Cusco Essentials
The short version: Cusco, the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu without rushing.
- Free day to acclimatize on arrival
- Maras & Moray, night in the Sacred Valley
- Machu Picchu by train from Ollantaytambo
- Cusco city and Inca ruins
From a 4-day stay to 8 days with high-altitude hikes, always in the right order for the altitude. Pick one of our trips or tell us your dates and we’ll build yours.
At 3,399 meters, Cusco was the capital of the Inca Empire and is the base for Machu Picchu, the Sacred Valley, Rainbow Mountain and Humantay Lake. Walk five minutes from the Plaza de Armas and you’ll see Inca walls still holding up the colonial buildings raised on top of them.
4 days minimum, 6 is ideal, 8 with the high-altitude hikes.
How many days in Cusco? →Take the first day easy. The Sacred Valley is lower, at about 2,900 m.
Dry season with sunny days. November to March brings afternoon rain.
How far ahead tickets sell out in high season. Book early.
Three ready-made starting points, from 4 to 8 days. Every package can be changed: add days, go private, or combine it with the rest of Peru.
The short version: Cusco, the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu without rushing.
The full Cusco experience at a calm pace, with a night in the Valley.
The Classic plus an ATV ride and the two big high-altitude hikes.
Per person, based on 2 travelers, group tours. Solo travelers welcome. Includes tours, transfers and Machu Picchu. Hotels and private guide quoted on request. Not included: flights and the Boleto Turístico.
Prefer Machu Picchu at opening time? Spend the night before in Aguas Calientes and go up first thing in the morning.
“…organized our trip to Cusco and the Sacred Valley – an unforgettable experience that was precise, diverse and perfectly tailored to us. From the first moment, we felt that we were truly listened to.”
“We visited Chinchero, Moray, the Maras Salt Mines, and Ollantaytambo in a very comfortable private vehicle. Our guide was Franklin, a Peruvian with a background in Peruvian history.”
“I took a private tour of Maras, Moray, and Chinchero. They pick you up in a very comfortable van, and the guide was excellent… very professional and attentive to any request you may have.”
“Jaim was lovely and available for every request we had, and helped with everything we asked. Warmly recommended!”
Short on time, or adding a day? Book a single tour. With an extra day, the South Valley gets a fraction of the Sacred Valley’s crowds, Ausangate’s seven lakes are a quieter alternative to Rainbow Mountain, and the ATV route is a more active way to see the Maras salt pans.
The dry season runs from May to September: clear mornings, cold nights and the most visitors, especially in June around Inti Raymi (June 24). November to March is rainy, heaviest in January and February, when the Inca Trail closes for maintenance. Machu Picchu stays open all year. April and October are a good middle ground.
Cusco sits at 3,399 m and the first 24 hours are usually the hardest. The Sacred Valley is about 500 m lower, so sleeping there helps. Leave the high hikes for the end of your stay: Rainbow Mountain tops out above 5,000 m and Humantay Lake is around 4,200 m. Both mean a pickup before dawn.
Most travelers fly from Lima, about 1 h 20 min. Buses also connect Cusco with Puno and Arequipa. We don’t sell flights, but we plan the trip around yours.
Machu Picchu entry is limited per day and per circuit. For dry-season dates, book two months ahead or more; train seats sell out on the same dates. Most other ruins are covered by the Boleto Turístico, a combined ticket bought in Cusco. It doesn’t include Machu Picchu, the Qorikancha or the Maras salt pans, which charge separately.
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Yes, but it’s a 14-hour day with a pickup before 4 am. We recommend sleeping in the Sacred Valley or in Aguas Calientes so the visit is calm.
Group tours are the most affordable way to see the classics, shared with a small group of travelers. Private tours give you your own guide and vehicle, so you set the pace and the stops. On Machu Picchu day the train and bus are always shared; private means your own guide.
Take the first day easy, drink water, eat light and skip alcohol the first night. Sleeping in the Sacred Valley, about 500 m lower, helps a lot. Leave Rainbow Mountain and Humantay for the end of your stay. If you have a heart or lung condition, check with your doctor before the trip.
For May to September, two months or more. Entry is limited per day and per circuit, and train seats sell out on the same dates. In the rainy season you can sometimes book a few weeks ahead.
No. You book your flights to and within Peru; we plan the itinerary around your times and handle everything on the ground: hotels, transfers, trains, tickets and guides.
Yes. The three trips are starting points. Tell us your dates, pace and interests and we’ll adapt the plan, add days or combine Cusco with other parts of Peru.
A day-by-day plan with hotels and the full price, from a local, not a bot.
