Cusco and Machu Picchu are world famous and must not be missed on a Peru tour. However, the Sacred Valley of the Incas includes many other Inca ruins and is the starting point for the hike on the Inca Trail. In villages and markets, visitors still come into contact with the traditional Andean way of life as well as traditional costumes and customs.
On the way in Cusco Peru, to Machu Picchu and in the Sacred Valley of the Incas
The region around Cuzco is the tourist hot spot par excellence in Peru and all of South America. Everyone wants to see the legendary archaeological site of Machu Picchu. For this reason, the streams of visitors are being directed more and more and will certainly be more limited in the future. However, travelers can enjoy a very good tourist infrastructure with a large selection of hotels and tours.
In addition to the well-known destinations, there are many other Inca sites in the Valle Sagrado de los Incas, e.g. in Pisac, Chinchero and Ollanta. You can also visit local markets and take part in traditional festivals such as the renewal of the Queswachaka Bridge or the Fiesta de la Virgen del Carmen in Paucartambo
Cusco
In Cusco you can clearly see the destructiveness that the Spaniards brought with them when they conquered the South American continent, but also how stable the Inca architecture is. Many of the colonial buildings in today's Cuzco stand on the foundations of old Inca temples. The most famous example is the Coricancha Temple of the Sun, on which the Santo Domingo Church was built. While the church has been destroyed by earthquakes on several occasions, the perfectly chiseled and joined Inca walls have survived to this day.
For downtown Cusco (Plaza de Armas with Cuzco Cathedral and La CompañÃa Church; La Merced Church and Convent; Iglesia de San Francisco; Convento Santa Catalina and Casa Concha; Hatun Rumiyoc Alley with the twelve-pointed stone) and the bohemian district of San Blas should be scheduled for at least two days.
Downtown is the San Pedro Market, which has everything your heart desires: fruits and vegetables, meat, food and juices, nuts and dried fruits, textiles, leather goods, souvenirs, CDs, housewares, stationery, etc.
Attention - Cusco is at approx. 3350 m! If you fly direct from Lima, you should take the sightseeing tours slowly. It is also important to eat lightly and drink plenty of water. The hotels usually offer free coca tea and also have oxygen tanks for emergencies.
A slower acclimatization with the first overnight stays in the Sacred Valley can be useful.
The festival of Inti Raymi 2023
Every year on June 24th (winter solstice in the southern hemisphere) the Inti Raymi, a festival in honor of the sun god Inti, is celebrated in Cusco. It goes back to an old Inca tradition.
The celebrations begin in the morning at the Korikancha Temple of the Sun, then continue in the Plaza de Armas before performers and visitors make their way to the Sacsayhuamán Fort, overlooking the city. This is where the main ceremony takes place. Performers re-enact Inca scenes, perform ceremonial dances, and make offerings in honor of the deity.
The colorful celebrations are awe-inspiring in their grandeur and mysticism. However, Cusco is bursting at the seams in June. If you want to witness the ceremonies, you have to secure a place very early. There is a grandstand in Sacsayhuaman with the best view of the ceremony, but tickets are very expensive and sell out quickly. Accommodation in Cusco is more expensive around June 24th and hotels are booked up early.
Sacsayhuaman, Kenko, Puca Pucara and Tambo Machay
Another day in Cuzco should be planned to visit the Inca ruins in the vicinity.
The ruins of Sacsayhuaman are above Cusco and can also be reached on foot within 30 minutes to 1 hour, depending on your physical condition. Here the huge blocks of stone that make up the walls of the complex are astounding. One of the monoliths weighs a whopping 200 tons! To this day it is not clear how the Incas and their workers were able to move and stack such weights. Sacsayhuaman offers a beautiful view over Cusco, which nestles in a valley between the surrounding peaks.
Sacsayhuaman is not far from Kenko, an Inca sacred site dedicated to the earth goddess Pachamama, part of which is carved into a boulder. Behind it lies the "Red Fortress" Puca Pucara. When the sun goes down in the evening, the ruin complex glows beautifully in the red light of the last rays of the sun. Nearby is Tambo Machay, also an Inca complex built around a spring. The fountains are said to be fountains of youth — those who drink the water receive eternal youth and fertility.
The Sacred Valley of the Incas
The Sacred Valley is extremely scenic and contains many impressive Inca sites. The snow-capped peaks of the surrounding 5,000 and 6,000 m peaks can be seen everywhere. Terraced fields from the time of the Incas are still used today for growing potatoes and quinua.
If you fly directly from Lima to Cuzco, you should first stay in the Valle Sagrado for a few days to get used to the altitude. Nice starting points for tours are Urubamba (2870 m) and Ollantaytambo (2750 m). Above Ollantaytambo is one of the most famous Inca fortresses. The ascent over the high steps is very strenuous, but the view over the Sacred Valley is all the more beautiful. In Ollantaytambo you can take the train to Machu Picchu.
If you want to visit a typical market, you should go to Pisac (3000 m) or to Chinchero (3770 m) on Sundays. While the market in Pisac is very large, but also touristy, the market in Chinchero looks a bit clearer. The markets are also held on Tuesdays and Thursdays. In Pisaq it has become so important for tourism that market stalls can be found every day. There are Inca ruins in both Pisac and Chinchero.
From Urubamba it is also worth making a detour to the Salinas of Maras (salt fields) and then to the Moray craters. Both stations can also be explored on foot (preferably together with a guide) or reached on a bicycle tour.
Travelers can get active in the Sacred Valley: hiking, mountain biking and rafting are possible activities. Community-oriented tourism with a visit to weavers, a potato project or workshops on traditional medicine can also be organized and is very interesting.
Machu Picchu
The ruined city of Machu Picchu is the highlight of any round trip through Peru. Not only its breathtaking location, but also the many unanswered questions in connection with the functions of the city and the individual temples fascinate tourists and researchers.
To get to Machu Picchu you have to take the train from Cusco or from Ollantaytambo or hike along the Inca Trail. The vegetation slowly changes during the train journey, because Machu Picchu is surrounded by mountain cloud forest. The train ends in Aguas Calientes, a tourist resort with thermal baths below Machu Picchu. From here, buses take you up a serpentine road to the entrance of the famous ruined city.
It is worth visiting the wonderfully preserved Inca site outside of the main tourist hours between 10am and 3pm.
Shortly after the entrance there is the first spectacular view over the entire building and terraced fields. Machu Picchu is divided into a residential and an agricultural area. Above the terraced fields are the paths to the Sun Gate (this is where the so-called Inca Trail ends) and to the Puente Inca, an old wooden bridge in a breakneck position. In the residential part of the Inca complex, the temple of the condor, the sun stone Intihuatana and the palace of the princess are particularly worth seeing. Several hours should be planned for a tour.
To get a view from above of the legendary Inca complex, which was never found by the Spaniards, you have to dare to climb the neighboring mountain, the Huayna Picchu. Attention — the number of visitors is limited to 400 per day.
A wonderful view of the city of Machu Picchu Mountain (or Montaña), for which tickets must also be purchased in advance.
A ticket for Machu Picchu must be purchased in advance and is not possible at the entrance to the archaeological site. Access to Machu Picchu is increasingly regulated to prevent the tourist crowds from destroying the site. We provide information on the current rules for Machu Picchu on our blog.
Choquequirao
Choquequirao is a little-visited Inca city that is also located in the Cuzco region above the RÃo ApurÃmac. The buildings and temples of Choquequirao are in a very good condition. So far, archaeologists have only uncovered part of the complex.
The ruins can currently only be reached on foot in a 2 to 3 day hike. Due to its size and importance, however, the city is already compared to Machu Picchu. The irrigation systems and canals that run through the entire complex are particularly impressive. The llama terraces pose great mysteries to the researchers: llamas made of light-colored stone are set into the dark terrace walls.
In the future - as soon as the infrastructure allows it - Choquequirao will certainly be just as important as the ruined city of Machu Picchu.
How to get to Cuzco and Machu Picchu?
Cuzco has an international airport and can currently be reached from Lima, Arequipa, Puerto Maldonado, Juliaca and La Paz. Those flying back to Lima from Cuzco and planning an international onward flight on the same day should choose a morning flight. In the rainy season, there may be flight cancellations and (rarely) airport closures in the afternoon.
The city can also be reached by public 1st class bus. However, the journey from Lima takes e.g. 24 hours and is therefore usually not an option for travelers. However, we recommend one of the tourist buses (e.g. Inkaexpress) from Puno, which offer full-day tours (also in the reverse direction Cusco - Puno). The Altiplano is crossed and several sightseeing stops are made.
PeruRail's comfortable Titicaca train operates on the same route on certain days of the week. It takes about 10.5 hours to cross the Altiplan. A gourmet lunch and afternoon tea will be served on board.
The Belmond Andean Exporer train is a luxury sleeper train. Here guests can travel from Cusco via Puno to Arequipa or vice versa in 2 - 3 days.
Machu Picchu can only be reached by train. There are currently two companies — PeruRail and Inka Rail — operating on the line. Boarding is either at Cuzco (Poroy) or in Ollantaytambo. The ride ends in Aguas Calientes (Machu Picchu Pueblo). Both providers have different train classes, some with catering and entertainment on board. The journey takes about 3 hours from Cusco and about 1.5 hours from Ollanta. Buses run every minute from Aguas Calientes to the entrance of Machu Picchu. The serpentine ride takes about 20 minutes.
When is the best time to visit Cusco and Machu Picchu?
The rainy and dry seasons play an important role in the Peruvian Andes. The dry season lasts from around April to October. Then the sun shines from a bright blue sky, rain is rare. This time is particularly suitable for trips with an active character to Cuzco and Machu Picchu.
The attraction of the rainy season is a lush green nature that makes the Andean landscape appear powerful and colorful. However, heavy rainfall can occur. This can result in roads being closed. The train route to Machu Picchu is also occasionally closed due to underwashing and landslides in sections. The peak of the rainy season is between January and March. In February, the Inca Trail is closed every year.
Machu Picchu can be cloudy early in the morning. With the increasing intensity of the sun's rays, the clouds rise. But there is never a guarantee of sunshine, because Machu Picchu is located in the mountain cloud forest.
The daytime temperatures in Cuzco are mostly around 20°C. On the other hand, it can get cold at night, in some cases (June and July) it can even be around zero.
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