Seeing the Machu Picchu archeological site that dates back to the Inca times is typically at the top of the list of things to do if you visit Peru. Contrary to popular belief, there are different ways you can visit Machu Picchu. In fact, each Machu Picchu tour package caters to different fitness levels and traveling styles.
Relaxing Machu Picchu Tours (No Hiking)
It’s a huge myth that you need to hike in order to visit Machu Picchu. For each of the Machu Picchu travel packages below, you’ll be transported to each site (whether by vehicle, train, or bus), so absolutely no hiking is involved. That makes these Machu Picchu tours appropriate for families and people of all ages, including seniors.
- Machu Picchu-Sacred Valley Tour
- Of all the tours to Machu Picchu, this one is the most popular and for good reason. You’re already passing through the Sacred Valley to get to Machu Picchu, so you might as well take advantage of the first day to see the sites throughout the valley. Then, you get an early night’s sleep so that you can see Machu Picchu well rested on the second day.
- 2-Day Tour – Machu Picchu
- If you’re traveling with older senior citizens or are looking for the absolute most relaxing way to see Machu Picchu, this is the best option. The highlights of the first day are some photo stops on the way to the train station, then a comfy train ride to Machupicchu Town where you’ll stay overnight. After taking your time to see the Machu Picchu archeological site on the second day, you’ll head back to Cusco and get there by nightfall.
- 1-Day Tour – Machu Picchu
- This Machu Picchu tour is ideal for those who don’t have much time in Cusco. You need to wake up very early to get picked up at your hotel in Cusco at 3am. That way, we have enough time to take you to Machu Picchu, show you around the archeological site, and make it back to Cusco by the evening.
Challenging Machu Picchu Tours for Hikers
So you love hiking, trekking, exploring, and just generally being immersed in nature? There are various Machu Picchu travel packages that could be good options for you and your group. You’ll get to explore the Andes mountains on any of the following tours (in order from the easiest to the most challenging):
- 2-Day Inca Trail Hike to Machu Picchu
- You could call this a mixed Machu Picchu tour package – 1 day of hiking and 1 day of transport. The first day, you’ll get a taste of hiking the Inca Trail (which is typically a 4-day trek), including a photo stop at the Sun Gate for a unique angle of the Inca Citadel. After an overnight stay at Machupicchu Town, you’ll get up early to see the Machu Picchu archeological site on the second day before heading back to Cusco.
- 4-Day Lares Trek to Machu Picchu
- This increasingly popular trek is considered an alternative to the classic 4-day trek of the Inca Trail. Instead of the crowded Inca Trail, you’ll be trekking paths that are much less trodden for a more authentic experience hiking the Andes. The first 2 nights of this trek involve camping, while the last night will be at a hotel in Machupicchu Town for a comfier rest before your Machu Picchu tour on the last day.
- 4-Day Inca Trail to Machu Picchu
- What makes this the most well-known trek in Peru is that you’ll be walking the very same paths that the Incas walked hundreds of years ago to get to Machu Picchu, hence its name, “the Inca Trail.” We’ll camp all 3 nights and see various archeological sites along the way, hiking all the way to Machu Picchu on the final day as the culmination of our trek.
