Cusco & Machu Picchu

Lima works mainly as the international gateway and the easiest place to recover after arrival.

Altitude:
• ~0–150 m

Base:
• Miraflores or Barranco

Minimum stay:
• 2 nights
• Arrival night, one full day in the city, then departure to Arequipa

Why visit:
• Easy first stop after a long flight
• Good food, coastal walks, and a different atmosphere before the Andes
• Practical buffer if international and domestic flights do not connect well

What to do:
• Barranco – cafés, murals, and coastal views
• Miraflores – oceanfront walks and easy logistics
• Historic center – Plaza Mayor, churches, and colonial buildings if time allows

Optional extension:
• Paracas and Ballestas Islands – coastal desert, sea lions, seabirds, and a very different atmosphere from the Andes
• Works as a long day trip from Lima, but 1–2 nights is better if you want a calmer coastal stop

Arequipa is the best first Andean stop if you want a gentler altitude transition before Cusco.

Altitude:
• ~2,300 m

Base:
• Arequipa historic center

Minimum stay:
• 2 nights
• Arrival, one full day in the city, then departure to Cusco

Why visit:
• Strong historic center built with white volcanic stone
• Clear views toward Misti, Chachani, and Pichu Pichu in good weather
• Good acclimatization base before going higher

What to do:
• Plaza de Armas
• Santa Catalina Monastery
• Historic center walks
• Volcano viewpoints around the city

Optional extension:
• Colca Canyon – condor viewpoints, deep canyon scenery, terraces, villages, and hot springs
• Usually done by organized tour from Arequipa
• Independent travel is possible by bus to Chivay, but tours are simpler for a first visit
• Add 1–2 nights if Colca is included

Cusco is the cultural center of the route, but the first stay should stay light.

Altitude:
• ~3,400 m

Base:
• Cusco historic center or San Blas

Minimum stay:
• 1–2 nights before continuing to the Sacred Valley

Why visit:
• Core Inca and colonial city
• Main base for tours and onward logistics
• Necessary acclimatization stop before higher day trips

First-day pacing:
• Rest
• Hydrate
• Walk slowly
• Avoid a dense sightseeing plan

Light city visits:
• Plaza de Armas
• San Pedro Market
• San Blas
• Qorikancha
• Short central walks

Possible tours from Cusco if you stay longer:
• Pisac – Inca ruins and Sacred Valley views; can also be included on the transfer toward Ollantaytambo
• Maras and Moray – salt ponds and circular agricultural terraces; good as a half-day
• Humantay Lake – high mountain lake and hike; beautiful but physically harder and better after acclimatization

What to know:
• If altitude affects you strongly, keep only light city walks and continue lower to the Sacred Valley

The Sacred Valley is lower than Cusco and works well before Machu Picchu.

Altitude:
• Sacred Valley: roughly ~2,800–3,000 m
• Ollantaytambo: ~2,800 m

Base:
• Ollantaytambo

Minimum stay:
• 1 night before the train to Aguas Calientes

Why visit:
• Lower and easier than Cusco
• Important Inca sites
• Practical train base for Machu Picchu
• Pleasant small town atmosphere

How to move from Cusco:
• Sacred Valley tour or private driver finishing in Ollantaytambo – best option if you want sightseeing on the way
• Direct transfer / colectivo to Ollantaytambo – cheaper and simpler if you only need to reach the train base
• Train company bus + train package from Cusco – easiest but usually more expensive and less flexible

Train to Aguas Calientes:
• Ollantaytambo → Aguas Calientes by PeruRail or Inca Rail
• More panoramic classes are expensive, but can be worth using in one direction if you want the train ride to feel like part of the trip
• Important: Machu Picchu trains usually allow only a small backpack or carry-on, but you can leave the suitcase in the Ollantaytambo train station for free

Budget alternative:
• The Hidroeléctrica route is cheaper but harder logistically
• It usually involves overland travel from Cusco toward Santa María / Santa Teresa / Hidroeléctrica, then walking or taking a short train to Aguas Calientes

Aguas Calientes is the access town for Machu Picchu.

Altitude:
• Aguas Calientes: ~2,000 m
• Machu Picchu: ~2,430 m

Base:
• Aguas Calientes / Machupicchu Pueblo

Minimum stay:
• 1 night if you already have the Machu Picchu ticket
• 2–3 nights if you are relying on in-person ticket purchase

How to get there:
• Train from Ollantaytambo to Aguas Calientes
• Main operators: PeruRail and Inca Rail

How to reach Machu Picchu from Aguas Calientes:
• Consettur shuttle bus is the standard option
• Walking up is possible, but it adds effort before the visit and is not needed for most travelers

If you already have the ticket:
• It is possible to do morning train + Machu Picchu visit + evening train back
• Aguas Calientes overnight is calmer and safer for timing

If you do not have the ticket:
• Treat Aguas Calientes as the central part of the route, not just a transfer town
• Plan enough time for the in-person ticket system

What to do besides Machu Picchu:
• Natural thermal baths
• Manuel Chávez Ballón Museum
• Mandor Waterfalls walk
• Rest day before or after the citadel visit

Returning to Cusco after Machu Picchu is useful because you are now better acclimatized.

Altitude:
• ~3,400 m

Base:
• Cusco historic center or San Blas

Minimum stay:
• 2 nights

Why return:
• You can now explore Cusco more comfortably
• This is the best point to add higher tours or the places missed during the first Cusco stay

What to do:
• Sacsayhuamán
• Qorikancha
• San Blas
• Pisac, Maras, Moray, or Humantay Lake if missed earlier

Optional high-altitude tour:
• Rainbow Mountain / Vinicunca – around 5,000 m or slightly above
• This is the highest point of the itinerary
• Best only after several nights in the region and after seeing how your body reacts to Cusco
• Skip it if altitude has already been difficult

How to get back there:
• Train Aguas Calientes → Ollantaytambo
• Then colectivo, taxi, transfer, or train-company bus package back to Cusco

The main Cusco and Machu Picchu itinerary ends here.

Option 1:
• Flight Cusco → Lima
• Add a Lima buffer night before an international flight if timing is tight

Option 2:
• Bus Cusco → Puno
• Continue toward Lake Titicaca and later Bolivia

Puno altitude:
• ~3,800 m

Why continue to Puno:
• Lake Titicaca
• Higher-Andes atmosphere
• Natural overland bridge toward Bolivia