For thousands of years, a visit to Machu Picchu has been just as much about the journey as the destination. That’s part of the reason going with a tour company can be so powerful—it’s the chance to get there with the help of experts who will help you make the most of every step of the gorgeous journey, whether you’re going by train and bus or your own two feet. And by visiting with a tour company that deals with all the permits, you don’t have to worry about access to the Inca Trail or Machu Picchu itself.
Our top 5 picks for Machu Picchu tours
A lot of tour companies take travelers to Machu Picchu, but a few do it in particularly memorable and fantastic ways. Here are five of our favorite tours that include Machu Picchu.
For all-women trekking
Back in 2021, Evolution Treks Peru did something visionary: It trained and hired the Inca Trail’s first all-women teams of porters—the people who carry all the support supplies like tents, cooking gear, and food—to support women’s hiking trips to Machu Picchu. (There’s a great BBC article about the company if you want the full story.) Its five-day Only Women trips follow 26 miles of challenging trails alongside local guides and porters who make a fair living.
BETTER TOGETHER: Best tour companies for all-women trips
For a true family adventure
Adventures by Disney has one Peru tour, but it manages to be the ultimate family adventure for curious kids and their adults. In addition to visiting Sacred Valley sights including the Salt Pans of Maras and the ruins of Ollantaytambo (plus whitewater rafting on the Urubamba River), the trip makes a full-day journey to Machu Picchu. The festive journey includes fun activities on the train, a chartered bus up the epic road to Machu Picchu, and lunch just outside the ruins after the tour. Inside Machu Picchu, you’ll get the wisdom of a park guide who will tell you the stories of this place plus some whimsical ABD surprises.
FOR THE FAMILY: Tour companies that are family travel experts
For a true choose-your-own adventure
Intrepid has created a Machu Picchu tour for all types with its seven-day Inca Trail Express tour. Choose one of three options: Route 1 includes three nights of trekking and camping the Inca Trail, Route 2 takes the shorter Quarry Trail for two nights of hiking and camping, and Route 3 offers four nights of hotel stays and the train option to Machu Picchu. All include a guided tour of Machu Picchu plus time in Cusco and Sacred Valley.
For a hiking experience full of less-known wonders
On the Backroads trip Peru Lodge-to-Lodge Trekking, Machu Picchu is the headliner but not the only star of the show. On this nine-day adventure, you’ll summit Salkantay Pass, a sacred mountain in Inca myths; hike the cloud forest, scouting for hummingbirds and orchids; trek the wild highland landscapes of the Santa Teresa River Valley; and get a full day at Machu Picchu, hiking up Machu Picchu mountain for a view over the site before descending into its storied ruins.
For a classic four-day trekking experience
Travelers love local Peruvian outfitter Alpaca Expeditions, an affordable tour company with Machu Picchu expertise. Its four-day Inca Trek Trail to Machu Picchu trip comes it at under a thousand dollars per person and includes pick up and drop off at your hotel in Cusco at the beginning and end of the tour. Along the trip’s guided Inca Trail route, you’ll stop at archeological sites including Runkurakay, Sayacmarca, Inti Pata, and Winay Wayna. Food, camping equipment, and porter service are included in the cost.
