Private Tour
Machu Picchu Private Tour from Aguas Calientes (Tickets included)
Overview
Available languages
Mobile ticket
Discover Machu Picchu at your own pace with our exclusive Private Guided Tour from Aguas Calientes. Perfect for independent travelers who prefer arranging their own journey to Aguas Calientes but still want the full benefit of a knowledgeable local guide, this experience includes your admission and bus tickets, so you don’t have to worry about logistics.
What makes our tour unique? You will enjoy the personalized attention of a private guide, flexible departure times (morning or afternoon, based on availability), and insider stories that bring the ancient citadel to life. Explore temples, terraces, and sacred sites, capture unforgettable photos from the best viewpoints, and even meet the friendly resident llamas.
Whether you start from your hotel or the train station in Aguas Calientes, we’ll take care of the details so you can focus on the wonder of Machu Picchu—one of the world’s most iconic UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
Additional Info
Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
Public transportation options are available nearby
Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
Specialized infant seats are available
Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Tour starts in Aguas Calientes (Machu Picchu Town)
Bring comfortable shoes to walk (there will be many stairs
Bring Camera, sun block and Sun Hat
The admission ticket of Machu Picchu is not refundable and valid for the date of travel only.
Cancellation Policy
All sales are final. No refund is available for cancellations.
What To Expect
Aguas Calientes
We start this guided tour from: *** Your accommodation in Aguas Calientes (if you are staying in town the previous night) *** Aguas Calientes train station (if you are arriving on a day trip from Ollantaytambo or Cusco)
Machu Picchu
Upon arriving at the entrance gate of Machu Picchu, your private guide will lead you to the Guard House, where you will be treated to the best panoramic views of this ancient wonder. Here, you will have time to take in the stunning scenery and capture iconic postcard-worthy photos. After soaking in the breathtaking views, you will begin an in-depth guided tour of Machu Picchu’s urban sector. You will explore its main temples, royal residences, and other significant structures, while your guide shares fascinating historical insights, stories of the Inca civilization, and sacred legends surrounding this mystical site. The guided visit typically lasts 2.5 - 3 hours. approx. After completing your visit, you will board the shuttle bus back to Aguas Calientes Town, concluding our tour at this point.
What‘s Included
Admission Ticket to Machu Picchu
Shuttle Bus Aguas Calientes / Machu Picchu / Aguas Calientes
Professional Bilingual Tour Guide
Lunch
Train Tickets from/to Cusco or Ollantaytambo
Gratuities
Pickup points
Select a pickup point
Options
Machu Picchu Private Guided Tour from Aguas Calientes
Pickup included
Reviews
81 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
Best pribate guided tour ever with john
Explorer825047,,Dec 25, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Just to say don't think twice when choosing this company, they are the best , and our private tour with john was exceptional he is the best guide ever he will pick you up at your hotel on time,he will guide you and even help you out with some nice shots of machu picchu for you're pictures.
Sam is the best! Best guide group to book ever!
meganwB7568MY,,Nov 13, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00From the moment Sam picked us up from the airport, I knew we were about to embark on a very special trip. Sam and Edgar are the real deal! We did the 5 day tour! They booked the best hotels for us! And had the best connections for local street food, markets, and dining! Sam is a wonderful local of Peru, and the magic of the land speaks through him! He is so knowledgeable, compassionate, empathetic, and respectful guide! From the coordination to the day to day communication, he was the best guide ever! He knows it all and can navigate through all of the land! I loved his guided tour of Machu Picchu the most, and his accompaniment on Rainbow Mountain. He is so encouraging on the hikes! Thank you Sam and Cusco Local Friend for the best international trip of my life!! I will be back and book again for your other tours!
Incredible tour of...
VIvian M,,Oct 20, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00Incredible tour of Circuit 2, getting to walk through the majority of the uncovered ruins. John was a wonderful and knowledgeable guide and provided us with so much insight.
Amazing and seamless experience!!!
Nic0letteM,,Oct 12, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Hugo and team were so amazing. They planned a fantastic and low stress day from Urubamba to Agua Caliente and then to Machu and Picchu and back. Our guide was incredibly knowledgeable and thorough. Thank you to this team for a wonderful experience
Best guide ever!
miaagonzalezz,,Oct 7, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Our two-day Machu Picchu sunset and sunrise tour (and added on huayana Picchu) with Samuel was absolutely unforgettable! From start to finish, Samuel went above and beyond, his knowledge of Incan history, culture, and architecture brought the site to life in a way that felt both educational and deeply personal. He perfectly balanced fascinating stories with moments of quiet awe, letting us truly soak in the magic of the Andes. Watching the sun set over the ruins and then returning the next morning for sunrise was something out of a dream and Samuel made sure every detail was seamless, from logistics to photo spots. If you’re planning to visit Machu Picchu, ask for Samuel, he’s passionate, professional, and clearly loves what he does. Easily one of the best guides we’ve ever had anywhere in the world
Recommended Agency
ASF155,,Oct 4, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
4.00We had a pretty good experience with Cusco Local Friend - they are essentially a consolidator for the independent tour guides and drivers we had. They always responded quickly to my emails when arranging our English speaking tour guide from Cusco to Ollantaytambo (great guide), our guide at Machu PIcchu (Roberto was excellent) and our driver back from Ollantaytambo to Cusco. We did make sure we sent reminder confirmations before each day as suggested by one of our tour guides.
Excellent Peru Tour Service
rahulpJ8994NC,,Sep 22, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Highly recommend Cusco Local Friend for any travel within the Cusco region and Machu Picchu! Our tour guide Sam was incredible, he was very knowledgable about all of our archeological sites and flexible to the needs of our family. Over six days Sam took us all over the region, including Rainbow Mountain, Sacred Valley, and Machu Picchu. Sam went out of his way multiple times to create a memorable experience for us. I would also like to mention our skilled driver, Exal. The roads in Peru can be daunting for travelers from the U.S. but we always felt safe with Exal behind the wheel. We hope to visit Peru again and this is the only company we would consider using!
Grateful for this experience
Mobile04146366855,,Sep 9, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00After over 10 days in Peru with wonderful experiences and impressions, this tour was the absolute highlight of our trip! Taking the afternoon tour was the right choice. Our guide Noa is passionate about his profession, was pleased with our historical, botanical and political interest and answered in detail in easy to understand English! Thanks for this wonderful experience!
Good guide, but chaotic organization.
Companion34756132784,,Sep 8, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
2.00Let's start with the good news: the planning for our three-day visit looked good, and Sam, our guide, was excellent. But the actual organization was a complete mess. First, the communication beforehand was extremely slow. It took weeks for an email to be answered. Each time, there were extensive apologies, but these did nothing to improve the situation. Then came the biggest mistake of the trip. Despite clear agreements to visit Machu Picchu on the second day, tickets were purchased for the very last day of our stay in Peru. This, of course, put us at risk of missing Machu Picchu if anything went wrong. With young children, this was a real risk. Moreover, the organizers purchased tickets for circuits 1 and 3, while circuit 2 was the most logical option. Naturally, we did not agree with this unannounced change to the program. But despite our instructions to buy tickets for the correct day (and charge us for them if necessary), nothing happened. It wasn't until the evening before our visit to Machu Picchu that we learned our tickets weren't correct. Our guide, Sam, had just dropped us off at our hotel when suddenly another guide showed up, who would try to exchange our tickets for the final day the next morning. The situation was absolutely mind-blowing and naturally caused a lot of stress, as we were in danger of missing the highlight of our trip due to the sheer incompetence of the organization. The next day, we finally arrived at the citadel of Machu Picchu before 8:00 a.m., where we had to wait almost an hour and a half for the outcome of the negotiations regarding the exchange of our tickets. Around 9:25 a.m., we were finally allowed in. Because a visit to Machu Picchu is limited in time, we simply missed a third of our time. Of course, I assume this isn't normal, even for Cusco Local Friend. But if you want to avoid these kinds of risks, you'd be better look for a different organization, one that genuinely cares about its clients' needs. Indeed, Cusco Local Friend failed to fulfill the most important task of a travel agency: assuring clients that a prearranged itinerary would actually be carried out as agreed. This caused stress that seriously disrupted our visit. Conclusion: the website, likely designed by a third party, is good. Sam, our guide, was excellent. But the organization was the worst we've ever experienced. Hugo, the so-called manager, is dishonest, incompetent, and completely untrustworthy. He urgently needs another job.
Tour con Jackie
ignaciosD8344TN,,Aug 30, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00My friends and I took the tour with Jackie. The best thing that could happen. She was so good that all our questions knew the answer. She is a Peruvian archaeology expert with experience doing everything and if it seems. I cannot recommend the tour with her anymore who was not only a good friend who also ate with us. The machu pichu tour was beautiful. 15/ 10 on the tour if I could repeat it I do it in a second. Thank you also to the handlers who were very friendly and all good people!
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Operated by Cusco Local Friend