Explore the Cusco region in 6 days
With so many amazing things to offer it would be almost impossible to discover each and every delight of Peru´s Cusco region in just one visit! With this in mind, we have carefully prepared a special package consisting of 6 days of unique tours, which will take you to the most important attractions in the region, give you the chance to meet and interact with local people, and learn about life in the Peruvian Andes! If you are limited on time or not a big fan of multi-day treks, but would still like to see the best of the best in the Cusco region, then this is the perfect package for you!
The Cusco region is one of the most beautiful and attractive parts of Peru. The Andean landscapes offer great trekking, bicycle and horseback riding routes, as well as a chance to learn about the history of the Inca Empire and explore archaeological sites. Friendly locals are what really make this area of Peru so special, and you will have the chance to witness first-hand the rich traditions and culture of Andean communities. From Cusco you can easily reach the famous Inca ruins of Machu Picchu, jump down to the jungle or reach the dizzying heights of the mountains. This region provides you with many attractions and unique experiences, and with our 6 day tour you can see the most spectacular parts!
This tour is family friendly and is created for participants with different styles. It is a very accessible tour that includes some easy treks that take between 1 – 3 hours of walking at most. Most of the treks are optional, if anyone does not want to do them, they can choose to travel by private car.
Note: This tour includes 1 night in a local family house in a small village in the Andes (very basic accommodation – no private bathroom and no hot water). If you do not wish to stay at a local family house, it is possible to change the itinerary and stay for a night in Ollantaytambo town.
Minimum number of participants: 2
Tour Itinerary
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Day 1: ARRIVAL TO CUSCO
Day of leisure in Cusco. It is important to acclimatize to the altitude before beginning the more strenuous parts of the tour. Today you will visit the ruins of Saqsaywaman, the museum of Koricancha, and other notable parts of the historical city center, where you can see a mixture of colonial and Inca architecture.
On this day we will start the city tour at 9:00 am and will finish all the activities around 5 pm.
Max altitude: 11811 ft (3600 m) above sea level
Overnight stay in Cusco -
Day 2: PISAC - OLLANTAYTAMBO - PATACANCHA VALLEY
The Sacred Valley, also known as the Valley of Urubamba, is quite unique. Not only does it offer breathtaking landscapes, but Peruvians believe it to be full of a special, positive energy. Here, you will find ruins from the Inca Empire – believed to be the most important and interesting archaeological areas of the entire country. You can spend many days discovering new adventures in this part of the Cusco region. For this tour, we have selected two of the most important and beautiful towns in the Sacred Valley to visit and explore – Ollantaytambo and Pisac.
You will start the tour early in the morning at 7:00 am. First on the agenda is a visit to a small zoo (The Sanctuary of the Animals) which shelters local Peruvian animals including jungle birds, llamas, alpacas, vicuñas, and condors. You will have the unique opportunity not only to see all of these animals in one place, but also to get very close to them. Later in the day you will have a chance to explore the cozy town of Pisac as well as the ruins situated just above the city. Besides wandering the lovely market you will also be able to learn about the history of the Inca Empire and get some background information on Peru in general.
From Pisac you will travel directly to Patacancha Valley where you will meet with local communities living in the high Andes. You will spend the afternoon and the next morning with them in order to interact and experience their way of life.
Max altitude: 12139 ft (3700 m)
Overnight stay in the Patacancha Valley -
Day 3: PATACANCHA VALLEY - OLLANTAYTAMBO
After a 7:30 am wake up, a typical, local breakfast will be served. Once everyone has finished, we will begin an easy and comfortable trek through the Patacancha Valley to the beautiful Inca town of Ollantaytambo, passing through crowd-free, pre-Inca ruins in Pumamarca.
In the afternoon we will visit the Inca ruins in Ollantaytambo and have some time to walk through the lovely streets of this amazing town.
From there, we take the 7:00 pm train to the town of Aguas Calientes – also known as Machu Picchu Pueblo. The train trip will take us around 2 hours. You will arrive in Aguas Calientes around 9:00 pm.
Max altitude: 12139 ft (3700 m)
Overnight stay in the Patacancha Valley -
Day 4: MACHU PICCHU
Finally, on the fourth day of our adventure into the Inca Jungle, you are presented with the amazing opportunity to explore one of the New 7 Wonders of the World, Machu Picchu. Surrounded by mountains and jungle, you will have a chance to enjoy this incredible place from the early morning until 5:00 pm (closing time).
You will start the tour to Machu Picchu from Aguas Calientes where you will take an early morning bus to the site´s entrance (with this option, an additional fee for the bus ticket is required) or you will walk there (around a 1-1.5 hour trek).
In the ruins you will have a 2 hour guided tour, giving you an overview of the history and culture of the Inca Empire, as well as the spiritual, political and educational importance of Machu Picchu. After the tour you will have time to explore the site on your own until about 5:00 pm (you also have the option to leave earlier if you wish). Inside the ruins there are multiple options available to you. You can hike one of the two small peaks, Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu Mountain, you can even walk to the Sun Gate (Inti Punku) and/or Inca bridge.
After visiting the ruins, you will make your own way back to Aguas Calientes via bus (with this option, an additional fee for the bus ticket is required) or on foot (around a 1 – 1.5 hour trek), from where you will take a train to Ollantaytambo. In Ollantaytambo, our bus will be waiting to transfer you back to Cusco, where you will arrive at around 10:30 pm.
Max Altitude: 10334 ft (3150 m) above sea level
Overnight stay in Ollantaytambo -
Day 5: OLLANTAYTAMBO - CHINCHERO - MARAS - MORAY - SALINERAS - CUSCO
The fifth day is an awesome and unforgettable immersion into the local culture of the Sacred Valley! Today you will explore Inca archeological sites, a traditional Inca salt mine, and mystical agricultural terraces. You will also participate in a textile lesson, meeting members of the local community. You will be amazed at just how many things there are to do and explore in one day! Take advantage of the day to really experience and enrich your knowledge of local Andean traditions, crafts, and customs.
The day starts with breakfast at 7:00 am. Afterwards, at 7:40 am, we will drive approx. 50 minutes to the first spot we will visit today, the archaeological spot of Moray. We will walk through the ruins for about 45 minutes and then we will drive for about 20 minutes to the next destination, Maras.
We will take a short pause in this small town and learn about the production of the popular Andean beverage,´chicha de jora´ (corn beer). We will also have the chance to walk around and explore the town’s quaint and beautiful streets!
After Maras, we will visit a salt mine in Salineras de Maras, that has been in use since Inca times. We will go there on foot following an easy and relaxing trail for approx. 1 hour. Along the way we will be able to enjoy some spectacular views of the Cordillera Uubamba! Once we arrive at the salt mine, you will have a chance to walk through more than 3000 salt ponds and learn about the methods used to process and produce the salt – methods which have been used since the time of the Inca Empire.
From Salineras, we will drive for about 45 minutes to the last destination of the day, the lovely town of Chinchero. Here we will participate in an interesting lesson about the local textiles of the region.
After a full day of different activities, we will reach Cusco at around 4:00 pm – leaving you plenty of time to discover the restaurants and nightlife of this beautiful city!
Max altitude: 12417 ft (3785 m) above sea level
Overnight stay in Cusco -
Day 6: DEPARTURE FROM CUSCO
Day of leisure in Cusco.
Depending on your departure time from Cusco you may have time to visit more of the city´s sites, browse the artesian markets or even stop for a very traditional lunch at the Mercado San Pedro!
Your “Heart Of The Inca Empire With Machu Picchu” tour will end in Cusco. If you would like to stay in the Cusco region or in any other part of Peru longer and explore more, feel free to contact us. We are happy to modify our tours so that they meet your tastes and expectations.
Before booking any tour we require all clients to carefully consult our Terms.