Machu Picchu by Train: Self-Launched Cusco Adventure
4 days · Peru
G Adventures charges £900
No-markup version: ~£395 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A 4-day self-launched version of G Adventures' "Machu Picchu by Train Independent Adventure - Upgraded": three nights in Cusco's historic centre, a day of acclimatising and exploring Inca and colonial sights, then the scenic PeruRail/Inca Rail run through the Urubamba Valley to Aguas Calientes for Machu Picchu with a licensed local guide. You book the same components direct — hostel or guesthouse instead of upgraded hotel, a shared shuttle/taxi from Cusco airport, collectivo transport on your free day, and a GetYourGuide or direct-booked Machu Picchu guide — and keep the itinerary's comfort and pace for roughly a third of the tour price. All figures are approximate and exclude international flights and the Lima–Cusco flight.
Day-by-day
Arrive in Cusco — acclimatise in the old Inca capital
Cusco
Fly into Cusco (Alejandro Velasco Astete, ~£60-90 one-way from Lima if not booked as a through fare) and take a shared shuttle or official taxi from outside arrivals to your guesthouse in the historic centre — roughly 15-20 minutes. Rather than the operator's private transfer, the airport's authorised shared shuttle desk costs about £5-7 per person; a taxi is around £4-6. Check into a private room in a hostel or guesthouse in San Blas or around Plaza de Armas (many include breakfast and hot water bottles, some have coca tea on arrival). Spend the rest of the day going slow: Cusco sits at 3,400m and altitude is the one thing money can't rush. Short flat wander to Plaza de Armas and the Qorikancha/Santo Domingo complex (£4 entry) if you feel well, coca tea, an early dinner of lomo saltado or a set menu at a local picantería (~£5-7), and an early night.
🚌Shared airport shuttle or taxi from Cusco airport (~£4-7); walking
🛏Private room, hostel/guesthouse in San Blas or near Plaza de Armas (~£28-35/night)
- →Arrival and check-in
- →Gentle stroll around Plaza de Armas and San Blas
- →Optional Qorikancha / Santo Domingo visit (~£4)
Free day in Cusco — ruins, markets and optional adventures
Cusco
A free day matching the original itinerary, but self-organised. Best value: buy the Boleto Turístico Parcial (partial tourist ticket, ~£18) covering Sacsayhuamán, Qenqo, Puka Pukará and Tambomachay, then walk or take a cheap collectivo/taxi (about £1.50-2) up to Sacsayhuamán and walk the ridge back down through San Blas — an easy half-day at altitude. Alternatively do a DIY Sacred Valley day using public collectivos (Cusco → Pisac ~£1.50, Pisac → Ollantaytambo ~£2) for markets and terraces. Other options: Inka Museum (~£2), La Merced convent, Cusco Cathedral (~£9), horseback riding (~£33) or whitewater rafting on the Urubamba (~£50-60, book via GetYourGuide). Sort out your Machu Picchu tickets today if you haven't: entry to the ruins is timed and sells out, and book your train for tomorrow afternoon. Eat at the San Pedro market (menú del día ~£4) and a low-key dinner in San Blas (~£8).
🚌Taxi/collectivo to Sacsayhuamán (~£2), walking, local buses
🛏Private room, hostel/guesthouse in San Blas or near Plaza de Armas (~£28-35/night)
- →Boleto Turístico partial ticket ruins circuit (~£18)
- →Optional Sacred Valley by collectivo
- →Inka Museum (~£2)
- →Optional rafting or horseback riding
Train through the Urubamba Valley to Machu Picchu — guided visit and return
Aguas Calientes / Machu Picchu
Leave your big bag at the guesthouse and take an early taxi or minibus from Cusco to Ollantaytambo station (~£8-10, 1.5-2 hrs) — you can also catch cheaper Backpacker-class trains from Poroy, but Ollantaytambo services are more frequent. Ride PeruRail or Inca Rail to Aguas Calientes (~£45-60 one-way for Expedition/Voyager class booked in advance; Inca Rail's cheaper classes sometimes dip to ~£38). From the station, take the Consettur shuttle bus up to the citadel (~£10 return) or, if you're fit and acclimatised, walk the 1,600 stone steps up in about 1.5 hrs. Entry ticket to Machu Picchu is ~£35 (book on the official Ministerio de Cultura / machupicchu.gob.pe site or via GetYourGuide). Pre-book a licensed English-speaking guide at the gate or online (~£20-25 shared, or £45-60 private) — the ruins are far richer with one. Spend 2.5-3.5 hrs on site, then bus back down, grab a late lunch in Aguas Calientes (~£6), and take the evening train back to Ollantaytambo with a shared van/taxi on to Cusco (~£8). Back at your guesthouse around 21:00-22:00. Book the Citadel + Huayna Picchu ticket well ahead if you want the extra peak climb.
🚌Taxi/minibus Cusco–Ollantaytambo (~£9), PeruRail/Inca Rail return (~£90-110), Consettur shuttle to ruins (~£10 return)
🛏Private room, hostel/guesthouse in San Blas or near Plaza de Armas (~£28-35/night)
- →Scenic Urubamba Valley train ride
- →Machu Picchu entry (~£35)
- →Guided tour of the ruins with licensed local guide (~£20-25)
- →Optional Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu Mountain climb
Cusco departure
Cusco
Breakfast at the guesthouse, a last wander through San Blas or a coffee on a Plaza de Armas balcony, then head to the airport by shared shuttle or taxi (~£4-7) for your onward flight. If you have time, the San Pedro market is good for cheap gifts (alpaca textiles, coca products). Note the Lima–Cusco and international flights aren't included in the estimate — budget them separately.
🚌Shared shuttle or taxi to Cusco airport (~£4-7)
🛏None (departure day)
- →San Pedro market shopping
- →Optional coffee/breakfast in the centre
Self-launched vs. G Adventures
| This itinerary (self-launched) | G Adventures | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£395 | £900 |
| Duration | 4 days | 4 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £505 per person (56%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more G Adventures-style trips? Check them out here.~£395
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 Train: Self-Launched Cusco Adventure cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £395 per person for 4 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 £900 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £395 — a saving of roughly £505 (56%) per person.
How long is the Peru trip?+
This itinerary runs 4 days, covering 4 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, backpacker 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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