"Incredible experience!! Beautiful landscape and beautiful people. We were lucky to be guided by Vladimir, who with his lovely personality and amazing knowledge made this trip a great learning experience."
Photos: José Manuel Pacuri Sullón, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (source)
Sacred Valley VIP 2 Days & Machu Picchu
The trip in one paragraph
VIP here means the longer valley route, with more stops packed into day one. It is a shared tour, like the rest of our Machu Picchu packages. You cross the high plateau west of Cusco to Chinchero, Moray and the Maras salt pans, drop into the valley for lunch and Ollantaytambo, and take the train to Aguas Calientes. Day two is Machu Picchu with a guide. Book it if you want to see the salt pans and the circular terraces of Moray and you only have two days. If you prefer the Inca terraces of Pisac, the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu classic tour takes that side of the valley instead.
How this route differs from the classic
The classic tour follows the river. This one stays high in the morning, around 12,000 ft (3,700 m), on farmland with snow peaks on the horizon, and comes down to the river only after lunch. Day one is longer and fuller, so expect a 6:20 a.m. start.
Day 1 Chinchero, Moray, Maras
A weaving demonstration and the colonial church in Chinchero, the sunken rings of Moray, then thousands of white salt pools at Maras, still worked by local families. Buffet lunch in Urubamba, the Ollantaytambo fortress, then the train.
Day 2 Machu Picchu
The same Machu Picchu visit as our other 2-day tours: bus up after breakfast, Circuit 2 with your guide, lunch in town, train and van back to Cusco.
Price
One price: US$657 per person in a double room, shared service, with a 3-star hotel in Aguas Calientes. For a higher hotel category or a single room, tell us in the quote form and we add the difference.
Pick your arrival date
Pick the day you leave Cusco for the valley. The tour runs every day the railway and the site are open.
Send the free quote form with your date and passport details. We check tickets, trains and hotels and reply with what is available. June to August sells out first: book 30 to 45 days ahead.
Day by day
Open a day to see the hours, the altitude and where you sleep. Times are the ones our guides actually keep.
Day1
Cusco, Chinchero, Moray, Maras, Urubamba, Ollantaytambo, Aguas Calientes
Night in Aguas Calientes at 6,690 ft (2,040 m), high point Chinchero 12,340 ft (3,762 m)
Have breakfast at your hotel if it opens early, since breakfast on day 1 is not included. Pack one small bag for the night.
The highest stop of the trip. A weaving demonstration, then the colonial church built on Inca walls and the terraces below it. Walk slowly here.
Concentric terraces dropping into a natural bowl. The guide explains the theory that the Incas used the temperature difference between levels to test crops.
A narrow path along the edge of the pools. Salt is sold at the stalls by the parking area, cheaper than in Cusco shops.
Included. The valley floor is warmer, so you will want to drop a layer.
Steep terraces above a town still laid out on its Inca grid. Then a short walk to the station.
About 1 hour 40 minutes along the Urubamba. Staff meets you on arrival and walks you to the hotel.
Day2
Aguas Calientes, Machu Picchu, Ollantaytambo, Cusco
Back in Cusco for the night (hotel not included), high point 7,970 ft (2,430 m) at Machu Picchu
About 25 minutes to the gate. Passport in your daypack.
Two to three hours past the upper viewpoint, the Temple of the Sun and the main plaza. Free time afterward if your ticket allows it, or the mountain climb if you booked one.
Not included. Collect your bag from the hotel.
Train to Ollantaytambo, then about two hours by road. You reach your Cusco hotel in the evening.
Where you go
Day one loops over the plateau from Chinchero to Maras before dropping to the river, then the train runs to the end of the valley.
Route: Cusco · Chinchero · Moray · Maras salt pans · Urubamba · Ollantaytambo · Aguas Calientes · Machu Picchu.
What is included
Included
- Cusco Tourist TicketEntry to the Sacred Valley sites on day 1.
- Machu Picchu entrance, Circuit 2Bought under your passport name.
- 1 night in Aguas Calientes3-star hotel.
- 2 mealsBuffet lunch on day 1, breakfast on day 2.
- Round-trip trainOllantaytambo to Aguas Calientes and back.
- TransportHotel pickup in Cusco, valley vehicle, Consettur bus up and down, van back to your hotel.
- Licensed guides and supportBilingual guides both days, briefing, first-aid kit with emergency oxygen.
Not included
- Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu MountainOptional, US$75 per person for either one, booked in advance.
- Meals not listedBreakfast and dinner on day 1, lunch and dinner on day 2.
- Hotel in CuscoNights before and after are not included.
- Tips and insuranceTips are optional. Travel insurance recommended.
- Costs from events outside our controlLandslides, weather, strikes or schedule changes.
Good to know
Travelers on this itinerary
Sacred Lake Titikaka is new; these are public Tripadvisor reviews of Viajes Cusco Perú, the family agency that operates every package on this site.
Reviews shown: Viajes Cusco Perú travelers (sample of public Tripadvisor reviews, read Sep 30, 2026).
"All the tours I did (Machu, Humantay Lake, Rainbow Mountain, Sacred Valley) were spectacular!!! From picking me up at the hotel (always punctual and attentive, notifying about everything!) to the guides I had who were also excellent."
"I came to this agency by recommendation and, after traveling with them on two occasions, I can say that it was an excellent decision. I must highlight the professionalism of the guides, who made every tour very interesting and safe."
Still have questions?
Everything we get asked about this package before people book.
What is different on the VIP route?
Day one. The VIP route goes through Chinchero, Moray and the Maras salt pans before Ollantaytambo. The classic route goes through Pisac and Urubamba instead. VIP starts earlier, around 6:20 a.m., and has more stops. Day two at Machu Picchu is identical.
Is it the same Machu Picchu visit as the classic tour?
Yes. Same Circuit 2 ticket, same licensed guide service, two to three hours inside, same train back to Ollantaytambo and van to Cusco.
Is VIP a private tour?
No. VIP is the name of the longer valley route. It runs with a shared group and a licensed guide. If you want a guide and vehicle only for your group, ask in the quote form and we price it separately.
How long is the walk at the Maras salt pans?
About 20 to 30 minutes on a narrow, sometimes slippery path along the pools. Shoes with grip help. You can stay at the upper viewpoint if heights bother you.
Is the Machu Picchu ticket included?
Yes, Circuit 2, in your passport name. Our guide on how Machu Picchu tickets work explains slots and passport rules.
Is the Sacred Valley day hard?
Not hard on the legs, but long: about 12 hours from pickup to the hotel in Aguas Calientes, starting at 12,340 ft (3,762 m) in Chinchero. Spend at least one night in Cusco first.
How far ahead should I book?
For June to August, 30 to 45 days ahead. Other months, two to three weeks is usually enough.
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