Peru in Depth: Cusco, the Sacred Valley & Machu Picchu
Peru is South America's great all-rounder: a country of Andean peaks, Amazon jungle, desert coast and the most famous ruin on earth. Most first trips orbit the south, the cobbled colonial city of Cusco, the gentle Sacred Valley, and the unforgettable citadel of Machu Picchu. Add soaring food, warm highland culture and a little adventure, and it earns every bit of its bucket-list status. This guide covers the south in depth, including how to handle the altitude, plus the wider country if you have time.
Why Peru, and how this guide works
Peru rewards a focused first trip. The classic loop is the south: fly into Lima for the food, then on to Cusco, the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu, the heart of the old Inca empire. With more time, add Lake Titicaca, the Amazon or the desert oasis of Huacachina.
The one thing to plan around is altitude, Cusco sits at 3,400m, so we will tackle that head-on, then travel the valley, the citadel and beyond before finishing with food and a sample route.
Cusco and the altitude
Cusco is one of the loveliest cities in the Americas, a layering of Inca stonework and Spanish baroque around the Plaza de Armas. Wander the artisan quarter of San Blas, visit the sun temple of Qorikancha, and browse the San Pedro market.
But Cusco is high, and altitude is real. Counter-intuitively, many travellers sleep lower in the Sacred Valley (around 2,800m) for the first night or two, then return to Cusco. Take it slow on arrival, drink plenty of water and coca tea, skip alcohol at first, and ask your doctor about altitude medication before you travel.
The Sacred Valley
The Sacred Valley of the Incas is gentler, lower and greener than Cusco, and deserves two or three days in its own right. The agricultural terraces and colourful market of Pisac, the vast Inca fortress of Ollantaytambo, and the otherworldly salt pans of Maras and circular terraces of Moray are the highlights.
It is also the gateway to Machu Picchu: trains to Aguas Calientes depart from Ollantaytambo, so basing here makes both logistical and altitude sense.
Machu Picchu
No photograph prepares you for it. The 15th-century Inca citadel of Machu Picchu, draped along a ridge between green peaks, is every bit as astonishing in person. Reach it by scenic train to Aguas Calientes and a bus up the switchbacks, or on foot via the famous four-day Inca Trail (book months ahead) or alternatives like the Salkantay trek.
Entry is by timed ticket on a fixed circuit, and daily numbers are capped, so buy tickets well in advance and go early or late for softer light and thinner crowds. Hiring a guide for the first couple of hours brings the ruins to life.
Beyond the classics
With extra days, Peru keeps giving. The candy-striped Rainbow Mountain is a tough, high day hike from Cusco. Lake Titicaca, the highest navigable lake on earth, offers homestays on the Uros reed islands and Taquile. Down on the coast, sandboard the dunes around the oasis of Huacachina and fly over the mysterious Nazca Lines.
And for true wilderness, a lodge in the Amazon around Puerto Maldonado puts you among macaws, monkeys and river life, a completely different Peru.
Peru on a plate
Lima is a genuine world food capital, and Peruvian cooking is reason enough to visit. Start with ceviche, fresh fish cured in lime and chilli, then work through lomo saltado (stir-fried beef), ají de gallina and anticuchos from a street grill.
In the highlands, try hearty soups and, if you are brave, cuy (guinea pig). Wash it down with a frothy pisco sour or the lurid local soft drink, Inca Kola. Even simple set-lunch menús are excellent value, and Lima's top tables regularly rank among the world's best, so book a tasting menu if your budget stretches; it is a destination in its own right.
Where to stay & a sample route
Cusco and the Sacred Valley have everything from sociable hostels to converted-monastery luxury. For Machu Picchu, sleep in Aguas Calientes the night before so you can catch the first buses up. Book trains, entry tickets and any Inca Trail permits well in advance, they sell out.
A classic ten days: a night in Lima for the food; fly to Cusco but transfer straight to the lower Sacred Valley to acclimatise; two or three valley days; Machu Picchu; then back to Cusco for the city and a Rainbow Mountain or Titicaca add-on. Pad the plan with rest, the altitude sets the pace.
Things to do
Machu Picchu at sunrise
Catch the first buses up for soft light and thinner crowds.
Explore the Sacred Valley
Pisac's terraces, Ollantaytambo's fortress and the Maras salt pans.
Wander Cusco
Inca walls, baroque churches and the San Blas artisan quarter.
Rainbow Mountain hike
A tough, high day hike to the striped Vinicunca ridge.
Insider tips
- Acclimatise: arrive slow, hydrate, sip coca tea, skip alcohol at first, and ask your doctor about altitude meds.
- Book Machu Picchu entry, trains and any Inca Trail permits months ahead, daily numbers are capped.
- Carry small soles in cash for markets, taxis and rural areas, and agree taxi fares before getting in.
- Pack layers: highland days are warm, nights are cold, and the sun is fierce at altitude.
- Ease into the food and drink bottled or filtered water to avoid stomach trouble.
Budget guide
Best time to visit
Food & drink to try
Ceviche
Fresh fish cured in lime, chilli and red onion, Peru's national dish.
Lomo saltado
Stir-fried beef with onion, tomato and chips, a Chinese-Peruvian classic.
Pisco sour
The tangy, frothy grape-brandy cocktail you'll order more than once.
Cuy & highland soups
Hearty Andean comfort food, including the adventurous roast guinea pig.
Getting around
Getting there
Most trips fly into Lima (LIM), then take a short domestic flight to Cusco (CUZ).
To Machu Picchu
Scenic trains run from Ollantaytambo and Poroy to Aguas Calientes, then a shuttle bus up.
Around the south
Colectivos and tourist buses link Cusco and the Sacred Valley cheaply; taxis are easy in town.
Long distances
Domestic flights save days; comfortable long-distance buses are the budget option.
Gallery
Travel checklist
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