Trip highlights
- 1Plaza de Armas and Cusco Cathedral
- 2Sacsayhuamán and the Inca ruins above the city
- 3Sacred Valley — Pisac and Ollantaytambo
- 4San Pedro Market
- 5Acclimatisation with coca tea
Daily spend
Where you're going
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In pictures
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Day-by-day plan
Arrival & Altitude Acclimatisation
Saturday, June 12
Est. spend
$80
per person
🌅 Morning
Arrive at Alejandro Velasco Astete International Airport (CUZ)
Alejandro Velasco Astete International Airport
Cusco sits at 3,400 metres altitude — significantly higher than most visitors are used to. Taxis to the historic centre take about 15-20 minutes.
Plan to do very little on arrival day — altitude sickness is common and most effectively managed by resting, hydrating, and avoiding alcohol for the first 24 hours.
☀️ Afternoon
Gentle Plaza de Armas walk
Plaza de Armas, Cusco
A short, easy walk around Cusco's main square, surrounded by the Cathedral and the Church of the Society of Jesus, both built over Inca foundations — a low-effort way to start sightseeing while acclimatising.
Drink coca tea, sold everywhere in Cusco, which locals swear by for altitude symptoms — it's legal, mild, and genuinely helps many visitors.
🌙 Evening
Early, light dinner
Historic centre, Cusco
A light dinner and early night — altitude adjustment is genuinely easier with proper rest, and pushing too hard on day one often backfires for the rest of the trip.
🍽️ Meals
Airport or hotel breakfast
Peruvian · $8
Light soup lunch
Peruvian · $10 · A light meal is genuinely advisable on arrival day given the altitude.
Early dinner near Plaza de Armas
Peruvian · $20
Sacsayhuamán & Cusco's Inca Ruins
Sunday, June 13
Est. spend
$90
per person
🌅 Morning
Sacsayhuamán
Sacsayhuamán, Cusco
A massive Inca fortress complex overlooking Cusco, built from enormous interlocking stones fitted without mortar so precisely a knife blade can't slide between them — genuinely astonishing ancient engineering.
Buy the Boleto Turístico (tourist ticket), which covers Sacsayhuamán and several other nearby sites and museums together — better value than individual entries.
☀️ Afternoon
Q'enqo and Tambomachay ruins
Q'enqo/Tambomachay, Cusco
Smaller but significant Inca sites near Sacsayhuamán — Q'enqo's carved ceremonial rock and Tambomachay's 'Inca baths' (a system of aqueducts and waterfalls) round out the morning's ruins into a fuller picture of Inca religious life.
Both are included in the Boleto Turístico — a taxi or short walk connects all the sites in this group.
🌙 Evening
San Pedro Market and dinner
Mercado San Pedro, Cusco
Cusco's main local market, selling everything from exotic fruits to alpaca meat and traditional medicinal herbs — a genuinely vibrant, local experience, followed by dinner in the historic centre.
Try cuy (guinea pig), a traditional Andean delicacy, if open to adventurous eating — widely available at local restaurants around the market.
🍽️ Meals
Hotel breakfast
Peruvian · $8
San Pedro Market lunch
Peruvian · $8
Historic centre dinner
Peruvian (Andean) · $30
Sacred Valley Day Trip
Monday, June 14
Est. spend
$130
per person
🌅 Morning
Pisac ruins and market
Pisac, Sacred Valley
An Inca agricultural terrace complex and fortress overlooking the Sacred Valley, paired with one of the region's best traditional markets for textiles and crafts.
Bargain gently at the Pisac market — prices are already reasonable, and respectful negotiation is expected but should remain good-natured.
☀️ Afternoon
Ollantaytambo
Ollantaytambo, Sacred Valley
A still-inhabited Inca town with its original urban planning largely intact, plus a dramatic terraced fortress — widely considered one of the best-preserved examples of Inca town planning anywhere.
Ollantaytambo is also the main departure point for trains to Machu Picchu — worth noting if continuing your trip onward from here.
🌙 Evening
Return to Cusco
Cusco historic centre
Return via the Sacred Valley road in the evening, tired from a full day of ruins and altitude, for a relaxed final dinner.
🍽️ Meals
Hotel breakfast
Peruvian · $8
Pisac market lunch
Peruvian · $12
Cusco dinner
Peruvian · $30
Qorikancha & Departure
Tuesday, June 15
Est. spend
$95
per person
🌅 Morning
Qorikancha (Temple of the Sun)
Plazoleta Santo Domingo, Cusco
Once the most important temple in the Inca Empire, covered in gold sheets before the Spanish conquest, now partially incorporated into the Santo Domingo convent — a striking layering of Inca and colonial history in one building.
The contrast between Inca stonework and Spanish colonial architecture, visible in the same walls, is one of the most tangible illustrations of conquest anywhere in Peru.
☀️ Afternoon
Final shopping for alpaca textiles
Historic centre, Cusco
Cusco has some of the best alpaca wool products in Peru — scarves, sweaters, and blankets are a worthwhile final purchase, ideally from a cooperative supporting local weavers.
Look for shops affiliated with weaving cooperatives rather than mass-produced synthetic blends labelled as alpaca — genuine alpaca is noticeably softer and warmer.
🌙 Evening
Transfer to Cusco Airport
Alejandro Velasco Astete International Airport
Allow at least 2 hours before a flight. Cusco's airport is close to the historic centre, so transfer time is short.
🍽️ Meals
Hotel breakfast
Peruvian · $8
Historic centre lunch
Peruvian · $15
Airport food
Peruvian/International · $14
Before you go
📅 Best time to visit
May–September is the dry season, with sunny days but cold nights (especially June-August). The wet season (November-March) brings more rain but fewer crowds and lush green Sacred Valley landscapes.
🛂 Visas
Most Western nationalities (US, UK, EU, Canada, Australia) do not need a visa for short tourist stays in Peru, typically up to 90 or 183 days depending on nationality. Check current requirements before travel.
💱 Currency
Peruvian Sol (PEN). Cards are accepted at hotels and many restaurants in the historic centre; cash is essential for markets and the Sacred Valley.
🆘 Emergency numbers
police: 105
ambulance: 106
💬 Things you won't find in a guidebook
- Cusco sits at 3,400 metres altitude — take the first day very easy, hydrate constantly, and consider altitude sickness medication if you have a history of issues at elevation.
- Buy the Boleto Turístico (tourist ticket) covering Sacsayhuamán and several other sites together — significantly better value than paying for individual entries.
- Coca tea, sold everywhere, is the local remedy of choice for altitude symptoms — legal, mild, and worth trying even if sceptical.
- Most visitors use Cusco as the base for visiting Machu Picchu — factor an additional 1-2 days if continuing on to the citadel itself, which isn't included in this itinerary.
- Cusco nights are cold year-round given the altitude, even in the 'dry season' — pack genuinely warm layers regardless of when you visit.
One thing worth not skipping
A 4-day trip to Cusco, Peru without insurance is a gamble. Medical emergencies, cancelled flights, lost luggage — cover yourself before you leave.
Comprehensive cover for 150+ adventure activities, medical evacuation, trip cancellation, and baggage. Recommended for most travellers.
Subscription-based travel medical insurance. Best for longer trips, digital nomads, or frequent travellers. Renews weekly or monthly.
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