Machu Picchu by Bus: 2 Days 1 Night (Self-Launched)
2 days · Cusco & Machu Picchu, Peru
CondeTravel charges £131
No-markup version: ~£107 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched version of CondeTravel's budget "Machu Picchu by bus" trip — the same Cusco–Ollantaytambo–Abra Malaga–Hidroelectrica route and the same Hidroelectrica-to-Aguas Calientes hike, but booked piece by piece on your own. Take a shared minibus or local bus from Cusco, lunch in Hidroelectrica, walk the flat 3-hour rail-side trail into Aguas Calientes (or hop the shuttle train), overnight in a hostel, then climb to the citadel for sunrise and a self-booked entry ticket with optional online or on-site guide. Cheaper, more flexible, and you control your own timing. All costs are approximate per person in GBP.
Day-by-day
Cusco → Ollantaytambo → Abra Malaga → Hidroelectrica → Aguas Calientes
Aguas Calientes
Leave Cusco early (meet 06:00–06:20 at Plaza de Armas) on a shared tourist minibus bound for Hidroelectrica, sold as a 'bus Hidroelectrica' seat by Cusco hostels and travel agencies. The ride takes roughly 6 hours, so bring water, snacks and motion-sickness tablets. Stop ~20 minutes in Ollantaytambo for coffee, crafts and snacks, and pause for a photo at Abra Malaga pass (4,316 m) with views of the Veronica snow peak — a good acclimatisation checkpoint. Arrive at Hidroelectrica around midday and eat lunch at one of the simple rail-side eateries. Then walk the flat, well-marked trail alongside the train tracks to Aguas Calientes (about 3 hours, largely level, no guide needed). Alternatively, buy a one-way shuttle train ticket (Hidroelectrica–Aguas Calientes, ~£25) if you'd rather not walk. On arrival, check into your hostel, visit the Termales hot springs (~£3) if you have energy, and attend any Machu Picchu briefing your chosen tour agency offers in the main square at 18:00 if you've arranged a citadel guide. Group-style dinner at a local restaurant in the evening.
🚌Shared minibus Cusco (Plaza de Armas, 06:00) → Hidroelectrica ~6 hrs, ~£18–25 one-way. Optional shuttle train Hidroelectrica → Aguas Calientes ~£25. Return bus Aguas Calientes ↔ Cusco the following day.
🛏Budget hostel or guesthouse in Aguas Calientes (~£12–18/night, dorm or basic private)
- →Stop in Ollantaytambo (~20 min) for crafts and snacks
- →Photo stop at Abra Malaga pass (4,316 m) with Veronica snow mountain views
- →Lunch in Hidroelectrica
- →3-hour flat hike from Hidroelectrica to Aguas Calientes along the train tracks
- →Optional: Aguas Calientes hot springs
- →Optional: 18:00 Machu Picchu briefing with a local agency
Aguas Calientes → Machu Picchu → Cusco
Machu Picchu / Cusco
Rise before dawn and either walk the steep stairs up to the citadel (approx. 1.5 hrs) or take the Consettur shuttle bus from Aguas Calientes (~£10 one-way, ~25 min). Be at the gate for sunrise — one of the most rewarding moments of the whole trip. Your Machu Picchu entry ticket must be booked in advance online (circuit options sell out fast); if official tickets are gone, the fallback is to queue in Aguas Calientes the day before for the limited next-day releases. Once inside, join a self-booked shared guide (arrange in Aguas Calientes, ~£18–25, roughly a 2-hour tour) or use an audio/paper guide and explore independently for a few more hours. Important: this route does NOT include a train back to Cusco — you return by the same bus route via Hidroelectrica, so budget enough time for the walk out and the drive. Lunch in Aguas Calientes is at your own cost (~£6–10). Arrive back in Cusco around 22:00 at Plaza San Francisco.
🚌Consettur shuttle bus Aguas Calientes → Machu Picchu ~£10 each way; shared minibus Machu Picchu/ Hidroelectrica → Cusco ~£18–25; arrive Cusco ~22:00 (Plaza San Francisco).
🛏None (overnight return to Cusco — book your own Cusco hostel separately)
- →Sunrise viewing at the Machu Picchu citadel
- →Self-booked guided tour of Machu Picchu (~2 hrs)
- →Independent exploration of the citadel
- →Optional: lunch in Aguas Calientes
Self-launched vs. CondeTravel
| This itinerary (self-launched) | CondeTravel | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£107 | £131 |
| Duration | 2 days | 2 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £24 per person (18%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more CondeTravel-style trips? Check them out here.~£107
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
This publishes your dates so other travellers can find and join you — no tour operator needed.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does Machu Picchu by Bus: 2 Days 1 Night (Self-Launched) cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £107 per person for 2 days in Cusco & Machu Picchu, Peru. This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with CondeTravel?+
Yes — CondeTravel charges around £131 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £107 — a saving of roughly £24 (18%) per person.
How long is the Cusco & Machu Picchu, Peru trip?+
This itinerary runs 2 days, covering 2 day-by-day stops through Cusco & Machu Picchu, Peru.
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a adventure, culture, hiking trip through Cusco & Machu Picchu, Peru, self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
Would you like to name the operator, name the trip, or have any suggestions about how to improve this itinerary?
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