Cusco Travel Guide: What to Know Before You Go

Cusco sits at 3,400 metres (11,155 feet) in the Peruvian Andes and was the capital of the Inca Empire, the largest pre-Columbian civilization in the Americas at its height in the 15th century. The Spanish arrived in 1533, and over the following century built a colonial city directly over and alongside the Inca stonework. The result is a city unlike anywhere else on earth: Inca walls of perfectly fitted granite forming the foundations and lower courses of Spanish baroque churches, convents, and palaces. Most people come here for Machu Picchu, which is reasonable. The ones who give the city and the Sacred Valley proper attention find that Machu Picchu is one of several extraordinary things in the region, not the only one.

Acclimatizing in Cusco

The altitude is the first thing, and it requires honest attention. At 3,400m, the air contains around 30% less oxygen than at sea level. The symptoms (headache, fatigue, nausea, shortness of breath) are common and generally ease within 24–48 hours. For some people, they don’t.

Practical acclimatization:

• Arrive a day before you plan to do anything active. This is not optional; it’s the minimum.
• Drink water consistently; dehydration worsens altitude effects.
• Avoid alcohol on your first two days. This is a significant contributor to altitude sickness.
• Eat light. Heavy meals are harder to digest at altitude.
• Coca leaf tea (mate de coca) is the traditional remedy and is available at every hotel and café. It works mildly.
• If you have a history of altitude sickness, discuss Diamox (acetazolamide) with your doctor before travel.

The Sacred Valley (Urubamba, Pisac, Ollantaytambo) sits at around 2,800m, about 600m lower than Cusco. Some travel doctors recommend starting in the Sacred Valley and spending a night lower before ascending to Cusco. This is worth considering if you’re particularly sensitive.

The city and what to see

Plaza de Armas is the centre, the Spanish colonial square built over the Inca plaza of Huacaypata, which was the heart of the Inca Empire. The Cathedral (the Catedral de Cusco) and the La Compañía de Jesús church face each other across the plaza. The Cathedral was built between 1560 and 1654 on the foundations of Inca Viracocha’s palace. Inside: the original silver-clad baroque altar, the famous painting of the Last Supper with a guinea pig as the main dish, and an enormous collection of colonial religious art.

Qorikancha (Koricancha) is the most important surviving example of Inca architecture in Cusco, the Temple of the Sun, originally covered in gold sheets that the Spanish melted down. The Spanish built the Convent of Santo Domingo directly over and around it. The contrast of the curved Inca stonework (fitted without mortar, earthquake-resistant, still standing) and the colonial structure above it is the defining architectural image of Cusco.

Sacsayhuamán: the massive Inca fortress on the hill above the city, 3km from the plaza. The zigzag walls are built from stones weighing up to 300 tonnes each. The logistics of how they were moved and fitted remain a subject of genuine archaeological debate. The site also hosts the Inti Raymi festival every June 24th, an Inca ceremony honouring the sun, revived in the 20th century and now one of the largest festivals in South America. Buy tickets months in advance.

San Blas neighbourhood is the artisan quarter above the Plaza de Armas: cobblestone streets, workshops, the tiny San Blas church (said to contain the pulpit carved from a single cedar tree by an indigenous craftsman), and the best concentration of independent restaurants in the city.

Mercado de San Pedro is the main city market: food stalls, produce, fresh juices, and the general density of a working Andean market. Go for breakfast or lunch.

Museo Inka (the Inca Museum) on Cuesta del Almirante has the most comprehensive collection of Inca artefacts in Cusco: mummies, textiles, ceramics, and metalwork. The building is a colonial mansion that once served as the home of the Admiral Francisco de Alderete.

Getting to Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu is 80km northwest of Cusco, accessible by train and then bus.

The trains: PeruRail and Inca Rail both operate trains from Cusco (Poroy or San Pedro stations) or from Ollantaytambo in the Sacred Valley to Aguas Calientes (Machu Picchu town). The journey from Ollantaytambo takes about 90 minutes; from Cusco, about 3.5 hours. Book in advance; trains sell out, particularly in peak season (May–September). PeruRail’s Vistadome train has panoramic windows and is worth paying slightly more for.

From Aguas Calientes to the ruins: Shuttle buses run every few minutes from the town to the Machu Picchu site entrance (25 minutes up a switchback road). You can also hike up (about 1.5 hours, genuinely steep). Buy bus tickets in advance online or in the town.

Entry tickets: Machu Picchu tickets are timed and limited; book online months in advance at machupicchu.gob.pe. The site has multiple circuit options; Circuit 1 or 2 gives the classic overview. Wayna Picchu mountain (the spire in the famous postcard view) has very limited entry tickets (400 per day) and needs separate booking.

The Inca Trail: The 4-day hike along the original Inca trail to Machu Picchu is closed annually in February for maintenance and requires a permitted guided tour (independent hiking is not allowed). Spots are limited to 500 people per day and booking should happen 6–12 months in advance. The Salkantay Trek (longer, more scenic, independent options available) is a commonly used alternative.

Sacred Valley

The Urubamba Valley between Pisac and Ollantaytambo is an important destination in its own right, with Inca agricultural terraces (andenes), fortress ruins, and the daily rhythms of Andean communities.

Pisac, 32km northeast of Cusco, has the largest Inca site in the Sacred Valley (a combined fortress, temple, and agricultural terrace complex) and a market in the town below (Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday are the main market days). The combination of the Inca site and the market makes it the best single-stop day trip from Cusco.

Ollantaytambo, 60km northwest, is both an Inca fortress (one of the few places where the Inca temporarily defeated the Spanish in battle) and a living Inca town: the urban grid of the original settlement is still inhabited, with water channels running through the streets. It’s also the most common train departure point for Machu Picchu.

Moray and Salineras de Maras are usually combined: Moray is a series of concentric circular Inca terraces (believed to have been an agricultural laboratory testing crops at different micro-climates); Maras is an Inca salt mine still operating today, with hundreds of small salt pans on a hillside fed by a brine spring. Both are 40–50km from Cusco.

When to go

May to October is the dry season and the main tourist season. This is the most reliable period for clear skies, accessible Inca Trail conditions, and sunny mornings at Machu Picchu. July and August are peak and very crowded; June and September are slightly better.

November to April is the wet season. Rain can be heavy; the Inca Trail closes in February. But the crowds thin considerably, prices drop, and the landscapes around the Sacred Valley are spectacularly green. Machu Picchu is often cloud-covered in the mornings, which is actually atmospheric rather than disappointing. The April and November shoulder weeks are particularly good.

Inti Raymi (June 24) and Corpus Christi (date varies, May or June) are the two biggest festivals in Cusco: worth planning around if you can, not worth avoiding.

Getting around

Within Cusco: Walking in the historic centre is the primary mode. Taxis and mototaxis (three-wheeled motorized taxis) for distances. Uber operates in Cusco.

Sacred Valley: Tour operators offer day trips by minibus to Pisac, Ollantaytambo, and the combined Moray/Maras circuit. Colectivo minibuses from Cusco’s Pavitos terminal serve Pisac and Urubamba for very low fares.

Altitude note: The Sacred Valley is 600m lower than Cusco; walking around Pisac feels noticeably easier than walking around the Plaza de Armas in Cusco.

Practical information

Boleto Turístico del Cusco: A tourist pass covering multiple sites in and around Cusco (Sacsayhuamán, Qorikancha, the Sacred Valley sites, and more). Available as a partial ticket (one circuit, valid 2-5 days for foreign visitors depending on the circuit) or the full integral ticket (all three circuits, valid 10 days). Check which sites are included versus those with separate entry fees (Qorikancha and the Cathedral charge separately).

Currency: Peruvian sol (PEN). Cards accepted at most tourist-facing restaurants and hotels. Cash needed for markets, taxis, and smaller places. ATMs are in the city centre.

Language: Spanish is the primary language of business; Quechua is widely spoken and is the first language of many people in the surrounding Andean communities.

Safety: Cusco is generally safe in the tourist areas. The main risks are petty theft (particularly around the market and Plaza de Armas) and altitude-related health issues. Use authorised taxis from your hotel; avoid carrying large amounts of cash or expensive equipment visibly.

Getting to Cusco: Alejandro Velasco Astete Airport (CUZ) is 6km from the city centre. Taxis from official stands in arrivals. Lima has the most frequent connections; direct flights from other South American cities are possible but less frequent.

Frequently asked questions

How bad is the altitude in Cusco? At 3,400m, it’s significant for most visitors. Expect headache, fatigue, and shortness of breath on arrival. Most symptoms ease within 24–48 hours. Don’t plan strenuous activity on your first day. Avoid alcohol in the first two days. Coca tea helps mildly. If symptoms worsen rather than improve, particularly if you develop persistent vomiting, confusion, or difficulty breathing, descend to a lower altitude and get medical attention.

How many days do I need in Cusco? Two days minimum before Machu Picchu for acclimatization and seeing the city. Add a Sacred Valley day (Pisac and Ollantaytambo) for three days. The Machu Picchu day trip is Day 4 or later. Five to six days is the practical total for Cusco + Sacred Valley + Machu Picchu. The Inca Trail replaces the Machu Picchu day trip and takes 4 days.

Do I need to book Machu Picchu in advance? Yes, significantly in advance during peak season (May–September). Tickets are timed and limited at the site. Book at machupicchu.gob.pe. Inca Trail permits need to be booked 6–12 months ahead. In the off-season (November–April, excluding February when the trail is closed), there’s more availability but still advisable to book ahead.

What is the best way to get to Machu Picchu? By train from Ollantaytambo (1.5 hours) is the most common. Spend a night in Aguas Calientes to be at the site for opening (6am), which gives the best light and thinner crowds before the tour groups arrive. Return trains leave throughout the day. The Inca Trail is the most memorable route but requires a 4-day commitment and advance booking.

What is the Sacred Valley? The Urubamba Valley northwest of Cusco, running from Pisac to Ollantaytambo. It contains the most important surviving Inca sites outside of Machu Picchu, a lower altitude that eases acclimatization, and traditional Andean market culture. Typically combined with the Cusco visit as day trips.

What is Inti Raymi? The Inca Festival of the Sun, celebrated on June 24th, a few days after the southern-hemisphere winter solstice. It was revived in 1944 after being suppressed by the Spanish for centuries. The ceremony takes place at Sacsayhuamán with hundreds of performers in Inca costume. It draws tens of thousands of visitors; book accommodation and tickets months ahead.

Is the Inca Trail worth it? If you’re fit, prepared for altitude, have 4 days to spend, and book well in advance, yes. The trail passes through cloud forest, high mountain passes (the highest is 4,215m), and multiple Inca sites before arriving at the Sun Gate with the first view of Machu Picchu from above. The Salkantay Trek is a longer alternative with fewer crowds and no permit restriction. Both experiences are exceptional.

What is the Boleto Turístico? The Cusco Tourist Ticket, covering entry to a selection of sites in the city and the Sacred Valley. Available in circuit options; not all sites are included (the Cathedral, Qorikancha, and Machu Picchu are separate). Worth calculating whether the sites you want to see are covered before buying.