TRAVEL GUIDE
Cusco
Sacred Valley of the Incas – Best Places to Visit in 2021 – 2022
The Imperial City of Cusco is known as the “Navel of the World” and the former capital of the Inca Empire. It is an enchanting introduction to the Andean culture and the main gateway to the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu Citadel. Almost all people who like to travel, have the city of Cusco among the places they have to visit in life.
All information a traveler needs to know before visiting the Sacred Valley
Overview
Cusco is an ancient and impressive Inca capital located high in the Andes, in southeastern Peru, and the most incredible of South America and one of the world’s top destinations.
Visiting the ancient capital of the Inca empire must be one of the best cultural experiences you can have in life, the city of Cusco is recognized as the archaeological capital of the Americas, known since the time of the Incas as the “Navel of the World”; and is an integrating city, where experiences, people of all cultures, religions and nationalities come together and exchange experiences; making it one of the most cosmopolitan cities in the world.
The city of Cusco has a unique charm that is hard to put into words, with exquisite churches, fantastic museums and narrow cobblestone streets in the historic center that deserve at least several days of exploration. Add to this the impressive Inca ruins both in the city and in the surrounding hills, and you have the recipe for a magical trip.
The city today is built on ancient Inca temples and monuments, colonial architecture and modern buildings, and the cultural festivals held throughout the year, such as the “Señor de los Temblores” and “Inti Raymi”, highlight the region’s mixed Spanish-Indian heritage and illustrate the community’s continuing renewal of ancient Andean traditions. This fascinating and historically rich city is sure to be one of the most memorable places you will ever set foot in.
Climate & Weather
The weather is an important matter when deciding on a trip. Unlike other countries and regions. In the highlands of Peru, where Cuzco is located, there are two well-defined seasons, the rainy season and the dry season, with gradual changes in weather and temperature in between. The mountainous geography of the Cuzco region has a wide variety of microclimates, with drastic temperature differences between the warm and humid valleys and the frosty high altitude plains. Generally, as elevations climb higher, temperatures drop.
DRY SEASON:
The dry season in the Cusco region is from April until October when it’s winter in South America. June and July are the driest months but also the coldest with temperatures sometimes dropping below zero. During these months in Cusco, it’s typically beautiful and sunny. The average daytime temperature is around 65°F (18°C), but if you’re in direct sunlight it can feel a lot hotter. At night, without cloud cover to create an insulation effect, the temperature dips down to a chilly 25°F (4°C) in the evening, night and early morning.
RAINY SEASON:
The months of the rainy season begin in November and run until March and coincide with summer in South America. Rainstorms are unpredictable, the rains can be fierce when they hit, causing landslides and disrupted transportation schedules. January and February are the wettest months and typically receive the most rainfall. Cloudy skies are typical throughout the rainy season, but patchy sunshine comes through on some days. Average temperatures during the dry season range around 60°F (16°C) in the day and 46°F (8°C) at night.
Best Time to Visit
The best time to visit Cusco, Sacred Valley, Machu Picchu, Rainbow Mountain, Humantay Lake or hike the Inca Trail is before and after the rainy season, that is late March, April, May, and September, October, and early November, the dry season months, that is June July and August, are great too but beware of the crowds.
There are benefits to visiting Cusco during each season, as well as some drawbacks.
- The dry season is the most popular time to visit Cusco. Weather conditions in the Andes are usually sunny with a minimal chance of rain, but attractions tend to be crowded. Peak season in Machu Picchu and Cusco is from June to August when tours and accommodation are usually booked out well in advance.
- An ideal time to visit Cusco and the Sacred Valley is right before peak season in April – May because there are far fewer tourists and crowds, or just after peak season in September or October before the rains begin. Except for Semana Santa (Easter Week), when a lot of Peruvians are also taking a vacation. Weather-related travel delays are more common, especially in January and February, when it rains the most.
How to get There?
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Duis ornare ipsum dui, vel egestas mauris elementum nec. Quisque vel interdum mi. Sed id fermentum neque, vel tempor arcu. Vivamus accumsan odio ac felis gravida mollis. Nullam arcu tortor, euismod in enim pulvinar, aliquam finibus ligula. Curabitur id feugiat risus. Pellentesque sit amet nibh nec dui lacinia auctor. Donec aliquet mi ultricies dapibus hendrerit. Nam sollicitudin ultrices vestibulum. Nullam at fermentum risus. Morbi lectus magna, vulputate sit amet sem vitae, aliquam porta tellus. Vestibulum commodo sit amet magna ac tristique. Aliquam suscipit auctor nisi nec porta. Nunc lacinia pharetra ornare. Mauris commodo, mi egestas ultrices sollicitudin, eros turpis posuere libero, vitae condimentum nunc lacus eget neque.
Pellentesque aliquam vulputate orci eu feugiat. Donec ut nibh sit amet justo sagittis pellentesque quis vel urna. Vestibulum consequat velit id purus euismod interdum. Aliquam tristique erat elit, a bibendum enim congue euismod. Donec turpis elit, eleifend et sodales nec, condimentum ut est. Ut sagittis velit libero, ut finibus metus cursus id. Morbi ultricies bibendum ex, nec lobortis tortor convallis at. Nullam dui ante, sollicitudin vel gravida et, sagittis a sem. Cras auctor, mi blandit pretium aliquam, nisi est venenatis ante, nec vehicula nisi elit ac dui.
Ut fringilla, ipsum eu imperdiet dictum, ligula tortor aliquam augue, ac aliquam magna justo a metus. Nullam in imperdiet dolor, finibus vestibulum orci. Donec quis dolor non augue commodo aliquam et vitae metus. Sed elementum diam id pellentesque rutrum. Praesent volutpat lorem mattis tellus ullamcorper pharetra. Nam vehicula a velit quis tempus. Curabitur dignissim lobortis malesuada. Mauris interdum porta faucibus. Curabitur et elementum justo. Duis tempus sollicitudin pellentesque. Suspendisse quis cursus nisl. In in lacus tristique, iaculis ante ut, fringilla erat. Sed id felis odio. Fusce finibus ante sem, eget pharetra quam pellentesque sit amet. Duis faucibus varius est non rutrum.
Ut ac lectus elit. In pulvinar orci vitae mattis vestibulum. Aliquam at leo et erat pretium cursus eu vel libero. Morbi quis rhoncus sem, non efficitur mi. Proin faucibus enim a nisl ullamcorper, sed maximus purus placerat. Maecenas augue felis, interdum quis tortor vitae, sagittis dignissim ante. Fusce urna erat, venenatis ac est nec, rutrum lobortis mauris.
History of Machu Picchu
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Duis ornare ipsum dui, vel egestas mauris elementum nec. Quisque vel interdum mi. Sed id fermentum neque, vel tempor arcu. Vivamus accumsan odio ac felis gravida mollis. Nullam arcu tortor, euismod in enim pulvinar, aliquam finibus ligula. Curabitur id feugiat risus. Pellentesque sit amet nibh nec dui lacinia auctor. Donec aliquet mi ultricies dapibus hendrerit. Nam sollicitudin ultrices vestibulum. Nullam at fermentum risus. Morbi lectus magna, vulputate sit amet sem vitae, aliquam porta tellus. Vestibulum commodo sit amet magna ac tristique. Aliquam suscipit auctor nisi nec porta. Nunc lacinia pharetra ornare. Mauris commodo, mi egestas ultrices sollicitudin, eros turpis posuere libero, vitae condimentum nunc lacus eget neque.
Pellentesque aliquam vulputate orci eu feugiat. Donec ut nibh sit amet justo sagittis pellentesque quis vel urna. Vestibulum consequat velit id purus euismod interdum. Aliquam tristique erat elit, a bibendum enim congue euismod. Donec turpis elit, eleifend et sodales nec, condimentum ut est. Ut sagittis velit libero, ut finibus metus cursus id. Morbi ultricies bibendum ex, nec lobortis tortor convallis at. Nullam dui ante, sollicitudin vel gravida et, sagittis a sem. Cras auctor, mi blandit pretium aliquam, nisi est venenatis ante, nec vehicula nisi elit ac dui.
Ut fringilla, ipsum eu imperdiet dictum, ligula tortor aliquam augue, ac aliquam magna justo a metus. Nullam in imperdiet dolor, finibus vestibulum orci. Donec quis dolor non augue commodo aliquam et vitae metus. Sed elementum diam id pellentesque rutrum. Praesent volutpat lorem mattis tellus ullamcorper pharetra. Nam vehicula a velit quis tempus. Curabitur dignissim lobortis malesuada. Mauris interdum porta faucibus. Curabitur et elementum justo. Duis tempus sollicitudin pellentesque. Suspendisse quis cursus nisl. In in lacus tristique, iaculis ante ut, fringilla erat. Sed id felis odio. Fusce finibus ante sem, eget pharetra quam pellentesque sit amet. Duis faucibus varius est non rutrum.
Ut ac lectus elit. In pulvinar orci vitae mattis vestibulum. Aliquam at leo et erat pretium cursus eu vel libero. Morbi quis rhoncus sem, non efficitur mi. Proin faucibus enim a nisl ullamcorper, sed maximus purus placerat. Maecenas augue felis, interdum quis tortor vitae, sagittis dignissim ante. Fusce urna erat, venenatis ac est nec, rutrum lobortis mauris.
What to See
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Things to do
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Packages
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Duis ornare ipsum dui, vel egestas mauris elementum nec. Quisque vel interdum mi. Sed id fermentum neque, vel tempor arcu. Vivamus accumsan odio ac felis gravida mollis. Nullam arcu tortor, euismod in enim pulvinar, aliquam finibus ligula. Curabitur id feugiat risus. Pellentesque sit amet nibh nec dui lacinia auctor. Donec aliquet mi ultricies dapibus hendrerit. Nam sollicitudin ultrices vestibulum. Nullam at fermentum risus. Morbi lectus magna, vulputate sit amet sem vitae, aliquam porta tellus. Vestibulum commodo sit amet magna ac tristique. Aliquam suscipit auctor nisi nec porta. Nunc lacinia pharetra ornare. Mauris commodo, mi egestas ultrices sollicitudin, eros turpis posuere libero, vitae condimentum nunc lacus eget neque.
Pellentesque aliquam vulputate orci eu feugiat. Donec ut nibh sit amet justo sagittis pellentesque quis vel urna. Vestibulum consequat velit id purus euismod interdum. Aliquam tristique erat elit, a bibendum enim congue euismod. Donec turpis elit, eleifend et sodales nec, condimentum ut est. Ut sagittis velit libero, ut finibus metus cursus id. Morbi ultricies bibendum ex, nec lobortis tortor convallis at. Nullam dui ante, sollicitudin vel gravida et, sagittis a sem. Cras auctor, mi blandit pretium aliquam, nisi est venenatis ante, nec vehicula nisi elit ac dui.
Ut fringilla, ipsum eu imperdiet dictum, ligula tortor aliquam augue, ac aliquam magna justo a metus. Nullam in imperdiet dolor, finibus vestibulum orci. Donec quis dolor non augue commodo aliquam et vitae metus. Sed elementum diam id pellentesque rutrum. Praesent volutpat lorem mattis tellus ullamcorper pharetra. Nam vehicula a velit quis tempus. Curabitur dignissim lobortis malesuada. Mauris interdum porta faucibus. Curabitur et elementum justo. Duis tempus sollicitudin pellentesque. Suspendisse quis cursus nisl. In in lacus tristique, iaculis ante ut, fringilla erat. Sed id felis odio. Fusce finibus ante sem, eget pharetra quam pellentesque sit amet. Duis faucibus varius est non rutrum.
Ut ac lectus elit. In pulvinar orci vitae mattis vestibulum. Aliquam at leo et erat pretium cursus eu vel libero. Morbi quis rhoncus sem, non efficitur mi. Proin faucibus enim a nisl ullamcorper, sed maximus purus placerat. Maecenas augue felis, interdum quis tortor vitae, sagittis dignissim ante. Fusce urna erat, venenatis ac est nec, rutrum lobortis mauris.
Guidelines
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Nullam venenatis velit sed quam facilisis volutpat. Morbi eu turpis arcu. Sed congue hendrerit imperdiet. Phasellus nisi nisl, sollicitudin a euismod et, elementum pharetra erat. Donec consectetur viverra sodales. Proin venenatis fringilla mauris, id suscipit nisl dignissim in. Vivamus cursus lacus eget enim sagittis, quis accumsan felis sollicitudin. Duis egestas tellus ac congue egestas. Sed est diam, placerat sit amet mauris id, hendrerit hendrerit mi. Ut odio purus, faucibus eu interdum ac, varius vel metus. Pellentesque elementum pharetra metus tincidunt rutrum.
Duis ornare ipsum dui, vel egestas mauris elementum nec. Quisque vel interdum mi. Sed id fermentum neque, vel tempor arcu. Vivamus accumsan odio ac felis gravida mollis. Nullam arcu tortor, euismod in enim pulvinar, aliquam finibus ligula. Curabitur id feugiat risus. Pellentesque sit amet nibh nec dui lacinia auctor. Donec aliquet mi ultricies dapibus hendrerit. Nam sollicitudin ultrices vestibulum. Nullam at fermentum risus. Morbi lectus magna, vulputate sit amet sem vitae, aliquam porta tellus. Vestibulum commodo sit amet magna ac tristique. Aliquam suscipit auctor nisi nec porta. Nunc lacinia pharetra ornare. Mauris commodo, mi egestas ultrices sollicitudin, eros turpis posuere libero, vitae condimentum nunc lacus eget neque.
Pellentesque aliquam vulputate orci eu feugiat. Donec ut nibh sit amet justo sagittis pellentesque quis vel urna. Vestibulum consequat velit id purus euismod interdum. Aliquam tristique erat elit, a bibendum enim congue euismod. Donec turpis elit, eleifend et sodales nec, condimentum ut est. Ut sagittis velit libero, ut finibus metus cursus id. Morbi ultricies bibendum ex, nec lobortis tortor convallis at. Nullam dui ante, sollicitudin vel gravida et, sagittis a sem. Cras auctor, mi blandit pretium aliquam, nisi est venenatis ante, nec vehicula nisi elit ac dui.
Ut fringilla, ipsum eu imperdiet dictum, ligula tortor aliquam augue, ac aliquam magna justo a metus. Nullam in imperdiet dolor, finibus vestibulum orci. Donec quis dolor non augue commodo aliquam et vitae metus. Sed elementum diam id pellentesque rutrum. Praesent volutpat lorem mattis tellus ullamcorper pharetra. Nam vehicula a velit quis tempus. Curabitur dignissim lobortis malesuada. Mauris interdum porta faucibus. Curabitur et elementum justo. Duis tempus sollicitudin pellentesque. Suspendisse quis cursus nisl. In in lacus tristique, iaculis ante ut, fringilla erat. Sed id felis odio. Fusce finibus ante sem, eget pharetra quam pellentesque sit amet. Duis faucibus varius est non rutrum.
Ut ac lectus elit. In pulvinar orci vitae mattis vestibulum. Aliquam at leo et erat pretium cursus eu vel libero. Morbi quis rhoncus sem, non efficitur mi. Proin faucibus enim a nisl ullamcorper, sed maximus purus placerat. Maecenas augue felis, interdum quis tortor vitae, sagittis dignissim ante. Fusce urna erat, venenatis ac est nec, rutrum lobortis mauris.
Travel Information
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Nullam venenatis velit sed quam facilisis volutpat. Morbi eu turpis arcu. Sed congue hendrerit imperdiet. Phasellus nisi nisl, sollicitudin a euismod et, elementum pharetra erat. Donec consectetur viverra sodales. Proin venenatis fringilla mauris, id suscipit nisl dignissim in. Vivamus cursus lacus eget enim sagittis, quis accumsan felis sollicitudin. Duis egestas tellus ac congue egestas. Sed est diam, placerat sit amet mauris id, hendrerit hendrerit mi. Ut odio purus, faucibus eu interdum ac, varius vel metus. Pellentesque elementum pharetra metus tincidunt rutrum.
Duis ornare ipsum dui, vel egestas mauris elementum nec. Quisque vel interdum mi. Sed id fermentum neque, vel tempor arcu. Vivamus accumsan odio ac felis gravida mollis. Nullam arcu tortor, euismod in enim pulvinar, aliquam finibus ligula. Curabitur id feugiat risus. Pellentesque sit amet nibh nec dui lacinia auctor. Donec aliquet mi ultricies dapibus hendrerit. Nam sollicitudin ultrices vestibulum. Nullam at fermentum risus. Morbi lectus magna, vulputate sit amet sem vitae, aliquam porta tellus. Vestibulum commodo sit amet magna ac tristique. Aliquam suscipit auctor nisi nec porta. Nunc lacinia pharetra ornare. Mauris commodo, mi egestas ultrices sollicitudin, eros turpis posuere libero, vitae condimentum nunc lacus eget neque.
Pellentesque aliquam vulputate orci eu feugiat. Donec ut nibh sit amet justo sagittis pellentesque quis vel urna. Vestibulum consequat velit id purus euismod interdum. Aliquam tristique erat elit, a bibendum enim congue euismod. Donec turpis elit, eleifend et sodales nec, condimentum ut est. Ut sagittis velit libero, ut finibus metus cursus id. Morbi ultricies bibendum ex, nec lobortis tortor convallis at. Nullam dui ante, sollicitudin vel gravida et, sagittis a sem. Cras auctor, mi blandit pretium aliquam, nisi est venenatis ante, nec vehicula nisi elit ac dui.
Ut fringilla, ipsum eu imperdiet dictum, ligula tortor aliquam augue, ac aliquam magna justo a metus. Nullam in imperdiet dolor, finibus vestibulum orci. Donec quis dolor non augue commodo aliquam et vitae metus. Sed elementum diam id pellentesque rutrum. Praesent volutpat lorem mattis tellus ullamcorper pharetra. Nam vehicula a velit quis tempus. Curabitur dignissim lobortis malesuada. Mauris interdum porta faucibus. Curabitur et elementum justo. Duis tempus sollicitudin pellentesque. Suspendisse quis cursus nisl. In in lacus tristique, iaculis ante ut, fringilla erat. Sed id felis odio. Fusce finibus ante sem, eget pharetra quam pellentesque sit amet. Duis faucibus varius est non rutrum.
Ut ac lectus elit. In pulvinar orci vitae mattis vestibulum. Aliquam at leo et erat pretium cursus eu vel libero. Morbi quis rhoncus sem, non efficitur mi. Proin faucibus enim a nisl ullamcorper, sed maximus purus placerat. Maecenas augue felis, interdum quis tortor vitae, sagittis dignissim ante. Fusce urna erat, venenatis ac est nec, rutrum lobortis mauris.
Frequently Asked Questions
In the city of Cusco, it is necessary to spend at least two days exploring the attractions of Cuzco in and around the city. If you are short on time, take a guided tour on the first day to learn about the city’s history and highlights, such as the Plaza de Armas, the Coricancha “Temple of the Sun” and Sacsayhuaman. On the second day, spend free time in Cuzco to explore the city at your own pace as you adjust to the high altitude.
The altitude of the imperial city of Cusco is 3,400 meters / 11,155 feet above sea level, located in the Peruvian Andes; and the Sacred Valley altitude is at roughly 2,800 meters/ 9,186 feet above sea level, 600 meters below Cusco; while Machu Picchu’s altitude is 2,430 meters/7,972 feet above sea level – almost a difference of 1000 meters/3,281 feet.
Cusco is a safe city in Peru, but like anywhere else in the world, it is necessary to take precautions when it is nighttime and after 6:00 pm it is dark. Taking a taxi is affordable since most rides in Cusco cost around 5-8 soles. However, there are, different types of taxis in Cusco and some are not registered official taxis.
For travelers short on time, half-day tours in Cusco are the best way to take in the highlights of South America’s oldest continuously inhabited city.
This half-day tour in Cusco usually begins in the afternoon, visiting Cusco’s main square known as the Plaza de Armas and the Coricancha (Temple of the Sun). These two sites introduce the drama of Cusco’s history through its architecture, from the rise of the Inca Empire to its defeat by Spanish conquistadors and the building of a colonial city atop the ruins. Then drive into the countryside to see impressive archeological sites, including Sacsayhuaman and other enclosures. This tour is the most extended way to start the visit to Cusco, Sacred Valley of the Incas, and Machu Picchu.
The easiest way to explore the Sacred Valley is to take a Sacred Valley Tour from Cusco that will pick you up and drop you off at your hotel. Usually, your tour will start in the town of Pisac and continue through the town of Urubamba and then visit the beautiful town of Ollantaytambo.
In addition, in the Sacred Valley of Peru, there are more of the most significant archaeological sites in the area that are worth a visit such as Moray (Inca ruin) and the Salt Mines of Maras. This itinerary can be done in an extra day as day trips from Cuzco, although travelers with more time will find much more to see and do. It is also possible to take a local bus or cab to the Sacred Valley and do some independent exploration.