A Complete Travel Guide to Cusco & Machu Picchu: 5 Days of Culture, Adventure, and Relaxation

Cusco, the former capital of the Inca Empire, is a city that blends rich history, stunning landscapes, and vibrant culture. From its cobblestone streets and bustling markets to the breathtaking Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu, four days here give you the perfect balance of exploration, adventure, and relaxation. This itinerary is tailored for travelers who want to experience the highlights while also soaking in the culture at a relaxed pace.

Once you arrive, the priority is acclimatization. Cusco sits at 3,400 meters (11,200 ft), so the best ways to adapt are hydration, light walking, and taking it easy. Avoid alcohol, heavy meals, and strenuous activity on your first day. A gentle stroll around your hotel can help with acclimatization. We recommend arriving in the evening and kicking things off with a light dinner and an early night, so that you are fresh for the next few days of exploring!

PRO TIP: Cusco gets dark by 6pm or so, so there's no point in having loads of evening plans. Typically its best to utilise your day to the fullest - yes that means early wakeups! - and then winding down after sunset.

Day 1: Self-Guided Cusco Walking Tour & City Ruins

Morning: Take a self-guided walking tour of Cusco’s historic center. Cusco is extremely walkable - it is not very big and Google Maps works very well, so you actually don't need a guide to show you around. We essentially looked up a few of the walking tour itineraries and starred places of interest on our own map. Two great itineraries:

• Free Walking Tour of Cusco

• San Blas Neighborhood & Viewpoints Tour

Afternoon: Explore Cusco’s nearby Inca ruins on a half-day city ruins tour. You can do this with a company (its a fairly standard tour with a standard price of $20/pp, which essentially covers a driver taking you to all the different spots. You can also choose to do this yourself, utilising Ubers for longer distances):

• Sacsayhuamán – 30 min uphill walk from Plaza de Armas. Its a massive fortress with precisely cut stones weighing up to 200 tons. Believed to be a ceremonial and military site, its terraces offer sweeping views over Cusco.

• Puca Pucara – “Red Fortress,” a military outpost guarding the northern entrance to the city. Its reddish stone walls are a reminder of Cusco’s strategic importance.

• Tambomachay - Known as the “Baths of the Inca,” this site demonstrates sophisticated Inca water management systems, with spring-fed aqueducts and channels.

• Qenko – A sacred site featuring carved rock formations, believed to have been used for ceremonial purposes including rituals involving fertility and the elements

• Walk back to San Blas, enjoying the neighborhood streets and local artisan shops

I will admit that we skipped Qenko - we were quite 'ruin-ed' out after visiting the first three, and just wanted to come back and spend more time in Cusco!

Evening: Cocktails at Limbus Restobar – his rooftop bar offers panoramic views over the Plaza de Armas, perfect for sunset cocktails. The modern, stylish atmosphere blends local design elements with a relaxed vibe.

And then head down towards the city center for food. We recommend checking out Organika - this cozy, contemporary Peruvian restaurant focuses on fresh, locally-sourced ingredients and innovative takes on classic dishes. Its relaxed atmosphere makes it perfect for a first-night dinner, ensuring you eat light and gently ease into the city. Don't miss their trout tiradito - its delicious!

Day 2: Sacred Valley & Journey to Aguas Calientes

We booked a 2-day 1 night tour with Yapa Explorers, who sent a guide over to pick us up at 6:30am.

Today’s tour covers the Sacred Valley, the heart of the Inca civilization:

• Pisac: Famous for its vibrant market and Inca terraces that cling to the mountainside. Historically, Pisac served as a defensive outpost and agricultural hub.

• Ollantaytambo: This fortress town features massive terraces and a strategic military fortress. The town’s layout is almost identical to how the Incas organized their settlements centuries ago.

Train: We then boarded a train by Peru Rail to Aguas Calientes, enjoying panoramic views of the Andes along the way. This small town at the base of Machu Picchu makes it easy to start early without the chaos of a 3 a.m. train from Cusco. You’ll have time to rest, explore, and head up to the site at your own pace the next morning.

The boarding was slightly chaotic - you have these women all dressed up in traditional clothing, holding a pole with a letter on it. The letter corresponds to your coach. The platform is short, so the boarding needs to happen coach by coach. You need to find your hostess, who then takes you to board when ready.

The on-board entertainment then took over - a lively cultural show put on by the train staff. After the snack service, the aisle transforms into a mini-stage where the hosts and hostesses perform a short Andean dance and folklore presentation. Although lighthearted, the performance is rooted in authentic cultural symbolism and adds an immersive, joyful touch to your journey. It’s a lovely way to transition from the Sacred Valley to the mystical world of Machu Picchu.

It was all a little extra lol, but fun nevertheless!

A quick note about Yapa Explorers: I did a lot of research and comparisons between tour companies. We chose Yapa Explorers for our tours because of their small-group approach, local guides, and immersive experiences. Their guides are incredibly knowledgeable about Inca history, Andean culture, and the natural landscapes surrounding Cusco, making excursions educational, comfortable, and unforgettable. Working with a company like them also takes away all the logistics headaches — they guarantee your entry tickets to Machu Picchu (which do sell out fast), arrange your transport, and pair you with a local guide who brings the ruins to life. We had a pre-tour briefing at their office the night before, where they handed over all the logistics and booking info they had sorted on our behalf. Highly recommend them for a seamless travel experience!

Day 3: Machu Picchu & Return to Cusco

Early Morning: Its time for Machu Picchu, the iconic Inca citadel! What time you start depends on your ticket - we had a 7am entrance, which meant we needed to queue for the shuttle busses taking you up at 5:45am! This felt a little unnecessarily early, and in hindsight I can confirm that busses run every five minutes, so there was no need really. But of course at the time we didnt know - so when our guide said 5:45am, we were ready at 5:45am.

We had a private guide for the two of us (thanks, Yapa!!) which made it such an amazing experience overall. The early hours are pure magic — soft light, rolling mist, low clouds. But even if you enter later, it’s fine — once you’re inside, you can stay as long as you want. The clouds lift eventually, and the big reveal is unforgettable.

Highlights include:

• The Sun Gate (Inti Punku): Offers a stunning first view of the citadel.

• Temple of the Sun: A religious center used for astronomical observations.

• Inca Terraces: Ingenious agricultural design preventing erosion and maximizing crop yields

PRO TIP: Choose Circuit 2 when booking your entrance tickets. It’s the most complete route through Machu Picchu — covering the temples, terraces, and all the main viewpoints (including that classic postcard shot). If you have time for only one circuit, make it this one!

There's not much to do in Aguas Calientes, so I recommend getting an early train back and spending the evening in Cusco. Check out Kusykay for dinner: contemporary Andean cuisine with local ingredients, offering innovative twists on traditional flavors.

Day 4: Chinchero, Maras, Moray & Mountain View Experience

We booked a half day tour to Chinchero, Maras and Moray with Yapa Explorers.

Chinchero

A small Andean town renowned for its traditional weaving techniques and colonial church built on Inca foundations. Watching the local women hand-dye alpaca wool with plants and natural dyes (like purple corn or cochineal beetles!) is fascinating - it’s a true window into Andean craftsmanship. That said, beyond the textile cooperatives and the small archaeological site, the rest of the village felt a little underwhelming compared to Moray and Maras. Still worth a stop - but mainly for the cultural experience.

Maras Salt Mines

Terraced salt pools that have been in operation since Inca times, shimmering like a patchwork quilt under the sun. Hands down one of the most magical places in Peru. Over 3,000 salt pools shimmer against the red mountainside, each one fed by a single mineral-rich spring that’s been flowing since Incan times. Locals still harvest the salt by hand - the process is slow, meditative, and deeply rooted in tradition.

Moray

Unique circular terraces, believed to have been an experimental Inca agricultural laboratory, showcasing early crop adaptation techniques. There’s something almost otherworldly about standing in the middle of those circular terraces, surrounded by nothing but wind and silence. The scale hits differently in person - it’s massive. And the way the sound carries down the terraces? Almost echo-like, as if the site was designed with acoustics in mind (many archaeologists actually think it doubled as a ceremonial space).

Afternoon: While the tour traditionally brings you back to Cusco, we asked Yapa to drop us off at Mountain View Experience, a serene property nestled in the Andes not far from the Maras Salt Mines. They kindly obliged, so we checked in here for the dreamiest stay!

Picture waking up in a tipi tent surrounded by misty peaks, sipping coffee with views that look straight out of a painting, and falling asleep to the sound of the river below. It’s rustic, peaceful, and feels a world away from the chaos of the Machu Picchu crowds.

The highlight of the stay though were the ALPACAS! They roam freely on the property and you can feed them. You can even have them come over to your open air jacuzzi! Even if you choose not to stay here, its a perfect way to spend an afternoon before heading back to Cusco.

Day 5: Andes Picnic, Plaza de Armas, and a Final Goodbye

Morning: Sleep in and enjoy the property. If you want to, participate in their Paint and Picnic activity – a fun, creative way to soak in the surroundings. You get escorted to a little picnic, complete with snacks and wine, and then they give you a little canvas to paint the scenery in front of you. Such a cute memento for you to take home!

Head back to Cusco for a final few hours in the city. We headed straight to Plaza de Armas to spend some time people watching. PRO TIP: the best spot to do so is NOT inside the plaza - its from one of the many rooftop cafes dotted around the plaza! We highly recommend Cafeto 109 - they have an amazing angle of the Plaza and church, and they almost always had happy hour on, so bring on those pisco sours!

Revisit San Blas for art, crafts, and local souvenirs. Or visit Qorikancha, the Temple of the Sun, where Inca walls meet Spanish colonial architecture. Or relax with a massage, perfect for winding down after an active trip.

Evening: Pick up the rest of your luggage from your hotel and head to your next destination. PRO TIP: a night bus to Arequipa or Lake Titicaca will get you there bright and early the next day!

Optional Extras to add on to your Cusco trip

• Humantay Lake: Stunning turquoise glacial lake reachable via a moderate 2-hour hike.

• Rainbow Mountain: Full-day trek for breathtaking colorful landscapes - we'd seen coloured mountains in the Atacama desert in Chile so we gave this a skip, but do try to visit if you can!

Where to stay in Cusco

Choosing the right base in Cusco can make a big difference in how you experience the city—especially at high altitude. Whether you prefer boutique charm, historic architecture, or modern comfort, Cusco has an excellent range of hotels within walking distance of the city’s main attractions.

Best areas to stay

• San Blas – A charming, artsy neighborhood known for its cobblestone streets, artisan workshops, and sweeping viewpoints. It’s quiet, picturesque, and perfect for travelers who love boutique stays and a more local vibe.

• Historic Center (Centro Histórico) – Ideal for first-time visitors who want to be steps from the Plaza de Armas, museums, restaurants, and main attractions. This area offers a mix of luxury hotels, restored colonial mansions, and mid-range options.

Our choice: Rumi Punku Hotel

If you’re looking for a stay that blends comfort, charm, and great value, Rumi Punku Hotel is one of Cusco’s hidden gems. Officially rated as a 3-star property, it feels far more boutique-luxury thanks to its warm service and beautifully curated spaces.

The hotel is built around elegantly decorated courtyards, filled with flowers, stone archways, and peaceful sitting areas that give it an intimate, heritage-rich ambiance. Located just a short walk from both San Blas and the Plaza de Armas, it offers the convenience of being central without the noise of the main square. Rooms are cozy, comfortable, and well-heated (a huge plus in Cusco’s chilly nights), making it an excellent base for your 5-day itinerary. For travelers who appreciate boutique flair without the boutique price tag, Rumi Punku is the perfect fit.

Enjoy the photos xx

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