Cusco
Travel Guide

8 miles of Inca complexes and a maximum altitude of over 8,690 feet lie between you and the ancient Inca Citadel of Machu Picchu as you depart on what is one of the most unforgettable travel adventures. If you’re short on time but want to experience hiking in the footsteps of the Incas, this is the perfect experience. Staying overnight in a hotel at the foot of Machu Picchu, you’ll be rewarded the following morning with watching the sun rise over Machu Picchu in one of the quietest hours of the day. You’ll have this profound experience almost entirely to yourself, as you soak in the fruits of your labor. Throughout the express Inca Trail and at Machu Picchu, your guide will provide you with all the facts, figures and legends while making sure you avoid the crowds to get the most from this once in a lifetime experience.

26 miles, three mountain passes and a maximum altitude of 14,000 feet lie between you and the ancient Inca Citadel of Machu Picchu as you depart on what is one of the most unforgettable travel adventures. Having hiked through stunning cloud forests, slept out under the stars and admired the scenery of the Sacred Valley, you’ll be rewarded with watching the sun rise over Machu Picchu in one of the quietest hours of the day. You’ll have this profound experience almost entirely to yourself, as you soak in the fruits of your labor. Throughout the Inca Trail and at Machu Picchu, your guide will provide you with all the facts, figures and legends while making sure you avoid the crowds to get the most from this once in a lifetime experience.

The tour starts in the Cathedral which is one of the finest Colonial Cathedrals in the Americas. The design is constituted by a Latin-Cross base and it contains the best manifestations of colonial goldsmith and wood carving, as well as a valuable collection of canvases from the Escuela Cusqueña (Academy of Cusco). Then we proceed on to Koricancha, originally named Inti Qancha (‘ Temple of the Sun’), the most important temple in the Inca Empire, dedicated primarily to Inti, the Sun God. Nearby is an underground archaeological site museum containing a number of interesting pieces including mummies, textiles and sacred idols. We continue to the enormous Fortress of Sacsayhuaman; its construction took over seven decades and required the work of approximately 20,000 men. We proceed to visit Kenko, a sanctuary dedicated to the adoration of animals and consisting of ruins formed by a rocky site with stairs in a zigzag, and a main building similar to a circular amphitheater where 19 window sills are located as a way of seats and on to Puka Pukara (Quechua for red fortress). We finish the tour with a visit of the Inca ruins of Tambomachay. This was an Inca sanctuary dedicated to water and a place reserved for Inca Royalty.

The tour starts with a brief pit stop at the Mirador de Qorao or Awanacancha after heading up to Pisaq. A famed hill town, Pisaq is a great place to purchase top quality Andean knitwear at lower prices than you will find in major cities during your travels to Peru. Woven blankets, tapestries and alpaca garments such as sweaters and mittens, colorful fabric and accessories are found in abundance at the Pisaq market in addition to pottery, jewelry, and other handicrafts. You will visit the first important place in the Sacred Valley, the archaeological site of Pisaq. After a Peruvian buffet lunch in the Sacred Valley, set at a riverside restaurant with extensive gardens with beautiful views across the Valley, later during your return to Cusco you will visit Chinchero; this was once one of the most important Inca towns in Peru. There are a lovely Colonial Church and central plaza where a local market is held.

Early in the morning, you will be picked up from your hotel in Cusco for a two-hour drive approximately. You will pass through traditional villages and glimpse some fantastic views of the Andes, reaching the town of Cusipata and beginning the hike from Chillihuani at over 4,450 meters. During the 1.5 hours uphill hike to reach the famous Rainbow Mountain you will enjoy snowcapped mountains, stunning views of the Andes, colorful mountains and traditional llamas and alpacas grazing along the valley. As you reach the summit of the mountain, you will see the Rainbow Mountain over 5,100 m, surrounded by red mountains. You will also glimpse Ausangate Glacier Peak while taking in magnificent views. After your photo op, you will hike downhill for approximately 1.5 hours to Chillihuani, where you start the return journey back to Cusco by car to be dropped off at your hotel at approximately 3pm.

Learn how to make your own chocolate on a 2-hour workshop at the ChocoMuseo in Cusco. This is a hands-on activity, starting from the cocoa tree and ending with the finished product, passing by every step of the whole chocolate-making process. You will also discover the history of cocoa and the reasons why Peru is known for its fine chocolates.

Walk around the Imperial City of the Incas, starting at the local market of Cusco, where you will experience a bit of Peruvian Culture and daily Cusqeuño life. In the market, you can find the best variety of vegetables, bread, and fruits in the country. Continuing this pleasant walk you’ll visit the impressive Colonial Cathedral in Cusco that contains over 400 paintings from the Cusqueña School and several beautiful altars. After the Cathedral, you’ll visit Qoricancha, which is considered a religious center of Cusco, both geographical and political. The Temple of Koricancha was where the Inca paid homage to the Sun god called Inti. Qori means goldwork and in its Spanish form is cori. Kancha means an enclosed space, bounded by walls. Then you’ll walk uphill to enter the artisan quarter of San Blas, where you’ll be able to appreciate a religious painting and many workshops where, if available, you can watch artisans in action. After this, you’ll return to your hotel.

This workshop actually consists of 2 workshops. First, you will visit the Chocomuseo in Cusco for a 2-hour seminar on making your own chocolate. After this workshop, we will go to the Pisco Museum, where you will have another studio and learn how to prepare your own pisco and the traditional ceviche. This workshop will take 1 1/2 hours. 2-hour interactive workshop at ChocoMuseo (bean to bar workshop). A drink or a dessert in a local café, 1h30-hour interactive workshop at Museo del Pisco with a tasting of 4 different kinds of piscos, Ceviche or tiradito making and Pisco sour making.

This exciting tour offers the opportunity to visit the magical Sacred Valley in a more interactive and immersive way, by riding a bike along ancient Inca lands with the Andean wind in your hair. For this tour, you will be picked up from your hotel and driven to the highlands overlooking the city of Cusco, from which you can enjoy fantastic views of the Incan capital and the surrounding countryside. Before riding down to Cusco, you will receive some safety instructions and given a helmet and some gloves. Depending on your previous experience of mountain biking, you can choose to descend paved roads or dirt paths, although rides can be tailor-made to suit your skills and desires. The thrilling descent ends at the heart of the city of Cusco.

Our experienced Peruvian chef will take you through the central San Pedro market a few blocks away. He will teach you about typical Peruvian ingredients such as potatoes, corn, Andean herbs, Andean grains (quinoa, qañiwa, etc.), fruits and vegetables. After buying the needed ingredients, you go back to prepare your meal; don’t worry, our chef will share some of his cooking tricks with you… After preparing the dishes, you will feast together and ask our chef any questions that come to mind. You will have been given a glimpse at the mysteries of Peruvian Cuisine today – cherish it!

Today is a great day for this unusual and beautiful excursion to Moray and Maras. At Moray you can see pre-Inca and Inca ruins, mostly consisting of several enormous circular depressions potentially used as agricultural terraces, with a complex system of irrigation. The site with the Quechua name “muyus” is the deepest pit, with a depth of 30m (100ft). These ruins are remnants of the Inca age; they seem to have been some sort of agricultural experimentation center in which the Incas re-created microclimates on every terrace. From Moray, we head towards Maras, where we can find the “Salinas,” a wonder of hydraulic engineering and a must for photographers. The saltpans are set on overhanging cliffs and command spectacular views of the Andean mountains and the Urubamba River below. The mine has been working since the Inca times.

Cusco can be visited all year round, but depending on your travel goals, which our travel experts can help you with, you may want to choose a particular time or season that best suits your needs. Perhaps the best time to visit is between May and October, as you will avoid the rainy season which usually runs from November to April. Rain is not a hiker’s friend, and it is much more comfortable and more pleasant to visit Machu Picchu or hike the Inca Trail in the dry season. It is driest between June and August, but this is peak tourist season, so prices are higher, and the crowds are more prominent. Given that Cusco sits at an elevation of 3,400masl, it benefits from sunny days and cold nights. May is often considered the best month to visit Cusco, because of low levels of tourism and rainfall, as well as the lush, green appearance of the Andes mountains following the wet season.

Travelers to Cusco can reach it by plane from Lima, Puno, Arequipa, Puerto Maldonado, and La Paz in Bolivia. People traveling from Bolivia should be advised that there are only two flights a week, but there are over 15 flights from Lima a day, and we can arrange flights for you as part of your itinerary. Alejandro Velasco Astete International Airport is located within the city of Cusco, which makes transfers to and from the airport short and hassle-free. Passengers flying to Cusco can often experience altitude sickness because of the city’s high elevation, but we will tell you how to prepare for this in advance of your departure.

Cusco is a seasoned tourist hotspot, and as such a sophisticated tourism infrastructure has developed. Cusco offers travelers everything from boutique hotels and luxury lodgings to eco-resorts and self-service apartments. Some of South America’s most famed hotels are located in Cusco and the Sacred Valley, including the luxurious Monasterio and Machu Picchu’s incredible Sanctuary Lodge. Foodies journeying to the Naval of the World will not be disappointed, as Cusco’s culinary delights may range in price and service, but they are always reliable concerning taste and quality. Traditional Peruvian cuisine can be sampled alongside world dishes, as Cusco has long been catering to a diverse crowd who are as happy eating street food as they are sitting in a high-end restaurant.