Peru · Archaeology

Essential Cusco Tour Package

7 Days Round trip from Pickup service provided in Cusco. Easy pace

The journey

Trip highlights
  • 01 Explore Cusco’s main historical and archaeological landmarks
  • 02 Visit Qoricancha, Cusco Cathedral, and Sacsayhuamán
  • 03 Discover Chinchero textiles, Maras salt mines, and Moray terraces
  • 04 Experience Pisac Market and the ruins of Ollantaytambo
  • 05 Travel by Train Expedition to Aguas Calientes
  • 06 Enjoy a guided visit to Machu Picchu
  • 07 Visit the South Valley sites of Tipón, Pikillaqta, and Andahuaylillas

Discover the highlights of Cusco and the Sacred Valley on this 7-day journey through some of Peru’s most iconic Inca and colonial sites. Explore Cusco’s historic landmarks, including Qoricancha, the Cathedral, Sacsayhuamán, Qenqo, Puca Pucara, and Tambomachay, then continue to Chinchero, Maras, Moray, Pisac, Ollantaytambo, and the South Valley.

The experience also includes a visit to Machu Picchu, where terraces, ceremonial spaces, and dramatic mountain scenery come together in one of the world’s most remarkable archaeological sites. With hotel accommodation, breakfast, selected transfers, a bilingual guide, and the Train Expedition to Machu Picchu included, this package offers a convenient way to experience Cusco’s history, culture, and landscapes.

The Lost City of the Incas, Machu Picchu, will astonish us with its terraces, ceremonial shrines, steps and urban areas.

From the itinerary

At a glance

What this trip includes

Duration 7 Days
Tour type Shared
Activity level Easy
Accommodation Included
Transport Included
Wheelchair access No
Cities Cusco, Machu Picchu, Urubamba, Písac, Ollantaytambo, Chinchero, Moray, Maras
Languages English, Spanish

Day by day

The itinerary

1
Day 01

DAY 1 Arrival in Cusco

Arrival in Cusco, and transfer from the airport or bus station, to the hotel located in the city center. Rest of the day off, and overnight at the hotel.

2
Day 02

DAY 2 City Tour Cusco and 4 nearby ruins

Qoricancha

We’ll pick you up from the hotel, and start the tour visiting the Temple of the Sun well-known as Koricancha. This symbolic place has a clear example of the fusion between Incan and Hispanic cultures, and its base was used to build Santo Domingo’s Church and its famous convent.

Cathedral of Cusco

Then, we’re going to visit the Cathedral located in the Main Square, to appreciate a beautiful religious paintings of the Cusco School.

Sacsayhuaman

The Cusco City Tour continues in Sacsayhuaman, an amazing archaeological complex with huge carved stones which fit each other in a perfect way, and it is said that it was built by more than 20 thousand men, and took over 70 years to finish it.

Qenqo

Then we will visit Qenqo religious temple, place where the Incas worshiped their Gods like the Sun, the Moon and the Earth. You will have an incredible experience exploring through its underground galleries, and admire a semicircular amphitheater.

Puca Pucara

We will continue this entertaining excursion in the military compound of Puca Pucara, which means “Red Fortress” for its reddish infrastructure.

Tambomachay

Then we will go the water’s worship center of Tambomachay, with aqueducts and waterfalls provided from nearby springs. At the end, we will drop you off at El Regocijo Square. Overnight in Cusco.

3
Day 03

DAY 3 Chinchero, Maras salt mines and Moray ruins

Chinchero

Early in the morning, we will pick you up from the hotel to start this fascinating tour to the Sacred Valley of the Incas. Our first stop will be at the town of Chinchero, located 17 miles from Cusco city. Here, we will visit a local workshop to appreciate the ancestral techniques to create amazing textiles.

Maras

Then, we will visit the salt mines of Maras located on an open hill in Urubamba’s valley. This place has an impressive process created by Incas, where a subterranean stream evaporates salty water and it emerges at a spring. The flow is then directed into an intricate system of tiny channels constructed so that the water runs gradually down onto the several hundred ancient terraced ponds. The water, which is exposed to the sun, leaves salt on the land.

Moray

After visiting the salt mines near Maras, head to the Moray ruins, which are made up of three coliseums thought to have been used by the Incas as a sort of open air crop laboratory. The coliseums consist of several enormous terraced circular depressions, the largest of which is about 30 meters (98 feet) deep. Admire these terraces which are arranged in concentric circles and are reminiscent of an ancient Greek theater. The Sacred Valley of the Incas has extensive fertile lands perfect for cultivation, as well as impressive archaeological sites. This place will show us the lifestyle of the Inca Empire and its advanced construction techniques. After the tour we will drop you off at El Regocijo Square. Overnight.

4
Day 04

DAY 4 Pisac Market, Ollantaytambo Ruins and Train Expedition to Machu Picchu

Pisac

Breakfast at the hotel. We will pick you up from the hotel in Cusco, to start a 30 Km. journey until Pisac. This fantastic place has an amazing market, and archaeological temples of stone buildings, with incredible views to the valley and the magnificent Inca platforms.

Lunch at Urubamba

Then, we will continue until Urubamba to enjoy a delicious buffet lunch, and later we will reach Ollantaytambo.

Ollantaytambo

Its temple was the headquarter of Inca’s army, as well as a religious and agricultural place. It has stunning views, and more than a hundred Inca platforms with an advanced irrigation canal for that period.

Aguas Calientes

Later, you be transferred to the train station in Ollantaytambo to take the Train Expedition to Aguas Calientes. Arrival and transfer to the hotel. Short briefing with the guide before the excursion to the citadel. Overnight.

5
Day 05

DAY 5 Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu

Breakfast at the hotel. Early morning, you will board the bus to go up the winding road to Machu Picchu, amid a spectacular view of the Urubamba River and its canyon. The Lost City of the Incas, Machu Picchu, will astonish us with its terraces, ceremonial shrines, steps and urban areas. Energy is all around us. After a guided visit, you will hace time enough to stay for more time or take the bus to back to Aguas Calientes Town, and have lunch (Optional).

Ollantaytambo

At the arranged time, we will return to Cusco from Ollantaytambo train station by tourist bus.

Cusco city

We will drop you off at your hotel located in the city of Cusco. Overnight.

6
Day 06

DAY 6 South Valley: Tipón, Pikillaqta and Andahuaylillas

Tipon

Breakfast at the hotel. After picking you up at the hotel, we will go to the Cusco’s South Valley, starting the visit to the water temple of Tipón, a big area with 12 incredible terraces. Their irrigation system is even more impressive, because it’s still working and it continues to irrigate crops until today.

Pikillaqta

The next stop is Pikillaqta, an important pre-Inca urban Centre, and a significant place for Huari Empire development.

Andahuaylillas

Then, we will continue to Andahuaylillas. This traditional Andean town has an amazing chapel, well-known as “The Sisitine Chapel of America” too. After the visit, we will drop you off at El Regocijo Square in Cusco City. Overnight.

7
Day 07

DAY 7 Departure from Cusco

 Breakfast at the hotel. Pick up at the agreed time to transfer you to the bus station or airport in the city of Cusco. 

The route

Where you'll travel

Tour route map
Round trip from Pickup service provided in Cusco. 8 cities · 7 Days

The fine print

Trip details

What's Included

  • Lunch in Urubamba
  • Round trip private transfers with only driver
  • 3-star hotel with breakfast included
  • Group service with Spanish/English guide
  • Train Expedition to Machu Picchu

What's Not Included

  • Local and international flights
  • Entrance to Huayna Picchu
  • Transfer to your hotel in Cusco (day 5) after Machu Picchu. The las bus stop is on El Regocijo Square.

Know before you go

  • PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION NEARBY
  • INFANTS MUST SIT ON LAPS
  • PASSPORT REQUIRED
  • Not wheelchair accessible
  • Not stroller accessible
  • Not suitable for pets
  • Infant seats unavailable
  • Rates are not valid for holidays such as Easter, Weekends, National Holidays, Christmas and New Year.
  • Rates are not valid for Peruvians and residents, as well as foreigners with a stay greater than 60 days in Peru.
  • We recommend a good altitude acclimatization before starting any activity
  • Pick up from the airport or bus station, to centrally located Cusco city hotels

Logistics

Meeting & route

Meeting point
Pickup service provided in Cusco.
Tour start
Pickup service provided in Cusco.
Tour ends at the same location as the start point.
End of the journey

Your 7 days finish where they began, in Pickup service provided in Cusco..

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