Overview
** CUZCO, PERU TOURS **
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Everything You Need to Know About Visiting Vinicunca Mountain aka Rainbow Mountain –
Rainbow mountain, located 3 hours south of Cusco, is 17,060 ft above sea level. The distance from the bottom to the very top is 2.5 miles, about a 2 hour hike. You have two options to get to the top of the mountain. You can either ride a horse for 3/4 of the way and then walk the rest or you can hike the entire 2.5 miles. The horse cost 80 soles roundtrip. Personally, I decided to go with the first option because I instantly felt the difference in altitude as soon as I stepped outside of the van.
To help get acclimated to the altitude, I would recommend drinking coca tea as soon as you arrive to Cusco. We decided to leave this tour for the very last full day in Cusco to help better prepare ourselves. Take coca leaves with you or coca candy to eat as you are hiking. Another thing that really helped was Agua de Florida which is the spirit water used in South America. One sniff of this really opened up our lungs and helped with breathing instantly. I literally almost fainted twice & the Agua de Florida helped both times!
This hike is no joke! The altitude is no joke! The higher you are above sea level the less oxygen there is for you to breathe. So remember to take your time. There is no need to rush to get to the top. I promise you once you are at the top, it feels so rewarding. I am so so happy I did it! There were 3 different points on the mountain where you can take a photo with alpacas. The first point is showed in this post. There isn’t a set cost. What you decide to give is completely up to you. There are bathrooms along the way for a cost of 1 sol. The ladies there are super sweet and they will provide toilet paper if you didn’t bring any. It is super cold at the top of the mountain so make sure to bundle up! The wind is no joke!
Cuzco, Peru is one of the gateways that have to be entered to proceed to the Wonder of the World, Machu Picchu.
Whenever you come to Cuzco, please give yourself a day or so to adjust to their extremely high altitude! Do not underestimate it. You will feel it as soon as you land or drive into the town.
Down for an adventure?? There’s PLENTY of that in Cuzco! Near the main square, you will come across a handful of tour companies that give you a broad list of awesome areas to visit.
My all-time favorite restaurant in this town is called “Rucula” located near the main square! The meals are affordable and their 2-for-1 Happy Hour is clutch!!! If you’re not scared to venture outside of your comfort zone, try their grilled alpaca! Seriously, it tastes like steak but better!
Peru is beautiful! I recommend “Visit South America” as tour guides and Noah was our lead guide. I started in Lima for a day, then flew to Cuzco, then train to Machu Piccu, then back to Cuzco by train.
I was extremely confused on the itinerary prior to the trip because I was so busy to pay attention. You will fly into the capital, Lima, then you will have to buy additional flights/trains to get to other areas. There’s not much to do in Lima, don’t waste your time there.
FIRST THING FIRST: Cuzco’s elevation is high, get the sorajai pills from their pharmacy or take before you land and while you are there at least 2 days. Everything is far in Peru so if you are an adventurer expect 2-3 hour drives to get to hikes and to wake up at 3am to arrive early. From Cuzco go to Machu Picchu by train (3 hour train ride) and go visit the ancient lnca city. The government requires a guide to take tourist through Macchu Picchu and you can get one right outside the gate prior to entrance if you do not go through a tour guide company. Do not exchange your money at the airport, but allow your guide to exchange your money at a better rate. Uber’s are really cheap, sometimes less than $1USD and range up to $3USD.
I visited Cusco in June for an academic trip. I was lucky enough to experience the country’s rich history with daily performances and processions near Plaza de Armas. I was also able to hear and speak with some locals who spoke Quechua, and indigenous language native to Cusco. Cusco also has a bunch of really good restaurants near plaza de armas. I would highly recommend exploring the market.
Cusco is a stunning city with views as far as the eyes can see. The food there is the most exquisite in the world. You have to try Ceviche there and also try there famous pisco sour drink. I went during the spring time around March, and it was very brisk outside being at such high altitude. My biggest suggestion is to take the first couple days off and just relax. At least 5-7 days are optimal, since altitude sickness will come for you like the grime reaper. You can take the pills and coca leaves, but i opted out of those options for personal reasons. Of course Machu Picchu is the highlight for the majority, but for me it was Rainbow mountain. Make sure visibility and clear skies are present during your hike, especially if you want that perfect shot of the iconic mountain. Also another favorite was a Lake called Laguna Humantay. A difficult hike almost as exhausting as Rainbow Mountain, but equally astonishing views. Travelling while black was problem free. Most of all Latin American countries offer a wide variety of people who are more concerned with their national pride and identities rather than color.
I’m traveled to Cusco for my birthday in April 2018. I flew from Atlanta to Dallas and then to Lima Peru with American Airlines, then caught a flight from Lima to Cusco on Peruvian Airlines. Once in Cusco, I realized that our Airbnb host didn’t respond to any of my messages, so literally in baggage claim, my friend and I book accommodations through a lady offering packages. Honestly that was the best decision we made. We paid $50 for 4 nights each at a hostel which included daily breakfast. We had our own private bathroom as well. We also Book a hiking tour for $30 US to Laguna Hanamtay which was the most beautiful hike ever with views of glaciers and a crystal pool. Lunch was included and transport to the hiking site. If booked online it was about $80 US. So that was a great deal. The woman at the airport also book our tour to Machu Picchu and I believe it was about $200 or so. It included taxi from hostel to the bus station, a bus then took us for an hr ride to a town where we got off and took a 2hr train ride to the town Agua Caliente. At that point we took another bus for a 20 min ride to the Machu Picchu site. The train ride included entertainment and a guided tour as well as breakfast. Honestly it was worth it and it was a smooth transition and well organized. Other than Machu Picchu, Cusco has the cheapest massages, literally cost $10US on average for a 45 min massage. I got 2 massages per day. The gifts and souvenirs were dirt cheap and good quality. I mean even the sweaters and scafts were dirt cheap. Cusco has me feeling like a baller. I must say there aren’t many black people there and we got lots of stares. I counted 3 black people my entire stay and they were all tourist and mainly at Machu Picchu. Other than that nope, no blacks. One important thing to note is the high elevation making it difficult to breathe especially at night and also there aren’t many accommodations with heat, so it can be a little chilly depending on the time of year. The food was ok, I enjoyed eating the chicken hearts aka Pollo de corazon. It’s a street food and I found it so delicious. It’s served with roasted potatoes. Best thing I ate there. Overall this was an amazing experience and very affordable.
During my time in Cuzco, I chose to stay at a hostel. If you decide to do a solo trip to Cuzco, hostels are a great way to meet young travelers that want to explore the city. I stayed at Pariwana hostel which I highly recommend. It costs $12 a day and they provide free breakfast. They provide a locker to place your valuables and the locker has a outlet to charge your electronics. The staff there is awesome and wants to make sure you’re having a fun experience. There are daily activities like flip cup competitions, salsa lessons, karaoke, and beer pong.
Hey,
I ventured to Cusco Peru in November of 2018 to trek up the Machu Picchu mountain and it was incredible! I know, saying “it is a life changing experience”, is cliché but, it truly was an amazing experience. It allows one to realize how small we are in this huge, magnificent world. Okay, let’s get to the deets:
Travel:
I flew via Avianca and United. I’d never fly Avianca again if I don’t have to. My friend and I were given such a hard time. We missed our flight and were unable to be accommodated without re-purchasing our OWN flight. We eventually received refunds (several months after the trip) for the original flights but in the moment, we were told there was nothing they could do. Their customer service is atrocious. Comparably, I had no issues with United. Their food was BOMB! I had hot (when I say hot, I don’t mean lukewarm, it was hot) rice with chicken in some kind of sauce, similar to BBQ sauce but it wasn’t quite BBQ. Snacks + wine were flowing, etc. The attendants were helpful and friendly.
Lodging:
We stayed at two hotels, one prior to the trek and one after.
Antigua Casona San Blas was the first hotel we stayed at and loved it. From the front desk to servers, customer service was excellent. We were given a king bedroom with a loft bed upstairs, and a window overlooking their beautiful garden. SO, here is the interesting part, black people do not seemingly travel to Cusco often. I had short box braids, my friend had havana twists and the locals were extremely fascinated at how we were capable achieving such a hairstyle. We simply explained to them how we braid (we both had some fluency in Spanish). What should also be mentioned is, the morning of the trek at 4:00am, the front desk asked if we would like a bagged lunch. WHET? Yes, please! They were just so accommodating and hospitable, I’d recommend this hotel to anyone.
Palacio Manco Capac by Ananay Hotels was the second hotel, less spectacular. They seemed more pressed for their money as opposed to providing for their customers. We got back around 22:00 or 23:00 after the trek. There wasn’t much in that area and we were exhausted while also starving. Given that it is a hotel, we assumed we could order food; the kitchen was closed. We begged them anyway because we were not in a position to go to sleep hungry. We prevailed! The front desk brought us ham + cheese sandwiches with Cokes. We stayed there about a day and a half, food was OK, nothing to write home about. I say that they were pressed about money because, I previously paid for the hotel prior to the trip and they were still trying to get in my pockets, I didn’t really appreciate that.
Cusco:
Beautiful city. Tons of eateries and several places to get a massage (a little shady but for 10/11 USD, not terrible). There are a lot of people who solicit in the area but they are just trying their best to work for restaurants/services. The square has a lot of history, and huge churches. If you plan to get souvenirs, definitely get the coca candies!!! They have the hard candies, toffee candies and chocolate, that are all infused with coca. Coca is the leaf that promotes healing and helps with the altitude difference. (IT WORKS!) Definitely bring some back, because it’s really unfortunate that the leaves are illegal in the US.
Trek:
We hiked with Alpaca Expeditions and wouldn’t have had it any other way. Our tour guides were lit, super helpful and cordial. Probably nicer since we were pretty black girls, and the rest of the group as they called them were blancitos (wypipo). They had us cracking up the entire time and really helped me out when I felt that I wasn’t going to make it up the mountain. It was not a game!
Overall, I had a great time. Being black in Cusco, some will try to take advantage so just keep an eye out for the creepers ESP at the airport. Locals (at least in our case) act like they work for hotels in the area and ask you to bring you there while you wait for your next flight. SHADY. Just keep your wits and keep it moving. On the other hand, there are those who have never seen black people and want to take pictures with you (that happened when I made it to Machu Picchu). I’d love to go back and maybe hike it again? Maybe.
Note: I will say we spent a pretty penny on trek gear and the trekking company. Taxi’s are roughly 20/30 soles. Food and drinks are pretty cheap.
Finally, go to CEVICHE, their food is amazin.
chao.
I started my journey in Cusco, the capital city of the Incan empire! As night falls it reveals a dramatic landscape! The mountains illuminate as if the hills have eyes! The unity between the incan empire and spanish influence is very vivid! The architecture alone would stop any history buff right in their tracks!
The Indigenous Incan families are casually strolling by with their llamas; & Roasted Guinea pigs are in every restaurant window! The cathedrals are very morbid, the inca fortress’ are grand ! & there’s also a white jesus statue over looking the city! It’s a complete attack on all of the senses.
As a city of major historic significance, I’m glad i chose to start my inca trek from there! I set out on foot to walk for 3 days to Macchu Picchu as the incas did!! Yeah, but I’m not white nor did i have the strength! lol on second thought i took a 7 hour bus to Hidroelectrica for $11 where I’d start my 3hour hike to the town of Aguas Calientes! Yeah before i left it sounded easy! After about 45mins of hiking and the finish line no where in site, and my 10kilo bag feeling like 100, i turned back and waited 2hours for the train ($30)! From there i took a 30minute bus for $25 RT to Macchu Picchu & Entry is $80! (You can avoid the bus and hike for 2hours to get there)
In total i spent $41 on Transportation to get there! I opted to return on the world class vistadome train which cost me $75 and took me straight to the Sacred Valley in time for day of the dead !
There are countless adventures to take in Peru. Hope on a train from Cusco with panoramic views of the Andes mountains to see world wonder Machu Picchu (my favorite of them all). While here you can take in all the beautiful scenery as well as hike to the highest point. You will need to register online in advance to do this.
For the people who want more of a challenge, take a hike up raindow mountain 3 hours out of Cusco. My only advice is to be prepared as the altitude is a killer!
There are also other mini adventures to take in Cusco. You can walk up the Inca ruins in ollantaytambo (45 minutes from Cusco) or walk around the beautiful Sacsayhuaman. Whatever your taste of adventure is, Peru has it for you !
I must be honest and say my expectations when visiting Peru weren’t that high. I wanted to go, see Machu Picchu and never expected anything more. I must say my visit FAR exceeded my expectations. I stayed in an Airbnb ( https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/20782586) and our host picked us up from the airport. Her name was Patricia. I must say deciding to rent Patricia’s apartment is possibly the best decision we made. From the time she picked us up from the airport we knew it was going to be a great trip. Welcoming, accommodating, friendly and spoke great English. We arrived very early she was courteous enough to allow us to check in early. Patricia also decided to be our tour guide during day one for a very reasonable price. She allowed us to unwind, shower, change and she came back around noon to pick us up and start our tour. We visited Pisac, the sacred valley & Ollantaytambo. We got to experience the Sunday market. She walked with us, negotiated deals, made sure we were not overcharged and we ended the day with dinner at a local restaurant eating authentic food with local residents. Of course while there we visited Machu Picchu. We decided to catch the train instead of hike. Woke up early, took a taxi to the train station and took a 2-3 hour ride to Machu Picchu. I must say after seeing all New 7 Wonders of the World, Machu Picchu is by far the most beautiful/breath taking. It was a very surreal experience. We also decided to visit Humantay Lake. A cold and tiresome hike up a mountain (although we hiked half and thrn gave up and took a horse to the top) lol but once you get to the other side of the mountain you’re truly in awe by its beauty. At night you can also go to Cuzco center its many restaurants, people and shows in the street. Its a very festive experience. You must eat at a restaurant named Morena Peruvian Kitchen. Very delicious food. There’s truly so much to see and do in Peru. I would definitely go back and would definitely recommend others to visit. Very underrated and overlooked country. It has so much more to offer than Machu Picchu
Cusco, Peru will blow your mind. It’s main attraction is the iconic world wonder-Machu Picchu. My friend and I flew into Lima, then flew to Cusco. We took the train from Cusco to Aguascalientes and I recommend booking your train ticket at least a couple weeks in advance and your entrance ticket to Machu Picchu Park because some regions of Picchu will sell out. While in Aguas Calientes (the town with shops, eateries, and hotels right beneath the mountain of Machu Picchu), we stayed in a basic hostel that we booked by just walking in the same day. If you’re not looking for luxury, there are several hostels all around the the town for as low as $15 dollars per night, just take your pick. When it comes to actually witnessing and taking in the sites at Machu Picchu, you have options. You can hike up the mountain or you can take a bus which takes you directly to the entrance. Once you enter, you’re surrounded by clouds, mountains, llamas, magical pathways and the most jaw dropping nature sights you’ve ever seen! This is a place you’d never regret spending your money on. Adventure calls and it calls from Cusco, Peru!
I think Peru is a right of passage for most travelers. The most obvious destination being Machu Picchu. It’s quite a trek to get there depending on where you are coming from. We landed in Cuzco and our guide had us doing a few things prior to Machu Picchu because you need to get acclimated before you can go up. The air is very thin so it’s very important. The tea that you will find in most hotels is great for calming the body down. The drive there was crazy, I have been in countries where people drive like crazy and Peru is right up there. We made stops in Aguas Calientes, The Scared Valley, Some historic sites before finally landing in the city. You take the bus up and you walk up to the site. You can also hike around the area which was a great treat. Enjoy the views and the fresh air if you find yourself there. Make sure you bring something warm for the nights.
Cuzco was absolutely BEAUTIFUL! It is also home to one of the 7 Wonders of the Wolrd… MACHU PICCHU! Our trip started when we flew from Lima, Peru to Cuzco, Peru for about $120 (round trip). We booked our flights the day before so you can probably find the flights much cheaper than that. We flew through Avianca airlines and booked directly from their website. Our hostel in Cuzco provided us with a tour of the city and gave us so much information on the city of Cuzco itself. Although I’m a thrill seeker and tours are typically boring to me, this tour was definitely memorable and useful for when I made my way to Machu Picchu. We spent two days in Cuzco before we took a small bus from Cuzco, through the mountains, all the way to Hydroelectrica (the bus ride is fairly cheap and very scary because of the fact that we were in a decently sized bus on a one lane road literally on the side of a mountain). From Hydroelectrica we walked about 2.5 hours to Aguas Calientes (you can take the train but we wanted to see the scenery). Once in Aguas Calientes, we ate and went to sleep because we woke up at 4am the next morning to get in line for the bus, that departed at 6am, for Machu Picchu (you can walk that too but by that point we were tired). Once we made it to the top, the air was brisk and the sun was shining! It was perfect weather!! We didn’t care for a tour because we just wanted to enjoy being there. We explored the giant ruins, in awe, as we occasionally ease-dropped on other tour groups information while passing by ;D. Machu Picchu is so incredibly amazing, and if you make your way to Peru DO NOT miss your opportunity to see one of the 7 Wonders of the World! It truly is WONDERFUL!
I absolutely loved Peru!!! It is at the top of the list for favorite places to travel. My friends and I started our journey in Lima and flew to Cuzco. We stayed at an air bnb. This was a great decision as our hosts booked excursions for us including horseback riding and our trip to Machu Picchu. Our time spent in cuzco was great. The views of Machu Picchu arebreathtaking. There are multiple ways to see it, you can take the train to a bus or you may choose to indulge in a hike, in lieu of the bus. We chose the train to bus option, but in the future I might consider hiking to the higher mountain. I suggest getting an early train so that you can to Machu Picchu early. After you are done, enjoy some time in the small town by grabbing lunch or doing a little shopping.
An unforgettable tour with these multiple transports, plane, bus, taxi, boat! We do not want to miss anything, each city has its importance with: its numerous monuments, its archeological sites, its history (maya, inca) and its way of life! Road trip that must absolutely prepare, because the hikes have a great place in this trip. So, you have to have an important physical form.I only deepen the most memorable sites Machu Picchu and Lake Titicaca.
Departure at 4am first climb at 4:45 arrival at Sun Get at 10am; We face the 1716 steps. We leave well motivated backpack, flashlight, water bottle, sandwich; enough to tackle “at The Memory Challenge” We think we have accomplished our mission! We contemplate this beautiful site that has its place in “the 7 wonders of the world”, the most beautiful is coming after another 400 steps higher to arrive at Sun Get, we realize what we have just accomplished, what very few people can contemplate in a lifetime, a breathtaking view! We spend a night in Cusco to see the “Statue of Christ”, and its magnificent view. We are on our way to Puno.
Puno and its tunes of the Mediterranean, on the shores of Lake Titicaca “just splendid” !!!!! “A JOURNEY WITH BEAUTIFUL IMAGES IN HEAD AND THIS SENSATION TO BE UNIQUE. “
I’ve been to 12 countries and Peru is at the top of the list! I flew to Lima then from Lima to Cuzco. Cuzco is full of so much culture and the people there are so friendly, the market there has tons of fruits, (you know those fruits that you’ve seen pictures of but has never seen in real life? They’re there) they even have those small bananas that have twice the amount of flavor as regular bananas. There is a square in the middle of Cusco called Plaza de Armas that has something going on most of the times, especially at night and if you’re looking for a workout try the stairs leading up to Jesus statue.
Next you have Machu Picchu, it is easiest to get to from Cuzco, Machu Picchu is just magical, the ruins, the views the ALPACAS! The hike and the history is well worth it too, plus you get to take that iconic Machu Picchu picture, but here’s the icing on the cake for those who are adventure thrill seekers, there is a mountain behind Machu Picchu called Huayna Picchu (daily spots are limited and you get to sign the record book) , OMG it was the best and most intense hike I’ve ever been on, and the views on the way up to the top is just breath taking, did I mention that you get above the clouds?
Then after the hike, I’d recommend heading to the little town called Aguas Calientes to refuel, the town itself is very lively and they have good Peruvian food, they’re lots to see there. (Whenever you go to a market to buy something in Peru, say the word ‘ULTIMO’ because they tend to want to increase the price for foreigners, and that lets them know that you know what you’re doing, try it, it works.)
Machu Picchu | IG: Que.Hall
Lavidaloca_kiss hit it right on the head about MP. I just wanted to add a few lines about it.
Its a ton of hassles getting to it and can be expensive. At the end of the day the memories last a lifetime and makes it worth it. My girlfriend and I loved the amazing views that no pictures do justice. It leaves you speechless for how it was constructed. We went February 18 and chose the evening entrance. By that time, the skies had cleared, the weather warmed and roamed freely. It was not crowed. Awesome our passports got stamped. I would not go back because of the difficulty getting there and the many crazy things that happened to us. Looking back we can laugh about them now but at the time things were hectic lol. Classic trip and if given the opportunity, experience it. Just plan accordingly and you’ll be fine. Its impossible to take a bad photo with MP in the background lol.
Cuzco is not only a perfect jumping off point for Machu Picchu. The city is a destination in itself. If you stay in the historic center of the city, you will be surrounded by so much history, culture, and Spanish architecture. This picturesque city has no bad angles or views. The gorgeous cathedrals that line the main square are open to explore. Also, Qoricancha is a must see site. It’s the site of an ancient Incan temple that converted to a Spanish Convent at the time of colonization. Inside the beautiful Spanish facade, you can view the ancient Incan Ruins.
I spent a week in Cuzco with a large group of friends. One of the best day trips was Rainbow Mountain that I did with a company called Friends of the Nature Cusco. This mountain, also known as Vinicunca, is a scenic mountain that displays multiple colors due to the geologic mineral content. This site became a tourist attraction only recently and because of the high altitude (17000+ ft), the crowds are not nearly as intense as Machu Picchu. Many tours operate day trips from Cuzco to Vinicunca. My group accidentally booked a Rainbow Mountain excursion with a Spanish speaking tour guide. We still had a rich experience and found a perfect opportunity to practice the language. The journey began at 3:30am. Our tour included breakfast and lunch in a quaint village at the foot of the mountain. The hike itself was super challenging not because of the steepness. The altitude alone makes the entire hike a true challenge. Horse rides are available to those who don’t want to hike. Despite the numerous stops and water breaks, our group found hiking the mountain with our own feet very rewarding. The view at the top is drop dead gorgeous. This day was definitely a highlight for my entire trip to Peru.
Machu Picchu !
Machu Picchu is really a magical place! The only issue is it takes a bit of travel to get there but trust me it is completely worth it. You will have to take a bus or car from center city in Cusco to the train station in Poroy. The ride will be about 1hr to 1.5hrs. When you get to Poroy you will then get on a train to Aguas Calientes which is a town about 20 mins from Machu Picchu. The train will cost you $130 for Inca Rail. You can choose from Inca Rail, Peru Rail, and the Belmond Hiram Bingham train but prices on class and company will vary. The ride to Aguas Caliente is absolutely beautiful all the trains have a 360 view. Be prepared to see a lot of mountains, rivers, and greenery. This train ride will also be 1.5 hrs. When you get to Aguas Caliente there are a lot of restaurants and shops to choose from to fulfill all your souvenir and food needs. You will also need to get a tour guide and a bus ticket while here. The bus ticket is $24 round trip and the guide is $30 each for a private tour. When you finally get all this situated then it’s time for all the fun! The bus to Machu Picchu is about 20 mins. The ride up is a bit scary. You are driving to the top of a mountain so you can only imagine. When I got to the top I was completely speechless, the view is breathtaking. The guide will also give you the full history of the Incas. What I love about Machu Picchu is that you get to walk around the whole grounds there are some restricted areas but not much. There are Llamas everywhere and it is picture heaven! At the end when you are ready to go, you also get a stamp for your passport. Machu Picchu is a must do!
Things you need: cash, comfy shoes, water, and a small bag of snacks.
Cusco – Rainbow Mountain
Rainbow Mountain is an adventurers holy grail! The mountain is located 4 hours away from the city of Cusco and has some of the most spectacular views i have ever seen. Hiking to rainbow mountain is not easy, the mountain stands at 17,000ft elevation and you can only reach it on foot with the option of a horse for half of the journey.
Getting to rainbow mountain – book a rainbow mountain tour, they generally cost $35-$45 depending on the company. It is a 16hr full day activity and you will be picked up from your hotel at 3am and taken to the start of the trail. I highly recommend bringing an extra $30 to rent a horse, no matter how fit you think you are nothing can prepare you for that 2 hour straight uphill walk and 3.5hour one way trek. The horses cant take you all the way and at certain points you will have to get down and walk on your own but we couldn’t have done it without them.
Be sure to drink coco tea before hiking, as you ascended it becomes extremely difficult to breathe and altitude sickness usually sets in. Dont forget your hiking shoes/sneakers, a jacket, scarf, water & snacks.
Me and one of my friends visited Cuzco in May 17. We flew from London which cost £600 return with Avianca. Lima is the international airport for Peru so you then fly domestically from there.
Due to the high altitude, I would recommend a day or two to get used to it before you start doing big trips. Coca tea will help with the altitude sickness and is offered everywhere.
The main plaza is gorgeous and there’s lots of museums and places to eat and drink around.
We stayed at Vinicunca Hostel which we found via Airbnb…fairly basic ensuite double room with breakfast included but it was close to the Plaza. If you prefer a livelier atmosphere, party hostels such at Loki are worth staying in.
Visit the Inka museum (10 soles) during your chill days to learn about the Inka empire..useful before going on a tour.. We visited the Scared Valley (tour was $15) and spent the day visiting ruins and learning a lot about the Inkans. From this you can stay in Ollaytambo for the night as it is closer to Machu Picchu and will make your journey quicker.
There are many hikes that will take you to Machu Picchu varying in time and difficulty. As we only had a week, we decided to get the train there which is a 3 hour journey one way and has great views – prices vary depending on the quality of the train. Once in Machu Picchu town, you can walk up or take a bus for $48 return. You have to pay entrance fee to Machu Picchu ($70 for adults) which I would recommend buying before you go if you’re travelling in high season as they restrict the number of visitors a day to 2500.
Another cool place to visit is Vinicunca mountains (known as the rainbow mountains). You can book onto a tour whilst in Cuzco as they run everyday (we paid 80 soles). It’s a very early morning pick up and includes breakfast and lunch. You have a 2-3 hour hike up, depending on how your altitude sickness is and then it’s quicker on the way down. The views are spectacular so 100% worth it.
My favourite places to eat were Quinta Eualiana (Peruvian food on the cheap) and Ukumari. Peruvian food is very tasty…one dish that surprised me was alpaca meat!
And for drinks, you can’t go wrong with a pisco sour!
Peruvians are one of the loveliest people I’ve met and enjoy any attempt to speak Spanish although many try to speak in English too.
IG @road2culturedom
I visited Cuzco Peru in May 2017 with my travel squad. I was already visiting Quito, Ecuador so we flew round trip from Quito to Cuzco on Latin American Airlines my ticket was about $300 USD. Cuzco is at an elevation of approximately 11,000 feet above sea level so it gets pretty cold, it was 38 degrees F when I landed. I did experience altitude sickness but it was mostly just a nuisance for me. Some symptoms I experienced were shortness of breath, slight headache and frequent urination. To combat altitude sickness locals told us to try Coca leaf or Coca leaf tea (which is perfectly legal in Peru & Bolivia).
We stayed in a hostel booked by a friend of a friend who is from Peru, many of the accommodations did not have in-room bathrooms but ours did, be sure to inquire about amenities such as shower and wifi.
The city is beautiful; there are mountains everywhere many of them snowcapped.
Everyone who worked in the tourism industry was bi-lingual but I was with my sister who is fluent in Spanish which was a great help.
Cuzco was the closest airport to Manchu Picchu, our target destination. Getting to MP was a little complicated but WELL WORTH the trip, it will definitely take an entire day to travel there (MP), tour the ancient city and travel back to Cuzco.
The food was awesome, Peru is known for its Ceviche, which is a type of soup made of seafood, lime juice, onions, tomatoes and spices, it was amazing! Inca corn was another one of my favorites.
The exchange rate was about 3:1 (a dollar goes a long way), visit Sand Pedro Market for great shopping! I notified my bank a few days before I left and was able to withdraw cash from Peruvian ATM’s (in the local currency) with no problem. IG @medina_a