This 3-day tour shows the Sacred Valley from the inside. On day one you visit Chinchero, the Maras salt pans and the terraces of Moray, then arrive in the community of Misminay, where you are welcomed with music, share a traditional lunch and spend the night with a host family after dinner around a bonfire.
On day two you join daily life — working in the fields depending on the season, spinning and dyeing wool — and share a pachamanca cooked under hot stones, before visiting Ollantaytambo and taking the train to Aguas Calientes. Day three is a guided visit of Machu Picchu of three to four hours, with Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu Mountain as an option (US $65). Every entrance, the homestay, the hotel and the listed meals are included. Read our 3-day guide.
3 Days
Duration
3,800 m
Max altitude
Moderate
Difficulty
Max 14
Group size
Tour Highlights
A night in Misminay
Stay with a Quechua family, share their meals and the evening around the fire.
Pachamanca
A traditional feast of meat and vegetables cooked underground on hot stones.
Weaving and farming
Learn how wool is spun, dyed and woven, and lend a hand in the fields.
Maras, Moray and Chinchero
The salt pans, the circular terraces and the weaving village of the upper valley.
Machu Picchu
A guided visit of three to four hours, with optional Huayna Picchu.
Every entrance included
Nothing to pay at the sites — the Tourist Ticket and Machu Picchu are part of the price.
Day-by-day itinerary
Your complete day-by-day itinerary for the Sacred Valley Cultural & Machu Picchu 3D/2N, with what to expect each day.
DAY 1
Cusco – Chinchero – Maras & Moray – Misminay community
A 7:30 AM pickup heads to the upper Sacred Valley: the traditional Chinchero market and colonial temple, the Maras salt mines and the agricultural terraces of Moray. In the welcoming Misminay community you are greeted with music and dance, enjoy a traditional lunch, and end the day with a family dinner around a bonfire and an overnight homestay.
Meals
Lunch, dinner
Stay
Misminay homestay
Difficulty
Easy
DAY 2
Experiential community tourism – Ollantaytambo – Aguas Calientes
After breakfast, take part in daily community life — plowing, harvesting, and learning spinning, weaving and natural dyeing, plus a traditional Pachamanca lunch. In the afternoon, transfer to Ollantaytambo for a guided visit of the “Living Inca City”, then board the scenic train to Aguas Calientes for an overnight stay.
Meals
Breakfast, lunch
Stay
Hotel in Aguas Calientes
Difficulty
Easy
DAY 3
Machu Picchu guided tour – Cusco
An early bus climbs to Machu Picchu for a 3–4 hour guided tour of its temples and palaces, with optional Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu Mountain (extra). Return to Aguas Calientes for lunch, then the afternoon train to Ollantaytambo and a private transfer to Cusco (arrival ~6:30 PM).
Altitude
Machu Picchu 2,430 m
Meals
Breakfast
Return
Train & private transfer
Good to know: Your original passport is required to enter Machu Picchu and must match your ticket, so we collect each traveler’s passport details when you book.
Inclusions & exclusions
Exactly what is covered in your Sacred Valley Cultural & Machu Picchu 3D/2N — and what to budget separately.
What's Included
Comprehensive transportation
Refreshments provided
All entrance tickets included
Exclusive private guide
Emergency medical supplies (oxygen & first aid)
Cusco to Ollantaytambo transfer
Scenic train to Aguas Calientes
Shuttle bus to Machu Picchu
Machu Picchu entrance included
Lunch in Aguas Calientes
Return train to Ollantaytambo
Final transfer to Cusco
Not Included
Tips & gratuities
Huayna Picchu / Machu Picchu Mountain ($65)
Travel insurance & personal expenses
Before you go
A few essentials we recommend to make your Sacred Valley Cultural & Machu Picchu 3D/2N as rewarding as possible.
Acclimatize in Cusco first
Spend a day or two in Cusco (3,400 m) before this tour. Hydrate well, eat light, drink coca tea and take it easy. Our guides carry oxygen and a first-aid kit.
Bring your passport
Your original passport is required to enter Machu Picchu and must match your ticket, so we collect each traveler's details when you book.
Best time to go
The dry season runs April to October with clearer skies, ideal for Machu Picchu and the Sacred Valley. We operate year-round.
Sun & weather
Bring sunscreen SPF 50+, a hat, sunglasses and layers. Mornings are cool, midday sun is strong, and a light rain jacket is wise.
Cancellations & weather
You can cancel up to 24 hours before the tour if a verifiable emergency keeps you from joining — an illness, an accident or a cancelled flight, for example, with a document that shows it. If weather or road conditions make the trip unsafe, we will offer you a new date or a full refund. Machu Picchu tickets, train tickets and Inca Trail permits are personal and cannot be refunded once purchased. See our refund policy.
What to pack
Travel light but smart. Here's exactly what we recommend bringing for a comfortable, safe day at altitude.
Essentials
Passport — required for the entrance ticket.
Hiking boots (broken in) — terrain is rocky & uneven.
Transparent pricing — no hidden fees. The more travelers in your group, the lower the price per person.
Group Type
Group Size
Price / Person
What's Different
Shared Group Most popular
2 – 14 travelers
US $600 / pp
Mixed international group · set departure
Family Package
4+ adults & kids
US $570 / pp
5% discount for adolescents & children
Group of 8+
8 or more travelers
From US $540 / pp
Automatic group discount at checkout
Group discounts apply automatically. Book 4+ travelers and we'll send a custom quote within 2 hours. Larger groups (10+) qualify for additional savings — message us on WhatsApp.
Payment & refund highlights
Secure online payment
Pay with Visa, MasterCard, American Express. All transactions SSL-encrypted via Izipay.
Cancellation policy
We accept cancellations up to 24 hours before the tour when a verifiable emergency prevents you from attending. Machu Picchu tickets, train tickets and Inca Trail permits are personal and cannot be refunded once purchased. Refunds go back to your original payment method and are processed by your bank, not by us: any bank fees are applied by the bank, and the money can take up to 30 business days to reach your account. Thank you for your patience. Read the full policy.
Frequently asked questions
Quick answers to the questions we hear most often. More? See the full FAQ page or reach us on WhatsApp.
A simple private room with plenty of blankets and shared facilities in a family home. The value lies in the exchange: cooking together, working the fields and hearing how traditions are kept alive.
Yes, all of them, including the Cusco Tourist Ticket sites, Maras and Machu Picchu. Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu Mountain is an optional extra (US $65).
Night 1 with a family in Misminay, night 2 in a hotel in Aguas Calientes.
The 2-day tour covers similar sites faster, without the community stay. Choose 3 days if you want to understand Andean life.
Yes. Families often enjoy the homestay most of all; the walking is easy throughout.
A glimpse of the journey
Sacred Valley Cultural & Machu Picchu 3D/2N in pictures
