Machu Picchu 2-Day Tour with a Night in Aguas Calientes
- 2 Days
- 1 Night
- Easy
- Machu Picchu
- Cusco to Machu Picchu
Ride the train to Aguas Calientes, spend the night at the foot of the mountain and explore Machu Picchu the next morning with a local guide, without the rush of a same-day return.
Trip facts
- Duration 2 Days / 1 Night
- Difficulty Easy
- Max altitude 3,400 m / 11,155 ft
- Best season Year-round (driest April to October)
- Accommodation Hotel in Aguas Calientes (1 night)
- Transportation Road, train and bus
- Guide Local guide at Machu Picchu
Overview
A day trip to Machu Picchu from Cusco works, but it’s a long day: most travelers are up before dawn and back after dark, with only a few hours at the site in between. Splitting the trip over two days changes the experience. You take the train to Aguas Calientes, spend the night at the foot of the mountain and explore Machu Picchu the next morning, rested and without watching the clock for a return train.
The first day is about the journey. From Cusco you travel by road to the train station, usually Ollantaytambo in the Sacred Valley, and ride the train along the Urubamba River as the valley narrows and the dry Andean slopes give way to cloud forest. You arrive in Aguas Calientes in the afternoon with time to walk the town, sit by the river or soak in the public hot springs the town is named after.
On the second day you ride the bus up the switchbacks and visit Machu Picchu with a local guide, following the circuit and entry time on your ticket. Staying close means you can aim for an earlier entry, when the light is softer and the paths are quieter, although the exact time depends on availability when we book. If you’d like a real climb, you can add Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu Mountain, which need separate tickets. In the afternoon you take the train and road transfer back to Cusco.
This is the version we suggest to most first-time visitors, families and photographers. The train service, hotel and entry time are set when we book, and we confirm every detail with you in writing. If your schedule really only allows one day, our Machu Picchu day trip by train covers the essentials in a single, well-organized day. For every other way to get there, including on foot, see all our Machu Picchu tours.
Highlights
- Travel by train along the Urubamba River, from the Andes to the edge of the cloud forest
- Spend a night in Aguas Calientes, at the foot of Machu Picchu
- Explore Machu Picchu with a professional local guide on day two
- Aim for an earlier entry time, when availability allows
- Add Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu Mountain if you want a real climb (separate tickets)
- A calmer pace than the same-day trip, with no pre-dawn start from Cusco
Itinerary
Day 1:
Cusco to Aguas Calientes by train
A road transfer to the station, the train along the Urubamba River and a free afternoon in Aguas Calientes.We pick you up at your hotel in Cusco at a time set by your train, and you travel by road to the station, usually Ollantaytambo in the Sacred Valley. The drive itself is scenic, dropping from the high plateau around Cusco into the green valley of the Urubamba River.
The train follows the river downstream for roughly an hour and a half from Ollantaytambo. Watch the landscape change: open farmland, then a narrowing canyon with glaciers high above, and finally the humid forest around Aguas Calientes. After checking in at your hotel, the afternoon is yours. Walk up to the town’s public hot springs, browse the market, or simply rest. Before dinner we confirm the plan for the morning: bus time, entry time and where to meet your guide.
- Starts
- Cusco
- Ends
- Aguas Calientes
- Accommodation
- Hotel in Aguas Calientes
Pack a small overnight bag. Your main luggage can stay at your hotel in Cusco.
Day 2:
Machu Picchu and return to Cusco
An early bus up to the citadel, a guided visit on your ticket’s circuit and the afternoon train back.After breakfast you walk to the bus stop and ride the switchback road up to the entrance, a trip of about 25 to 30 minutes. Your guide leads you along the circuit on your ticket, explaining how the city was planned and built on a ridge between two peaks, how its temples, houses and farming terraces fit together, and what archaeologists still debate about its purpose. Most guided visits last two to three hours.
If you booked Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu Mountain, you start the climb at the time on that ticket. Afterward you ride the bus back down to Aguas Calientes, have lunch in town and board the afternoon train. A road transfer from the station brings you back to your hotel in Cusco in the evening.
- Starts
- Aguas Calientes
- Ends
- Cusco
Large bags, food, walking sticks and tripods aren’t allowed inside Machu Picchu. Bring a small daypack only.
What’s Included
Included
- Machu Picchu entry ticket for your date, entry time and circuit
- Professional local guide for your Machu Picchu visit
- Round-trip train to Aguas Calientes (service class confirmed with your booking)
- Road transfers between your hotel in Cusco and the train station
- Round-trip shuttle bus between Aguas Calientes and Machu Picchu
- One night in a hotel in Aguas Calientes (category confirmed with your quote)
Not included
- Meals, unless shown in your confirmed itinerary
- Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu Mountain tickets (optional, limited availability)
- Entry to the hot springs in Aguas Calientes
- Travel insurance
- Tips for your guide and driver
Train service, hotel, entry time and every inclusion are confirmed in writing with your quote.
What to Bring
Documents
- Original passport: it’s checked on the train and at the Machu Picchu entrance
Clothing
- Comfortable walking shoes with good grip
- Layers: a warm jacket for Cusco and lighter clothes for Aguas Calientes, which is warmer and more humid
- Rain jacket or poncho (umbrellas aren’t allowed inside the site)
- Swimsuit and sandals if you plan to visit the hot springs
Gear
- A small overnight bag: luggage on the train is limited, so leave your suitcase in Cusco
- Small daypack under 40 × 35 × 20 cm (16 × 14 × 8 in) for the visit
- Reusable water bottle
Health & personal
- Insect repellent: small biting flies are common around Aguas Calientes
- Sunscreen, sun hat and sunglasses
- Any personal medication
Food, Lodging & Transport
Food & meals
Meals aren’t a set part of this tour unless they’re shown in your confirmed itinerary. Aguas Calientes has plenty of restaurants, from simple set-menu places to good Peruvian cooking, so dinner on the first evening is easy. Many hotels in town include breakfast, and we’ll tell you whether yours does. Food isn’t allowed inside Machu Picchu, so eat before you take the bus up.
Accommodation
You spend one night in Aguas Calientes, officially called Machu Picchu Pueblo, the small town at the bottom of the mountain. We book a hotel that fits your budget and confirm its name and category with your quote. The town is squeezed between the river and steep canyon walls, so rooms are often smaller than in Cusco, and a quiet room away from the railway is worth asking for.
Because luggage on the trains is limited, pack a small overnight bag and leave your main suitcase at your hotel in Cusco.
Transportation
On the first day you travel by road from Cusco to the train station. Most trains to Aguas Calientes leave from Ollantaytambo in the Sacred Valley, about an hour and a half to two hours from Cusco, and some leave from the Cusco area depending on the season and schedule. On the second day you take the shuttle bus up to the site and back down, then the afternoon train and a road transfer to your hotel in Cusco.
We choose the train service and times that fit your Machu Picchu entry time, and confirm the station, class and schedule with your booking.
Difficulty & Altitude
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Highest point
- 3,400 m / 11,155 ftCusco (Aguas Calientes and Machu Picchu are lower, at about 2,040 m and 2,430 m)
Fitness
This is an easy tour. The walking happens at Machu Picchu itself: two to three hours on stone paths and stairs, some of them uneven and without handrails, at a relaxed pace with regular stops. If you can manage a few flights of stairs, you’ll be fine.
Huayna Picchu and Machu Picchu Mountain are a different matter. Both are steep climbs on narrow Inca stairways that add several hours to the morning, and Huayna Picchu has exposed sections that aren’t comfortable for anyone with a fear of heights. We’re happy to help you decide whether one of them suits you.
Altitude
Aguas Calientes sits at about 2,040 m (6,690 ft) and Machu Picchu at about 2,430 m (7,970 ft), both well below Cusco at about 3,400 m (11,150 ft). Most people feel better down here than in the city, and sleeping lower for a night is a welcome break during your first days in the Andes.
The altitude to plan for is Cusco. If you’re arriving from sea level, give yourself at least one or two easy days in Cusco or the Sacred Valley first.
Permits, Tickets & Rules
Machu Picchu is managed by Peru’s Ministry of Culture, and entry works on a timed ticket system:
- Tickets are for a set date, time and circuit. The site has three circuits divided into ten routes, and each ticket is valid for one of them. Some routes only open in high season.
- Daily capacity is limited. Popular dates and early entry times sell out first, especially from May to October.
- Tickets are issued in your name. Each one is linked to the traveler’s passport number, so we need your passport details to book, and you must carry the same passport on the day.
- The mountains have their own limits. Huayna Picchu and Machu Picchu Mountain are separate routes with fewer daily spaces and set entry times.
- Site rules. Large backpacks, food, walking sticks, tripods, umbrellas and drones aren’t allowed inside.
We book the ticket, circuit and entry time that fit your train and explain the route before your visit.
Traveling with Family
This is one of the easiest ways to bring children to Machu Picchu. Splitting the trip avoids the very long single day, the train ride is a highlight for most kids, and the site is lower than Cusco.
Plan for plenty of stairs at the site, where strollers aren’t allowed, so small children will need to walk or be carried. Food can’t be eaten inside, so pack snacks for before and after the visit. Tell us your children’s ages and we’ll suggest the entry time and pace that work best for your family.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why take two days instead of the day trip?
Time and energy. The day trip means a very early start and a late return, with only a few hours at the site. With a night in Aguas Calientes you arrive rested, can aim for an earlier entry and don’t have to hurry back for a train.
What do we do on the first afternoon?
It’s free time in Aguas Calientes. Most travelers walk around town, visit the public hot springs or the craft market, and have an early dinner before the morning visit.
Which train will we take?
Trains to Aguas Calientes run from Ollantaytambo and, depending on the season, from the Cusco area. We choose the service that fits your entry time and confirm the station, class and schedule with your booking.
What kind of hotel will we stay in?
We book a hotel in Aguas Calientes that matches your budget and confirm its name and category with your quote. If you already have a hotel in mind, tell us and we’ll plan around it.
Can we add Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu Mountain?
Often, yes. Both need separate tickets with limited daily spaces and set entry times, so ask when you first contact us. Each adds a steep climb of several hours to the morning.
What should I do with my big luggage?
Leave it at your hotel in Cusco. Luggage on the trains is limited, so a small overnight bag is all you need for one night.
Is this a good option for families with kids?
Yes. It’s one of the most relaxed ways to see Machu Picchu with children. Strollers aren’t allowed inside the site, so plan for little ones to walk or be carried on the stairs.
Can we combine this with the Sacred Valley?
Yes. If you’d like to see Pisac or Ollantaytambo on the way, our Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu tour spends the first day in the valley before the train. We can also add extra nights in Aguas Calientes or the valley.
Route
Route map coming soon
Route at a glance
- Cusco, about 3,400 m (11,150 ft)
- Train station (Ollantaytambo or Cusco area)
- Train along the Urubamba Valley
- Aguas Calientes, about 2,040 m (6,690 ft), overnight
- Machu Picchu, about 2,430 m (7,970 ft)
- Train and road back to Cusco
Day one follows the Urubamba River by train to Aguas Calientes; day two climbs by bus to Machu Picchu before the return to Cusco. A route map is being prepared.
Tour Video
Our video for this tour is coming soon. Until then, we’re happy to answer your questions on WhatsApp or by email.
Travel Tips for This Trip
Why DSL Adventures
Planned by a Local Team in Cusco
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Based in Cusco
Your trip is planned by people who live here and know the region’s seasons, roads and trails.
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Local Guides
Guides from the region who know the trails, the history and the communities along the way.
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Direct Communication
One conversation with the team organizing your trip, from your first question to your last day.
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Personalized Planning
Dates, pace and details shaped around your group.
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Visual Storytelling
Photos and stories from our routes help you picture each day before you go.
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Plan your trip
Let’s Plan Your Trip Together
Tell us your dates, who’s traveling and what you’d like to see. Our team in Cusco will reply with availability, ideas and clear next steps.