Visit the hidden city of Machu Picchu and learn about its fascinating story.
Be ready for the pickup from your hotel in Cusco. Travel to Ollantaytambo Station to board the train to Aguas Calientes which is the nearest town to Machu Picchu. Enjoy a scenic train journey through dramatic Andean landscapes. The train has ample seats with large windows allowing for grand views of the surrounding jungle and mountains.
Board a coach for a 25-minute ride to Machu Picchu. The city of Machu Pichu is believed to have been built in the 1450s by the Inca emperor Pachacuti as a holiday retreat. Within a century the city would be abandoned following the Spanish conquest. The Spaniards never found it, so it was spared the destruction they brought to other Inca sites. Instead, it was slowly swallowed up by the jungle and hidden from harm.
Take a guided tour of the site and learn about the origins behind this awe-inspiring citadel and its most prominent landmarks such as the monumental Main Square, the Royal Quarters, the Temple of the Three Windows, the Circular Towers, the Sacred Sun Dial, and the Burial Grounds. After the tour, return to Aguas Calientes where you can take some free time to explore the city, on your own. Then go back to Aguas Calientes station to take the train back to the Ollantaytambo Station and return to your hotel.