There is never a bad time to visit the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu. The rainy season is officially November through April, with more rain in January - March, but even during the rainy season, it does not usually rain all day and some find the fertile valleys and quick changes in weather to add to the charm.

The weather in the Sacred valley is quite similar all-year round, with temperatures rising in the afternoon when the sun is strong and temperatures dropping sharply in the evenings.

Peak season is June through October, in particular July, when you are advised to book further in advance hotels, flights and train and entrance tickets for Machu Picchu.

Layers, layers and more layers. The weather in Cusco and the Sacred Valley goes from quite cold to hot and sunny in the same day. Year-round in the Sacred Valley we recommend jeans or long pants, a T-shirt or long-sleeve shirt, sweater or fleece and puff or polar jacket. As you will add and remove layers during the day (and carry them with you), we recommend clothing and jackets that are flexible and light weight, as well as a lightweight day backpack or shoulder-cross bag.

In addition to your clothing, warm socks, and comfortable walking shoes, we recommend you bring: sunglasses and sun screen. a rain jacket (even if not rainy season), bug repellent, a hat, refillable water bottles, chapstick, and of course your camera. An iPad or light laptop is a nice addition to check your photos, stay in touch or watch movies in the evenings.

Cusco is 3,400 (11,154 feet) above sea level, most of the Sacred Valley at 2,900 m2 (9,514 feet) and Machu Picchu is 2,430 (7,874 feet). To minimize the effects of altitude, we recommend to first stay in the Sacred Valley, where it is lower than Cusco, before you visit Machu Picchu, and then on to Cusco or elsewhere.

For most people, the effects of altitude - headache, fatigue, breathlessness, upset stomach, etc. - are minimal and can usually be solved by taking it easy and drinking lots of fluids (and avoiding alcohol and caffeine) the first day or two, but some people can have more serious side effects, which can lead to cerebral or pulmonary edemas and even death.

If you have pre-existing conditions or if you have altitude sickness during the trip and your symptoms don’t improve in 1-2 days, you should always seek medical advice.

The perfect amount of time to visit the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu is 4-5 days, including travel days, although you can easily spend up to a week. If you have very limited time and your main priority is visiting Machu Picchu, we recommend skipping Cusco and only staying in the Sacred Valley, with a suggested itinerary of:

Day 1: Arrival Cusco airport, transfer to Sacred Valley, and take it easy day

Day 2: Activities in Sacred Valley depending on your interests

Day 3: Visit to Machu Picchu (day trip) returning to Sacred Valley in evening

Day 4: Departure day to Lima or elsewhere

If you have more time, we recommend an additional day in the Sacred Valley and a night or two in Cusco. Cusco not only has many archaeological and historical sites, but the best tourist shopping in Peru and a full range of restaurants and nightlife.

There is the option to stay overnight in Aguas Calientes (Machu Picchu base town), but it’s not necessary. Most people find that a day visit to Machu Picchu is enough, returning to and from Machu Picchu on the train, instead of checking in and out of of hotels and bring a separate bag on the train to Aguas Calientes (large suitcases are not permitted on the train).

The most convenient and scenic way to get to Machu Picchu is to by train to Aguas Calientes (the base town of Machu Picchu). There are two main train companies - Peru Rail and Inca Rail - with a full range of train types, schedules and prices.

From our hotel, we recommend departures from and return to the Urubamba train station, which is approximately 20 minutes from the hotel, and then 2 1/2 to 3 hours by train. Peru Rail offers a daily departure and return on both the Vistadome train, which is a premium train with panoramic windows, and the high-end Sacred Valley train, which includes a gourmet lunch and dinner, both served with wine, as well as an observation bar car.

As these are limited departures from Urubamba, the other option is 50 minutes by car to Ollantaytambo and then 1 1/2 hours by train to Machu Picchu. There are frequent daily departures of both Peru Rail and Inca Trail from Ollantaytambo. In addition, departing only from Poroy (outside of Cusco), there is the option of the luxury Hiram Bingham train by Peru Rail and the First Class and Private trains of Inca Rail.

Train options can be confusing and can sell out far in advance. Please contact us for advice for your trip in advance as well as arrange your entrance tickets, transport and optional guides.