart Machu Picchu and descend to Aguas Calientes. You can have a relaxing lunch and explore Aguas Calientes before boarding the Expedition train which departs at 14:55 or 15:20. When you return to Ollantaytambo Train Station your driver will be waiting for you and then we will drive you approx. 90 minutes back to your hotel in our private van, arriving at approximately 7:00pm. If you book Huayna Picchu, you have an extra 2 hours and an extra 3 hours if you hike Machu Picchu Mountain.Itinerary
DAY 1: SACRED VALLEY OF THE INCAS (PISAC + MORAY + MARAS + SALT MINES + OLLANTAYTAMBO)
Pisac
Maras & Moray
Ollantaytambo
DAY 2: OLLANTAYTAMBO – KM104 (INCA TRAIL ENTRANCE) – WIÑAY HUAYNA – SUN GATE – MACHU PICCHU
Time to Hike
Machu Picchu for the first time
DAY 3: AGUAS CALIENTES – MACHU PICCHU – CUSCO
Here are some other activities you can do on your own:
INCLUSIONS
WHAT IS INCLUDED
WHAT IS NOT INCLUDED
ADDED VALUES FOR FREE:
The Sacred Valley & Short Inca Trail Tour Package is available on any date as long as there are at least 2 people in the group (except February when it is closed for maintenance). This trek still takes you into Machu Picchu by walking through the SUN GATE, you will get to explore some incredible Inca ruins along the way. The fantastic tour with Inca trail included is available on any date! Join in with our group and get the best deals. Nº. Of people 2 to 8 people (with 2 nights hotel) 2 to 8 people (without hotel) PRICE $ 597 USD per person $ 517 USD per person All entrance fees are included and we operate our tours in small groups averaging 5 people, with a maximum of 8!PRICE
DISCOUNTS
EXTRAS
Please read the following information carefully. It will help answer all of your questions about our services and Sacred Valley & Short Inca Trail Tour Package. We will pick you up from the Cusco airport and take you to your hotel in Cusco. Please let us know your flight details at least 14 days before arrival. Our representative will be holding an orange sign reading ORANGE Nation outside the arrivals. You must exit the terminal to find our representative as they cannot enter. (Please let us know if your hotel is in the Sacred Valley so we can make the necessary arrangments). The Briefing is the night before you begin the Sacred Valley & 1-Day Inca Trail to Machu Picchu tour at 6pm in our office which is located at Calle Santa Teresa Nº383; 107 (first floor), we are next to SUBWAY sandwich shop. We share a lobby with the Casona Corrales Boutique Hotel. ABSOLUTELY!! We will keep your main luggage at our office or you can store it at your hotel, both are free. FIRST, to book your Sacred Valley & Short Inca Trail Tour Package, we need you to fill out our booking form by clicking on BOOK NOW on our homepage or click here – BOOK NOW. Please have the following information (From Each Person in your group). We cannot purchase entrance tickets to Machu Picchu or the train without the following information: SECOND, we require a deposit of $211.00 USD per person in order to purchase your entrance to Machu Picchu and train ticket. You can make you deposit by clicking on the PAYPAL symbols on the top of our home page, or you can click on the PAYPAL symbols on our booking page. It would be greatly appreciated if you pay in cash at our office (US dollars or Peruvian soles) here in Cusco. We have many ATMs within the historical center to withdraw money. You can also pay by PAYPAL online but you will have to pay a 5.5% service charge, charged by PAYPAL. To pay your balance through PAYPAL, you need to log into your PAYPAL account using our email address info@shortincatrailmachupicchu.com. Yes, but with some restrictions. Once the tickets for the Inca Trail have been bought, the government does not allow any changes, so we cannot change any departure dates after the tickets have been purchased. Tickets are also non transferable nor refundable. You must pay for new Inca Trail permits if you need to change the date. If you cancel your Sacred Valley & Short Inca Trail Tour Package the deposit is not refundable at all! DEFINITELY! You MUST bring your original passport with the same passport number you sent to us to book your entrance tickets to Machu Picchu, train, other entrances and reservations. They will check when you enter Machu Picchu and board the train. If you are renewing your passport or changing your name, please send us a COPY of your old passport to secure your permit, and we can change it when we receive a COPY of your new passport or updated name for a fee of $25 USD per person. We must have a copy of your old and new passport to make the change. Before you change your passport keep a copy of your old one. If you do not wish to pay this fee, you must bring both passports with you to Peru. You can enter Peru with your new passport but you will need to show both passports, old and new, to enter Machu Picchu or the train. If you do not have both you will not be allowed to enter Machu Picchu or get on the train. Remember to check your current passport to make sure it doesn’t expire within 6 months of your arrival to Peru!!! The Government of Peru is enforcing the existing law that requires all foreign travelers to have a passport valid for a minimum of six months past the time of entry into Peru. Peruvian authorities will deny entry into Peru for travelers not meeting this requirement. OF COURSE!! We will drop you off at your hotel when we return from the trek or tour in either Cusco or the Sacred Valley. If you are happy with the services provided, a tip is appreciated. While it might not be customary in your country, it means a lot for the people, and their families, who will take care of you during the tour. It promotes better service and is an essential part of the tourism industry. Of course, you are free to tip as much as you feel is appropriate, based on how happy you are with the service and the length of your tour. We are a local sustainable & responsible tour operator which functions according to the ethical principles of tourism: protect the environment and benefit the indigenous communities respecting their culture and religion. We have trained all of our staff to know, understand and respect the local communities and the people living there.IMPORTANT INFO
ARRIVAL TO CUSCO
THE BRIEFING
CAN I STORE MY LUGGAGE AT YOUR OFFICE?
HOW TO BOOK THE TOUR?
WHAT ABOUT THE BALANCE?
MAY I CHANGE THE DEPARTURE DATE AFTER THE TICKETS HAVE BEEN BOUGHT?
DO I NEED MY ORIGINAL PASSPORT?
ARE WE DROPPED OFF AT OUR HOTEL?
TIPPING
ARE YOU SUSTAINABLE?
PACKING LIST
WHAT YOU HAVE TO TAKE WITH YOU FOR THE SACRED VALLEY & SHORT INCA TRAIL TOUR PACKAGE?
WHAT YOU SHOULD PUT IN YOUR BAG THAT WILL BE SENT BY TRAIN FROM OLLANTAYTAMBO TO AGUAS CALIENTES WHILE YOU HIKE THE SHORT INCA TRAIL:
What You'll Experience on the Trail
From the terraces of Wiñay Wayna to the Sun Gate, every step brings you closer to the lost city of the Incas.
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Stop 01 / 03Wiñay Wayna
Its agricultural terraces cover half the mountainside, making it a trail favorite. Its name means "Eternally Young" in Quechua.
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Stop 02 / 03Inti Punku
The "Gate of the Sun" was the main entrance to Machu Picchu and gives you your first view of the citadel, a view you can only earn on the Inca Trail.
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Stop 03 / 03Machu Picchu
By far the most well known UNESCO world heritage site in Peru and the pinnacle of many people's visits to South America. This is where you wanted to be.
Lovely Words From Our Travelers
Real reviews from travelers who explored Machu Picchu and Cusco with us, straight from Tripadvisor, Google and Trustpilot.
Tripadvisor Reviews
Read all on Tripadvisor
Amazing experience with Sam travels
I had the best experience with Sam travels, we had an amazing time doing the 4d Salkantay trek, we had the best weather. Specifically want to mention Josep what an amazing cool guy he was. A real leader, great story teller, motivator and made you feel like you were taking on something special. Secondly another special mention for Andres and his catering team. The food was amazing, real nutritious and energising for the long trekking days.
Finally the horse man Donato, he managed to get all of our fresh clothing to the next camp very efficiently. Highly recommend a trip with this company.
Great experience at short Inca trail
We did the 2-day Short Inca Trail and it was a fantastic experience! Our guide, Fredy Zapata, was excellent. He told us so much about the history of the Incas and the region, and was able to answer every question we had. He did a great job and made the whole experience really enjoyable.
The highlight was definitely arriving at the Sun Gate and seeing Machu Picchu for the first time. An unforgettable experience that we would highly recommend!
Great experience because of the team!
Amazing trip! What a great experience, so well organized. Our guide Josep was a guiding star who knows so much and shared a lot of information. Very kind and helpful in every way. The cooking team of Andres was amazing and we had wonderful and a great variety of meals every evening. Donato the horseman made sure we got our stuff safe and in time to every stop. I could not ask for a better experience to be honest. Especially Josep, thank you for being so flexible, organized and sharing your knowledge.
Unforgettable Salkantay Experience with Sam Travel
We did the Salkantay Trek with SAM Travel and couldn’t have been happier with our choice! Our guide, Josep, was incredibly friendly, knowledgeable and passionate. He answered every single one of our questions about nature, history and Peruvian culture honestly, even better than ChatGPT! ;) We especially loved being in such a small group. It made the whole experience feel much more personal, relaxed and authentic.. The accommodations throughout the trek were excellent, and the food prepared by Andrés was absolutely outstanding. We were honestly surprised by the quality and variety of the meals, especially considering we were in the middle of the mountains. We spent a long time researching different companies before booking the Salkantay Trek, and choosing SAM Travel was definitely the right decision. Everything was extremely well organized, and the entire experience exceeded our expectations. We would 100% recommend SAM Travel, and especially Josep and Andrés, to anyone planning to do the Salkantay Trek!
SAM travel
Great trip. Great people. Loved my time with Joseph, Andres, Donato.and Elvis. Amazing world to explore made extra special with great people. Shout to my fellow travellers
Best trek ever!
It was amazing. We had the best Guide with Josep who is Sperling really good English and explaining so many things to us as well as introducing us perfectly to the altitude and the landscape. The Pick Up, accomodation and especially the food was so well organized and delicious. I highly recommend doing this trek, it was spectacular. 😍
Google Reviews
Read all on Google
We had an amazing experience on the 4 day/3 night Salkantay Trek with Sam Travel Peru. Everything was seamless from beginning to end.…
I joined the 2-day, 1-night tour to Cusco and Machu Picchu with SAM TRAVEL, and it was an amazing experience from start to finish.…
We had an incredible time on the 3D/2N Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu tour and would highly recommend it. It was fantastic to visit some of the highlights of the Sacred Valley, including Pisac, the Maras Salt Mines and Moray on the first…
We did the 4-day Inca Trail with Sam's Travel, and it was an absolutely unforgettable experience. It's something we will cherish for the rest of our lives.…
We had a great time on our 3d/2n tour of the sacred valley and short inca trail. The sacred valley prepared us very well for Macchu Picchu and the information provided was great. Our guide Rolando was very knowledgeable about the inca…
We’ve just done the 4-Days Inca trail with SAM travel. Our main guide Josep was very professional, knowledgeable and considerate. He really made sure that we enjoy the journey and our needs are addressed. Jimmy, our assistant guide, helped…
We had a great experience with Sam Travel Peru. Always felt well taken care of and safe. Our guide, Israel, was friendly, knowledgeable, and helpful. The office staff were always quick to reply to emails.…
Trustpilot Reviews
Read all on Trustpilot
Awesome trip with Josef as our guide…
Awesome trip with Josef as our guide Mario the chef with amazing food and porters who were our hero’s.
We booked a day tour for the Rainbow…
We booked a day tour for the Rainbow Mountain and it had been just perfect. Fernando, our guide, was really kind and attentive. All the staff is professional and friendly, totally recommended!
Incredible Salkantay Trek with Exceptional Guide Jhordy
We recently completed the Salkantay Trail trek with Sam Travel, and we couldn't be happier with our experience. Our guide, Jhordy, was exceptional. He was highly professional, providing great insights, facts, and stories that enriched our journey. Jhordy was very patient with us and demonstrated remarkable flexibility, adjusting the itinerary when we weren't feeling our best. We highly recommend Sam Travel, especially Jhordy, for making our trek an incredible time.
