Updated Date:
Author: Yapa Explorers Editorial Team
Quick Summary: This is the long-form answer page for the questions our team hears every day on WhatsApp. In short: Machu Picchu tours start from $354 (2 days by train), $379 (full day), $399 (2 Day Combo with the Sacred Valley) and $809 (Classic Inca Trail); the Machu Picchu entry ticket is always included; payment is by card or PayPal; and cancellation rules depend on tour type. Where our own published pages disagree with each other — on maximum group size, for example — we say so, and tell you how to get a firm answer for your departure.
Rather skip the logistics? Most Cusco trips are built around Machu Picchu. Yapa books the entry ticket, train, bus and guide in one go.
Check dates for the 2 Day Machu Picchu Tour by Train → (from US$354). Or see the 2 Day Machu Picchu & Sacred Valley Combo (from US$399).
Every answer below is based on what Yapa Explorers publishes on its live website in September 2026 — the FAQs, the individual tour pages and the Terms & Conditions — plus what we see day to day in the office on Plazoleta de San Blas. When something depends on your dates or is not fixed in writing, we tell you what to ask.
The questions are grouped the way a trip unfolds: choosing a tour, paying, preparing, travelling, and afterwards.
Current “from” prices, taken from the live tour pages:
| Tour | Duration | From price (USD) | Sleep | Cusco pickup time | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Machu Picchu by Train – Full Day | 1 day | $379 | Cusco | 6:15 am | Travellers short on time |
| Machu Picchu by Train – 2 Days | 2 days | $354 | Aguas Calientes | 10:00 am | A relaxed pace and early entry |
| 2 Day Machu Picchu & Sacred Valley Combo | 2 days | $399 | Aguas Calientes | 6:30 am | First-time visitors wanting context |
| One Day Inca Trail Challenge | 1 day | $490 | Cusco | 3:30–4:30 am | Fit hikers with limited days |
| 2 Day Short Inca Trail | 2 days | $579 | Aguas Calientes | 3:30–4:30 am | The Sun Gate arrival without camping |
| 4 Day Classic Inca Trail | 4 days | $809 | Campsites | 4:30 am | The full trek, booked months ahead |
Prices vary with season, train class and add-ons, so always check the live page for your date. Outside Machu Picchu, Yapa also runs the Sacred Valley Tour, the Sacred Valley Max and a Rainbow Mountain Tour.
For most first-timers, the 2 Day Combo. Day one covers the Pisac ruins and the Ollantaytambo fortress with a guide, and day two puts you on the first buses up to the citadel from Aguas Calientes. Seeing the Sacred Valley first gives you the context — terracing, stonework, Inca water engineering — that makes Machu Picchu itself make sense. If you have only one day, the Full Day tour works but is long. If you want to walk in, the 2 Day Short Inca Trail is the gentlest way to arrive through the Sun Gate. Our full breakdown of the 2 Day tour goes hour by hour.
Yes. The Before Booking FAQ states that all treks and tours include the Machu Picchu entrance ticket, and Inca Trail tours include the trail permit. What is not included varies by tour: on the 2 Day Combo, the Boleto Turístico for Sacred Valley ruins (about 70 soles) and lunch in Aguas Calientes; on the Classic Inca Trail, the first breakfast and last lunch and dinner. Each tour page has a “Not included” list — read it before you pay.
This is the one question where our published pages do not agree, and we would rather tell you than paper over it. The During My Trip FAQ says tours depart with a minimum of two and a maximum of eight people. The current tour pages for the 2 Day Combo and the Classic Inca Trail say a maximum of ten. Many of our editorial articles cite a cap of eight.
What you can rely on is that Yapa runs small groups by Machu Picchu standards — Ministry of Culture rules have capped guided groups at the site at 16 people since the 2017 regulations. For your specific departure, ask the team in writing: “What is the maximum group size on my date?” If a small group matters to you, a private tour removes the question entirely. Our guide to why small groups make a difference at Machu Picchu explains what changes at the narrow viewpoints.
Yes. The tour pages describe groups of like-minded travellers, and a large share of our bookings are solo. Yapa also states that confirmed departures are never cancelled for low numbers. A solo trekker who reviewed the 2 Day Short Inca Trail in January 2026 on TripAdvisor wrote that, in low season, they were the only person on the departure and it still ran on the booked date. On multi-day treks, solo travellers normally share a tent; a private tent is a paid upgrade.
Yes. The FAQ invites groups of four or more to contact the team for private departures, and couples regularly book private Machu Picchu days too. Private pricing is quoted individually. Groups of four or more on scheduled tours can also use the code YAPAGROUP10OFF at checkout for 10% off, as displayed on current tour pages.
Student discounts are available with a valid university ID, which must be carried to Machu Picchu. Peru’s state news agency Andina reports that in 2026 student rates apply to undergraduates with IDs from recognised issuers, and that children under three enter free. Tell the team about student or child travellers before paying, because the ticket rate is fixed at purchase.
The FAQ suggests six to eight months for the Inca Trail, three months for Salkantay and other treks, and one month for train and bus tours. For June to August, we recommend two to four months for train tours, particularly if you want the earliest entry time or a Huayna Picchu ticket. The Classic Inca Trail is closed every February.
Payment is by credit or debit card (Visa, Mastercard, American Express) or PayPal, through the “Check Availability” checkout on each tour page. There is no published deposit plan. Since Peru’s September 2026 rules require Machu Picchu and Inca Trail tickets to be paid in full and issued in the visitor’s name at purchase — see Resolución Ministerial N° 000333-2026-MC — expect to pay the full tour price at booking. Our dedicated guide to paying for a Yapa tour covers currency, card fees and what you pay locally in soles.
For every traveller: full name exactly as printed in the passport, passport number, nationality and date of birth. Add student status and any dietary requirements. Machu Picchu tickets are non-transferable and checked against the original passport at the gate, so accuracy matters more than speed.
Yapa states in its published materials that if it cannot secure your entry ticket, you receive a full refund. That risk is highest on last-minute peak-season bookings. The tour pages also note that travellers booking within eight weeks may need to adjust their itinerary slightly, for example with an earlier or later train. Our piece on whether any operator can truly guarantee entry explains the limits of any such promise.
It depends on the tour, and all requests must be emailed to info@yapaexplorers.com with your tour name and reservation number:
Under the Terms: Machu Picchu train tours cancelled 60 days or more before, by 6:00 pm Lima time, carry a 50% administration fee, and after that the charge is 100%. Day tours cancelled by 6:00 pm Lima time the day before carry a 10% fee, and 100% after that. Inca Trail bookings are non-refundable. The FAQ also describes a 24-hour risk-free cancellation window after booking, provided the request is made by 6:00 pm the day before the tour. Because these charges can be significant, we strongly recommend travel insurance with trip cancellation cover — the Terms confirm none is included in tour prices.
The Terms exclude liability for delays and cancellations caused by events outside Yapa’s control, including weather, strikes and government direction. In practice, when roads, trains or trails are disrupted, the team works on alternatives, but refunds are not automatic. A recent example: the Ministry of Culture and Sernanp closed Inca Trail routes after heavy rain on August 17–18, 2026, reopening them on August 26, as reported by Panamericana. Insurance is the real protection here. If you are arriving overland, tourist bus services such as Peru Hop tend to communicate disruption directly with passengers, whereas public bus companies often post notices only on local social media.
The FAQ describes a 15–30 minute briefing, usually at your hotel reception at 6:00 pm the evening before, where the guide or coordinator explains the plan, gives instructions and may hand over printed tickets. Trek briefings cover gear, duffel weights and timings. Most travellers find it reassuring; some experienced travellers find it more than they need, and one August 2026 TripAdvisor reviewer suggested making briefings optional. If your schedule is tight, ask whether yours can be handled by message.
“Reny gave us a clear and thoughtful briefing that helped us feel prepared” — Matthew S, Country not listed, October 2025
For train tours, the pages say you should be comfortable walking for an hour or two with stairs and uneven paths. The Classic Inca Trail is rated moderate overall, with a challenging second day over Dead Woman’s Pass at 4,215 metres, and requires at least one acclimatisation day in Cusco beforehand. The CDC Yellow Book recommends gradual ascent and avoiding heavy exertion on arrival at altitude; our altitude guide turns that into a practical Cusco plan.
The tour pages list the essentials: comfortable walking shoes or boots, a small backpack under 20 litres, a rain jacket or poncho, sunblock, hat and sunglasses, a water bottle and light snacks, bug spray, and your camera or phone. Drones are not allowed. A fuller packing list follows after booking. Bring your original passport — Machu Picchu will not accept copies.
The During My Trip FAQ recommends leaving main bags at your Cusco hotel, since most have storage before check-in and after check-out. Hotels in Aguas Calientes can also store bags. On the Classic Inca Trail, porters carry your duffel with the campsite equipment, and a personal porter for 7 kg of your own gear is available for $95.
Pickup is from your Cusco hotel or hostel at the time on your itinerary — 6:30 am for the 2 Day Combo, 4:30 am for the Classic Inca Trail. On return, drop-off is in the Plaza Regocijo area, one block from the Plaza de Armas, because evening vehicle restrictions in the historic centre make individual hotel drop-offs impossible. If your hotel is in a hard-to-reach street, the team will tell you a nearby meeting point.
Tours are guided bilingually in English and Spanish, and the website is available in English, Spanish and Portuguese. Some guides also speak Quechua, and reviewers mention guides teaching them Quechua phrases on the trail. If you need another language, ask before booking.
On train tours, the guide leads the Sacred Valley day and the 2-hour guided visit inside Machu Picchu, after which you have free time. On the 2 Day tours, a team member meets you at Aguas Calientes station and takes you to your hotel. On treks, the guide is with the group throughout.
The Classic Inca Trail uses campsites for three nights, with tents set up by the porter team; it is assumed you share a tent unless you pay for a private one. On Salkantay departures, reviewers describe huts and cabins rather than tents on most nights.
“We really appreciated being put in cabins over night as opposed to tents” — Calum W, Country not listed, September 2025
Yapa’s tour pages state “100% operated by us – no middlemen” for its core Machu Picchu products, with its own guides, transfers and meals. We think readers deserve the fuller picture. Public reviews show two situations worth knowing about:
Neither is unusual in Cusco, where pooling is common on long treks. The point is to ask, before you pay: “Will Yapa staff guide every day of my trip, or will any part be run by another company?” For the train tours and the Inca Trail products listed above, Yapa says the answer is its own team. Our guide on how to choose a Machu Picchu tour operator explains why this question matters so much.
Yes. Yapa describes itself as locally owned and female-led, with its office in San Blas, Cusco. Company publications date its launch to January 2024 and credit founder Tifany Davalos; the current About Us page describes a team of local Machu Picchu guides and experts. The company reports more than 10,000 travellers served by the end of 2025.
When we checked on September 26, 2026, the Yapa Explorers TripAdvisor page showed a 4.9 rating across roughly 800 reviews and a Travelers’ Choice 2026 award. Yapa’s own pages cite “1,000+ reviews,” which appears to count reviews across several platforms rather than TripAdvisor alone. Read the most recent reviews, including the critical ones, and look at how management responds.
The After My Trip FAQ says you will receive a feedback form at the end of your tour or trek covering the guide, food and accommodation, and that reviews on TripAdvisor or Facebook are welcome. Specific feedback — good or bad — is genuinely used; the constructive comments about briefings and schedule gaps mentioned above are exactly the kind that get passed to operations.
Tips are not included and there is no official rate. Guides, and on treks porters and cooks, are commonly tipped in soles at the end of the trip. Tip based on the service you received, and if you want to understand how crews are paid under Peruvian law, ask the team before you travel.
Yapa focuses on Cusco and Machu Picchu. For the wider country, travellers often combine a Yapa tour with Peru Hop for overland travel from Lima (note that in Cusco, Peru Hop passengers meet at the private Alameda Pachacútec terminal rather than being collected from hotels), Inka Express for the daytime Cusco–Puno route, Bolivia Hop for continuing to La Paz, and an evening at Luchito’s Cooking Class in Lima. For Vinicunca specifically, consider Rainbow Mountain Travels if you want an operator that focuses exclusively on high-altitude day trips.
What is the single most useful thing to do before booking with Yapa?
Send one WhatsApp or email message with your dates, number of travellers and the tour you are considering, and ask three things in writing: the maximum group size on your date, whether any part of the trip is run by another company, and exactly what is excluded from the price. Those answers resolve most of the uncertainty covered on this page, and having them in writing protects you if anything changes.
Can I book a Yapa tour once I am already in Cusco?
Yes, subject to availability. Day tours such as the Sacred Valley are often available at short notice. For Machu Picchu, the constraint is the government’s ticket allocation rather than Yapa’s capacity, and peak-season dates can sell out weeks ahead. Visit the San Blas office between 9:00 am and 7:00 pm or message on WhatsApp, and be ready to flex your date or train time.
Does Yapa offer the Salkantay Trek and other alternative treks?
Yapa has run Salkantay departures and reviewers describe them in detail, but the current website navigation lists train tours, Inca Trail options and Cusco day tours. Because alternative-trek offerings have changed over time, including the removal of one partner-operated trek, ask the team what is running for your dates and who operates it before booking.
Is Yapa suitable for families and older travellers?
The 2 Day train tours are the most accessible options, with stairs and uneven paths but no trekking. Families have also done the 2 Day Short Inca Trail with children and reviewed it positively. The Terms require at least one parent or guardian for every two travellers under 18, and proof of age may be requested, so include every traveller’s age at booking.
Prices, pickup times, group-size statements and policies in this FAQ were taken from Yapa Explorers‘ live website in September 2026, and some published pages contradict each other, most notably on maximum group size; as a workaround, request written confirmation of any detail that matters to you for your specific departure. Review counts and ratings change daily and some reviewer comments are summarised rather than quoted, so check the TripAdvisor page directly for current figures and the full text of any review mentioned here.
