Photo: Richard H. Moore (Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0)
Cusco
Cusco and its surrounding Sacred Valley offer a mix of iconic Incan ruins, high-altitude treks, colonial city streets, and a thriving food scene. Here's a synthesis of everything saved for a 7-day (or longer) trip.
Sights & activities
- Machu Picchu: Iconic Incan ruins. Visit via Inka Rail 360 Train from Aguas Calientes (90 minutes, sit on left side). Explore two circuits: Circuit 3 on the first day, Circuit 2 on the second visit for better photos. reel
- Mountain View Experience: Mountain stay experience where you can feed llamas in the highlands with mountain views. reel
- Ausangate Trek: Multi-day backpacking trek with stunning mountain and valley views. Poster called it the “best backpacking trip of my life.” Includes herds of llamas and alpacas. reel
- Pallay Punchu: Rainbow mountain with striking red and multicolored mineral striations; a less crowded alternative to other popular rainbow-mountain sites. reel
- Maras Salt Ponds: Historic salt evaporation terraces in the Sacred Valley. Visited on Day 5 as a stop between Ollantaytambo and Cusco. reel
- Moray Agricultural Terraces: Ancient circular Incan agricultural terraces. Visited on Day 5 between Ollantaytambo and Cusco. reel
- Sacred Valley (area): Region encompassing Ollantaytambo, Maras, and Moray with rich Incan history, small towns, ruins, and mountain scenery. reel
- Cusco City (area): Historic city with cute streets, colonial architecture, local restaurants, and cultural experiences. reel
- Ollantaytambo (area): UNESCO World Heritage small town surrounded by ruins, history, narrow alleys, and mountains; 90 minutes by bus from Cusco. Hub for Machu Picchu access. reel
- Aguas Calientes (area): Gateway town to Machu Picchu, accessible only by hiking or train; reached via Inka Rail 360 Train. reel
- Huilloc Weaving Community: Traditional Peruvian weaving community near Ollantaytambo, highly recommended by the poster. reel
- Sacsayhuaman: Incan fortress and archaeological site near Cusco, visited on Day 1 via a 6.5-mile hike from Tambomochay Ruins. reel
- Pukara Pukara: Incan ruins visited on Day 1’s hiking loop from Cusco. reel
- Quinqu Qenqo: Incan archaeological site visited on Day 1’s hiking loop from Cusco. reel
- Tambomochay Ruins: Starting point for the Day 1 bus ride, followed by a 6.5-mile hike back to the Cusco square, passing three archaeological sites. reel
- Cusco Culinary (cooking class): Cooking class in Cusco where you make pisco sour, ceviche, and traditional Peruvian dishes. Rated 100/10 by the poster. reel
Food & drink
- Campo: Restaurant in Cusco. reel
- Limo: Restaurant in Cusco. reel
- Organika: Restaurant in Cusco. reel
- Florencia y: Restaurant in Cusco. reel
- Nuna Raymi: Restaurant in Cusco. reel
- Chuncho: Restaurant in Ollantaytambo. reel
- Latente Specialty Coffee: Specialty coffee spot in Ollantaytambo. reel
- ALQA: Restaurant in Ollantaytambo. reel
- Bar Indio Feliz: Restaurant in Aguas Calientes. reel
- Mistura: Restaurant in Aguas Calientes. reel
Stay
- Hotel Pakaritampu (Ollantaytambo): Recommended stay while visiting the UNESCO town and its ruins. reel
- Inkaterra Machu Picchu (Aguas Calientes): Recommended stay near Machu Picchu, reached after the Inka Rail 360 Train ride. reel
Practical tips
- Day 1: From Cusco, take a bus to Tambomochay Ruins, then hike 6.5 miles back to the square passing Sacsayhuaman, Pukara Pukara, and Quinqu Qenqo. reel
- Day 2: 90-minute bus to Ollantaytambo (UNESCO site); visit the weaving community in Huilloc (highly recommended); stay at Hotel Pakaritampu. reel
- Day 3: Take the Inka Rail 360 Train to Aguas Calientes (90 minutes, sit on left side); bus to Machu Picchu Circuit 3; stay at Inkaterra Machu Picchu. reel
- Day 4: Return to Machu Picchu Circuit 2 for better photos; train back to Ollantaytambo. reel
- Day 5: Return to Cusco, stopping at Moray Agricultural Terraces and Maras Salt Ponds. reel
- Day 6: Take a cooking class in Cusco at Cusco Culinary to learn pisco sour, ceviche, and Peruvian cuisine. reel
- Ausangate Trek is recommended as a multi-day adventure with incredible mountain views and llama herds. reel
- Pallay Punchu offers rainbow mountain scenery with fewer crowds than similar sites. reel
- Best time: poster spent a month backpacking, but 7 days covers the main highlights. reel
- Budget accommodation options include hostels; mid-range hotels like Hotel Pakaritampu and Inkaterra offer comfort. reel
- Restaurant variety ranges from specialty coffee (Latente) to fine dining (Limo, Campo) and traditional Peruvian food. reel
- Pack layers for altitude changes (Cusco ~11,000 ft, higher elevations for treks). reel
- Train booking: Inka Rail 360 connects Ollantaytambo to Aguas Calientes with scenic valley views. reel