2-Day Tour to Machu Picchu By Minivan from Cusco

Your 2-day, small-group tour begins around 7am when you're picked up from your Cusco hotel by minivan. Pass through the Sacred Valley of the Incas to get to the snow-capped mountains of Abra Malaga, the highest point along the route. Snap a photo of the view before descending to the abundant vegetation of the high jungle. Stop for a traditional Andean lunch in the village of Santa Teresa before continuing to the Hydroelectric station and finally Aguas Calientes. You have the option to go to the hot springs at your own expense, or simply settle into your hostel — which has private bathrooms and hot water.

On the second day have breakfast at your hostel and leave on foot to reach Machu Picchu before dawn (about an hour's walk), or take the first bus at 6am. Join your group for a 2.5-hour guided tour of the iconic archaeological site, and have plenty of time to freely explore on your own. After you leave Machu Picchu, walk for approximately 3 hours to the Hydroelectric station where a minivan will be waiting to transport you back to Cusco. The tour ends around 8 or 9pm when you're dropped off at your Cusco hotel.