Cusco is the starting city for any tourist wanting to trek to the famed Machu Picchu. However, from our experience, many people struggle with the altitude when they first arrive in Cusco, especially if they’ve flown directly from Lima. That’s where this guide on the best day hikes from Cusco for acclimatization comes in.
Before embarking on your trek of a lifetime to Machu Picchu, it’s important to give your body time to acclimatise. One of the best ways to adjust is via rest and small-scale activities. But like us, I’m sure you want to explore Cusco and not just relax in your hotel room. That’s why we’ve curated a list of the best day hikes from Cusco that we used to help acclimatise before setting off on the Salkantay Trek.
Cusco was the capital of the Incan empire, and as such, it is surrounded by so many interesting hikes, ancient ruins and beautiful towns to visit. There’s so much to do that it can be quite overwhelming – even with 10 days in Cusco, there was still more we could have done!
From our research and experiences, we’ve created this list of the best day hikes from Cusco for acclimatization to help you plan your Cusco adventure. With each day hike, there’s information on how to do it and how much it will cost (warning: most of these are really cheap!).
Table of Contents
Tip: Get the Cusco Boleto Turistico
Long ago you could simply visit tourist attractions and archaeological sites by paying your entrance fee at the door. In Cusco, this is no longer the case and instead, you require the Boleto Turistico.
The Boleto Turistico is a tourist pass that grants access to many archaeological sites and attractions in and around Cusco. There are a few different versions of it, depending on what you want to see; partial tourist tickets and the comprehensive tourist ticket.
Firstly, there are 3 partial tourist tickets:
- Circuit I is valid for 1 day and only allows you to enter Sacsayhuaman, Quenqo, Tambomachay and Pukapukara.
- Circuit II is valid for 2 days and only allows you access to museums within the historic centre of Cusco city and two ruins in the southern valley: Tipon Archaeological Park and Pikillacta Archaeological Park.
- Circuit III is valid for 2 days and only allows you to enter Pisac, Ollantaytambo, Chinchero and Moray.
- Each partial tourist ticket costs S/.70 / £15 / $19 / €17.
Finally, there is the comprehensive tourist ticket:
- This is valid for 10 days
- It grants access to all attractions on every partial tourist ticket.
- It costs S/.130 / £27 / $35 / €32.
Unless you know you only need one partial tourist ticket, we always recommend getting the comprehensive tourist ticket. It gives you access to all the sites for 10 days!
You can buy the tourist tickets at the COSITUC office at 103 Avenida del Sol in the centre of Cusco.
1 – Cusco Ruins | Sacsayhuaman, Qenqo, Pukpukara, Tambomachay and Cristo Blanco
One of the easiest Cusco day hikes for acclimatization – and the first one we did when we arrived!
On the hill overlooking the city of Cusco are a number of ancient Incan ruins, fortresses and temples. Each of these offers stunning views over the city. We spent the whole day up in the hills exploring the ruins, arriving at Cristo Blanc, the white Jesus, standing proudly above Cusco.
How To
There are two main ways to visit these ruins, walking or by taxi. An organised tour is an option but we think it’s unnecessary. If you want to walk, there is a path heading straight from Cusco’s Plaza de Armas up to Sacsayhuaman – it’s a lot of uphill, so take your time if it’s your first day in Cusco. Once there, explore the ruins before heading on to Qenqo, then Pukpukara, followed by Tambomachay and finally Cristo Blanco. If at any point you want to stop walking, there will be taxis driving by, so hail one down and complete the journey.
After Cristo Blanco, you can either walk back down or taxi back to Cusco. The walking route on Google Maps is potentially dangerous at night (there were a few warning signs of theft), so be vigilant if you choose this route.
Cost
All of the attractions are included in the Boleto Turistico.
A taxi from Cusco to Sacsayhuaman costs on average S/.10 and takes 10 minutes. Use this as a guide when negotiating your prices in between ruins if you decide to taxi.
2 – Pisac Three Lakes Hike
Outside of the laid-back town of Pisac are three lakes; Kinsa Cocha, a small lake attached to Kinsa Cocha and Laguna Azul. Hardly anyone ventures out to these lakes, so if you’re looking for a place to escape the crowds and have a nice day trip outside of Cusco, this is the one for you.
At Kinsa Cocha, you’re able to hike roughly 1 – 2 hours around two lakes. The third lake, Laguna Azul is mainly just a viewpoint, but as you’re in the area, why not check it out? If you’re feeling particularly daring, you can hike 6.8km from Kinsa Cocha, round the second lake and to Laguna Azul.
How To
Catch a colectivo from Cusco to Pisac from the top of Puputi Street in Cusco and enjoy the amazing views of Pisac valley along the way.
Once in Pisac, walk along the main street until you find a taxi driver and negotiate a price. Ask them to take you to Kinsa Cocha, wait for you to hike and then drive to Laguna Azul. Make sure the driver knows to wait at Kinsa Cocha whilst you explore and that you also want to go to Laguna Azul. Otherwise, they may drive off or charge you extra for Laguna Azul. Bear in mind that our Spanish is terrible, but with the help of Google Translate, it all went ok!
After hiking around Kinsa Cocha and taking photos of Laguna Azul, the taxi will take you back to Pisac, where you can either explore the town or catch a colectivo back to Cusco. The colectivo station in Pisac is along the main street.
Cost
Colectivo from Cusco to Pisac: S./4 / £0.85 / $1.10 / €1
Colectivo from Pisac to Cusco: S./4 / £0.85 / $1.10 / €1
Taxi for the day: S./120 / £25 / $33 / €30
3 – Pisac | The Ruins and Market
The laidback hippy town of Pisac is a great place to escape the crowds of Cusco. Nestled in the Sacred Valley, between terraced farms and old Incan ruins, this town has some of the best archaeological sites outside of Machu Picchu.
The ruins, built into the mountain, offer stunning views over Pisac and the Sacred Valley. They take around two hours to fully explore. Afterwards, head into town for some food or head to Pisac market to buy some souvenirs or some alpaca clothing. There are plenty of places to eat in Pisac, from traditional Peruvian food to trendy eateries with Poke or Sushi.
Note: On Sundays, the main Pisac market takes place and is worth a trip. This sprawling market gives you glimpses into the locals’ way of life, with a ton of vegetables, potatoes and corn on display, as well as the usual tourist handicrafts.
How To
Catch a colectivo from Cusco to Pisac from the top of Puputi Street in Cusco. From here you can walk around the town, or head to the Pisac ruins. At the ruins, get your Boleto Turistico stamped and if you want, there will be guides available at the entrance.
Cost
Colectivo from Cusco to Pisac: S./4 / £0.85 / $1.10 / €1
Colectivo from Pisac to Cusco: S./4 / £0.85 / $1.10 / €1
4 – Rainbow Mountain
You know that Instagrammable mountain with shades of turquoise, gold, red and lavender that you’ve probably seen people posing in front of? Well, this mountain, only discovered in 2013 after the snow melted away, is in Peru!
It used to be that the only way to visit this remote mountain was via the Ausangate Trek, but now there are many tours offering it as day trips.
This is probably one of the more intensive day hikes from Cusco for acclimatization as it takes place at 5,200 MASL. However, don’t worry too much – this is an extremely popular hike, and as such, there is a lot of support in place if you start feeling ill, or need to take a breather.
At the summit, you’ll have amazing views of the rainbow mountain, the red valley, a glacier and the snowy Salkantay Pass.
How To
The best, cheapest and easiest way to visit is with an organised tour from Cusco. Book at least a day in advance and be prepared for an early 4 am, followed by two hours of driving to the trailhead. From here it’s about two hours of hiking to the top, and a bit less on the way down before boarding the bus back to Cusco.
You can book tours from pretty much any tour agency in Cusco. We decided to do it through our hostel, but you can definitely find good deals at the tourist agencies off of Cusco’s Plaza de Armas.
Cost
For our tour we paid: S/.120 / £25 / $33 / €30
This included: hostel pickup, breakfast, lunch, transport to and from the mountain and a guide.
5 – Humantay Lake
Three hours outside of Cusco is the brilliantly turquoise Humantay Lake. Sitting between Humantay Mountain and Salkantay Mountain, Humantay Lake, meaning “The Head of the Gods”, is one of the best day hikes for acclimatization that you can do.
The climb from the trailhead is tough, taking around 1 hour of constant uphill walking to a height of 4200 MASL. But don’t let that put you off – the reward is definitely worth it! Amazing views of not just the lake, but the impressive Humantay and Salkantay mountains.
Note: The Salkantay Trek visits Humantay Lake on the first day!
How To
Most tour operators in Cusco will offer this trip as a group tour. These tours will pick you up from your hotel in Cusco early in the morning, around 4 am and take you to Humantay Lake. The tours also include breakfast and lunch, but they do not include the national park entry fee.
If instead, you want to do the tour on your own, the easiest way to do this is by taxi. You can either organise this through your hotel or with one of the Cusco taxi companies. The main benefit of taking a taxi is it offers you complete freedom with your start time and how long you spend at the lake. Taking a taxi is more expensive than a tour, and you’ll have to organise your own breakfast and lunch, but remember you can split the cost between multiple people.
Cost
National Park Entry Fee: S/.10 / £2 / $2.70 / €2.50
Organised Tour: S/.120 / £25 / $33 / €30
Taxi: S/.250 / £52 / $70 / €62
6 – Ollantaytambo
Known as the last stronghold of the Incan empire, Ollantaytambo isn’t just a stopover on the way to Machu Picchu. This small town in the Sacred Valley is overlooked by a large, ancient fortification, in surprisingly good condition, as well as other ruins like the Temple of the Sun and granaries high up in the hills. These walks up to the fort and the granaries, are not too intense, and so are perfect if you still need more time to acclimatise to the altitude.
The town itself is also very picturesque. As you walk around its cobbled streets you’ll notice sounds of water flowing, thanks to the Incan open-drainage system. In addition, the town has a souvenir market known as Mercado Turistico and a central food market called Mercado San Pedro.
How To
The easiest way to get from Cusco to Ollantaytambo and back is with another trusty colectivo. You can catch a colectivo in Cusco at the taxi terminal on Pavitos Street. The colectivos typically run from dawn until approximately 6.30 pm. The journey time is roughly 90 minutes. When you arrive, have fun exploring the town and the surrounding ruins before taking another colectivo back to Cusco.
Cost
Visiting the Ollantaytambo ruins is included in the Boleto Turistico
The colectivos to and from Ollantaytambo cost: S/.10 / £2 / $2.70 / €2.50
7 – Moray and Maras Salt Mines
Salt terraces that cling to the cliffside and intriguing circular Incan ruins are the two destinations on this day trip. Situated nearby the village of Maras, these two sites are often done on a half-day trip together due to their close proximity to each other.
Moray is a mysterious archaeological site consisting of many circular Incan terraces, but its purpose is still unknown by researchers. On the other hand, the sprawling Maras Salt Mines were created by the Inca but are still used today, producing some of the best salt in the world.
How To
There are many tour operators advertising half-day trips to Moray and Maras Salt Mines. However, it is possible to do this tour on your own. Catch a colectivo going to Urubamba from the colectivo station on Avenida Grau in Cusco – make sure to tell the driver that you are getting off at Maras (the town).
Once you’ve arrived at Maras, you can hire a 15-minute taxi to the salt mines. After your salt mines visit, ask your taxi driver to take you to Moray. Following this, ask him to take you back to the colectivo station in Maras, where you can board a colectivo back to Cusco.
Cost
Maras Salt Mines Entrance Fee: S/.10 / £2 / $2.70 / €2.50
Moray ruins are included in the Boleto Turistico
Colectivo to and from Maras cost: S./4 / £0.85 / $1.10 / €1
Taxi for the half-day: S./100 / £20.50 / $27 / €24
8 – Waqrapukara | An Unknown Gem
Meaning the “horn fortress”, these mysterious ancient ruins which are a mix of Incan and Pre-Incan, strikingly tower over the surrounding landscape. During our time in Peru, we didn’t meet anyone who had heard of Waqrapukara, besides one tour guide who recommended the trip to us. But, this hike is well worth the effort to get to. Mountains rest in the distance, as you pass deep valleys, ravines, and emerald-green covered rock formations, on your journey to this ancient citadel.
How To
As Waqrapukara isn’t too well known to tourists, there are no direct buses from Cusco to Waqrapukara. However, whilst you can organise the trip with a tour operator, there are still public transport options available.
There are a number of different starting points for the hike to Waqrapukara, but the easiest is from Huayqui -> Waqrapukara. Then, from the small village of Huayqui there is a 7.5 km bridle path which takes roughly 1 hour and 30 minutes to reach the ruins.
How To Get to Huayqui from Cusco and back
You can reach Huayqui by bus to Acomayo and then a taxi to Huayqui.
- Bus from Cusco to Acomayo – Catch a bus with Expreso El Zorro. The station in Cusco is located on Av. Cusco. Bus times are 6:00 AM, 11:20 AM, 3:00 PM, 5:00 PM. The bus takes 3 – 4 hours, because of this we recommend the 6:00 AM bus for a day trip.
- Taxi from Acomayo to Huayqui – There are many taxi drivers in Acomayo, ask one to take you to the Warqpukara trailhead in Huayqui. The journey takes around 30 minutes.
- Taxi from Huayqui back to Acomayo – In Huayqui, there will be taxis waiting to take passengers to the transit town of Acomayo. Ask to be taken to the bus station. Again, the journey takes around 30 minutes.
- Bus from Acomayo back to Cusco – The last bus from Acomayo back to Cusco is at 5:00 PM, or 6:00 PM on Sundays.
Assuming you take the 6:00 AM bus, you will probably start trekking around 11:00 AM. You will reach Waqrapukara around 12:30 PM and should spend roughly 2 hours exploring the ruins and having lunch. You should leave the site at around 2 PM, to make sure you get back to Acomayo in time for the last bus.
Cost
Organised tours booked in Cusco cost: S/.75 / $15.20 / $20 / €18.10
Organised tours online vary in price from $55 – $80.
Buses between Cusco and Acomayo with Expreso El Zorro cost: S/.11 / £2.25 / $3 / €2.70
Taxis between Acomayo and Huayqui cost: S/.30 / £6.10 / $8 / €7.30
Waqrapukara entrance fee: There is currently no entrance fee. But as the sight becomes more popular, this may change.
If you found this post helpful and want to find more great places to visit in Peru, then check our Best 2-Month Peru Itinerary!
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