Cusco to Sacred Valley, straight from your flight
Most travellers bound for Machu Picchu fly into Cusco Airport, 3,310 m up in the Andes, and many itineraries head straight down into the Sacred Valley rather than staying in the city first. The Cusco to Sacred Valley drive from the airport to Urubamba is 63 km via Chinchero, about an hour and a quarter. Ollantaytambo, where most Machu Picchu trains leave, is about 20 km further down the valley.
The valley is lower than the city. Urubamba sits at about 2,870 m and Ollantaytambo at about 2,790 m, against 3,399 m in Cusco. TravelHealthPro, the UK's official travel health service, says altitude illness usually occurs above 2,500 m and lists sleeping altitude among its risk factors. Ask your doctor before you travel, especially if you have a medical condition.
A private car keeps the arrival simple. Your driver meets you outside arrivals, loads the bags once and takes you to your hotel door, with stops at Chinchero, Maras or Moray if you want them. One fixed price covers the whole car. For the rest of your trip, see our guide to travelling around Peru by private car.
| Pickup | Alejandro Velasco Astete International Airport (CUZ) |
|---|---|
| Drop-off | Any hotel, villa or address in Sacred Valley |
| Distance | About 63 km by road |
| Journey time | 1h 15min – 1h 45min, depending on traffic |
| Best for | Sightseeing & luxury |
| Busiest season | April–October |
| Availability | 24/7, including late-night and early-morning flights |
The drive from CUZ to Sacred Valley
Cusco Airport is inside the city, in its south-east corner. The car crosses town on Avenida del Ejército and Avenida Antonio Lorena, then climbs north-west out of the Cusco bowl past Poroy, where some Machu Picchu trains start, onto open farmland.
The road crosses the high plateau to Chinchero, at 3,762 m the highest point of the trip and higher than Cusco itself, with snow-capped peaks on the horizon on a clear day. After Chinchero it drops about 900 m in long bends over some 30 km to the Urubamba river and the town of Urubamba. That is the line on the diagram below, about 63 km.
Allow about 1 hour 15 minutes in normal conditions. Getting out of Cusco can be slow at busy times, and with a stop or two the trip is closer to 1 hour 45 minutes.
The other way in is via Pisac: east over the hills to the head of the valley, then along the river through Calca and Yucay to Urubamba, about 74 km. It suits hotels at the Pisac end and makes a good return route. For Ollantaytambo, the driver continues 19 km down the valley from Urubamba, about 82 km from the airport in all.
This is a mountain road, and it is a different drive after dark. The US State Department does not let its own staff drive at night outside Peru's cities, for road-safety reasons. If you land late in the day, consider a night in Cusco and the valley drive the next morning; we quote both legs. In the rainy season the UK Foreign Office warns that rockslides and mudslides can disrupt roads across the Cusco region.
Schematic, not to scale. Route line © OpenStreetMap contributors
Pickup · 0 min
Alejandro Velasco Astete International Airport (CUZ)
Your driver meets you in arrivals and loads the luggage.
About 20 min · 17 km
Poroy
The road climbs out of the Cusco bowl past Poroy, a departure station for some Machu Picchu trains, onto open farmland.
About 40 min · 34 km
Chinchero
At 3,762 m the highest point of the drive, higher than Cusco. A weaving village with Inca terraces and a colonial church, and a good first stop.
Arrival · 1h 15min – 1h 45min · 63 km
Sacred Valley
The centre of the Sacred Valley, at about 2,870 m. Drop-off at your hotel door anywhere from Pisac to Ollantaytambo.
CUZ to Sacred Valley: one fixed price for the whole car
Free quote, nothing to pay now. Cancel free up to 48 hours before pickup.
Meeting your driver at Cusco Airport
Cusco Airport is small, and all arriving passengers come out through the same arrivals exit after baggage reclaim. Your driver waits just outside it, holding a sign with your name; hotel drivers and tour representatives gather here too, so look for yours. If you can't see your driver, call or message the number we sent you rather than accepting another ride.
Cusco Airport is small, and arrivals come out of a single exit, where hotel drivers and tour representatives also wait. Look for your name: your driver holds a sign with it, and their name and mobile number reach you before you travel.
Flights into Cusco are short hops over the Andes, and mountain weather can delay them. Add your flight number when you book and we track it, so the pickup moves with any delay at no extra cost, and your 60 minutes of free waiting start when you actually land. If a delay runs past three hours, message us on WhatsApp: a delay that long can need a new booking, and we will help you rearrange it.
For the return, your driver collects you from your valley hotel and waits up to 15 minutes from the agreed time.
Arriving here for somewhere else? See every Cusco Airport transfer we run.
Where we drop off in the Sacred Valley
We drive to any hotel, lodge or rental in the valley, from Pisac to Ollantaytambo, and to the station for the Machu Picchu trains. Many valley hotels sit along the main road, but some are up unpaved lanes or behind gates, so share a map pin when you book. In Ollantaytambo’s old town the streets are narrow and cobbled, and the car may stop at the edge.
Urubamba and Yucay
The centre of the valley, 63 to 66 km from the airport via Chinchero, with hotels and lodges along the river and the main road between the two towns.
Ollantaytambo and the station
About 82 km from the airport. The town keeps its Inca street plan, and the station for Machu Picchu trains is about 1 km from the main square, on Avenida Ferrocarril.
Pisac
At the eastern head of the valley, about 35 km from the airport by the direct road over the hills. Known for its market and the Inca terraces above the town.
Chinchero
A highland village at 3,762 m on the road from Cusco, about 34 km from the airport. Higher than Cusco itself, and an easy stop on the way down to the valley.
When to book your Sacred Valley transfer
The main season runs from April to October, and the driest months are June to October: clear skies, warm sun by day and cold nights, and the busiest time for Machu Picchu. Inti Raymi, the Inca festival of the sun, is held at Sacsayhuamán above Cusco every year on 24 June, and the region is at its busiest around it.
The UK Foreign Office says Peru's rainy season runs from November to May, with heavy rain in the Andes, and that rockslides and mudslides can disrupt road and rail travel across the Cusco region, including the routes to Machu Picchu. The Inca Trail closes every February for maintenance.
In any season, buy Machu Picchu entry first. Tickets are sold on the Ministry of Culture's official site, tuboleto.cultura.pe, for a set date, visitor circuit and entry time. Then book your train, then your transfer to the station.
The UK Foreign Office also notes that protests occasionally suspend trains to Machu Picchu. If that affects your trip, message us on WhatsApp and we will help you rearrange your transfer.
Private transfer vs other ways to reach Sacred Valley
| Option | Door to door | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Private transfer | 1h 15min – 1h 45min | Straight to your door, fixed price per vehicle, driver waiting in arrivals. |
| Bus and train via Ollantaytambo | 3½–4 hours to Machu Picchu | Rail companies sell combined tickets from Cusco: a coach to Ollantaytambo, then the train to Machu Picchu Pueblo. Good if you are skipping the valley, but it starts in town and luggage space is limited. |
| Shared minivan (colectivo) | 1½–2 hours + taxi | Shared vans run from Cusco to Urubamba and Ollantaytambo when full. Low cost, but you first need a taxi from the airport to the departure point in town, and room for big bags is limited. |
| Taxi from the airport | 1¼–1¾ hours | Taxis serve the airport and will go to the valley if you agree the fare first. Fine for a short hop into Cusco; for a mountain drive with luggage, a driver booked ahead is simpler. |
Skip the changes: door to door to Sacred Valley
Free quote, nothing to pay now. Cancel free up to 48 hours before pickup.
Vehicles, prices and what's included
You pay one fixed price for the vehicle, not per seat, quoted for your date and group before you book. Tolls, fuel and parking are in the price, and so is waiting time: 60 minutes from your actual landing, or 15 minutes at a hotel or address pickup.
| Vehicle | Passengers | Luggage | Good for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard sedan | Up to 3 passengers | 2–3 suitcases | Couples and solo travellers |
| Executive sedan | Up to 3 passengers | 2–3 suitcases | Mercedes E-Class or similar |
| Minivan | Up to 7 passengers | 6–7 suitcases | Families and golf or ski bags |
| Minibus | 8–16 passengers | One suitcase each | Groups, weddings, events |
Exact models vary by local partner. Tell us about oversized luggage, golf bags, skis or strollers and we will size the vehicle to fit.
Not included: waiting beyond the free time, and stops or detours added on the day. Planned stops are fine: ask for them with your quote and they are priced in. Tipping is up to you.
Who the Sacred Valley transfer suits
Machu Picchu travellers
Go straight to a valley hotel for the night before your train, or to Ollantaytambo station on the day. Your luggage stays with you, not on a tour bus.
Families
Child seats on request (tell us the ages) and a minivan for up to seven people. Planned stops for photos or a break can be added to the quote.
Couples on a special trip
Valley lodges are spread out along the river and up side lanes. A private car takes you to the door, with an optional stop at the Maras salt pans on the way.
Trekking and tour groups
Minibuses for 8 to 16 people with room for duffel bags and trekking kit, from the airport to your valley base or the start of your trek.
Plan the rest of your Sacred Valley stay
- Arrive at Ollantaytambo station at least 30 minutes before your train, as Inca Rail advises. Give us the departure time and we build in extra time for valley traffic.
- Take it easy on day one. TravelHealthPro lists exertion soon after arriving at altitude as a risk factor for altitude illness, and notes symptoms usually start 6 to 10 hours after the ascent.
- Coca tea is offered everywhere, but TravelHealthPro does not recommend coca for preventing altitude illness, and the US State Department advises American travellers not to use coca products.
- Add a stop on the way: the Maras salt pans and the circular Inca terraces of Moray are a short detour from the Chinchero road. Tell us how long you want and we include the waiting time.
- Flying in via Lima? We meet flights at Jorge Chávez too, with transfers to Miraflores for your nights on the coast.
- For the flight home, leave Urubamba about three and a half hours before your departure from Cusco, a little earlier from Ollantaytambo, and more if you plan a stop.
