Cusco to Machu Picchu By Car: An Enriching Adventure through Andean Path

19 Ratings

Cusco

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Choosing to travel from Cusco to Machu Picchu by car with Andean Path Tours promises a deeply fulfilling and memorable trip. Our crew, praised on TripAdvisor for their extensive knowledge of the area’s historical, cultural, and geographical aspects, will guide you with an engaging story, offering an intense, experiential journey.

Duration: 2 days

Cancellation: 24 hours

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Highlights

Cusco - Ollantaytambo - Abra Malaga - Hidroeléctrica - Aguas Calientes

Plaza de Armas - This is our meeting point, unless our team pick you up directly from your Cusco accommodation.
Ollantaytambo - We will begin our journey towards Ollantaytambo, a historic Inca town set within the Sacred Valley. The travel from Cusco to Ollantaytambo will…

Cusco - Ollantaytambo - Abra Malaga - Hidroeléctrica - Aguas Calientes

Plaza de Armas - This is our meeting point, unless our team pick you up directly from your Cusco accommodation.

Ollantaytambo - We will begin our journey towards Ollantaytambo, a historic Inca town set within the Sacred Valley. The travel from Cusco to Ollantaytambo will take about 1.5 hours, spanning around 45 miles. Upon arrival, you’ll have the opportunity to stretch, enjoy a light snack, and marvel at the captivating Inca town.

Abra Malaga - Following the break, our journey will resume towards Abra Malaga, offering breathtakingly spectacular views that present ideal photo opportunities.

Santa Maria - En route, we journey through picturesque villages, including the charming Santa María.

Santa Teresa - We traverse charming villages like Santa Teresa, adding to the delightful experience of the journey.

Hidroeléctrica - Continuing from Santa Teresa, we’ll proceed to Hidroeléctrica, where we will be stopping for lunch.

Aguas Calientes - From Hidro Electrica it is a three hour hike to Aguas Calientes. Arriving in Aguas Calientes during the late afternoon, we’ll check into our accommodation. You’ll have the evening to unwind, wander around the quaint town, and savor dinner at a local restaurant. As night falls, you can rest and prepare for the exciting exploration of Machu Picchu the following day.

Aguas Calientes - Machu Picchu - Hidroelectrica - Cusco

Aguas Calientes - On the second day, you’ll kickstart the morning bright and early in Aguas Calientes. Enjoy a hearty breakfast at your accommodation, fueling up for an exciting day of adventure ahead.

Santuario Historico de Machu Picchu - It’s time to ascend to Machu Picchu. For a more convenient experience, you have the option to upgrade and take a 30-minute bus ride from Aguas Calientes to Machu Picchu. Upon arrival, a knowledgeable guide will lead you on a fascinating 2-hour tour, sharing the history and culture of this iconic Inca site as you explore its terraces, temples, and plazas.

Aguas Calientes - We’ll begin the descent back to Aguas Calientes.

Hidroeléctrica - Upon returning to Aguas Calientes, you’ll have the opportunity to enjoy a quick lunch. Following the meal, we will commence the hike back to Hydroelectrica.

Plaza Regocijo (Kusipata) - After reaching Hydroelectrica, we’ll reboard the car and initiate the drive back to Cusco.

What's Included

Tickets Included
Expert Guided Tour
All Meals Covered (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
Scenic Hike
Comfortable Accommodation
Transportation Provided

What's Not Included

Optional Bus Ride from Aguas Calientes to Machu Picchu (12 USD each way)
Optional Activities
Travel Insurance
Personal Expenses
Tips

Location

Cuzco Main Square

Del Medio

If you are not staying at hotels within the centre of Cusco, we will be picking you up from Plaza de Armas

Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings

4.2

(19 Ratings)

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1 star

Prabsimranu2021

May 21, 2025

5 star service - Carlos was an absolute lifesaver and a true professional. My wife and I had a last-minute opportunity to visit Machu Picchu, and Carlos made the impossible happen. He quickly organized everything for us — from tickets to logistics — with care and attention to every detail. What stood out the most was how thoughtful and accommodating he was, especially considering my wife is pregnant. Carlos arranged a private taxi just for the two of us, ensuring comfort, safety, and peace of mind throughout the journey. His kindness, flexibility, and calm presence made a potentially stressful situation feel completely manageable. We’re so grateful for his help and would highly recommend Carlos to anyone needing travel support in Peru. He truly goes above and beyond!

Review provided by Tripadvisor

N1389zbnellym

Sep 24, 2024

A wonderful journey - It is wonderful the experience lived all very cared for by the always attentive and very friendly staff... Giving confidence and security... With accessible price..

Review provided by Tripadvisor

Tillylem

May 23, 2024

Perfect - I booked a City tour of Cusco and a Machu Picchu Tour by van last minute with Andean Path. Carlos was very helpful and checked on me all along the tour. Everything went well, I recommend the van trip as the landscape is breath taking. I managed to get a ticket for the next day in Machu Picchu, 7am. Overall I had a really good experience with this agency and good value.

Review provided by Tripadvisor

Roam46708576478

May 14, 2024

Dream come true! - I just returned disappointed from Machu Picchu with one of the bigger tour companies who booked me on circuit 4 . I was walking around Cusco very despondent as I didn’t get that famous postcard photo . This is when I met Carlos who promised me that I would definitely get tickets for circuit 1&2. So the next day I was off to Machu Picchu again . I was picked up from my hotel and taken to the train station in Olllantaytambo train. This time I had a window seat to fully appreciate the lovely scenery.. I was met by a guide at Machu Picchu who helped me with the process of buying the tickets for circuit 1 and the next day we went up the mountain to witness one of the seven wonders on a glorious sunny day. It was truly magical! Everything was well organised including my return to Cusco. Thank you Carlos for helping me fulfil a dream.

Review provided by Tripadvisor

Melissaem507tw

Jun 14, 2025

Machu Picchu incredible - Carlos was incredible however as a solo traveller speaking English it was quite difficult to navigate. Carlos was the only person who spoke English all other tour guides in between were Spanish. I’d also advise getting the train if you’re not a fan of walking long distances.

Review provided by Tripadvisor

Elainell6532ii

Mar 30, 2024

Machu Picchu Rainy Season Experience - My first trip to Machu Picchu was thrilling. I was supposed to walk from the power plant to Hot Water Town, but due to the rainy season, the road was blocked and impassable. I returned to Ollantambo to buy a train ticket for the next day and arrived at Hot Water Town at about 7:45am. Entry time is 6:00-7:00am, from Hot Water Town to Machu Picchu at about 9 o'clock. After explanation, we finally entered Machu Picchu.

Review provided by Tripadvisor

Georm2017

Feb 27, 2024

Vacation - Good service, I recommend it. Carlos is very helpful, always willing to clarify doubts and solve any problem.

Review provided by Tripadvisor

Aina

Jun 25, 2025

Solution to: no Machu Picchu ticket - This tour ensures you get a last minute ticket to machu picchu if you did not get it previously, as was our case, which we wanted to book at short notice. But what we didn’t know until we arrived in Cusco is that as soon as we arrived the next day to hydroelectric we had two options, a 2-3h brisk walk (what is included in the tour) or catch a train of between 80-95 dollars according to schedule to be able to get to hot waters as soon as possible since Machu Picchu tickets are delivered on a first come, first served basis. In addition, 3 different guides were in contact with us during the trip that made us doubt a good organization of the tour. Despite this feeling everything was well organized and we were waiting at the hotel, restaurants, etc with the name of the reservation. To highlight the continued attention of Carlos at all times, resolving all these doubts and being prepared for any setbacks (we even changed the return on our own and facilitated a transfer not included).

Review provided by Tripadvisor

Johannes_u

Jun 17, 2024

Chaos and confusion - This tour is poorly organized. I received multiple different messages about the start time. The website was 8am. Then one WhatsApp message for 6:40am (upset but accepted). Then another WhatsApp message, last minute, for 6:20am (upset and refused). I will say that Viator did the right thing and gave me a complete refund. Do not choose this tour, but do use Viator to schedule - they care about their customers.

Review provided by Viator

Ryan

May 13, 2025

Do not book this! - I would 100% not recommend this trip. It stated that it includes entrance to machu pichu , which it does not. They gave us poor (no) information about the train from hydroelectric to aguas calientes, which caused us to miss the train, and since my girlfriend had terrible blisters at the time, we were forced to do the 5 mile hike with her in socks. The hotel that was included was the worst part. The rooms and bed were sopping wet and the mattress and shower curtain were covered in black mold. And since they gave us such poor information, we were forced to miss our 2:30pm bus back to Cusco, since our machu pichu tour was at 3pm. So it was either pay for another night in a different hotel, or get the 9pm train back to Cusco which cost us 160USD. They also changed the time of our initial departure from 8am to 6:30 am to meet at plaza de armas, but they were actually 3 blocks away, so we almost missed the trip entirely all together. Then they loaded us into a bus without any sort of a tour guide, so there was no one to give us any information during the 7 hour bus ride. All in all, we had to pay for our entrance tickets, bus tickets up to the top of machu pichu to actually see the park and then pay for the train back, as well as an extra night in a hotel all due to lack of info. So basically we paid 186USD for one 7 hour bus ride and a night in the absolute worst hotel situation we have ever experienced. This tour screwed us.

Review provided by Tripadvisor

Check Availability

From $186

up to 9 guests

1 - Adult