A Day with TCS World Travel: Peru

Taking A Luxury Ride On The Hiram Bingham Train: Machu Picchu, Peru

We take guests to Peru each year on our flagship Around the World private jet expedition—and Machu Picchu is the highlight of our stop.

From privately chartering a luxury train to this mountaintop citadel to providing no-line access, the passionate travel experts behind our curated itineraries ensure you make the most of your time at this iconic UNESCO World Heritage site.

Along the way, enjoy exclusive experiences you can only get with TCS World Travel and, of course, let us worry about all the details.

Read below for a detailed daily itinerary.

Early Morning

Begin your day with breakfast at the Belmond Palacio Nazarenas in Cusco, a former 16th-century Carmelite convent restored as a hotel. At the local railway station, board the elegant Hiram Bingham, a luxury train in Machu Picchu privately chartered for our group. If you wish, start your day a little earlier with a visit to Ollantaytambo—the historic site where the Inca defeated conquistador forces. Enjoy the scenic drive from Cusco through the Urubamba Valley as the sun rises over the mountains. Explore the Ollantaytambo site with your local guide and stroll through the narrow lanes of the picturesque village, which are lined with original Inca walls. You’ll meet up with the rest of the group on the Belmond Hiram Bingham train for the journey to Machu Picchu.

Late Morning

Step back in time on the Hiram Bingham, a luxury train in Peru designed in the vintage style of 1920s Pullman carriages. Enjoy a late brunch as the train winds its way through the rugged mountains and broad plains of the Sacred Valley of the Inca. Watch the romantic scenery unfold from the expansive windows in the observation car or from the comfort of your seat. Traveling as a group allows us to charter the entire train—just one of the many ways our trips defy the group travel stereotype.

Afternoon

The Hiram Bingham pulls into the station in the early afternoon. From here, it’s a half-hour ride on the luxury train to Machu Picchu, perched high in the mountains and surrounded by lush jungle. Skip the lines outside the UNESCO World Heritage site and break up into small groups of 8 to 10 people—each with its own expert guide. Wander through the terraces, staircases, temples and plazas that speak to Inca ingenuity, and embrace the mystique of this stone citadel, which was lost in the clouds for centuries. Cap off your excursion with a late-afternoon tea, and, if there’s time, indulge in a little shopping to find the perfect souvenir.

Evening

Celebrate the excitement of our day at Machu Picchu on our return trip to Cusco aboard the Hiram Bingham train. As the train flies through the falling darkness, a live band will begin to play in the bar car. Dance to the infectious rhythms with a Pisco sour, a traditional Peruvian cocktail, in one hand, before sitting down to enjoy a four-course dinner.