Cusco Sacred Valley Machu Picchu Itinerary (5 Days)

Upon arrival to the city of Cusco, we will be at the reception to transfer you to your Hotel in Cusco. Here, you will be welcomed with a traditional drink (“coca tea”) that will help you to cope up with altitude sickness. You will have the morning to take a walk around the city or rest while you adapt with the high altitude.

After having lunch at 01:30, we will be ready to start our first day tour in Cusco. The City Tour will include the Cathedral, Qoricancha, Sacsayhuaman, Qenqo, Puca Pucara and Tambomachay.

Plaza De Armas:

Our guided tour begins in the Plaza de Armas, with The Cathedral of Cusco. When we enter, you will admire the incredible architecture with an exuberant Baroque style of the 16th century.

You can also relish the beautiful wood crafts with gold leaf and colonial paintings that contain extensive Inca iconography.

Qoricancha:

Next stop is the Qoricancha (Temple of the Sun) part in which the Santo Domingo Convent was also built. It’s said this temple was completely covered with gold, which impressed the conquerors upon their arrival to the capital of the Inca Empire.

Sacsayhuaman:

On the outskirts of Cusco, we will ascend to the Archaeological Park of Sacsayhuaman. This is one of the greatest architectural works made by the Incas during its heyday.

The complex used to be a ceremonial fortress and is still considered a sacred place. Here, the Incas used to worship and honor the Inti God (God Sun), also different deities were honored at this place. This stunning structure with magnificent landscapes of the surroundings will fill you with peace and tranquility. 

Here in the city is where the Inti Raymi is celebrated also known as the Sun Festival (‘Fiesta del Sol’’).

Q’enqo:

Afterwards we will visit Q’enqo. Its meaning from Quechua is ‘Labyrinth’, and it was named like this by the Spanish. The old temple was built in honor of the Puma, as a sacrificial altar perfectly worked in a huge piece of stone. It also contains underground channels connected with each other.

Tambomachay and Puca Pucara:

In Tambomachay, you will see the sacred ceremonial sources of life and health. Finally, we will visit the Puca Pucara fortress, an important mandatory checkpoint before entering the city of Cusco.

After visiting the Inca ruins we will return to the city of Cusco. This first night you will stay in Cusco.

• Food: None

Note: We recommend taking the first flights to the city of Cusco between 7:00 AM to 9:30 AM.

You will start the day with a buffet breakfast. We will pick you up from the hotel at 8:00 am for a full day tour to Sacred Valley of the Incas.

Pisac:

First, we will be visiting the city of Pisac. As other ancient cities, Pisac has the form of an animal, the partridge, where its name came from. 

This place is popular for its well-known and varied artisan market, textiles, handicrafts, works and unique silver designs.

We will be visiting the main market to appreciate the marvelous works of the local people.

Everything is made by hand, which adds an incalculable value to the pieces.

Then, we will continue to the city of Urubamba, the principal and most important in the Sacred Valley. We will have a typical Peruvian buffet lunch (included in the price), having time to enjoy the restaurant facilities.

Ollantaytambo:

Continuing our visit, we will be arriving at the Inca fortress of Ollantaytambo. At this point you will prove the great management and mastery that the Incas had.

This archaeological site gives us a great panoramic viewpoint to contemplate the valley both to the South and the North.

Also you will have a complete view of the town, which was built on Inca bases.

According to chronicles this place served as a stronghold for Manco Inca when he carried out the rebellion against the Spanish. 

Chinchero:

On our return trip to the city of Cusco, we will stop to visit the town of Chincheros. This town has a colonial Church built on Inca walls.

But it was more famous for its detailed textile handling of ancestral times. You’ll have the opportunity to see the works based on Alpaca wool and Vicuña, and buy some if you like.

Later in the afternoon, we will return to Cusco. 

• Food: Breakfast, Lunch

As usual you will have a buffet breakfast. Followed by pick up from your hotel at 8:30 am to a private Sacred Valley excursion with a tour guide.

First we will go to the Inca agricultural experimental center of Moray, known for its sunken circular amphitheater, formed by four platforms that seem to disappear into the earth like an artificial crater. The site was apparently an Inca agricultural research station designed to experiment with seeds and crops at various altitudes.

The terraces, built on retaining walls filled with fertile soil and watered by complex irrigation systems. They are believed to have enabled the Incas to create more than 250 species of plants.

Lunch:

After our walk around the circular platforms of Moray, we will enjoy a delicious picnic lunch.

We will be continuing along picturesque paths that will take us to the ancient city of Maras. The entrance has prominent colonial door arches and a large church.

Maras is famous for having a strategic location with a whole ravine where salt is exploited from remote times until today. There are more than 5000 terraces still in production and many families bring their salt to the Urubamba market on mules.

After exploring the Sacred Valley, we will be picking you up from our meeting point near the Urubamba river. We will drive to the living Inca town of Ollantaytambo. From the herd we will take the train ride to Aguas Calientes (train tickets are already included).

Our team will receive us upon arrival and transfer us to the Hotel at Aguas Calientes to spend the night.

• Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch

After relishing an early morning breakfast, we will transfer you to the bus terminal where you will board the bus from Aguas Calientes to Machu Picchu citadel. Once at the entrance of the citadel, our representative will be meeting you and will be assisting you in entering the citadel. 

Machu Picchu Tour:

As you will be walking into the citadel, the clouds would be clearing by as the golden rays of the sun would shimmer on the walls of the citadel. 

Our local expert will be giving you a tour of the citadel for two hours. During the trip, you will be visiting some of the important parts of the citadel like the ceremonial centre, main plaza, house of the priests and more. 

After the tour, you will have some free time to explore the citadel on your own. If you have booked to hike Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu mountain, our tour guide will be directing you to the respective trail head. 

Alternatively, you can hike to the Sungate. This is the point of entrance to those on the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu.

After you finish your visit to Machu Picchu, you will be taking a bus back down to Aguas Calientes town. Here we will be stopping for lunch at a local restaurant. 

Later in the evening, we will be taking the train back to Ollantaytambo. Our representative will be meeting you and will transfer you back to the hotel in Cusco. 

• Meals Included: Breakfast and  Lunch

After your breakfast, we will be picking you up from your hotel in Cusco and will be transferring you to the airport for your flight.