Cusco-Machu Picchu Peru

794 Cruises availables At departure or passage at this port

Aqua Expeditions (30 Cruises)

Aria Amazone.

Aria Amazone

32 Passengers
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HX Expeditions (150 Cruises)

MS Santa Cruz II.

MS Santa Cruz II

2664 tons
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Lindblad Expeditions (414 Cruises)

National Geographic Delfina

National Geographic Delfina

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National Geographic Endeavour II

National Geographic Endeavour II

159 Passengers
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National Geographic Gemini

National Geographic Gemini

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National Geographic Islander II

National Geographic Islander II

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Scenic Cruises (20 Cruises)

Tauck Cruises (150 Cruises)

Santa Cruz II22

Santa Cruz II

90 Passengers
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Uniworld Boutique River Cruise (30 Cruises)

Aria Amazon.

Aria Amazon

59 Passengers
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This port-call does not begin at a dock: it begins in the air. To reach Cusco and Machu Picchu from a ship moored at Callao, Lima's port, you must leave the Pacific coast, fly over the Cordillera and land at 3,400 metres altitude, in the heart of the former Inca empire. Companies offer this adventure as a two- or three-day land extension between two port-calls: you leave the ship at Callao and rejoin it farther along the itinerary. It is one of the great detours of South American cruising, and it is planned well in advance.

Cusco: Capital of an Empire

The city that greets you at the plane's descent was the centre of the Andean world. Around the Plaza de Armas, colonial churches rest on Inca foundations whose stones, fitted without mortar, have resisted all earthquakes. Walking the lanes, your hand brushes these walls where a blade could not pass between the blocks. Altitude is felt from the first steps: organizers plan a gentle pace, coca tea and time to acclimatize before proceeding.

The Sacred Valley and the Urubamba Train

Next day, the road descends toward the Sacred Valley to the village of Ollantaytambo, whose Inca terraces climb the mountain above the roofs. There begins one of the continent's finest railway journeys: about an hour and a half by train along the Urubamba river, in cars with wide windows. The landscape changes before your eyes, Andean peaks gradually giving way to increasingly dense vegetation, until Aguas Calientes, the town nestled at the site's foot.

Machu Picchu at Last

A shuttle climbs the switchbacks to the entrance of the fifteenth-century citadel, perched on its spur between two peaks. Past the first viewpoint, silence generally makes itself: temples, terraces and stairs are tiered exactly as in photographs, but with the canyon's depth added and clouds clinging to Huayna Picchu. Guides detail the Temple of the Sun, fountains and residential quarters, then leave time to sit on a terrace and simply look. Llamas graze among the walls, indifferent to their fame.

An Extension That Takes Planning

This programme requires reservation before cruise departure, generally by no later than 90 days before the Callao port-call, and good mobility: irregular steps, altitude and dense days are on the menu. Return to the ship is by the reverse path, train then flight, after one last night at altitude. Fees are substantial, but few participants regret them.

Small Altitude Tips

Guides recommend drinking plenty of water, easing meals on the first day and managing your breath on climbs: high altitude commands respect, even for travellers in good shape.

The Stages at a Glance

StageDetail
DepartureTransfer from Callao port to Lima airport, then flight to Cusco
CuscoAbout 3,400 m altitude, acclimatization needed
TrainOllantaytambo – Aguas Calientes, about 1 hour 30 minutes along the Urubamba
SiteFifteenth-century Inca citadel, guided visit
BookingRequired before cruise, about 90 days' notice

Back Aboard

A few days later, regaining your cabin, the sea will seem strangely flat after so many peaks. There will be photographs, of course, but most of all that impression of having passed from ocean to clouds to touch one of the Americas' great enigmas. Few cruises offer such a gap between departure point and memory carried away.

Frequently Asked Questions

Not in a single day. Cusco and Machu Picchu are only reachable as a two or three-day land extension: you leave the ship at Callao, the port of Lima, and rejoin it further along the itinerary.
By air. You leave the Pacific coast, fly over the Andes and land at 3,400 m. There is no practical road option within a cruise schedule.
Before the cruise departs, usually no later than 90 days before the Callao call. Flights, train seats and site entry tickets are all capped: nothing can be arranged on the spot.
By road to Ollantaytambo in the Sacred Valley, then about an hour and a half by train along the Urubamba river to Aguas Calientes. A shuttle then climbs the switchbacks to the citadel entrance.
It should be taken seriously: the city sits at 3,400 m. Operators build in a gentle pace, coca tea and time to acclimatise. Drink plenty of water, eat lightly on the first day and pace yourself on the climbs.
The Plaza de Armas and its colonial churches, built on Inca foundations whose stones, fitted without mortar, have survived every earthquake. In the lanes, not a blade would slip between the blocks.
Good mobility, yes: uneven steps, staircases, altitude and full days. It is not a mountaineering trek, but the programme does not suit anyone who walks with difficulty.
A 15th-century citadel perched on a ridge between two peaks: tiered temples, terraces and staircases, the Temple of the Sun, the fountains and the residential quarters. Llamas graze between the walls, indifferent to their fame.
May to September, the Andean dry season: clear skies and walkable paths. From January to March rain is frequent and cloud often hides the site.
It is expensive and needs long lead time, but few who go regret it. It is one of the great detours of a South American cruise. Speak with your advisor at 1-866-628-6241.