Planning your visit to Cusco can feel overwhelming. This guide will help you organize your days in the former capital of the Inca Empire, making the most of your time with the most important and authentic experiences.
Essential Practical Information
Acclimatizing to the Altitude
Cusco is 3,399 meters (11,152 feet) above sea level. Take it easy on your first day.
Altitude sickness symptoms: Headache, nausea, shortness of breath, fatigue.
How to prevent it:
- Avoid physical exertion on the first day
- Drink plenty of water
- Eat light meals
- Do not drink alcohol during the first 24 hours
- Drink coca tea (offered in most hotels)
Cusco Tourist Ticket
Essential for visiting archaeological sites and museums.
Full Ticket: 130 soles (about 35 USD) – valid for 10 days – includes 16 sites
Partial Ticket: 70 soles (about 19 USD) – valid for 1–2 days – includes a specific circuit
Where to buy it: Garcilaso Street (downtown Cusco) or online
Important: Machu Picchu is NOT included (you should reserve it up to 3 months in advance).
Best Time to Visit
May to September: Dry season, sunny weather (June–August has more tourists)
December to March: Rainy season, fewer tourists, greener landscapes
Day 1: Historic Center and Acclimatization
Morning: Rest
Arrive at your hotel, rest, and drink coca tea.
Afternoon: Plaza de Armas
Plaza de Armas
The heart of Cusco, surrounded by colonial buildings built on Inca foundations.
What to see: Cathedral, Church of the Society of Jesus, colonial arcades, central fountain
Cusco Cathedral
Mass schedule (free): Monday to Saturday 6:00–8:00 a.m. / Sundays 6:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m.
Regular entrance: 55 soles
Hours: 10:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m.
12-Angled Stone
Famous perfectly carved Inca stone.
Location: Hatunrumiyoc Street (walking uphill towards San Blas)
Entrance: Free
San Blas Neighborhood
Bohemian artisan neighborhood with galleries, cafés, and workshops.
Location: 10-minute uphill walk from the Plaza de Armas
Day 2: City Tour and Nearby Ruins
Morning: Qorikancha
Temple of the Sun, the most important in the Inca Empire.
Hours: Monday to Saturday 8:30 a.m.–5:30 p.m. / Sundays 2:00–5:00 p.m.
Price: 15 soles (included in the Tourist Ticket)
Location: El Sol Avenue
Afternoon: The 4 Ruins
Organized tour visiting 4 archaeological sites (4–5 hours).
Sacsayhuamán
Inca fortress with gigantic stones weighing up to 200 tons.
Q’enqo
Ceremonial center with carved rock channels.
Pucapucara
Inca control post, the “Red Fortress.”
Tambomachay
“Baths of the Inca,” a site dedicated to the worship of water.
All included in the Tourist Ticket
Tour price: 35–50 soles (includes only transport and guide)
Day 3: Sacred Valley of the Incas
Full-day tour (approximately 6:30 a.m.–7:00 p.m.)
Písac
Archaeological complex: Terraces, temples, observatory
Handicraft market: Best place to buy textiles and souvenirs
Urubamba
Valley town where buffet lunch is served.
Ollantaytambo
Impressive Inca fortress. Town with houses built on original Inca foundations.
Highlights: Temple of the Sun, monumental terraces
Chinchero
Town known for traditional textiles made with ancestral techniques.
What to see: Dyeing and weaving demonstrations, colonial church
All included in the Tourist Ticket
Tour price: 70–100 soles
Lunch: 30–50 soles extra
Recommended: Book an organized tour
Day 4: Machu Picchu
After the Sacred Valley tour, most travelers continue on to Machu Picchu. There are two main options for organizing this visit.
Option 1: Night in Aguas Calientes (recommended)
At the end of the Sacred Valley tour (Day 3), instead of returning to Cusco, you take the train from Ollantaytambo to Aguas Calientes (Machu Picchu Pueblo).
Advantages: You arrive relaxed, sleep nearby, and go up early to Machu Picchu to see the sunrise.
Train Ollantaytambo – Aguas Calientes:
- Duration: 1.5 hours
- Common departure times: 4:36 p.m., 7:00 p.m.
- Companies: PeruRail, IncaRail
- Price: 60–150 USD (depending on service)
Where to stay: Aguas Calientes has hotels for all budgets (30–300 USD per night).
Option 2: From Cusco in One Day
Full-day tour departing very early from Cusco (around 4:00 a.m.).
Advantages: You don’t need an extra hotel night.
Disadvantages: Very long day (16–18 hours), less time at Machu Picchu.
Visiting Machu Picchu
Early morning: Wake up early (4:30–5:00 a.m.).
Breakfast: Quick breakfast at the hotel.
Bus to Machu Picchu
Buses leave from Aguas Calientes every 10–15 minutes.
First bus time: 5:30 a.m.
Duration: 30 minutes going up the zigzag road.
Price: About 12 USD round trip (pay at the ticket office with cash or card).
Ticket office location: Next to the Urubamba River in Aguas Calientes.
Tip: Line up early (around 5:00 a.m.) to catch the first buses and watch the sunrise.
Additional Excursions (If You Have More Days)
Rainbow Mountain
Mountain with colorful mineral stripes.
Altitude: 5,200 m (17,060 ft)
Duration: Full day (12–14 hours)
Price: 80–130 soles
Humantay Lake
Turquoise glacial lake at the foot of the Salkantay snow-capped mountain.
Altitude: 4,200 m (13,780 ft)
Duration: Full day (10–12 hours)
Price: 80–130 soles
Maras and Moray
Maras Salt Pans: Salt pools exploited since Inca times.
Moray: Circular terraces, an Inca agricultural laboratory.
Duration: Half day
Price: 60–80 soles
Where to Eat
Fine Dining (80–150 soles)
- MAP Café: Inside the Pre-Columbian Art Museum
- Limo: Nikkei cuisine with views of the Plaza de Armas
- Cicciolina: Bohemian restaurant with tapas and pasta
Mid-Range (30–70 soles)
- Inka Grill: Peruvian and Italian cuisine on the Plaza de Armas
- Morena: Cuisine from Peru’s three regions
- Pachapapa: Inner courtyard setting, baked cuy (guinea pig), located in San Blas
Budget (10–25 soles)
- San Pedro Market: Daily set menus for 7–15 soles
- San Blas Market: Authentic local food
- Local restaurants: Away from the Plaza de Armas, menus for 10–15 soles
Vegetarian / Vegan
- Green Point: 100% vegan
- Organika: Uses its own organic ingredients
Quick Tips
Money: Peruvian sol (PEN); carry cash for markets.
Safety: Tourist center is generally safe; watch your belongings in crowded places.
Transportation: Downtown is walkable; taxis cost 6–10 soles.
Clothing: Dress in layers (warm during the day, cold at night), bring sunscreen, a hat, and comfortable shoes.
Internet: Wi-Fi available in hotels and restaurants; buy a local SIM card if you need mobile data.
