This is the journey we book most often for travelers with a fixed number of days but a deep desire that those days feel like something. Two nights in Cusco, a single overnight at the foot of Machu Picchu, the Hiram Bingham in both directions, and a private archaeologist who reads the citadel like a manuscript. Below is the day-by-day, as we run it.

Day 01Sacred Valley
preparation

You are met at your Cusco hotel by your private driver and our concierge. A gentle morning transfer down into the Sacred Valley at 2,800 m — markedly more comfortable than the 3,400 m of Cusco. We pause briefly at the Pisaq agricultural terraces before continuing to a long lunch at Hacienda Huayoccari, a working seventeenth-century estate where the owner, a friend of ours, will likely sit with you over a glass of Tacama. The afternoon is quiet. You arrive at your chosen lodge — Tambo del Inka, Sol y Luna, or Explora Valle Sagrado, by your preference — in time for the sunset. Dinner in-lodge. Early sleep.

Day 02The citadel,
then home

A pre-dawn private transfer to Ollantaytambo station, where you board the Hiram Bingham at 09:05 (revised 2026 timing). Brunch unfolds across the spectacular Sacred Valley gorge as you climb toward Machu Picchu Pueblo. Welcomed on arrival by your private archaeologist guide — not the standard Belmond group — and the dedicated Hiram Bingham bus carries you up the switchbacks to the citadel gate. You enter on Circuit 2, in the early-afternoon slot we have held for you since the moment 2026 tickets opened. Two and a half hours inside, walking the upper terraces, descending through the urban sector, pausing at the Temple of the Sun and the Three Windows. Afternoon tea on the Sanctuary Lodge terrace. The return train departs at 17:50; cocktails, a three-course dinner with paired wines, live music in the bar car, arrival at Poroy by 21:25. Private transfer to your Cusco hotel.

What is included

  • Private bilingual driver and luxury vehicle on Day 1, Sacred Valley sector
  • One night at your selected Sacred Valley lodge (Tambo del Inka standard category included; upgrades available)
  • Lunch at Hacienda Huayoccari (set menu with wine pairings)
  • Hiram Bingham round-trip ticket, Ollantaytambo–Aguas Calientes–Ollantaytambo
  • All on-board meals: brunch outbound, three-course dinner return, all beverages including pisco sours and wines
  • Machu Picchu citadel entrance — Circuit 2 — 2026 ticket in your passport name
  • Round-trip Consettur bus, Aguas Calientes to citadel
  • Private archaeologist guide for the duration of the citadel visit (replaces the standard Belmond group guide)
  • Afternoon tea at the Belmond Sanctuary Lodge
  • Private transfers Ollantaytambo–Cusco at journey's end
  • 24/7 in-country concierge support throughout

What is not included

  • International flights to/from Lima, and the Lima–Cusco domestic flight
  • Cusco hotel nights before and after (we book these as part of a longer itinerary)
  • Gratuities, personal expenses, travel insurance (mandatory; we recommend a provider)

Customisation

This is a starting structure. Common alterations we make: upgrade the Sacred Valley night to Sol y Luna's Casita category (+ USD 380 pp), substitute the Sanctuary Lodge as an actual overnight (+ USD 1,400 pp), add a second day at the citadel for Huayna Picchu (+ USD 290 pp + permit), or extend the trip with three nights in Cusco at Palacio del Inka or Belmond Monasterio.

The honest caveat

The Hiram Bingham does not run in January (annual refurbishment) or on the final Sunday of each month. The observation car is out of service from late May through mid-June 2026 for maintenance. Tickets are released seasonally and the May, June and September departures sell out three to four months in advance. We hold inventory but cannot guarantee specific dates beyond 90 days out without a deposit.

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