Our 4-day Cusco itinerary covers the most important sites in and around the city: the City Tour, the Sacred Valley, Machu Picchu and Humantay Lake (which can be swapped for Rainbow Mountain).
On the City Tour, you'll visit and learn more about Cusco Cathedral and Qoricancha, also known as the Temple of the Sun (today the Church of Santo Domingo), plus Cusco's 4 archaeological sites, including the impressive Sacsayhuamán. On the Sacred Valley tour, you'll visit the market and archaeological sites of Pisac and the fortress of Ollantaytambo, the setting of some of the most epic battles between the Incas and the Spanish army. At Machu Picchu, you'll enjoy the best of the Lost City of the Incas on a 2-hour guided tour, plus the scenery of the Urubamba Valley and the Sacred Valley from your train window. On your last day of activities, you can choose between two short hikes: Humantay Lake, on the Salkantay route (one of the most famous treks in Cusco), or Vinicunca Rainbow Mountain, the second most visited site in Peru.
| Duration | 4 days |
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The tour starts with pickup from your hotel at 12:30 p.m. We'll head to Cusco's Plaza de Armas, where you'll visit the famous Cathedral. After touring this sacred church, you'll walk along an ancient street built by the Incas that runs from the Plaza de Armas to Qoricancha, the Temple of the Sun. At Qoricancha, you'll see the contrast between Inca culture and Catholicism, as well as the different building methods used. The Inca construction here is astonishing, since this was the main temple of the Incas, from which all their roads began. The Catholic church's bronze high altar is one of the highlights.
After Qoricancha, we'll walk to Avenida El Sol, where we'll take a bus out of the city. In 20 minutes, we'll reach the majestic Inca site of Sacsayhuamán, where your guide will accompany you; you'll also have extra time to explore it on your own.
From Sacsayhuamán, we'll take a short bus ride to Qenqo, where you'll see ancient altars from Inca times. Next, we'll continue to Puca Pucara, a small circular Inca site. Finally, we'll visit Tambomachay, the water temple, with its impressive fountains.
We'll then return to Cusco, and the tour will end at the Plaza de Armas. Private tours end at your hotel. Night in Cusco.
We'll pick you up from your hotel in Cusco at around 7:30 a.m. and begin our journey to the Pisac ruins. These impressive ruins sit at the top of one of the mountains of the Sacred Valley. There are hundreds of agricultural terraces still in use, where the Incas grew corn, potatoes and quinoa. We'll also discover the religious and astronomical side of the Incas at these ruins. It's an incredible place for photos, as you'll be high above the Sacred Valley, with spectacular views.
After visiting the ruins, we'll head to the Pisac market in town. It's the most traditional market in Cusco and another great place to shop for gifts. You can also sample some local delicacies: many farmers from the area bring their vegetables here to sell. Then we'll continue to Urubamba, where we'll have a buffet lunch with a variety of typical regional dishes.
After lunch, we'll continue our journey through the Sacred Valley to Ollantaytambo. Ollantaytambo was an Inca checkpoint that protected Machu Picchu and the valley from any enemy (Ollantay is the name of the leader, and Tambo means lodging place). After the tour, you'll have extra time to explore the site. In the evening, before heading to the train station, you can have dinner at one of the local restaurants. Your train will leave at 19:00 for Aguas Calientes, a 2-hour journey. Night in Aguas Calientes.
Today is the most important day, as we'll visit Machu Picchu. We recommend getting up early to enjoy breakfast at the hotel and then walking to the bus station to catch one of the first buses, which leave at 5:30 a.m. (first come, first served). The bus takes about 25 minutes to reach Machu Picchu.
When you arrive, your guide will be waiting to take you to a spectacular viewpoint over the Lost City of the Incas. You'll then have a 2-hour guided tour of Machu Picchu. If you have tickets to climb the impressive Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu mountains, your guide will take you to the start of that hike. Please arrange this with us at least one month in advance, as tickets sell out quickly and cost extra.
Once you've finished exploring Machu Picchu, you'll take a bus to Aguas Calientes, where you can have lunch. Then you'll take an afternoon train back to Ollantaytambo, where our transport will take you back to Cusco. Night in Cusco.
We'll pick you up from your hotel at approximately 4:00 a.m. and travel in our tourist transport to Mollepata, located in the lush Apurímac River valley, about 2 hours and 30 minutes from Cusco. In Mollepata, we'll stop for breakfast and to recharge before the hike. We'll continue our journey to Soraypampa (3700 m a.s.l.), which takes about an hour.
Here we'll begin our hike to Humantay Lake, located at 4200 m a.s.l. (13,779 ft). The steep climb takes approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes. If the climb is too difficult, you can ride a horse up to the lake. Once you reach the top and see the magnificent Apu Humantay lake, you'll forget all the hard work. At the top, we'll learn why this place was considered sacred by the Incas and take some time to enjoy the stunning views.
Afterwards, we'll return along the same path to Soraypampa and then to Mollepata, where we'll enjoy a delicious lunch. Finally, we'll take our transport back to Cusco for a well-deserved rest.
We recommend buying the 10-day tourist ticket for 130 soles, which gives you access to all the archaeological sites of the Sacred Valley and Cusco, as well as other attractions and museums in Cusco.
Huayna Picchu Mountain: the most famous additional climb, with spectacular views of the ruins and their surroundings. It must be booked in advance, costs extra and usually sells out. The climb takes 45 minutes and is of moderate difficulty. Not recommended if you suffer from vertigo or don't like heights.
Machu Picchu Mountain: another excellent option to see the ruins from a different perspective. It's a steep, hour-and-a-half climb that can be very physically demanding, but the views from the top are worth it. Advance booking is required, it costs extra and it usually sells out.
The tourist ticket is personal and isn't sold in advance. It must be purchased in Cusco or at the entrance to the archaeological sites we visit.
The maximum luggage weight allowed on trains to Machu Picchu is 5 kg per person. We recommend traveling as light as possible and leaving the rest at your hotel in Cusco. If you check out when traveling to Machu Picchu, most hotels will let you store your luggage.
Entry for this tour is from 7:00, but it may vary depending on ticket availability at the time of booking. Remember: the sooner you book, the better your chances of getting the best time slots.
Yes. Contact our team and we'll send you a quote for a 100% private tour and a personalized experience.
No. Measures adopted during the pandemic prevent free movement around the park after the guided tour. All visitors can only move in one direction and can't walk back the way they came. However, during the guided tour we'll give you plenty of time to take photos and explore.
Yes. On the last day, you can choose between the Rainbow Mountain tour and the Humantay Lake tour. Please let us know when you book.
Train and bus tickets: can be changed at least 15 days before the service date. Changes are subject to availability, possible penalties and fare adjustments according to each railway company's policies. The same schedule, class and original price are not guaranteed.
