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ᐈ The 7 best day trips from Cusco
Cusco was the ancient capital of the extensive Inca Empire, known as the navel of the world. For this reason, it is surrounded by very famous archaeological sites that are part of the privileged list of the best excursions from Cusco. But I will not only talk to you about historical places, nearby there is also spectacular nature mountains, lagoons, glaciers... really, its landscapes that leave you without hiccups.
Cusco is a region of Peru that captivates you, we spent 3 weeks there and from our experience we have written this list essential, although there are a thousand options Day Trips from Cusco and depending on the days you have you will have to choose.
Let's go for it!
1. Sacred Valley of the Incas
The Sacred Valley of the Incas is one of the best excursions from Cusco that you cannot miss. The enormous Incan ruins, the natural environment of this valley and thinking how the hell it could be built with such perfection more than 500 years ago will leave you speechless.
In a few kilometers you will see many different archaeological points. The most famous places are:
– Pisac: Town very famous for its crafts and its impressive archaeological remains. It is the largest set of ruins in the entire valley.
– Ollantaytambo: During the Inca Empire it was one of the most important fortified cities on a military and religious level. Today even more famous for being the place where you take the train to visit Machu Picchu.
– Chinchero: It is a beautiful town built on ruins. Famous for its crafts and its church built on the former palace of Emperor Túpac Yupanqui.
– Urubamba: Halfway between Pisac and Ollantaytambo, the tours usually stop in this town to eat and make a brief visit to its main square and its market. You can try the famous guinea pig, one of its specialties.
–Moray: This place was the main agricultural research center of the Inca empire. Its platforms are built with irrigation canals and each one of them constitutes a microclimate. It is said that there are differences of up to 15 degrees in temperature between the upper and lower ones.
– Salineras de Maras: These salt mines began to be exploited in Inca times. In this curious place you will see a small spring of salt water, thousands of pools with different levels of drying and mountains of salt ready to sell. (Not included in the ticket, price 10 soles)
To visit the archaeological sites of the Sacred Valley you need to buy the Cusco tourist ticket. Here we explain HOW IT WORKS and WHERE TO GET IT.
How to visit the Sacred Valley?
Although it is close to Cusco, the number of places to see and how great it is difficult to visit in one day. Although there are tours that offer it, it's more of a carYou'll be looking at the archaeological sites from afar... And you might not fully enjoy it. We recommend dedicating morecartwo days.
Below I leave you the most typical options to visit the Sacred Valley, so you choose the one that best suits your trip;
– SACRED VALLEY BY FREE, the option we choose In this post we tell you how.
– SACRED VALLEY TOUR, you will make all the stops except for Las Salinas and Moray.
– Excursion to MORAY AND SALINAS, the most fun way to do it is with this quad excursion or you can choose for a cheaper and more traditional tour.
– COMPLETE SACRED VALLEY TOUR, On this nearly 13-hour excursion you will pass by all the points of interest, but at a leisurely pace. carrera.
You can easily book any tour in Cusco, there are a thousand agencies (don't forget to haggle a little). But If you prefer to keep everything closed at home and avoid asking questions in places, I recommend this tour, It has a partial and complete option.
2. Machu Picchu, the great essential
It needs no introduction, one of the seven wonders of the World, and of course, the jewel in the crown of the 7 best excursions from Cusco.
Since it is such a famous place, there are many ways to visit it depending on your tastes and the time you have.
TO VISIT IT IN A SINGLE DAY AT FREE you can go bus or shuttle to the town of Ollantaytambo where you take the train towards Aguas Calientes, the town at the foot of Machu Picchu. From Aguas Calientes you can go up bus to the entrance of the venue or go up walking, a path of Inca stairs that takes approximately 1 hour and you will have a sore ass the next day.
The 1-day tour to Machu Picchu is one of the most offered in agencies from Cusco, if you only have that time I recommend doing it this way.
If you want to have it already organized before arriving in Peru you can buy this GUIDED TOUR TO MACHU PICCHU + TICKETS + HOTEL PICK UP
OTHER WAYS TO VISIT MACHU PICCHU Above all, if you have more days they are;
– Walking routes of several days; Inca Trail, Salkantay Trek or Jungle Trek. The feeling of achieving your goal and arriving at Machu Picchu exhausted, but happy, is indescribable.
– By bus + walking 12km; They leave from Cusco and are cheaper than the train, although they take many hours and you will have to do the last ones on foot along the train tracks. For this option you need to spend the night in Aguas Calientes.
If you plan to go on your own, don't forget buy your ticket in advance, especially in high season or if you want to climb Wayna Picchu.
3. Vinicunca, the famous mountain of colors
The most famous and popular colorful mountain is Vinicunca, located above 5000 meters above sea level and which can be reached after a 2-hour walk (it is important to be well acclimatized, altitude sickness is no joke ).
It is one of the most popular tours in CuscoAnd although it's beautiful, I don't highly recommend it because it's extremely crowded during tour times. An ideal option, though more carThe best option would be to hire a private driver and arrive first thing in the morning or at lunchtime when there's no one else around. We were told it costs about $100.
4. Palcoyo, the mountain of colors (yet) not very well known
Our choice! Also located at almost 5000 meters above sea level, it is much less known and, unlike the waves of people who visit Vinicunca, here you will be almost alone. ANDIn 2021 there were only 3 different groups.
Another advantage of visiting Palcoyo is that the The route from where the transport drops you off is only 30 minutes and less uneven, so the risk of altitude sickness is much lower. To hire this tour in Cusco you will have to ask several agencies because not all of them offer it, but they will quickly tell you where you can find it.
In the absence of one, on this excursion You will see 3 colored mountains. Amazing! And you can climb to the top of what they call the stone forest to have panoramic views of the colorful, snow-capped mountains and a beautiful reddish-red valley.
If you prefer to book these tours online and have everything ready beforehand, you can do so here.
5. The seven Ausangate lagoons
This excursion offers impressive views of a set of 7 lagoons formed by the melting of the famous Ausangate snow-capped mountain at 6.384 meters and is the hardest of the best excursions from Cusco.
The starting point of the route is in the town of Pacchanta located about 100km from Cusco. The circuit to see all the lagoons has a It lasts 3 hours and despite not being very demanding, the altitude makes it hard. In the end you have the possibility of bathing in some hot springs at the beginning of the town that never hurts to rest.
The easiest thing is to book a tour in Cusco, but you can also go on your own Taking an early morning bus on Huayruropata Avenue towards the town of Ocongate, then another bus to reach the nearby town of Tinke, and from there a buscar a taxi to get to the town of Pacchanta.
6. Ruins on the outskirts of Cusco
In the surroundings of the city of Cusco there are 4 archaeological sites that can be visited in the same day And although they are not my favorites on this list of the best excursions from Cusco, they will help you acclimatize. The easiest way is to book a tour they offer around the city left and right. They tour the 4 enclosures and stop at some viewpoints, do not expect small groups.
Also can be easily accessed for free, like we did. You can hire a guide at the entrance of the enclosures or listen to a guide who is explaining (the information they give is rather scarce).
If you decide to go on your own you can take the bus that goes to Pisac or a taxi. In Peru they are super cheap so to avoid complications on your vacation I recommend it. Between the ruins you can take a taxi (you will find it at the exits) or by stopping any bus that passes and telling it where you are going.
Access to all these ruins is included in the bank slip tourist or with the ticket called circuit 1 with a price of 70 soles and valid for 1 day.
The ruins are the following:
- Sacsayhuaman: The Sacsayhuaman Fortress is an Inca archaeological site whose construction dates back to the 15th century.
- Qenqo: It is a large outdoor space where there are many rocks carved by the Incas and remains of ancient structures.
- Tambomachay: Construction dedicated to the cult of water. It is made up of several floors, multiple aqueducts and fountains.
- PukaPukara: Military construction on the outskirts of Cusco that served as a control point for visitors arriving to the city. It is very close to Tambomachay which allows you to walk between them.
7. Humantay Lagoon
The last of the best excursions from Cusco is the 1-day route to the impressive Humantay lagoon. This was a sacred place of the Inca empire where offerings were made to Pachamama.
Especially if you are lucky enough to go on a sunny day you will be amazed by its turquoise water like the snow-capped mountains that surround it, Humantay just above which gives it its name and you will also see the Salkantay along the way. The total route is about 2 hours up and 1 hour down.
The turquoise color is due to the minerals that are found in the mountain and accumulate in the background, so even if it is cloudy you will be able to see the color.
As almost always in Peru, hiring the tour will be the most practical and they are very economical. But you can also do it on your own, avoiding other tours and enjoying at your own pace.
To get to Humantay on your own, take a bus at the Arcopata terminal (s/15) towards Mollepata, it takes about 2 hours. Once in Mollepata you will have to pay an entrance fee to Humantay (S/10 Peruvians – S/20 foreigners). From there you will have to take a taxi or hitchhike to Soraypampa, the beginning of the route. It takes 1 hour and costs about s/70 soles each way. The ideal would be to find other travelers to share a taxi with and also agree on a pick-up time, or even the next day to stay overnight there.
We did this excursion as part of our route to Machu Picchu the Salkantay Trek. An incredible 5 day experience.
important tips
I didn't want to end this post without giving you three important tips for your enjoyment and safety of the best excursions from Cusco:
1. BEWARE OF ALTITUDE SICKNESS. It's not a joke, it's real and serious. I experienced it myself and I wouldn't wish it on anyone. I also saw on some excursions how people suffered from it due to not being acclimatized to the altitude.
You cannot arrive in Cusco and go to the Humantay lagoon the next day. To sell you the tour, they may say yes, but no.
Read our tips to prevent and treat altitude sickness
With the exception of the Sacred Valley, the ruins of Cusco and Machu Picchu, the other excursions require good acclimatization. Minimum 2-3 days at more than 3.000 meters above sea level.
2. KNOW YOUR LIMITATIONS. Yes, they are popular, beautiful places and you want to see them. But really, evaluate your physical condition, you can't walk uphill for 3 hours at more than 4.000 meters above sea level if you drown climbing three floors in Spain. You should choose excursions that suit you, you will enjoy them and they will leave you with good memories.
If you are going to do something on your own, remember to be well equipped and have experience. The Andes are no small thing!
3. BE PATIENT! I warn you that All tours in Peru include hours of van travel. carunbearable curves. Journeys that can be very heavy. Of course it's worth it, but some days you end up KO.
We hope that our list of the 7 best excursions from Cusco has been useful to you. If you would like to know more about our time in Peru you can read other of our posts or see our featured stories on Instagram.
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