Early morning departure by train from Cuzco (or Ollantaytambo) for a journey that will take you down into the Sacred Valley of the Incas, along the Urubamba river, to KM 104. Here we will disembark from the train, and cross a hanging bridge over the river. Continue to Chachabamba site for a brief stop before beginning a three hour ascent to the ruins of Wiñay Wayna, an important spiritual site. From here, you will pick up the Inca Trail and hike several hours to Intipunku, "the Gate of the Sun" for the first spectacular view of Machu Picchu. After lunch, the descent to Machu Picchu (8,202 ft.) takes less than an hour. From the site you will take a bus down the switchback road to the village of Aguas Calientes to your selected hotel.

After an early breakfast, tour Machu Picchu with your guide. After the tour, there is time to explore the site on your own, before you take a late afternoon train back to the Sacred Valley to stay or for a tranfer to Cuzco.