Express Peru with Machu Picchu by Train (Self-Launched)
6 days · Peru
G Adventures charges £817
No-markup version: ~£315 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched echo of G Adventures' 6-day Express Peru tour — starting and ending in Cusco. Explore the Sacred Valley's weaving co-ops and markets, ride the scenic train to Aguas Calientes, then tick off the legendary Machu Picchu citadel with your own locally booked guide. Same Inca highlights, far less cost, and total freedom over pacing and circuits.
Day-by-day
Arrive in Cusco & acclimatise
Cusco
Fly into Cusco and take a taxi (~25 min) to your hostel in the historic centre near Plaza de Armas. Spend the rest of the day resting and acclimatising to the 3,400m altitude. Drink coca tea, wander the cobblestone streets of San Blas, and book your Machu Picchu tickets, Sacred Valley tour, and train for the coming days if you haven't already. Optional: a mild walking tour of the old Inca capital.
🚌Taxi from Cusco airport to centre (~£5)
🛏Budget hostel/hotel near Plaza de Armas, Cusco (~£10)
- →Acclimatisation & rest
- →Wander San Blas artisan quarter
- →Book Machu Picchu tickets & train for coming days
Full-day Sacred Valley loop
Sacred Valley (Pisac, Ollantaytambo)
Take a local colectivo or public bus from Cusco to Pisac to browse its famous Sunday-anyday artisan market and hilltop ruins. Continue through the Sacred Valley to Ollantaytambo's colossal Inca fortress. Along the route you can drop by community-run weaving/textile co-ops like those in Ccaccaccollo and eat fresh farm-to-table lunch at local community restaurants in places like Huchuy Qosco. Optional afternoon hike up the Ollantaytambo granary storehouses for valley views.
🚌Colectivo/public bus Cusco–Pisac–Ollantaytambo (shared transport, ~£8)
🛏Guesthouse back in Cusco (~£10)
- →Pisac ruins & artisan market
- →Visit community textile weaving co-op (e.g. Ccaccaccollo)
- →Ollantaytambo Inca fortress & optional storehouse hike
- →Farm-to-table community lunch
Train to Aguas Calientes
Aguas Calientes
Take the scenic PeruRail or Inca Rail departure from Ollantaytambo station down the Urubamba valley to Aguas Calientes (Machu Picchu Pueblo). Check into a budget guesthouse near the station, then use the afternoon to relax in the local hot springs or browse the market before an early night ahead of tomorrow's sunrise visit.
🚌Scenic train Ollantaytambo–Aguas Calientes (~£40 return considered across trip; ~£20 each way)
🛏Budget guesthouse in Aguas Calientes (~£18)
- →Scenic train ride through the Urubamba gorge
- →Relax in Aguas Calientes hot springs (optional)
- →Browse local market
Machu Picchu sunrise & return to Cusco
Machu Picchu / Cusco
Rise early and take the first shuttle (~25 min) from Aguas Calientes up to the Machu Picchu gate. Enter on your pre-booked circuit ticket and explore the 'Lost City of the Incas' — either hire an official guide at the gate for context or wander the terraces, sun temple and iconic viewpoint yourself. If you booked an extra circuit, slot it in. After a few hours return by shuttle and catch the afternoon train back to Cusco.
🚌Shuttle Aguas Calientes–Machu Picchu (~£9 one way) + train back to Ollantaytambo/Cusco (~£20)
🛏Budget hostel/hotel back in Cusco (~£10)
- →Guided or self-explore Machu Picchu (pre-booked entry ticket ~£40)
- →Sunrise views over the citadel
Cusco's ruins, museums & markets
Cusco
A relaxed cultural day in Cusco. Use the cheap Boleto Turístico or individual tickets to visit nearby archaeological sites — Sacsayhuamán fort, Q'enqo, Tambomachay and the Cristo Blanco viewpoint on foot or by short taxi. In town, tour the Inca walls of the Qorikancha and San Blas churches, and browse the San Pedro Market for souvenirs and street food. Optional: book a local Cusco cooking class or traditional chicha (corn beer) tasting.
🚌Local taxis/buses around Cusco (~£6)
🛏Budget hostel/hotel in Cusco (~£10)
- →Sacsayhuamán & surrounding ruins
- →Qorikancha Sun Temple & San Blas churches
- →San Pedro Market visit
- →Optional cooking class or chicha tasting
Depart Cusco
Cusco
Enjoy a final Peruvian breakfast at a local café before transferring to Cusco airport for your flight home or onwards. Pick up any last-minute alpaca knitwear or coffee from San Pedro Market before you go.
🚌Taxi to Cusco airport (~£5)
🛏None (departure day)
- →Final market run & depart
Self-launched vs. G Adventures
| This itinerary (self-launched) | G Adventures | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£315 | £817 |
| Duration | 6 days | 6 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £502 per person (61%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more G Adventures-style trips? Check them out here.~£315
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 Express Peru with Machu Picchu by Train (Self-Launched) cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £315 per person for 6 days in 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 G Adventures?+
Yes — G Adventures charges around £817 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £315 — a saving of roughly £502 (61%) per person.
How long is the Peru trip?+
This itinerary runs 6 days, covering 6 day-by-day stops through 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 culture, hiking, adventure trip through 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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