Cusco: Travel into the heart of the Andean culture

Cusco is an unmissable stop of any Peruvian tour. If the imperial city was the center of the world for the Incas, today Cusco is undoubtedly the touristic highlight of the country and, along with Machu Picchu, the climax of any trip to Peru.

Inca remains and colonial city

Cusco is a city which offers many different activities. The city is dominated by one of the most impressive Inca constructions: the Sacsayhuamán, an enormous fortress made of gigantic, perfectly assembled stones. Some are over 3 meters high and weigh close to 20 tons: an unmissable sight! Not much further away, only a few miles from Cusco, are other Inca sites which are definitely worth visiting: Kenko, Puka Pukara and Tambomachay.

Aside from your guided tours of these stunning Inca sites, we recommend you spend at least one full day exploring Cusco itself.

You will be able to enjoy a generally sunny climate, as well as pleasant daytime temperatures. This makes for some very pleasant walks around the typical squares, and around the San Blas neighborhood with its narrow, steep and winding streets. Throughout the city you’ll be able to discover an extraordinary cultural and historical heritage: many museums about the Inca or colonial times, the cathedral with its incredible wealth, or also the Koricancha (or Sun Temple), political and spiritual center of the Inca empire, upon which the Spanish built the Santo Domingo church.

And why not take some time to visit the ChocoMuseo, or take part in a workshop where you’ll be able to make your own chocolate?

Cusco is a city where you can breathe in the Andean culture at every street corner, this striking mix of Indian and Spanish traditions and ways of life. The perfect way to soak up this atmosphere: strolling around the San Pedro market, the main market in Cusco, which is located in the city center.

Around Cusco

Cusco isn’t only of interest in itself, it’s also the ideal starting point for many visits and excursions. Less than an hour away you will find the Sacred Valley of the Incas, and the famous Machu Picchu is only 3 hours away.

Cusco is also located in a beautiful region of the Andes, very green due to its proximity to the Amazonian basin, which boasts some mountain ranges peaking at 6000 meters. For hiking amateurs, the region offers some wonderful several-day treks, through the Salkantay and Ausangate mountains, to the Choquequirao Inca city, and of course the most famous of them all: the Inca Trek which leads straight to Machu Picchu.

Discover Cusco in pictures:

More information:

Altitude and climate

Practical information

How to get there

Our hotels

Altitude and climate

Altitude: 3350 m.
Climate: Dry from April to November, rainy season from December to March.

Maximum daytime temperatures (monthly average):

In summer (December to March): 19ºC / 66ºF
In winter: 18ºC / 64ºF

Minimum nighttime temperatures (monthly average):

In summer (December to March): 7ºC / 44ºF
In winter (June to September): 1ºC / 34ºF

Practical information

A « tourist ticket » is necessary to visit Sacsayhuamán, Kenko, Puka Pukara and Tambomachay. It is valid for 1 day and costs around 25 USD for an adult. You can also buy a ticket which allows additional entry to the main sites of the Sacred Valley (including Pisac, Ollantaytambo, Moray and Chinchero). This ticket is valid for 10 days and costs around 50 USD for 1 adult. Tickets can be bought directly at the entrance of any of the sites, and payment must be made in cash and in the local currency.
The Koricancha and Cusco cathedral are not included in this ticket.
The celebration of Inti Raymi takes place on the 24^th of June, with a performance of the Inca celebration of the winter solstice, on the Sacsayhuaman esplanade. It is a very popular event, and hotels tend to get booked up during that week, often charging higher rates to boot.

How to get there

By air:

Cusco is connected to the cities of Lima, Arequipa, Juliaca (Puno) and Puerto Maldonado. It also connected to La Paz in Bolivia with daily flights (apart from Saturdays).

By road:

from Machu Picchu: by train, 3 and a half hours.
from Ollantaytambo: by taxi or private vehicle, one hour and 15 minutes.
from Puno: by bus (by day or night) or private vehicle, 7 hours; by train (3 times per week), 11 hours
from Arequipa: by overnight bus or private vehicle, 10 hours
from Lima: by bus, 20 hours
from La Paz: by overnight bus or private vehicle, 12 hours