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Draft data. Times, fares and step counts are desk estimates awaiting field checks. Unknown times stay unknown. How we verify

Major city · Peru

CuzcoCusco

Sleep low in the Sacred Valley first, then give Cuzco 2–3 nights at the end: it sits at 3,400 m and altitude, not sights, sets your pace.

Weather
see forecast
Currency
PEN
Best months
May–Sep (dry, sunny days)
avoid Jan–Mar (rain; the Inca Trail closes in February)
Airport
CUZ
Nights
2–3
Not field-verifiedbasic guide
Print / PDF guide
3 pages, for the metro and roaming-off days
Map
Google Maps Apple Maps Street View
Rules in force · 7Above 2,500 m (Bogotá, Quito, Cusco, La Paz) keep the fir…
  • South America ↗Above 2,500 m (Bogotá, Quito, Cusco, La Paz) keep the first day light; sleep lower where you can (Sacred Valley before Cusco) and descend if headache comes with vomiting or confusion.
  • South America ↗A yellow fever certificate is required on arrival in French Guiana, and asked for on some routes into Bolivia, Paraguay, Suriname and Guyana, or when arriving from Amazon areas — vaccinate at least 10 days before travel and carry the card.
  • South America ↗Overnight buses are the norm in Argentina, Chile and Peru, but pick top-tier companies and keep valuables on your body; on-board thefts from overhead racks are the common loss.
  • Peru ↗Check entry rules for your passport with Peru's migration authority (Migraciones) or a Peruvian consulate; keep the entry record you receive, as hotels may ask for it.
  • Peru ↗Machu Picchu entry is by timed ticket for a named circuit, with daily caps; in high season tickets sell out weeks or months ahead. Buy tickets only from the official Ministry of Culture seller or a licensed agency.
  • Peru ↗The classic Inca Trail needs a permit booked through a licensed operator, often months ahead; the trail closes every February for maintenance.
  • Peru ↗Altitude sickness is common above 2,500 m: ascend gradually, rest on day one, and ask a doctor before travel if you have heart or lung conditions.

Cuzco was the Inca capital and is the base most travellers use for Machu Picchu and the Sacred Valley. It is also 3,400 m up, so the order of your trip matters more than the list of sights: arrive low, acclimatise, then climb to Cuzco. Two to three nights covers the centre, Sacsayhuamán and the museums; add nights if you want day trips.

Essentials

Quick answers and what things cost

Quick answers

The questions people ask first about Cuzco, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.

Cost cheat-sheet

2026 desk estimate · check

Typical prices for the everyday things, as ranges. Your currency is shown next to the local price.

  • CoffeeCoffee or coca teaS/5–12
  • BeerBeer: draught in a bar / bottle in a shopS/12–20 / S/6–10
  • Taxi, about 5 kmTaxi in the centreAgree the fare first.S/2–4
  • Museum or sight ticketQoricancha entrycheckS/20
  • Budget bedHostel dorm bed, a night, per personPEN 35
  • Mid-range bedDouble room, mid-range hotel, a night, per roomPEN 250
  • High-end bedDouble room, mid-range hotel, a night, per roomPEN 500

A day, not counting the bed: Budget PEN 120 · Mid PEN 250 · High PEN 500

Local prices, with USD next to them (rates 2026-09 (approximate); change it in the header). Ranges are desk estimates: check locally. Every price and the budget calculator →

Decide

What it is known for, and when the weather works

At a glance

What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.

Inca and colonial architectureSacsayhuamánQoricancha (Sun Temple)Gateway to Machu Picchu and the Sacred Valley
Airports
CUZ Alejandro Velasco Astete International (5 km east of the centre; about 16–20 min by taxi. Mostly domestic flights, with connections through Lima. A larger airport is under construction at Chinchero.)

Weather and climate

Forecast from Open-Meteo · averages rounded

Cuzco: next 7 days

Loading forecast…

Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.

Air quality

Loading…

Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.

Jan

21°C

8°C

18 rd

Feb

20°C

8°C

16 rd

Mar

21°C

8°C

14 rd

Apr

21°C

6°C

8 rd

May

21°C

4°C

3 rd

Jun

21°C

2°C

2 rd

Jul

21°C

1°C

2 rd

Aug

22°C

3°C

2 rd

Sep

22°C

5°C

4 rd

Oct

22°C

7°C

9 rd

Nov

22°C

8°C

12 rd

Dec

21°C

8°C

16 rd

High / low °C · rd = rain days

Arrive & move

Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in

Getting around

The historic centre is walkable; you only need wheels for the airport, the bus terminal and Sacsayhuamán. Taxis are metered in theory but agree the fare first (S/2–4 in the centre). Combis cost about S/0.60 and run until 22:00. Uber works and is often slightly pricier than a street taxi.

See & do

Day-trips, door to door

Day-trips

Door-to-door, not ride time

Sacred Valley of the Incas

go

Door to door: 1–1.5 h each way

Bus or combi from Av. Grau 525 (Chinchero, Urubamba), Calle Puputi 208 (Pisac, Urubamba) or Av. Tullumayo 207 (Pisac, Calca); tours also leave the centre

Better as a base than a day trip: sleep low for the first nights.

Pisac

go

Door to door: About 1 h

Combi from Calle Puputi 208 or Av. Tullumayo 207

Ruins above the village plus the market; ruins need the boleto turístico.

Ollantaytambo

go

Door to door: 1.5–2 h

Combi from Av. Grau 525 or Calle Puputi 208; train from Poroy for Machu Picchu

Fortress ruins and the usual railhead for Aguas Calientes.

Maras and Moray

caution

Door to door: 1–1.5 h

Taxi or tour from the centre; no direct combi

Salt pans and terraces; go with a driver who waits.

Aguas Calientes (Machu Picchu)

overnight

Door to door: 3–4 h

Train from Poroy or Ollantaytambo (PeruRail, Inca Rail), then bus up to the citadel

Timed entry tickets; book the train and the citadel slot together.

Eat & sleep

Which area to sleep in

Where to sleep

Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.

Centro Histórico (Plaza de Armas and San Blas)

Walk to most sights, museums and restaurants; San Blas is quieter and uphill.

Av. El Sol and around

Hotel strip between the plaza and Qoricancha; easy taxi pickup and tour departures.

Sacred Valley (Urubamba, Ollantaytambo, Pisac)

Lower altitude for the first nights; 1–1.5 h from Cuzco by road.

Practical

What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card

Cost per day

2026 estimate, excluding the bed unless stated
Budget
S/120–200 excl. bed
Mid
S/200–400 excl. bed
High
S/400+ excl. bed

Trip budget

2026 estimate · converts to your currency
Double room, mid-range hotel1 × 3 nights × PEN 250PEN 750
Food, local transport, entries2 × 3 days × PEN 250PEN 1,500
Airport taxi to the centre, one way1 × PEN 15 · checkPEN 15
Boleto turístico, full ticket2 × PEN 130 · checkPEN 260
eSIM, about a week of data2 × PEN 40PEN 80
Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurgePEN 261
Trip total≈ PEN 478 per person per day, bed includedPEN 2,866

2026 estimate in soles; flights, trains and the boleto turístico excluded. Your choices stay in this browser.

Prices of common things

Coffee or coca teaS/5–12
Menu del día (soup, main, drink)S/10–20
Beer: draught in a bar / bottle in a shopS/12–20 / S/6–10
Taxi in the centreAgree the fare first.S/2–4
Combi rideS/0.60
Qoricancha entrycheckS/20
Museo Inka entrycheckS/20
Machu Picchu Museum entry, foreignerscheckS/20

2026 estimate; check locally.

Watch out

Safety

Cuzco is a busy tourist city with ordinary big-city theft risk, plus altitude. The real dangers are soroche on day one, unlicensed night taxis and fare scams; agree prices first and take the first day slowly.
  • Altitude: 3,400 m. Take the first day slow, drink water, skip alcohol, and see a doctor about soroche if a headache and nausea do not pass.
  • Do not take a street taxi at night and never one that already has a passenger; order by phone or app.
  • Agree the fare before you get in, especially from the airport or bus terminal, where S/15–30 is asked for a S/10–15 ride.
  • Keep bags in front of you on combis and in markets.
  • Some sights need the boleto turístico (S/130 full, ten days, 16 sites; S/70 with an ISIC student card); buy it at the sites or at the OFEC office, Av. El Sol 103.
  • Place names are spelled several ways (Cuzco, Cusco, Qosqo): search both spellings.

Emergency numbers

Police
105
Fire
116
SAMU ambulance
106

Pocket card

One page · print or save as PDF

Fill in, then print or save as PDF

Stays in this browser only; nothing is sent anywhere.

CuzcoCusco

Pocket card · Voykit

My bed tonight

—

—

—

A esta dirección, por favorTo this address, please

Emergency

  • Police105
  • Fire116
  • SAMU ambulance106

Embassy

The US, UK and most other countries run embassies in Lima; some keep a consular agency in Cuzco (check before you need it).

My embassy: —

Fare anchors (2026 estimate)

  • Airport → Centro Histórico, taxi: S/10–15 (official desks ask S/30+)
  • Taxi in the centre: S/2–4
  • Combi ride: S/0.60
  • Boleto turístico, full ticket: S/130, ten days, 16 sites (check)

Say or show

  • Disculpe — Excuse me / Sorry (dees-KOOL-peh)
  • Gracias — Thank you (GRAH-syahs)
  • ¿Cuánto cuesta? — How much is it? (KWAN-toh KWES-tah)
  • ¿Puedo pagar con tarjeta? — Can I pay by card? (PWEH-doh pah-GAR kon tar-HEH-tah)
  • ¿Dónde está el baño? — Where is the toilet? (DON-deh es-TAH el BAH-nyoh)
  • ¡Bajo! — I want to get off (BAH-hoh)

Altitude first: if you feel unwell, descend and seek medical help.

Deep dive

What this guide covers so far, and its sources

Not a trip line yet

This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for Cuzco. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.

What we know, and what is coming

On this page

  1. Best months: May–Sep (dry, sunny days) · avoid Jan–Mar (rain; the Inca Trail closes in February) · month by month →
  2. 1 airport and 3 areas to sleep in
  3. Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
  4. Cost per day in 3 bands
  5. 5 day-trips, door to door
  6. 6 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers

Coming as the guide grows

  1. Airport-to-bed contract for CUZ: taxi fare bands, the 03:00 terminal opening, and a Chinchero-airport watch note.
  2. Four walking clusters with rescue anchors: Plaza de Armas, San Blas, Av. El Sol and Qoricancha, Sacsayhuamán.
  3. Place pages with verified cutoffs (Qoricancha, Sacsayhuamán, Museo Inka, Machu Picchu Museum) and eat pages with last orders.
  4. Altitude and hostile-arrival fixtures so gates A–D can go green.

Meanwhile

Back to Peru

Sources