Can I switch from Express to Classic after paying?

Yes, until the night before and subject to space, on WhatsApp. If you move up to the Express you pay the US$2 difference; if you move to the Classic, we refund it through WeTravel.

Is the Express more tiring?

It is longer (11–12 hours against 10–11) and has two more stops, but the time at each site is the same and the walks are short. What weighs most is the 6:20 am start and the fact that the first stop is the highest.

Do they travel on the same bus?

No: each route has its own bus and guide, because they leave at different times and in different directions (the Express starts at Chinchero, the Classic at Taray). What is identical is the type of vehicle, the group size and the lunch restaurant.

Which has the better lunch?

The same one: Andean buffet at Rustica, in Urubamba, at 12 pm, included on both. The upgrades (14 Inkas, Don Ángel, Tunupa) cost the same on either route.

Which is better for altitude sickness?

If you have just arrived, the Classic: its first stop is below Cusco and the only climb (Chinchero, 3,762 m) comes at 4:45 pm, with the day already done. The Express climbs to Chinchero at 7:40 am, although from there it drops for the rest of the day.

Can I see Maras and Moray on the Classic?

No; they are not on its route. If you want all five places in one day, it is the Express. With two days, the Classic plus a half-day tour to Maras and Moray is another option, but it costs more than the US$2 difference.

Comparison · both routes, same bus · 5 min read

Express or Classic: which one to book for tomorrow, depending on your day

Express if you only have one day and want Maras and Moray (5 sites, 6:20 am–7 pm, US$32). Classic if you landed in Cusco today, are traveling with children or prefer to start lower and an hour later (Taray + 3 sites, 7:20 am–6:30 pm, US$30). Express is not shorter: it is the full day.

Both leave tomorrow if you book today before 8 pm, Cusco time.—Space on which one?

Both routes at a glance

5 sites in 1 day

Sacred Valley Express

6:20 am → 7 pm · 11–12 h · 4.8 (9,891)

Chinchero → Maras → Moray → lunch in Urubamba → Ollantaytambo → Pisac. The full valley route, with the two sites the Classic never sees.

US$32

Ver el Express

Ideal first day at altitude

Sacred Valley Classic

7:20 am → 6:30 pm · 10–11 h · 4.9 (5,681)

Taray viewpoint → Pisac → lunch in Urubamba → Ollantaytambo → Chinchero. The traditional route, at an unhurried pace and almost all day below Cusco.

US$30

Ver el Classic

Point-by-point comparison

	Express	Classic
Departure time	6:20 am	7:20 am
Arrival time in Cusco	7 pm	6:30 pm
Length	11–12 h	10–11 h
Sites	5: Chinchero, Maras, Moray, Ollantaytambo and Pisac	3 + Taray viewpoint: Pisac, Ollantaytambo and Chinchero
Maras Salt Mines and Moray	✓ 45 min at each	✕ not on the route
Taray viewpoint	✕	✓ 15 min stop
First stop	Chinchero, 3,762 m (the highest point)	Taray, 2,972 m (lower than Cusco)
Pace	More stops, same time at each site	An hour or more at each site, an hour more sleep
Price with the Rustica lunch	US$32	US$30
Version ending in Ollantaytambo	US$31 · 4 sites (no Pisac)	US$29 · Taray + Pisac + Ollantaytambo (no Chinchero)
Entrance fees apart	Tourist Ticket (4 sites) + Maras	Tourist Ticket (3 sites)
Bus, guide, group and lunch	The same	The same
TripAdvisor rating	4.8 · 9,891 reviews	4.9 · 5,681 reviews

Prices updated October 2026 · per person, in US dollars · lunch upgrades identical on both: 14 Inkas +US$4, Don Ángel +US$15, Tunupa +US$20

Why “Express” does not mean shorter

If you are still unsure about doing the valley in one day, before picking a route: is it worth it? It is the question we get most the night before. The Express is the longer of the two: it leaves an hour earlier and gets back half an hour later. The name describes what it achieves, not how long it lasts: five places in a single departure, instead of splitting the valley across two days. What does not change is the bus, the guide, the group size (17–18 at most) or the lunch. You pay US$2 more for Maras and Moray and for an extra hour of day.

Which one suits you, case by case

You only have one day for the valley	Express. It is the only way to see Maras and Moray without booking a second tour.
You landed in Cusco today or yesterday	Classic. It starts at Taray (2,972 m) and spends the day below the 3,350 m of Cusco; the only climb, Chinchero, comes at the end.
You are traveling with small children or older adults	Classic. It leaves at 7:20 am, has fewer stops and more time at each.
You carry on by train to Machu Picchu that afternoon	Either one, ending in Ollantaytambo at 3:30 pm: Express US$31 (no Pisac) or Classic US$29 (no Chinchero). Station 15 min on foot.
Early starts are hard for you	Classic. An hour more sleep. If you pick the Express, pickups start at 6:20 am.
You are mainly here for the photos	Express. The Maras salt pans and the rings of Moray are the two most photographed places in the valley.
You are comparing with street tours at US$25	Either of the two includes a buffet lunch, a certified guide and pickup. What is behind the price.

Both days, hour by hour

Express

6:20 amPickup in central Cusco

7:40 amChinchero · 1 h 15

9:30 amMaras Salt Mines · 45 min

10:30 amMoray · 45 min

12 pmBuffet lunch in Urubamba · 50 min

2:15 pmOllantaytambo · 1 h

4:50 pmPisac · 50 min + 30 min in the town

7 pmCentral Cusco

Classic

7:20 amPickup in central Cusco

8:20 amTaray viewpoint · 15 min

9:30 amPisac · 1 h + 30 min in the town