Tour overview
At KYD Tours we run the Maidens program, three days and two nights in Cusco. We meet you at the airport, give you time to acclimatize, and do the city tour in the afternoon; on the second day we go to Machu Picchu by train from Ollantaytambo, and the third day is free until your transfer to the airport. It is a package designed to see the essentials of Cusco and the Inca citadel in a few days, with everything coordinated by our team.
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Best time to travel Approx. April to October (dry season)
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Approximate altitude Cusco ~3,400 m · Sacsayhuamán ~3,700 m · Machu Picchu ~2,430 m
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Physical difficulty Moderate on the city tour and the Machu Picchu day; free otherwise
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Minimum number of passengers Confirm when you book
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Maximum number of passengers Depends on availability
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Booking lead time Book in advance; confirm flights and train dates
Overview
- Duration: 3 days / 2 nights.
- Day 1: Airport welcome, transfer to the hotel, acclimatization, and an afternoon city tour (Cathedral, Qoricancha, Sacsayhuamán, Qenqo, Puca Pucara, and Tambomachay).
- Day 2: Machu Picchu full day: train from Ollantaytambo to Aguas Calientes, bus to the sanctuary, 2-hour guided visit, buffet lunch, and return to Cusco.
- Day 3: Breakfast, free time, and transfer to the airport.
Itinerary
Day 1 — Arrival in Cusco and city tour
When you arrive at Cusco airport, our staff will be waiting to take you to your hotel. There you will have a few free hours to acclimatize to the city’s altitude; we recommend resting, drinking water, and having a cup of coca tea before you head out.
In the afternoon we board our vehicle and go to the city center. We start with a guided visit to Cusco Cathedral, on the Plaza de Armas, and then walk to Qoricancha, the Temple of the Sun, where Inca and Spanish architecture meet.
We then leave the city for the archaeological complex of Sacsayhuamán, where your guide explains the importance of its massive walls. We continue a few more minutes to Qenqo and finish at Puca Pucara and Tambomachay to learn a little more about the Incas. At the end we drive back to Cusco and drop you off at your hotel.
Day 2 — Machu Picchu full day
You have breakfast at your hotel and we pick you up to take you to Ollantaytambo train station. From there you travel by train to Aguas Calientes, where our staff meet you at the station and walk you to the bus stop for the ride up to the Machu Picchu Sanctuary.
At the sanctuary you have a two-hour guided visit of the citadel. When it ends we take the bus back to Aguas Calientes, where a buffet lunch is waiting. After lunch you have free time to walk the craft market in Aguas Calientes, also called Machu Picchu Pueblo.
At the set time we go to the station and you board the train back to Ollantaytambo. There we wait with our vehicle to return to Cusco and drop you off at your hotel.
Day 3 — End of the trip
You have breakfast at your hotel and the day is free for things on your own: walk the historic center, visit markets and museums, or simply rest before your flight.
At the agreed time we pick you up at your hotel and take you to the airport. There we say goodbye and close the program.
Recommendations
- Leave your luggage at the hotel and bring a small backpack on each excursion.
- Bring snacks or small drinks.
- Follow your guide’s advice on what to wear each day.
- Bring a camera and extra batteries.
- Bring some cash for souvenirs.
- When you arrive in Cusco, give yourself at least half a day to acclimatize and drink coca tea at the hotel.
What's included
Included
- Welcome and airport–hotel–airport transfers.
- Tourist transport for all excursions.
- A professional guide on all excursions.
- Admission to every place we visit.
- Cusco Tourist Ticket.
- Tourist train tickets to Machu Picchu (round trip Ollantaytambo–Aguas Calientes).
- Bus up and down to the Machu Picchu Sanctuary.
- Breakfast at the hotel.
- Buffet lunch in Aguas Calientes (day 2).
- Ongoing support from our team.
Not included
- International flights.
- Domestic flights.
- Dinners.
- Meals not mentioned in the itinerary.
- Tips and extra expenses.
Frequently asked questions
How long is the visit at Machu Picchu?
The guided visit inside the sanctuary lasts about two hours.
Where does the train to Machu Picchu leave from?
From Ollantaytambo station. We take you there from your hotel in Cusco and pick you up there on the way back.
Which meals are included?
Breakfast at the hotel and the buffet lunch in Aguas Calientes. Dinners are not included.
Do I have time to acclimatize?
Yes. On the first day you have a few free hours at the hotel before the afternoon city tour. If you have any health issues, tell us so we can take them into account in your program.
What can I do on the third day?
It is a free day until your transfer to the airport; you can explore Cusco on your own.
