I have never been to a country filled with as much history and beauty as Peru...and that's saying a lot because we only did Cusco!
Most people go to Cusco to trek to Machu Picchu. That was our primary reason for going....but keep in mind that there is SO much to do in the area. So, whether or not you want to participate in the overnight treks, you are in luck.
Here is the low down....
We needed 10 days (including travel days) for this trip!
If you are trekking, I recommend getting to Cusco at least 3 days early to explore the surrounding areas. This will not only give you time to explore a lot of beautiful sites in the area, but more importantly, will help you to acclimate to the altitude. The altitude is VERY real and if you don't take time to adjust, you could end up ruining your entire trip. I've seen it happen. Consider yourself warned!
We stayed in Cusco for 3 days and 2 nights prior to departing for our trek.
Accommodation in Cusco:
This definitely has a higher price point for Cusco (~$120/night)
Very quaint and clean rooms
Great location
They stored our bags for us while we were trekking, which was a plus
Most treks depart from Cusco, so if you are doing one, make sure to stay in this area beforehand even if you do not stay in this hotel! There are more cost effective hotels/hostels nearby if you are traveling on a budget.
Activities in the local Cusco area (walking distance):
Walk around San Pedro Market (souvenir shopping; great local produce)
Cusco Cathedral
San Blas Temple
Note: you could easily spend an entire day just walking around the downtown area (but any more than one day is unnecessary).
There are a lot of things to do surrounding the Cusco area too. There are two ways to go about venturing out (requires transportation):
Go on group excursions (with big busses)
If you are balling on a huge budget, this will work
Keep in mind that tour busses do not go to a lot of the places that I list below
Hire a private guide to take you around (this is what we did)
This was still very cheap for US standards
I preferred this because we got more of a local experience, and could stop whenever we wanted
They will pick you up and drop you off at your hotel/hostel
Our Guide:
Like I said above, we hired a private tour guide to take us around. His name was Roger and was absolutely amazing. He was a walking history book--filled with so much knowledge about every ruin, lake, and site that we saw. His grandma was an Inca, so his perspective is extremely interesting. He was also a fun guy to spend a day with! I highly recommend him.
You can contact him through whatsapp -- +51 073 514 107
You can also find him on Instagram @rainbowmountainexpeditions
Where did we go with our guide?
Keep in mind that you can customize your itinerary with him prior to departure, so do not stress about planning too much in advance. If you are going with a tourist bus, you will still have a great time, but there is less flexibility around everything that I am about to tell you.
Day 1: Alternate Rainbow Mountain & Lake Pumacache
Alternate Rainbow Mountains (near Palccoyo community): we decided not to go to the iconic Rainbow Mountain because it has gotten extremely touristy in the past 5 years. We were told that the hike gets super crowded, which makes it less enjoyable! The alternate rainbow mountain literally looks the exact same (photo above) and NO ONE was there, which made it extremely peaceful.
Pitumarca: This is the town that we stopped at to eat lunch in. No tourist were here and we were served an authentic Peruvian home cooked meal from a friend of Roger's. It was delicious. Having an experience like this is why I highly recommend going with a private guide!
Lake Pumacache: We took a tiny motor boat out here and went around the whole lake. It was pretty magical. The boat was rocky though, so if you get sea sick easily, maybe don't do this.
We covered SO much ground on this day...what I loved most about it was all the places that we were able to stop at along the way:
Lake Huarcarpay
Urcos - "black hole lake"
Wilkanota - contaminated lake that goes in the direction of the milky way
Pampa Marka Lake
Asna Qolcha Lake
Acopia Lake
Day 2: Inca Ruins
We covered all the iconic ruins on our second day with Roger. These sites are filled with so much architectural beauty and history. The Incas were brilliant to say the least, and each ruin we visited proved this further. These sites are a must do while in the Cusco region!
Chinchero
Moray - experimental agricultural laboratory of the Incas
Pisac
Ollantaytambo
Restaurants
Limo - Asian Fusion
Now, let's get to the moment we have all been waiting for.... THE TREK!
What company did we use?
We chose Llama Paths because it promotes sustainable tourism -- this is the type of company that you want to support.
They take care of their guides/porters/employees by making sure they have proper clothes, foot wear, and gear. This historically was a huge problem with tourism in Peru!
What trek did we do?
This is a 5 day trek to Machu Picchu
It is very strenuous, but manageable and rewarding
You may be wondering....why not the Inca Trail? This was a last minute trip for us, so the Inca trail was not available. If you want to do the Inca Trail, you will need to book it minimum 8 months in advance. It fills up quick!
I truly believe that this trek is equally as beautiful. It just gets less publicity.
Things to note if you do the Salkantay Trek:
On the first night, you will have the option to hike up to lake Humantay. It's a strenuous uphill hike (~30-45 min), but you will be rewarded with the most spectacular view. Do it. No questions asked.
You will have an option to go to hot springs on the fourth day, do it. It's a great place to rinse off after a few nights of camping!
Machu Picchu is the last stop! It is located in an area called Aguas Calientes (you will spend your last night in a hotel here)
Bring cash to tip the guides/porters/chef at the end!
The first night is freezing. If you are like me and get cold easily, bring hand warmers to put in your sleeping bag. PACK LAYERS!
Perks of hiking through Llama Paths:
There is a chef that travels with the group and the food is AMAZING--better than most restaurants we ate at. You will never be hungry. They serve 3 meals a day and snacks throughout the day.
They accomodate for any and all food restrictions
You will meet amazing people from around the world that will remain friends of yours forever
There are mules/porters that carry the heavy camping equipment and clothing bags
All you are required to carry is your day bag pack (with water, camera, etc...)
All transportation from Cusco to the trek and back is included and pre-organized
Train tickets, cars, etc.
They will provide you with a packing list
You can rent a sleeping bag, hiking polls, and sleeping pad through the company (although I recommend bringing your own if you have).
After the trek:
After getting dropped off in Cusco, you will be pretty exhausted, as we were. We ended up crashing at the same hotel we stayed at when we arrived and left early the next morning. It was a perfect way to do it, especially if you have limited time.
Keep in mind that there are SO many ways to do Cusco, especially if you are traveling around Peru for a longer period of time.
I hope to go back and elaborate on this guide soon :)
Let me know if there are any questions---go to the "contact" tab and reach out!
Xx,
Natalie
