Self-Launched Sacred Valley, Skylodge & Short Inca Trail to Machu Picchu
5 days · Peru (Cusco, Sacred Valley, Machu Picchu)
Action Peru Treks charges £950
No-markup version: ~£692 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A DIY version of Action Peru Treks' 5-day Sky Lodge & Short Inca Trail tour: two nights acclimatising in Cusco, a self-organised Sacred Valley day trip hitting Chinchero, Moray, Maras salt pans and Ollantaytambo, a night in a hanging capsule at Skylodge (booked directly with Natura Vive), a self-booked 2-day Short Inca Trail permit with an official Machu Picchu guide, and a night in Aguas Calientes before the guided citadel visit and train back to Cusco. The big-ticket items (Skylodge capsule, Inca Trail permits, Machu Picchu entry, Huayna Picchu) must be reserved weeks/months ahead — everything else is bookable on the ground or via GetYourGuide/Klook. All costs are rough estimates for one person sharing a dorm or twin.
Day-by-day
Fly into Cusco and acclimatise
Cusco
Land at Alejandro Velasco Astete (CUZ) and take a taxi or the airport minibus (S/15-25, ~£4-5) to your hostel in the historic centre. Spend the rest of the day going very slowly: coca tea, a gentle wander to Plaza de Armas and San Blas, an early dinner and an early night. Book a dorm or private double in San Blas or around Plaza de Armas (approx. £12-20pp/night). Use the evening to confirm your Sacred Valley transport and check your Skylodge and Inca Trail bookings are in place.
🚌Airport taxi or shared minibus to centre, ~£4-5
🛏Hostel dorm or budget private room, Cusco historic centre (approx. £15)
- →Arrival transfer to Cusco centre
- →Gentle stroll to Plaza de Armas and San Blas
- →Coca tea and altitude acclimatisation
Self-guided Sacred Valley circuit, then climb to Skylodge
Chinchero / Moray / Maras / Ollantaytambo / Skylodge
Take an early colectivo or shared taxi from Cusco to Chinchero (S/5-8, ~£1.50) and visit the archaeological complex and terraces (entry covered by the Boleto Turístico, ~S/130/£28). From Chinchero, a shared van or taxi to Urubamba/Moray gets you to the circular Moray terraces (Moray entry ~S/70 or covered on combined tickets) and the Maras salt evaporation ponds (~S/20 entry). Continue to Ollantaytambo for the fortress and lunch, then transfer to the Pachar area for Natura Vive's Skylodge via ferrata climb at around 15:00-16:00 — book direct with Natura Vive well in advance (~£120-140pp including via ferrata, capsule night, dinner and breakfast the next morning). Dinner is served in the hanging panoramic capsule with valley and night-sky views.
🚌Colectivos/shared taxis Cusco-Chinchero-Moray-Marce-Ollantaytambo, then taxi to Pachar; approx. £15-20 total
🛏Skylodge Adventure Suites hanging capsule (approx. £130 incl. dinner, breakfast, climb)
- →Chinchero archaeological complex
- →Moray circular terraces
- →Maras salt evaporation ponds
- →Ollantaytambo fortress
- →Via ferrata ascent to Skylodge
- →Gourmet dinner in hanging capsule
Zip-line down, Short Inca Trail to Wiñay Wayna and Sun Gate
Skylodge / Wiñay Wayna / Sun Gate / Aguas Calientes
Breakfast at the capsule, then zip-line descent (~£25-35pp add-on with Natura Vive) and transfer to Ollantaytambo or the Km 104 trailhead. Hike the Short Inca Trail with a licensed guide — note this is not DIY-able: Inca Trail permits are only sold through authorised agencies, so book a 2-day Short Inca Trail package with a local Cusco agency or via GetYourGuide (~£150-180pp including permit, guide, boxed lunch and Machu Picchu entry). The trail climbs to Wiñay Wayna, then through the Sun Gate for your first view of Machu Picchu, before descending by bus to Aguas Calientes (~£10). Stay in a hostel or guesthouse in Aguas Calientes (approx. £18-25pp) and eat at a local restaurant.
🚌Transfer to trailhead, bus Machu Picchu-Aguas Calientes (~£10), approx. £18 total
🛏Hostel or guesthouse, Aguas Calientes (approx. £20)
- →Zip-line descent from Skylodge
- →Short Inca Trail hike (Km 104 route)
- →Wiñay Wayna ruins
- →Sun Gate (Inti Punku) entrance to Machu Picchu
- →Bus down to Aguas Calientes
Machu Picchu guided tour and train to Cusco
Machu Picchu / Aguas Calientes / Cusco
Take the earliest Consettur bus up to the citadel (~£10-12 return) for sunrise. Your Short Inca Trail package normally includes a 2-hour guided tour of Machu Picchu; otherwise hire a licensed guide at the gate (~£25-30 split between a small group). Optional Huayna Picchu climb requires a separate permit booked months ahead (~£30-35 direct, not $75). Afterwards, bus down and take the afternoon Expedition or Vistadome train from Aguas Calientes to Poroy or Ollantaytambo (~£55-70 one way, book on PeruRail or IncaRail), then a colectivo or shared van on to Cusco (~£3-5). Check back into a Cusco hostel.
🚌Consettur bus ~£10, train ~£60, shared van to Cusco ~£4; approx. £74
🛏Hostel dorm or budget private room, Cusco (approx. £15)
- →Sunrise bus up to Machu Picchu
- →Guided walking tour of Machu Picchu
- →Optional Huayna Picchu climb (permit required)
- →Scenic train Aguas Calientes to Ollantaytambo/Poroy
Cusco breakfast and departure
Cusco
Breakfast at a café near Plaza de Armas, a last wander through San Pedro market for souvenirs and a cheap almuerzo, then a taxi to the airport (~£4-5) for your onward flight. If your flight is later, drop bags at the hostel and visit Qorikancha or the San Blas viewpoint before heading out.
🚌Taxi to airport ~£4-5
🛏None (departure day)
- →San Pedro market
- →Optional Qorikancha or San Blas viewpoint
- →Airport transfer
Self-launched vs. Action Peru Treks
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Action Peru Treks | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£692 | £950 |
| Duration | 5 days | 5 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £258 per person (27%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Action Peru Treks-style trips? Check them out here.~£692
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 Self-Launched Sacred Valley, Skylodge & Short Inca Trail to Machu Picchu cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £692 per person for 5 days in Peru (Cusco, Sacred Valley, Machu Picchu). 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 Action Peru Treks?+
Yes — Action Peru Treks charges around £950 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £692 — a saving of roughly £258 (27%) per person.
How long is the Peru (Cusco, Sacred Valley, Machu Picchu) trip?+
This itinerary runs 5 days, covering 5 day-by-day stops through Peru (Cusco, Sacred Valley, Machu Picchu).
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, hiking, culture trip through Peru (Cusco, Sacred Valley, Machu Picchu), 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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