MachuPicchu SacredValley
5
Day Itinerary •
Peru
Five days across Machu Picchu and the Sacred Valley gives you the full extraordinary depth of the Inca world, beginning with a proper acclimatisation day in Cusco exploring the extraordinary Qorikancha sun temple and colonial Plaza de Armas, moving through the Sacred Valley's salt pans, circular terraces and Inca market town, spending two full days at Machu Picchu including Huayna Picchu mountain, and finishing at the extraordinary fortress of Ollantaytambo. This extended route does Machu Picchu and the Sacred Valley properly. A full Cusco day for acclimatisation and the extraordinary Qorikancha, the Pisac ruins and Sunday market, Maras and Moray, two entries to Machu Picchu with the Sun Gate and Huayna Picchu mountain, the extraordinary Rainbow Mountain at Vinicunca, the Ollantaytambo fortress and living Inca town, and the finest Novo Andino gastronomy in Peru.
Best Time To Visit
May to October, dry season for clear skies and best trekking
Getting There
Fly into Alejandro Velasco Astete Airport (CUZ), Cusco
Getting Around
Train to Aguas Calientes, bus to citadel, taxi in Sacred Valley
Budget Per Day
Approx 120 to 300 USD per person per day
Difficulity
Moderate to challenging, Huayna Picchu is steep and exposed
DAY 1
CUSCO
MORNING
QORIKANCHA, THE INCA TEMPLE OF THE SUN
The most sacred site in the Inca Empire, the extraordinary Temple of the Sun whose walls were once covered in 700 sheets of pure gold and whose curved stonework is the finest example of Inca masonry in Cusco. The Spanish built the Convento de Santo Domingo directly over and around the Inca temple, creating an extraordinary collision of two civilisations in a single building. The curved Inca wall surviving beneath the colonial arches is extraordinary. Entry approx 15 soles. 10 min walk
MIDDAY
CUSCO PLAZA DE ARMAS AND SAN BLAS
The extraordinary Plaza de Armas of Cusco, the ancient Inca Huacaypata ceremonial square at the heart of the empire, now surrounded by extraordinary colonial arcades and the twin-towered cathedral containing the finest collection of Cusqueno school religious paintings in Peru. The barrio of San Blas above the plaza is the finest artisan neighbourhood in Cusco, with extraordinary woodcarvers, silversmiths and the remarkable pulpit of San Blas church. 20 min walk
AFTERNOON
REST AND ACCLIMATISE AT 3,400 METRES
REST AND ACCLIMATISE AT 3,400 METRES Afternoon Cusco sits at 3,400 metres and altitude sickness affects many visitors on arrival regardless of fitness. The first afternoon must be spent resting, drinking coca tea and walking slowly. Do not visit sites, do not exert yourself and do not drink alcohol. The extraordinary city can be explored on foot at a gentle pace. The afternoon light on the Inca stone foundations of the colonial buildings is extraordinary even from a cafe table.
💎 HIDDEN GEM
The extraordinary Sacsayhuaman fortress above Cusco, the largest Inca construction on earth, uses stones weighing up to 125 tonnes fitted together without mortar with extraordinary precision. The walls zigzag across the hilltop above the city in an extraordinary pattern still not fully understood. Free entry after 6pm when the boleto turistico inspection ends. The extraordinary view over Cusco at dusk is the finest in the city.
🍽 WHERE TO EAT
Breakfast: Hotel breakfast Light breakfast on arrival. Avoid heavy food. Drink coca tea immediately on landing. | Lunch: Chicha by Gaston Acurio, Cusco Outstanding Novo Andino restaurant. Eat a moderate lunch without alcohol at altitude. | Dinner: MAP Cafe, Cusco Outstanding Novo Andino restaurant in the Museo de Arte Precolombino courtyard. Extraordinary tasting menu.
DAY 2
SACRED VALLEY
MORNING
PISAC INCA RUINS AND SUNDAY MARKET
The most extraordinary Inca site in the Sacred Valley, a vast hilltop complex of terraces, temples and observatories 600 metres above the valley floor with extraordinary views over the Urubamba. The Pisac citadel is far less visited than Machu Picchu despite being genuinely extraordinary. The Sunday market in the village plaza below is the finest traditional market in the Sacred Valley, selling extraordinary alpaca textiles, ceramics and local produce. Entry approx 70 soles boleto turistico. 45 min drive
MIDDAY
MARAS SALT PANS AND MORAY TERRACES
The extraordinary Maras salt pans, where over 3,000 individual evaporation pools cascade down a hillside in geometric terraces fed by a single saltwater spring, glow extraordinary shades of white, pink and terracotta in the afternoon light. Then the remarkable Moray, three concentric circular terrace bowls creating sophisticated agricultural microclimates with up to 15 degrees temperature difference between levels, believed to be an Inca agricultural research station. Entry included in boleto turistico. 30 min drive
AFTERNOON
CHINCHERO AND TRADITIONAL TEXTILE DEMONSTRATION
The extraordinary traditional Quechua village of Chinchero at 3,762 metres, where local women demonstrate the complete process of Andean textile production from raw alpaca fleece to finished woven cloth using natural dyes of indigo, cochineal and local plants. The village colonial church is built on extraordinary Inca palace foundations. The extraordinary view from the Chinchero plateau across the Sacred Valley to the snow peaks is one of the finest in the region.
💎 HIDDEN GEM
The extraordinary Huchuy Qosco Inca site above Lamay in the Sacred Valley, a rarely visited hilltop palace and administrative centre with extraordinary panoramic views down the valley, is reached by a 3-hour trek from Lamay village or accessible by horse from Chinchero. Almost no tourists visit despite being genuinely extraordinary. The finest off-the-beaten-track Inca site in the Sacred Valley.
🍽 WHERE TO EAT
Breakfast: Hotel breakfast, Cusco Good breakfast before the Sacred Valley drive. Most tours depart 8am. | Lunch: El Huacatay, Urubamba The finest restaurant in the Sacred Valley. Outstanding Novo Andino cuisine in a garden. | Dinner: Parador, Ollantaytambo Outstanding traditional restaurant in the extraordinary Inca town. Local chicha and slow-cooked lamb.
DAY 3
MACHU PICCHU
MORNING
MACHU PICCHU CITADEL AT FIRST LIGHT
The extraordinary 15th-century Inca citadel of Machu Picchu, the most extraordinary archaeological site in the Americas, perched at 2,430 metres in the extraordinary cloud forest above the Urubamba gorge. The Sun Temple, Intihuatana stone, Temple of the Three Windows and Royal Tomb are the finest individual structures. Enter at 6am opening for the extraordinary first light before the crowd builds. The citadel in cloud and sun alternately is extraordinary. Entry approx 152 soles. Book months ahead. 45 min walk
MIDDAY
SUN GATE (INTI PUNKU) VIEWPOINT
The extraordinary Sun Gate above Machu Picchu, the ancient gateway on the Inca Trail where pilgrims first sighted the citadel. The 45-minute steep climb gives the finest elevated view of the entire citadel with the extraordinary mountain backdrop in full panorama. At the winter solstice, sunrise aligns perfectly through the Gate onto the citadel. The view is entirely different from anything seen inside the site. Included in citadel ticket. Bus to Aguas Calientes
AFTERNOON
AGUAS CALIENTES HOT SPRINGS AND TOWN
The extraordinary geothermal hot spring pools of Aguas Calientes, where volcanic hot water flows into communal pools beside the roaring Urubamba. Soaking in the extraordinary pools after a full day at altitude is one of the finest end-of-day experiences in Peru. Explore the small town in the evening, the only place in Peru where the surrounding mountains rise so steeply that the sky is a narrow strip above. Entry approx 20 soles.
💎 HIDDEN GEM
The extraordinary Mandor Waterfall 7km from Aguas Calientes along the Urubamba railway track is a 2-hour return walk through extraordinary cloud forest to a dramatic cascade, completely free and visited by almost nobody despite being beside the main train line. The extraordinary cloud forest orchids, birds and river gorge scenery along the track are among the finest near Machu Picchu.
🍽 WHERE TO EAT
Breakfast: Hotel before 5:30am bus Light breakfast at the hotel before joining the first bus queue at 5:15am. | Lunch: Citadel cafeteria or packed Simple lunch inside or below the citadel. The terrace views over the citadel from the cafeteria are extraordinary. | Dinner: Indio Feliz, Aguas Calientes The finest restaurant in Aguas Calientes. Outstanding French-Peruvian menu.
DAY 4
HUAYNA PICCHU
MORNING
HUAYNA PICCHU MOUNTAIN SUMMIT
The most extraordinary viewpoint in the Machu Picchu complex, the extraordinary steep pyramid of Huayna Picchu rising 350 metres above the citadel with only 400 visitors admitted per day. The climb via ancient Inca stone steps, sometimes vertical with chains for safety, reaches a summit with the most extraordinary view of the entire citadel below and the Urubamba gorge on three sides. Only 400 tickets available daily. Book at machupicchu.gob.pe months ahead. 30 min walk
MIDDAY
TEMPLE OF THE MOON AND INCA DRAWBRIDGE
The extraordinary Temple of the Moon on the back face of Huayna Picchu mountain, a remarkable cave shrine with extraordinary Inca carved stone niches built into the natural rock face. The Inca Drawbridge on the outer edge of the citadel, a remarkable engineering solution where a retractable log bridge crosses a sheer cliff face on a narrow stone ledge 600 metres above the valley, is one of the most extraordinary engineering details at the site. Bus to Aguas Calientes
AFTERNOON
RETURN TO CUSCO BY TRAIN AND EVENING
The extraordinary Vistadome train from Aguas Calientes through the cloud forest gorge to Ollantaytambo, with panoramic roof windows framing the extraordinary mountain scenery. Then the drive back to Cusco through the Sacred Valley as the light fades over the Andean peaks. A final evening in Cusco with the extraordinary Plaza de Armas illuminated at night is one of the finest urban moments in South America.
💎 HIDDEN GEM
The extraordinary Machu Picchu Mountain, the alternative peak above the citadel, offers an entirely different perspective from Huayna Picchu, looking down on the citadel from the south with the extraordinary mountain panorama behind it. Only 800 tickets per day, less competitive than Huayna Picchu. The views from the summit at 3,082 metres are extraordinary and the climb is less technically demanding.
🍽 WHERE TO EAT
Breakfast: Early hotel breakfast Full breakfast before the Huayna Picchu climb. The ascent requires energy. | Lunch: Below Huayna Picchu or packed Light lunch after the climb. The citadel cafeteria or packed food from the hotel. | Dinner: Cicciolina, Cusco Outstanding Cusco restaurant beloved by locals. Extraordinary tapas and local dishes.
DAY 5
OLLANTAYTAMBO AND RAINBOW MOUNTAIN
MORNING
OLLANTAYTAMBO INCA FORTRESS
The most extraordinary living Inca town in existence and the site of the only Spanish defeat by the Inca in 1537, when Manco Inca flooded the valley and routed Hernando Pizarro. The extraordinary terraced fortress rises 200 metres above the valley in six massive platforms topped by the extraordinary Temple of the Sun with six enormous monolithic stone blocks. The living Inca urban grid below the fortress, still inhabited today, is the finest example of original Inca town planning. Entry included in boleto turistico. 2 hours drive
MIDDAY
VINICUNCA RAINBOW MOUNTAIN OPTION
The extraordinary Vinicunca, or Rainbow Mountain, at 5,200 metres, where mineral deposits of iron, copper and sulfur colour the mountain slopes in extraordinary bands of red, orange, yellow, green and purple. Only attempt this after four days of acclimatisation at altitude. The 7km round-trip trek from the trailhead is demanding at 5,200 metres. The extraordinary view from the summit across the Andean peaks is unlike anything else in Peru. Entry approx 10 soles. 2 hours drive
AFTERNOON
CUSCO FINAL EVENING AND DEPARTURE
CUSCO FINAL EVENING AND DEPARTURE Evening A final afternoon and evening in Cusco exploring the extraordinary colonial city at leisure, visiting the Mercado San Pedro for extraordinary local produce, the barrio of San Blas for artisan workshops, and the remarkable Inca stone foundations visible throughout the lower town. The extraordinary Plaza de Armas at night, illuminated against the Andean sky, is one of the finest urban experiences in South America.
💎 HIDDEN GEM
The extraordinary Morada de las Salinas salt church in the village of Maras, built entirely from the local salt stone, is one of the most extraordinary small colonial churches in the Sacred Valley and visited by almost nobody despite being 200 metres from the salt pan entrance. The extraordinary texture and luminosity of the salt stone walls in afternoon light is unlike any other church material in Peru.
🍽 WHERE TO EAT
Breakfast: Hotel breakfast, Cusco Good breakfast before the Ollantaytambo drive. Rainbow Mountain requires early departure. | Lunch: Chuncho, Ollantaytambo Outstanding Novo Andino cooking in a colonial courtyard below the extraordinary Inca fortress. | Dinner: Limo, Cusco Outstanding rooftop restaurant on the Plaza de Armas. Extraordinary Novo Andino menu with plaza views.
Where To Stay
Cusco, Nights 1 to 2 Palacio del Inka or Inkaterra La Casona. Plaza de Armas views. Approx 100 to 300 USD per night. Aguas Calientes, Nights 3 to 4 Inkaterra Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel. Cloud forest gardens. Approx 200 to 450 USD per night. Budget Option Hostal Suecia II (Cusco) or El Mapi (Aguas Calientes). Approx 40 to 100 USD per night.
Top Tips
1. Book Machu Picchu and Huayna Picchu tickets at machupicchu.gob.pe months ahead. Non-negotiable.
2. Day 1 in Cusco must be a rest day. Walk slowly, drink coca tea, avoid alcohol. Take altitude seriously.
3. The first bus to Machu Picchu at 5:30am from Aguas Calientes gives an extraordinary dawn citadel.
4. Huayna Picchu mountain has only 400 tickets per day. Book before anything else when planning.
5. Rainbow Mountain (Vinicunca) at 5,200m is extraordinary but only attempt it after 3 days at altitude.
6. The Pisac Sunday market is the finest in the Sacred Valley. Arrive before 9am before tour buses.
Total Budget
155 to 710 USD/day