The 10 best tours in Cusco

Cusco was the capital of the Inca empire. From there all the roads that covered immense regions in the current countries of Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador, Colombia, Chile and Argentina started. Today, numerous tours depart from there to such incredible tourist attractions as Machu Picchu. What are the most famous tours among visitors? Get to know a list of the 10 most requested destinations by tourists arriving in Cusco, Peru.

Tour Machu Picchu 1 day

The tour visits the Inca city of Machu Picchu built in 1450 AD by orders of Emperor Pachacutec to be his royal palace and that of his family.

Machu Picchu is an Inca city that has more than 150 buildings, including temples, enclosures, platforms, squares, viewpoints, paths and more.

The 1-day tour to Machu Picchu is preferred by tourists. It starts in the city of Cusco at 4 in the morning. After the visit and tour of Machu Picchu, return to Cusco at around 8 at night.

• Includes: pick up from the hotel, bus transportation to Ollantaytambo (round trip), train trip to Aguas Calientes (round trip), bus trip to Machu Picchu (round trip), entrance to Machu Picchu and tourist guide.
• Approximate price: 230 USD.
• More information: A good adventurous option is to add the entrance to the Huayna Picchu mountain.

Sacred Valley Tour 1 day

The tour visits the main archaeological sites of the Sacred Valley of the Incas, an area full of mountains, rivers, lagoons and wonderful landscapes that were highly appreciated by the Incas.

The archaeological sites covered in this 1-day trip are: the Inca citadel of Pisac, the Ollantaytambo fortress and the Chinchero archaeological park.

The 1-day tour also includes a delicious lunch at a tourist restaurant in the town of Urubamba. Most visitors choose this tour during their first days of travel to Cusco.

The tour begins in the city of Cusco at 7 a.m. It ends again in Cusco at approximately 7 pm.

• Includes: pick up from the hotel, complete tourist transport, entrance to all the sites, lunch in Urubamba and tour guide.
• Approximate price: 75 USD.
• More information: There are 2-day tours that visit the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu.

City Tour Cusco half day

The city of Cusco was the capital of the Inca empire during the 15th and 16th centuries AD Today, after more than four centuries, the city still boasts formidable Inca constructions as well as colonial monuments of great value historical.

For this reason, Cusco is known as a ‘museum city’. It is also considered the ‘Archaeological Capital of America’. There are the vast majority of hotels, restaurants and other tourist services. The only airport in the region is in the city.

The ‘Half-day Cusco City tour’ covers the most important historical tourist attractions of the city such as: The Cathedral, the Coricancha, Sacsayhuaman, Qenqo, Pucapucara and Tambomachay.

The tour starts at an average of 8 in the morning and ends at 1 in the afternoon. There are also hours from 1 in the afternoon to 6 in the afternoon.

• Includes: complete tourist transport, entrance to all sites and tourist guide.
• Approximate price: 60 USD.
• More information: Visitors usually take this tour on their first day of travel.

Tour Mountain 7 Colors 1 day

The mountain of 7 colors is the second most visited tourist attraction from Cusco, only after Machu Picchu.

It is one of the most beautiful natural landscapes in Peru. The real name of the mountain is ‘Vinicunca’. Its soil has minerals formed thousands of years ago such as: pink, whitish, lavender, red, green and yellowish brown.

Visiting this mountain is a challenge since it is located at 5,200 meters above sea level. Likewise, there are hundreds of tourists who dare to go every day.

The tour starts at an average of 4 in the morning and ends at approximately 7 at night.

• Includes: pick up from the hotel, complete tourist transport, breakfast, lunch, entrance to Vinicunca and tourist guide.
• Approximate price: 55 USD.
• More information: It is recommended to take this tour in the last days of the trip, when the visitor is better adapted to the mountainous geography of Cusco.

Tour laguna Humantay 1 day

The Humantay lagoon offers one of the most beautiful landscapes in Peru. It has turquoise waters that feed on imposing snow-capped mountains such as the Salkantay. It is one of the most photographed landscapes of Cusco.

The lagoon is 4,200 meters above sea level. To get there, you must travel from Cusco to the Soraypampa camp, 122 kilometers away by road..

In Soraypampa you must do a 2-kilometer walk that is a challenge for tourists. Some visitors prefer to rent a horse to complete this section.

The 1-day tours start in the city of Cusco at around 4 in the morning. It ends in the same city at approximately 7 pm.

• Includes: pick up from the hotel, complete tourist transport, breakfast, lunch, entrance to the lagoon and tour guide.
• Approximate price: 55 USD.
• More information: Horse rental is not included. The price of this service is $ 30 negotiable with the owner of the animal.

Maras and Moray half day tour

The salt mines of Maras and the circular platforms of Moray are two of the most famous tourist attractions of the Sacred Valley of the Incas.

The first is made up of some three thousand natural salt wells formed over more than 110 million years. This salt was used by the Incas and their predecessors. It is currently consumed and sold in the markets of Cusco.

The second are four circular platforms of various sizes, which were used by the Incas as an agricultural laboratory. The largest circular platform, called Moray, stands out for its scenic beauty. It is a place very photographed by tourists.

The tour starts at an average of 8 in the morning and ends at approximately 2 in the afternoon.

• Includes: pick up from the hotel, complete tourist transport, entrance to Maras, Moray and tourist guide.
• Approximate price: 60 USD.
• More information: There are optional tours to Maras and Moray that include ATV or bicycle adventures.

Inca Trail Tour 4 days

The Inca Trail is considered one of the most famous hiking routes in Cusco. Travel 39 kilometers from km 82 of the train track to the Inca city of Machu Picchu.

This route runs through ancient Inca roads, known as the qhapac ñan. Due to the historical importance of these trails, only people with a tour can travel it. That is, it is not possible to do the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu without a tour.

The tour to the Inca Trail lasts 4 days. It crosses mountainous and jungle roads of Cusco. During the route you visit Inca archaeological sites such as: Llactapata, Runkuracay, Wiñayhuayna and more.

The tours begin with the pick-up in the city of Cusco at around 4 in the morning. The fourth day ends in the city of Cusco at an average of 8 at night.

• Includes: pick up from the hotel, tourist transport at the beginning of the trek, tourist guide, permit to enter the Inca Trail, cooks (complete meals), porters (equipment loaders), camping utensils, entrance to Machu Picchu, return by bus and train to Cusco.
• Approximate price: 500 USD.
• More information: There is a 2-day Inca Trail tour that only covers the last 10 kilometers of the route.

Tour Salkantay trek 5 days

The Salkantay trek is considered the second best hiking route in Cusco, after the Inca Trail. Also, if distance and difficulty are taken into account, it is the most demanding hike.

The route, in its classic version, lasts 5 days and covers approximately 70 kilometers. Its name is due to the fact that, on the second day of hiking, it crosses the snow-capped Salkantay pass at 4,650 meters above sea level.

The Salkantay trek includes a visit to the Humantay lagoon, the town of Aguas Calientes, the thermal baths of Cocalmayo and, on the last day, Machu Picchu.

• Includes: pick up from the hotel, tourist transport at the beginning of the trek, tourist guide, cooks (complete food), porters (equipment loaders), camping utensils, 1 night in Aguas’ lodging Calientes, entrance to Machu Picchu, return by bus and train to Cusco.
• Approximate price: 350 USD.
• More information: There is a short version of the Salkantay trek of only 4 days.

Inca Jungle Tour 4 days

The Inca Jungle tour offers 4 days of adventures until arriving at Machu Picchu through the town of Aguas Calientes. It owes its name to the fact that it runs through a tropical region. That is, it reaches Machupicchu by the Hydroelectric route, in the jungle part of Cusco.

Among the sports practiced during the route are: cycling, trekking, canoeing (optional) and zip-lining (optional). It also includes a relaxing afternoon in the famous thermal baths of Cocalmayo.

It starts in the city of Cusco at around 4 in the morning. It ends on the fourth day at approximately 8 pm. This tour is very popular with young adventurers around the world.

• Includes: pick up from the hotel, tourist transport at the beginning of the route, cycling equipment, meals in tourist restaurants, 3 nights in tourist lodgings, entrance to Machu Picchu, return by bus and train to Cusco.
• Approximate price: 350 USD.
• More information: The entrance to the thermal baths of Cocalmayo is optional. The cost is 10 Peruvian soles (3 USD, approximately).

South Valley Tour Cusco 1 day

The South Valley is made up of towns and archaeological sites located at the southeast of the city of Cusco.

The tourist attractions that make up this tour are: the archaeological site of Tipón, the archaeological park of Piquillacta and the church of San Pedro de Andahuaylillas.

Tipón was a religious sanctuary that worshiped water. Piquillacta a citadel of the Wari culture (pre-Inca). Due to its walls crammed with paintings and murals dating from the colonial era; the church of San Pedro de Andahuaylillas is recognized as the Sistine Chapel of America.

Tours only last 6 hours. They start at 8 in the morning in the city of Cusco and end in the same place at around 2 in the afternoon.

• Includes: pick up from the hotel, complete tourist transport, entrance to all tourist attractions and tourist guide.
• Approximate price: 60 USD.
• More information: Some tours offer cheaper prices but do not include entrance to archaeological sites (Cusco Tourist Ticket).

By Machupicchu Terra – Last updated, August 28, 2023