PRIVATE MACHU PICCHU TOURS

Day 1   Cusco to Machu Picchu

Start time
Between 6:00 am and 7:00 am

Travel
Two hours by bus to Ollantaytambo, one hour train ride to Aguas calientes.

Highlights of the day
Our tour guides will pick you up from your hotel in Cusco or the Sacred Valley and take you to the Ollantaytambo train station. From this place, we will go on one of the most picturesque and fabulous train rides of the world along the Sacred Valley and the Urubamba river. The train rides take about one and a half hour until it reaches its destination in Aguas Calientes. At Aguas Calientes, we will check in our hotels and go for an early lunch at one of our favorite restaurants. In the afternoon, we will catch the shuttle bus that will take us to Machu Picchu. Upon entering the Incan city, Our guide will lead us on a walk up the Inca trail toward the Sun Gate, from where we will enjoy the Sunset views at Machu Picchu. We will return to Aguas Calientes at 5:30 PM and have well-deserved dinner before we go to sleep at our nice hotel.

Meals
Lunch at Aguas Calientes 
Dienner at Aguas Calientes 

Accommodation 
Night at 3 star hotel

Other information 
Entrance tickets, passports and student ID’s will need to be shown at entrance of the park.

Day 2    Aguas Calientes to Cusco

Start time
4:30 am

Travel
30 minute bus ride to Machu Picchu park.

Highlights of the day
Our day starts at 4:30 in the morning. We will go to the bus station where we will catch the bus to Machupichu National Sanctuary . The bus ride takes 30 minutes. The first bus depart at 5:30 AM. Our departure time will depend of how early we make it to the bus station. Please allow an hour or so of waiting time before we catch our bus.

At Machupicchu we will go on a tour around this wonder of the world. The tour usually takes 2 +hours. After the tour, Our guide will direct us to the location access point to the Wayna picchu mountain and the MAchupicchu mountain. The climb to those mountains take between 2 and 3.5 hours.    Also, our guide will give you the train tickets for Cusco.

​The trip to Cusco takes 4 hours. The first part by train to Ollantaytambo takes two hours, and the second part takes two hours too. A bus will pick us up from Ollantaytambo and take us back to Cusco. The Time of arrival to Cusco depends of the time of departure from Aguas Calientes. Usually people arrive back to Cusco at 8:00PM.

Meals
Breakfast at hotel.
​
Other information 
Entrance tickets, passports and student ID’s will need to be shown at entrance of the park.

This 2 day private tour it’s the best way to have a short and complete adventure around the most important spots in Cusco. You will be able to visit Machu Picchu twice and also the Sun Gate (Inti Punku)

• Duration: 2 Days and 1 Nights
• Start/ Finish location: Cusco city
• Service Level: Exclusive/Private
• Difficulty: Easy
• Travel Style: Active
• Group Size: Any

What’s Included

• Private Transportation
• Tourist Train Ollantaytambo-Aguas Calientes-Ollantaytambo (upgrade available)
• Shuttle Bus tickets: Two round trip Aguas Calientes-Machu Picchu-Aguas Calientes.   
• Hotel; Our hotel of choice is Andina Hotels which is a conveniently located to all points of importance such as train station, shuttle buses station, restaurants and banks.
• World class professional tour guides:  It cannot be any more explicit, our tour guides rank amongst the best of  the best when it comes to exploring Peru and Machu Picchu’s ancient historical and natural background.
• Alimentation: Lunch and dinner in Aguas Calientes on day one, breakfast at the hotel in Aguas Calientes on day two. We choose some of the best restaurants in town for you. In them, you can get a taste of the fabulous Peruvian cuisine.
• Two Tickets to Machu Picchu for day 1 and 2.

Optional services not included

• Huayna Picchu Tickets
• Lunch in Agua Calientes on day two.
• Gratuities for tour guide.
• Meals do not include refreshments or alcoholic beverages.

Meals
Our cooks are professionally trained to provide the best high quality meals. The menu varies with different products like pasta, rice, fruits, vegetables, grains, eggs, and different  meats. If you have any dietary restrictions or allergies please make sure to add it in your details at the moment of booking.

Transportation
Private vehicle, trains, hiking.

Accommodation
Camping 3 nights. The camping tents we provide are high quality internationally branded products. We use 3 people tents to accommodate 2 people. Single Travelers joining group trips will be paired with same sex person for the duration of the trip. Single tent supplements are allowed at extra cost. 

Minimun Age
At Evolution Treks Peru we are always happy to have families travel with us. Our minimum age requirement is 1 year old, at the time of hiking the children will be the responsibility of the parent or legal guardian 100%. The children will need full coverage travel insurance. 18 years old is the minimus age to travel without a guardian.

Pickups and drop offs
Evolution Treks Peru will provide transportation during the trek, beginning and ending at your hotel. Please be aware that there are many hotels, hostels, and AirBNBs that are only accessible via several steep stairs, so we advise checking how close your living arrangement is to a road to ensure you can have an easy pick up and drop off. If you choose to hike in a group tour, then your pick up times are scheduled based on the group itinerary. Any changes to that itinerary will incur on extra pick up services that will have a 30USD fee. 

Booking
Booking forms must be filled out to give us necessary information 
The Peruvian Government requires that all people present a copy of your 
passports. You will need to provide it after your booking.

Deposit
A partial deposit must be made so we can fulfill purchase. This deposit is non 
refundable, non changeable and non transferable. 

Inca Trail Permits
Limited Quantity available for the Inca Trail in all its routes, so be sure to lock in dates ASAP. Once you confirm a date, you must commit to it. 

Packing List

• Original Passport (make sure  to bring the immigration form too) 
• ISIC card (best to qualify for a discount)
• Waterproof jacket / rain poncho
• Hiking boots (If you plan to climb any of the surrounding mountains)
• Warm jacket
• T-shirts
• Comfortable Trousers
• Sun hat
• Sun cream (factor 35 or higher)
• Insect repellant
• Personal medication
• Camera and film
• Money (Peruvian soles and coins )
• Water (make sure you stay hydrated, take at least 2 litter of water if you plan to climb the surrounding mountains)
• Snacks 

Living Arrangements and extra bags

• There are a variety of hotels, hostels, and other establishments that can
  accommodate you for your stay in the area. We recommend that you stay in any central area. check with us for recommended hotels. If you choose an Airbnb for your stay, then please send us an screenshot of the exact location of your Airbnb on google maps. 
• If you have some bags that you will not be taking to the Inca Trail, then you can do that at your hotel. All hotels in Cusco offer a storage place for such bags for free. However, if you are staying at an Airbnb, then you must check with your host to do so. Also, you can leave your stuff with us at our storage room. In this case you will have to collect your things from our location upon your return from the trek. Also, we can arrange a delivery of your stuff to your hotel for a 10USD extra fee

PERU ENTRY REQUIREMENTS AND PERMITS 
USA citizens do not need a visa to enter Peru for tourism purposes. When you arrive in Peru, you will receive an Andean migration card instead of a visitor’s visa. 
Travelers to Peru will receive a card from Peruvian Immigration upon arrival stating the length of approved stay (usually 90 days). You cannot lose this piece of paper as you will need it to stay in hotels and even leave the country. We recommend keepin it clipped to the front page of your passport. 
Tourists must also provide evidence of return or onward travel. 

PASSPORT
A passport valid for six months is required to enter and depart Peru. You should take a number of photocopies of your passport with you. During your stay, carry a photocopy of your passport at all times. 
When you go to Machu Picchu, you may need to bring your passport. This may vary based on your specific itinerary. But, consider doing so anyway as you can get a novelty passport stamp there. 

TRAVEL INSURANCE 
Travel insurance is the responsibility of each individual member and must cover 
trekking up to a minimum of 5200M which is valid for the date of the trip. Details of your insurance will be sought before travelling so we can keep a record as well God forbid it needed to be used and you will need to print and bring a copy of your full insurance policy with you also. 

VACCINES AND MEDICINES
There are no mandatory vaccines for entry into Peru. Check the vaccines and 
medicines list and visit your doctor (ideally, 4-6 weeks) before your trip to get vaccines or medicines you may need. Recommended for the short-term tourist cover against food and water borne diseases is Hepatitis A and Typhoid and Tetanus. 
Leishmaniasis is a parasitic disease transmitted by sandflys present in Peru. The skin ulcers associated with this condition can take months to heal. Take care to avoid all insect bites – especially while along the Inca Trail. One of the biggest problems facing travellers to this region is the risk of insect bites. Along the Inca Trail you will often find that many travellers have been bitten significantly by both mosquitoes and sandflys. It is essential to protect yourself. Wearing long sleeved pale coloured clothing and applying good insect repellent (with DEET 30-50% at least) will help. This will be particularly important for the visit to Machu Picchu. 

ALTITUDE CONSIDERATIONS
The human body is quite capable of adapting to a very wide range of barometric pressures and there is plenty of oxygen even at the highest point of this expedition. However, the process of adaptation or acclimatisation does take time and the most important rule is to gain height slowly. Keeping well hydrated is also a huge factor in avoiding AMS (Acute Mountain Sickness). AMS is brought on by lower oxygen levels at higher altitudes. Symptoms include breathlessness, headache, poor sleep, nausea & dizziness. AMS is treated simply by not ascending to higher elevations or in more severe cases descending to lower elevations, where in most cases the symptoms are quickly relieved. This itinerary has been designed to minimise the chances of you getting altitude sickness. If you have suffered serious problems at altitude before, you should seek the advice of your doctor or a specialist. Please note it is common for most people to experience mild headaches on the summit day of this expedition. Always keep your guide informed on how you are feeling. 

DIAMOX 
Diamox (Acetazolamide) is a carbonic anhydrase inhibitor. In simple terms Diamox causes the kidneys to excrete more bicarbonate which causes the blood to become more acidic. Acidifying the blood stimulates ventilation, which increases the amount of oxygen in the blood which reduces the chances of getting AMS. It is your own decision, especially those who have had AMS in the past, to take Diamox prophylactically (as a preventative), starting on the first day of trekking. Current guidelines suggest 125 mg twice per day (tablet form not capsules). You should try taking Diamox for two days at some stage prior to departing Ireland to ensure you don’t suffer any of the more serious side effects. Numbness and tingly fingers and toes are common but in some cases users can suffer from nausea, vomiting or diarrhoea. If you experience any of the latter three side effects, we would advise against using Diamox. Always consult and follow the advice of your own doctor about Diamox or any other medication. Others advise you to take an aspirin daily on the trip to thin the blood to try prevent AMS. Again, you need to ask your own GP for advice. 

SPENDING MONEY AND TIPS
The “Nuevo Sol” (S/.) is the official currency of Peru. There are notes of the following denominations: 10, 20, 50, 100 and 200 soles. Coins are 10, 20 and 50 cents, as well as 1, 2 and 5 Nuevos Soles. Countless shops, restaurants, hotels and gas stations accept US Dollars. It is possible to exchange currency in banks and currency exchange agencies. There are also “cambistas” street currency exchangers, but the safety of the transaction is not guaranteed. Currency exchange agencies are regularly open from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm, from Monday to Friday, and half day on Saturdays. Most cities in the country have ATMs connected in most cases to Plus (Visa), Cirrus (MasterCard/Maestro), American Express and other networks. You may withdraw Nuevos Soles or US Dollars, although the exchange rates tend to be less favorable. 

Tipping guidelines
With regards of tips for porters, the average tip a porter gets 30USD for the 5 days. We usually multiply the number of porters for 30USD and divide that by the number of hikers. Chefs get an average of 20USD per day per hiker. Tour guides however are tipped individually by each participant based on performance. The average tip a guide gets is 15% of the cost of the tour per hiker.