9 days: Lima - Cusco - Cusco City tour - Sacred Valley - 4 day Inca Trail to Machu Picchu - Cusco - Lima

Day 1. Arrive Lima

Most international flights arrive in the evening in Lima. Since domestic flights from Lima to Cusco only fly in the mornings most visitors have to spend the night in Lima. When arriving in a new country, especially at night, it is a good idea to book your hotel in advance and arrange for them to send someone to the airport to pick you up. Many hotels offer this service. If not take an official airport taxi to your hotel. Our webpage Recommended Hotels in Lima give you a list of some of the best value hotels in Lima including photos, services and prices, as well as details how to contact them directly to make a reservation.

Day 2. Lima to Cusco

Most flights from Lima to Cusco depart in the morning since landing in Cusco depends on good visibility and the weather is generally better in the mornings. There are 3 or 4 domestic airlines that operate this route but it is difficult to recommend any except for Lan www.lan.com. Lan (formerly known as Lan Chile or Lan Peru) is part of the One World Alliance (together with Aer Lingus, American Airlines, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Finnair, Iberia and Qantas Airways) and therefore meets all international safety regulations. Flights can be booked online or through a travel agent in your own country. The flight time is approximately 50 minutes (as compared to taking a bus which takes 18 hours!). Check-in should be at least 2 hours prior to departure. Once you have checked-in you will have to pay the domestic departure tax (about US$5) before proceeding to the departure lounge.

Again it is a good idea to book your hotel in Cusco in advance, especially during the months June, July and August. Our webpage Recommended Hotels in Cusco give you a list of some of the best value hotels in Cusco including photos, services and prices, as well as details how to contact them directly to make a reservation. You could ask the hotel to pick you up at the airport in Cusco or alternatively you could take a taxi which should cost no more than US$5. The airport is a 20 minute drive from the main Plaza de Armas.

Cusco is at an altitude of 3400m above sea level so you will notice that the air feels much thinner and it is more difficult to breathe. It takes a couple of days to adjust to this altitude so it is important to take things very easy the first day or so. We advise settling into your hotel and taking a short rest. Remember that at high altitude the air is very dry (low humidity) so you can dehydrate very quickly. Drink plenty of bottled water. Many hotels provide you with a complimentary cup of coca leaf tea (mate de coca) when you arrive - this is known to help counteract some of the effects of altitude sickness.

After a rest you can start to explore the Plaza de Armas. There are plenty of restaurants and coffee shops around the Plaza, many of which have pretty balconies with great views. There are also many travel agents and tour operators so it is a good time to book your Cusco City Tour (every afternoon) and Sacred Valley Tour (full day, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays).

Day 3. Cusco City Tour (afternoon)

Having booked the Cusco City tour for the afternoon you will have the morning free to explore Cusco. Since most city tours don't include a visit to the San Blas district then this is a good place to start exploring in the morning. San Blas is known as the artists distinct and is full of workshops and craft shops as well as some good cafes and restaurants. The streets are narrow and very picturesque.

The Cusco City tour usually starts at about 1:30pm. The bus may pick you up from your hotel or you may have to go to the agency. The tour usually visits the following places of interest: Plaza de Armas, Cathedral, Koricancha (Temple of the Sun), and the nearby Inca ruins at Sacsayhuaman, Q'enko and Tambomachay. The tour typically costs US$10-15 per person and is accompanied by an English-speaking guide. Entrance fees aren't included. The tour normally lasts about 5 hours.

Of course you don't have to take an organised City Tour is you don't want to. It is fairly easy to arrange yourself. We would recommend taking a taxi to San Blas plaza in the afternoon on Day 2 and walking gently downhill to the Plaza de Armas. This gives you all day on Day 3 to explore the rest of Cusco. We suggest taking a taxi out to the furthest Inca Ruins at Tambomachay early in the morning (departing Cusco at about 8am). The taxi shouldn't cost more than US$7. You can then visit Tambomachay and then follow the road down hill to Sacsayhuaman (6km). From Sacsayhuaman there is an to follow path (1.5km) that brings you down to the church at San Cristobal overlooking the Plaza de Armas. It is another 1km from San Cristobal down to the Plaza. You should be back in Cusco for lunch. In the afternoon you can then visit the Cathedral, the Convent of Santa Catalina and then the Koricancha (Temple of the Sun).

Day 4. Sacred Valley Tour (Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays)

A tour of the Sacred Valley usually includes a visit to Pisac market, the town and Inca ruins at Ollantaytambo and the town and Inca ruins at Chinchero. The Sacred Valley tour is a circuit of about 180km. It is possible to do it yourself using public transport but you would have to start early in the morning and chances are you won't have time to visit the village of Chinchero on the way back to Cusco. Taking an organised tour is fairly cheap and you have the advantage of being accompanied by a guide. Buses usually depart Cusco at 9am and stop off at a small handicraft market in the village of Ccorao on the way to Pisac. Groups spend about an hour and a half at the traditional market in Pisac before driving along the Sacred Valley to have lunch at a restaurant in Urubamba. Lunch is usually a delicious buffet of Andean and International cuisine but is not included in the price of the tour. Expect to pay US$10 extra for the meal or find a cheaper nearby restaurant as an alternative. The afternoon is spent at the Inca ruins at Ollantaytambo. You also get to visit the town which is a great example of Inca town planning that remains almost unchanged in 500 years. On the way back to Cusco you will stop at the picturesque village of Chinchero and visit the town's Plaza de Armas which is surrounded by interesting Inca ruins. There is a handicraft market in the Plaza aimed at tourists. Chinchero is famous for its hand-woven textiles, many of which offer great value for money considering they may have taken several months to produce. The more traditional local market is held only on Sunday mornings and is rarely visited as part of an organised tour.  You should be back in Cusco by about 6pm.

You should also try to reconfirm your domestic and international flights at this stage in your trip. If you can't phone the airlines directly ask an agency in Cusco to do it for you.

Note: Since the Sacred Valley tour only takes place on Tuesdays, Thursday and Sundays (when there is a market at Pisac) you may have to swap the Cusco City Tour and the Sacred Valley Tour around to suit your schedule.

Day 5. Inca Trail: Cusco to Wayllabamba

Day 6. Inca Trail: Wayllabamba to Pacamayo

Day 7. Inca Trail: Pacamayo to Winay Wayna

Day 8. Inca Trail: Winay Wayna to Machu Picchu. Return to Cusco

Day 9. Cusco to Lima. Depart Lima

Check-in for your flight back to Lima should be at least 2 hours prior to your departure time. Check-ins can be notoriously slow and it has even been know for flights to take off early so try to arrive at the airport on time. Depending on your arrival time in Lima and the departure time of your international flight you could leave your bags in the luggage deposit at Lima airport. You could then do a little sight-seeing in Lima either visiting the old historic centre or Miraflores. If you have time you could even take an organised tour of Lima city (cost about US$25 per person, easily arranged at the airport). Check-in for you international flight should be 3 hours before departure. After check-in you will have to pay your international departure tax (approx US$27 per person) before proceeding to immigration and the departure lounge.

Note: During the high season June to August the weather is usually very good with blue skies and sunshine so there are rarely delays due to bad weather. However during the wet months of November to March there is always the possibility that flights may be delayed or even cancelled. Cusco airport is located in a narrow valley and pilots fly by eye rather than instrumentation, so good visibility is important. In heavy rain all aircraft are usually grounded until the weather clears. During the wet season it is therefore advisable to return to Lima the day before your international flight. 

Tour Itinerary Options:

For visitors who have only a very limited time, the Cusco City tour can be arranged for the afternoon of the second day (i.e upon arrival in Cusco). In fact this slightly shortened itinerary is probably the most popular version. Many tour operators offer this 8 day package but we feel that an extra day in Cusco prior to starting the Inca Trail allows to to acclimatize much better, making the trek much more enjoyable.

Day 1. Arrive Lima

Day 2. Lima to Cusco (morning), Cusco City Tour (afternoon)

Day 3. Sacred Valley Tour all day (Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays)

Day 4. Inca Trail to Machu Picchu

Day 5. Inca Trail to Machu Picchu

Day 6. Inca Trail to Machu Picchu

Day 7. Inca Trail to Machu Picchu. Return to Cusco

Day 8. Cusco to Lima. Depart Lima

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Office Address: Calle Garcilaso 265, interior patio 2nd floor, Cusco, Peru (just 2 minutes walk from the main Plaza de Armas). If you are coming to Cusco please bring a couple of second hand clothes, toys, school equipment and drop them off in our office. We will help distribute the items to people who really need them in small village schools and communities in the Andes. For more details visit our web page www.andeantravelweb.com/peru/projects  A map of our office can be found by clicking here.

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