4-Day: All Included Excursion City Tour, Sacred Valley & MachuPicchu

Machu Picchu is the prize here, but the clever part is the route that leads you there. You begin with Cusco’s high-altitude ruins, follow the Sacred Valley to Ollantaytambo, then take the train to Aguas Calientes for an early visit to the Inca citadel. I like the small maximum of 15 people and the fact that airport pickup, hotels, local transport, trains, and several meals are arranged for you.

I also like the first morning left open for rest and acclimatization, since Cusco sits high above sea level and a rushed arrival can spoil the first day. The main consideration is the pace: four days is short, and Day 2 lasts about 12 hours before an early start at Machu Picchu.

Key points at a glance

• Machu Picchu ticket availability matters: Entry is tied to the Ministry of Culture’s available circuits, mainly Circuits 1 and 2.
• A small group of up to 15: This gives you a better chance to hear the guide and ask questions than on a large coach tour.
• Cusco’s four major ruins come first: Korikancha, Sacsayhuamán, Qenqo, Puca Pucara, and Tambomachay build useful context before Machu Picchu.
• The Sacred Valley is a full-day outing: Pisaq, an Andean buffet in Urubamba, and Ollantaytambo lead directly to the train.
• The $750 price covers a lot: Airport transfer, accommodation, transport, guided touring, three breakfasts, and two lunches are included.
• The schedule is tightly managed: You return to Cusco on Day 3, leaving Day 4 free for a flight or an optional food activity.

Why this four-day route works

This is a smart introduction to the Cusco region if you want the major sights handled in one package. Instead of treating Machu Picchu as a stand-alone trip, the itinerary gives you two days of Inca sites first. That matters because the ruins around Cusco and the Sacred Valley help you understand how the larger Inca world was organized.

You will not have much unplanned time, but you also will not need to arrange separate airport transfers, train connections, hotel changes, or site guides. For a first visit to Peru, that can be worth a great deal. The route has several moving parts, and missing one connection could affect the next day.

The group limit of 15 is another practical plus. You still travel with other people, but the guide can usually keep the explanations more focused than on a full-size bus. You should expect a shared experience rather than a private tour, with the tradeoff of a lower price and a fixed schedule.

The $750 cost per person is best judged as a package, not as four days of sightseeing alone. It includes airport pickup, accommodation, transportation, guided excursions, three breakfasts, and two lunches. The published details also describe Machu Picchu as included, but the ticket section says entry is subject to availability and that ticket cost is not included in the standard inclusions. I would clarify this point with Chullos Travel Peru before paying, especially if the date is close to your visit.

Your first afternoon in Cusco

A representative from Chullos Travel Peru meets you at the airport and takes you to the hotel. The morning is free, which is exactly the right idea in Cusco. You can rest, drink water, eat lightly, and let your body adjust before the afternoon tour.

At 2:00 PM, the city tour begins. The first important stop is Korikancha, also written Qorikancha, the Temple of the Sun. It is in the city itself and gives you an early look at the meeting of Inca and Spanish culture. The site is especially useful at the start because it connects Cusco’s colonial center with the older Inca capital beneath it.

After roughly 30 minutes of travel, you reach Sacsayhuamán. The guided visit lasts about an hour, giving you time to examine the enormous fitted stones and the broad ceremonial area. This is one of the stops where a guide adds real value. The stones are impressive on their own, but the explanations help you read the site as more than a dramatic wall.

Qenqo comes next, after about 15 minutes on the road. It is a ritual center formed around a rocky outcrop. The route then continues to Puca Pucara, known as the Red Fort, a military construction that helped control movement around Cusco.

The final stop is Tambomachay, the Inca’s Bath. Its water channels and fountains point to the importance of water in Inca ritual life. After the visit, you return to Cusco at about 7:00 PM.

This is a full five-hour afternoon, and the altitude can make it feel longer. The best approach is to keep your first morning genuinely quiet. Do not treat the free time as a chance to cram in another major attraction.

Pisaq and the Sacred Valley on Day 2

Pickup is scheduled for 8:00 AM, so you need an early breakfast. The drive to Pisaq takes about an hour and a half. The archaeological site receives a guided visit of about one hour, with mountain scenery and terraces forming the setting for the ruins.

Pisaq is a strong first stop in the Sacred Valley because it shows how the Incas used steep slopes for farming and settlement. You get a different sense of scale here than in central Cusco. The valley route also gives you a look at the Sacred River, called the Willka Mayu, as you continue toward Urubamba.

Lunch is served as a buffet in Urubamba, the valley’s capital. Typical Andean dishes are included, which is useful after a morning on the road. Two lunches are part of the package, and this is one of them. Other meals are not included, so budget separately for dinner in Aguas Calientes and meals not listed in the schedule.

After lunch, the group drives about 30 minutes to Ollantaytambo. The archaeological site receives another guided tour of about one hour. The main features listed are the Temple of the Sun, the Intihuatana, the Princess Baths, and the agricultural terraces.

Ollantaytambo is one of the most valuable stops in the whole program. It is not simply a ruin visited on the way to the train. Its terraces, stonework, ceremonial areas, and surviving town layout show how an Inca settlement functioned. The guide’s explanations can help you connect the site to the larger route through the valley.

From Ollantaytambo, you go directly to the train station for Aguas Calientes, the town below Machu Picchu. This is a long day of about 12 hours, so you should expect a late arrival and little free time beyond dinner and preparation for the next morning.

The guide is scheduled to stop by your hotel in the evening to explain the Machu Picchu visit. Pay close attention to this briefing. It should cover the meeting point, bus arrangements, entry details, and the timing you need for the next day.

The early visit to Machu Picchu

Day 3 begins very early with the bus to Machu Picchu. The citadel receives a guided visit of about two and a half hours. That length gives you enough time for a proper orientation rather than a quick photo stop.

Machu Picchu is easier to appreciate when you already know something about Inca construction and sacred sites. The previous day’s visit to Ollantaytambo, and the earlier sites around Cusco, give the tour a useful sequence. You are not seeing an isolated wonder. You are seeing the high point of a regional story.

After the guided visit, you have free time in Aguas Calientes for lunch. Lunch is not listed as included on this day, so plan to pay for it yourself. The town is used mainly as the access point for Machu Picchu, and this short break gives you a chance to eat before the return journey.

You then take the train back to Ollantaytambo. A Chullos Travel Peru representative meets you at the station with a sign and transfers you by vehicle to your Cusco hotel. The listed touring time is about seven hours, though the overall day includes the train and road transfer, so exact timing can vary.

The biggest caution is the entrance ticket. The program says tickets are purchased according to availability, with Circuits 1 and 2 listed as the relevant options. Other circuits may cost extra. Since the Ministry of Culture is the only authorized seller, Chullos Travel Peru cannot simply create additional entry space.

If no Machu Picchu tickets are available, the stated policy is a full refund for the reserved tour package. That is reassuring, but I would still ask for written confirmation of the ticket status and the refund terms before departure. Machu Picchu is the central reason most people book this route, so ticket uncertainty deserves direct attention.

A quiet final morning in Cusco

Day 4 has no major scheduled sightseeing. You have the morning free, depending on your flight time. This is useful after three packed days and gives you room to rest, pack, or enjoy a final walk through Cusco.

The itinerary lists Cusco Cathedral as the stop for this day, with admission free. The schedule does not provide a detailed guided cathedral visit, so you should not assume a long formal tour is included. The free morning also means this day works well if your flight leaves later.

An optional activity focuses on Peruvian gastronomy and the preparation of a Pisco Sour. It is offered at an additional charge. Because this is not part of the core package, confirm the price and timing if you want to add it.

Hotels, meals, and transport

Airport pickup is included at the start, and a representative also handles the transfer from Ollantaytambo back to Cusco after Machu Picchu. The route uses road transport, the train to and from Aguas Calientes, and the bus up to Machu Picchu.

Accommodation is included, though the supplied details do not name a guaranteed hotel for every departure. One booking described La Casona Real in Cusco as a comfortable Spanish-style property with well-furnished rooms, comfortable beds, and a convenient location. Treat that as an example rather than a promise, and ask which hotels apply to your dates.

Three breakfasts and two lunches are included. The Sacred Valley buffet is one of the included lunches, while the other meals not specifically named are your responsibility. Dinner in Cusco and Aguas Calientes, plus lunch in Aguas Calientes on Day 3, should be included in your budget.

The practical benefit of this arrangement is less time spent arranging details yourself. The tradeoff is that you have less control over hotel choice, meal timing, train selection, and the exact order of the day.

What the guides add

A good guide matters at Sacsayhuamán, Qenqo, Tambomachay, Pisaq, Ollantaytambo, and Machu Picchu. These are places where stone walls, terraces, water channels, and ritual spaces can blur together if you visit without context.

The tour assigns guides for the city tour and the major excursions. Specific guide names are not provided, so I would not expect to choose a particular guide when booking. The available feedback places special emphasis on guides being friendly and well informed, and on the company keeping people updated about meeting points and tickets.

That communication is important here. You need clear instructions for the airport pickup, city tour, Sacred Valley departure, train, Machu Picchu entry, and return transfer. A small group also gives you a better chance to ask for clarification when the schedule changes.

Who should book this tour

I would recommend this package if you want the classic Cusco route without coordinating each piece yourself. It suits a first visit, especially if you value a guide and want airport transfers, transport, hotels, and key admissions handled in one booking.

It also works well for people with only four days in the region. You see the main sites in a logical order and return to Cusco before departure. The 98 percent recommendation rate and 4.8 rating from 40 published ratings point to a strong overall record, with guide quality, communication, and hotel comfort receiving particular praise.

You should think twice if you want long stays at each archaeological site, flexible departure times, or several free afternoons. Day 2 is especially demanding, and Day 3 begins early. This is a sightseeing sprint, not a slow stay in the Andes.

I would also avoid booking until the Machu Picchu ticket question is clear. The full-refund policy helps if tickets cannot be obtained, but you still need to know whether the $750 price includes the entry fee on your date or whether that fee is separate.

Cancellation is free up to 24 hours before the start time for a full refund. Within 24 hours, the amount paid is not refunded, and changes are not accepted.

Should you book it?

Book this four-day excursion if you want a well-organized first look at Cusco, the Sacred Valley, and Machu Picchu, with a small group and most major logistics covered. The strongest value comes from combining transportation, hotels, guides, airport pickup, and meals in one $750 package.

Before booking, confirm your hotel, train details, and the exact Machu Picchu ticket arrangement. If you accept the early mornings and packed schedule, this is a practical way to see Peru’s headline sites in limited time. If you prefer freedom and a slower pace, arrange Cusco and Machu Picchu separately.

FAQ

How long is the excursion?

The excursion lasts approximately four days. Day 1 includes about five hours of city touring, Day 2 about 12 hours in the Sacred Valley and onward travel to Aguas Calientes, and Day 3 about seven hours of Machu Picchu touring and transfers.

What is included in the $750 price?

The package includes airport pickup, the Cusco city tour, city tour transportation and guide, city tour entrances, Sacred Valley touring, Machu Picchu transportation arrangements, accommodation, three breakfasts, and two lunches.

Are Machu Picchu tickets included?

Machu Picchu tickets are subject to availability and are purchased through the Ministry of Culture of Peru. Circuits 1 and 2 are listed as the available options, while other circuits may require an additional charge. The inclusion details also state that the ticket itself is subject to availability, so confirm this with the provider before booking.

What happens if Machu Picchu tickets are unavailable?

The stated policy provides a full refund for the reserved tour package if no Machu Picchu tickets are available.

How large is the group?

The tour has a maximum of 15 people.

Can I cancel for a full refund?

Yes. You can cancel at least 24 hours before the experience start time for a full refund. Cancellations or changes made less than 24 hours before the start time are not refunded or accepted.