The Best Day Trips from Cusco<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Many of the best places to visit in Cusco<\/strong><\/a> are actually out of the city and are best visited on a day out. Cusco makes for a great base for your vacation, but you\u2019ll likely spend a lot of time coming and going to see attractions in other places. Don\u2019t worry if you think there\u2019s too much to fit into one trip, you can always come back!<\/p>\n\n\n\n We\u2019re fairly sure you\u2019ve heard of this one, and it definitely deserves the first mention. The Inca citadel of Machu Picchu<\/strong><\/a> is one of the New Seven Wonders of the World and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It\u2019ll make your hair stand on end and give you goosebumps as you enter for the first time and look out over this incredible site and feat of humankind.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n There\u2019s so much to explore and learn here, so make the most of your guided tour. You\u2019ll really get a feel for the place if you understand it better and will be able to soak up the magic of the Incas as you picture them going about their lives all those hundreds of years ago. You can also opt for some extra hiking inside up to Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu Mountain at an additional cost, or to the sun gate (Intipunku) for free.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For the day trip, you\u2019ll need to get there and back by train. The best way to do it is to contact a travel agency or tour operator and they\u2019ll organize every little detail for you. Alternatively, you can book all the tickets yourself; just make sure you buy them all for the right times and dates. You\u2019ll also need a guide to enter the site with, which you can organise there if you don\u2019t do it beforehand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you want to see some really beautiful Andean scenery that\u2019s almost untouched, the absolutely stunning Humantay Lake<\/strong> <\/a>should definitely be on your list. It\u2019s known as the jewel in the mountains as the crystal clear turquoise waters look astonishing against the backdrop of the white snowy mountains.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n You\u2019ll need to leave early in the morning for this one and the hike up and down is around 3 hours. It is slightly challenging due to the altitude, but it\u2019s well worth it. Spending a couple of days in Cusco before you go is advised to help you acclimatise. Take things slowly and you\u2019ll really enjoy yourself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Most hikers prefer to go with an agency or operator so that everything is included, such as food, transport, and guide. This way, you don\u2019t need to worry about the logistics and can enjoy every minute worry-free.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In the surrounding area of Cusco, there are some incredible multi-coloured mountains that are known as Rainbow Mountains<\/strong><\/a>. They\u2019re some of the most unique places on earth and are excellent spots to take some outstanding photographs. Vinicunca was the first to become popular with tourists, but now there are two others as well, Palccoyo and Pallay Punchu.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n Below we give you a little more information about each one so you can decide which would be better for you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This is the most popular of the Rainbow Mountains<\/strong><\/a> and is the most well-known. It was the first to become popular and can be visited in a day from Cusco when you leave very early in the morning. It\u2019s a difficult hike so a few days in Cusco beforehand are recommended.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n You can also add a visit to Red Valley to your trip, which is also a fascinating landscape and will make you feel as though you\u2019re stepping foot on Mars. This mountain is the best option if you like to go to popular places and don\u2019t mind crowds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This was the second mountain to become popular and is a similar distance from Cusco. You\u2019ll also need to pass the famous Checacupe bridge along the way. You can expect to see fewer crowds here as it\u2019s still not visited very frequently. <\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s also the perfect option for those who aren\u2019t such experienced hikers as the whole trail is virtually flat. Here you get to see three colorful mountains rather than the one at Vinicunca.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The third and final rainbow mountain is Pallay Punchu, which only came to light recently. It\u2019s a fascinating form and together with the colors make it look like a poncho, which is why it got its name. This mountain is also relatively challenging to climb, so some days of acclimatization are necessary. Just like the others, you\u2019ll need to leave early in the morning and spend the whole day on the trip.<\/p>\n\n\n\n One of the places that almost everyone will visit when they come to Cusco is the Sacred Valley<\/strong><\/a>. It was a very important place for the Incas where they could grow a variety of crops and also be close to the river that runs through the middle. It\u2019s a place with some delightful scenery of rolling hills and small towns sporadically placed throughout.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n The town of Pisac should definitely be on your to-do list. It hosts a colorful market that sells all kinds of Andean products and textiles. It\u2019s excellent for wandering around and doing a bit of souvenir shopping for yourself or friends and family back home. <\/p>\n\n\n\n There\u2019s also a fantastic archaeological site that sits above the town from where you get some incredible views over the valley below. The site itself is really interesting and gives you a great insight into the Incas. You can get there as part of a tour or make your own from Cusco, which is easily done in a taxi or shared public transportation for just 5 soles. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Our next day trip in the Sacred Valley<\/strong><\/a> is to Ollantaytambo. This is a quaint little town on cobbled streets that the trains to Machu Picchu<\/strong><\/a> leave from. There\u2019s also an archaeological site that towers above the main square, which is well worth the visit. You get some great views and learn more about the Incas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In the town itself there are some intriguing little streets to wander down or you can opt to sip a coffee or cocktail in one of the cute cafes or restaurants and people watch. It\u2019s about 2 hours from Cusco so it can easily be done in a day. <\/p>\n\n\n\n If you have a bit more time, you could stay overnight and enjoy some of the small hikes around the area that take you to some beautiful parts of the countryside near streams and waterfalls. Ollantaytambo can be visited as part of a tour or by yourself in a taxi or public transport. <\/p>\n\n\n\n One of the best day trips, also to the Sacred Valley<\/strong><\/a>, is to the archaeological site of Moray and the Maras Salt Mines<\/a>. <\/strong>This is an excellent day out because you get to see two completely different places very close together. They\u2019re also fairly close to Cusco so it doesn\u2019t need to take the whole day. You can go it alone in a taxi or public transport or book a tour that includes both sites.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Moray archaeological site is like no other in that it\u2019s a formation or circular terraces that almost look like something extraterrestrial. It\u2019s a fascinating site to behold and definitely worth the trip there if you can make it. You can even take an ATV tour that includes stop offs here and at Maras for a more thrilling day out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Salt Mines at Maras are also an extremely unique site and it\u2019s not every day you get to see saltwater high up in the mountains. The pools themselves predate the Incas and only the people from the region are allowed to mine there. They still use methods that are hundreds of years old and you can buy the salt to take home and cook with, too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you love hiking and getting away from the crowds, Huchuy Qosqo<\/strong><\/a> is the perfect day out that combines an off the beaten path hike through glorious countryside and small Andean villages as well as a visit to the archaeological site that\u2019s not frequented by many tourists.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n The hike itself takes a few hours but you get some amazing views and see how people live in more rural parts of Cusco. You end up at Huchuy Qosqo, which boasts some different style buildings to other archaeological sites and sits high above the Sacred Valley, providing more spectacular landscape views.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You can decide to hike with an agency or operator, or you can make your way to the archeological site by yourself. You can hike up to it from the small town of Lamar if you don\u2019t have so much time or would prefer to go it alone. We don\u2019t recommend the hike through the mountains by yourself in case you have an accident or stray off the path.<\/p>\n\n\n\nMachu Picchu<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
What You\u2019ll Need<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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![\"Machu](\"https:\/\/www.salkantaytrekking.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/mapi1080x720-1024x683.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nHumantay Lake<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
What You\u2019ll Need<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Any of the Rainbow Mountains<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Vinicunca<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Palccoyo<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Pallay Punchu<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
What You\u2019ll Need<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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![\"Photo:](\"https:\/\/www.salkantaytrekking.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/rainbow-mountains-peru-1024x683.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nPisac<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
What You\u2019ll Need<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Ollantaytambo<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
What You\u2019ll Need<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Maras and Moray<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
What You\u2019ll Need<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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![\"Photo:](\"https:\/\/www.salkantaytrekking.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/collage-pisaq-moray-ollantaytambo-1024x683.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nHuchuy Qosqo<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
What You\u2019ll Need<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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The Southern Valley<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
![\"sacsayhuaman](\"https:\/\/www.salkantaytrekking.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/saqsayhuaman-1024x575.jpg\")
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