The Belmond Hiram Bingham Train
There are ways to get to Machu Picchu, and then there is the Hiram Bingham. A Belmond Train. Named for the American explorer who brought Machu Picchu to wider attention in 1911, the journey takes that spirit of discovery and gives it an appropriately luxurious 21st-century interpretation.
From the moment you board, the mood is set. The 1920s Pullman-style carriages are dressed in polished wood, marquetry, brass fittings and upholstered armchairs, recalling the golden age of rail travel without feeling overly nostalgic. There are 84 seats across two dining cars and two bar cars, with panoramic windows keeping the real star of the journey firmly outside: the Sacred Valley and the dramatic landscape of the Andes.
The experience begins with live music and a welcome that quickly makes the train feel less like transportation and more like an occasion. In the dining cars, Peruvian cuisine takes center stage, with menus built around seasonal ingredients from the Sacred Valley and across Peru. Outbound journeys feature brunch and cocktails; on return journeys, guests settle in for a more leisurely five-course dinner.
Then there is the Observatory Bar Car. Designed for lingering, it opens the journey to the landscape with an almost cinematic sense of movement. The current cocktail menu, created by Peruvian mixologist Aarón Díaz, puts a contemporary spin on local traditions, with drinks such as the Picaflor Andino, Belmond Swizzle and Espresso Bingham. Live music adds to the atmosphere as the train moves from the high Andes toward the cloud forest.
And the journey itself has become more flexible. The Hiram Bingham now operates on several routes, departing from Cusco, Ollantaytambo and, seasonally, Rio Sagrado in the Sacred Valley. Depending on the itinerary, the experience can include VIP lounge access, private bus transfers, a bilingual guide for Machu Picchu and Belmond’s “Cocktail in the Mountain” experience at Sanctuary Lodge.
After roughly three and a half hours, the train reaches Aguas Calientes, where the final ascent to Machu Picchu begins. The details have been thoughtfully choreographed, but the landscape remains gloriously beyond anyone’s control.
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