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Voykit pocket guide · Peru
Cuzco
Cusco
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.
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.
- Country
- Peru
- Local name
- Cusco
- Best months
- May–Sep (dry, sunny days)
- Avoid
- Jan–Mar (rain; the Inca Trail closes in February)
- Stay
- 2–3 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- PEN
- Money
- Currency is the Peruvian sol (PEN, S/). Cards work in hotels and larger restaurants in Lima and Cusco; markets, small towns, taxis and entrance fees in villages need cash.
- Daily spend
- Budget S/120–200 excl. bed · Mid S/200–400 excl. bed · High S/400+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Claro, Movistar, Entel and Bitel sell prepaid SIMs; register with your passport at official shops.
- Emergency
- Police 105 · Fire 116 · SAMU ambulance 106
- Plugs
- Types A, C · 220 V · 60 Hz · US devices need to be dual-voltage (most chargers are).
- Tipping
- Restaurants: About 10% if service is not included.; Inca Trail porters and cooks: Per the operator's guidance; pooled at the end.; Guides: S/ 20–50 per person for a day tour.
- Water
- Not safe from the tap; bottled or filtered.
- Toilets
- Paper in the bin; carry tissue and coins for public toilets.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee or coca tea | S/5–12 |
| Menu del día (soup, main, drink) | S/10–20 |
| Beer: draught in a bar / bottle in a shop | S/12–20 / S/6–10 |
| Taxi in the centre | S/2–4 |
| Combi ride | S/0.60 |
| Qoricancha entry | S/20 |
| Museo Inka entry | S/20 |
| Machu Picchu Museum entry, foreigners | S/20 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- 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.3.1 mi 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.
Typical fares
- 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)
Get 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.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 10:00 PM. Uber works and is often slightly pricier than a street taxi.
See and do
Known for
- Inca and colonial architecture
- Sacsayhuamán
- Qoricancha (Sun Temple)
- Gateway to Machu Picchu and the Sacred Valley
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Sacred Valley of the Incas | 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 | 1–1.5 h each way |
| Pisac | Combi from Calle Puputi 208 or Av. Tullumayo 207 | About 1 h |
| Ollantaytambo | Combi from Av. Grau 525 or Calle Puputi 208; train from Poroy for Machu Picchu | 1.5–2 h |
| Maras and Moray | Taxi or tour from the centre; no direct combi | 1–1.5 h |
| Aguas Calientes (Machu Picchu) | Train from Poroy or Ollantaytambo (PeruRail, Inca Rail), then bus up to the citadel | 3–4 h |
Sleep
- 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.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Excuse me / Sorry | Disculpedees-KOOL-peh |
| Thank you | GraciasGRAH-syahs |
| How much is it? | ¿Cuánto cuesta?KWAN-toh KWES-tah |
| Can I pay by card? | ¿Puedo pagar con tarjeta?PWEH-doh pah-GAR kon tar-HEH-tah |
| Where is the toilet? | ¿Dónde está el baño?DON-deh es-TAH el BAH-nyoh |
| I want to get off | ¡Bajo!BAH-hoh |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake; one cheek kiss among acquaintances; avoid: Skipping greetings
- Food pride: Ask about local dishes; avoid: Comparing pisco or ceviche unfavourably with Chile's
- Photos: Ask and pay if asked; avoid: Photographing people without asking
- Politics: Listen; avoid: Taking sides in protests
Scams and watch-outs
- 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.
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.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Cuzco yet. Suggested stay: 2–3 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Inca and colonial architecture
- Sacsayhuamán
- Qoricancha (Sun Temple)
- Gateway to Machu Picchu and the Sacred Valley
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- PeruRail: www.perurail.com
- Inca Rail: incarail.com
- Wikivoyage: Cuzco, revision 5297819 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5297819
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
CuzcoCusco
A esta dirección, por favor
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
The US, UK and most other countries run embassies in Lima; some keep a consular agency in Cuzco (check before you need it).
Altitude first: if you feel unwell, descend and seek medical help.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/cuzco). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.