With 7 days in Cusco you can fit in all the essentials without rushing: the city, the Sacred Valley, Machu Picchu and the two big mountain trips, Humantay Lake and Rainbow Mountain, with a quiet day between them and a final day at your own pace. Altitude sets the order of the week: low places first and high ones last, with a rest between the two mountains. Here is the day-by-day plan, the alternatives and what it costs.
The week at a glance
| Day | What you do | Where you sleep | Highest point |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arrival and City Tour in the afternoon | Cusco | 3,700 m (Sacsayhuaman) |
| 2 | Sacred Valley, ending in Ollantaytambo | Ollantaytambo | 3,762 m (Chinchero); you sleep at 2,792 m |
| 3 | Machu Picchu and back to Cusco | Cusco | 2,430 m |
| 4 | Humantay Lake | Cusco | 4,200 m |
| 5 | Quiet day: South Valley | Cusco | 3,400 m |
| 6 | Rainbow Mountain (or Palcoyo) | Cusco | 5,200 m (4,900 m at Palcoyo) |
| 7 | Free day: the centre on foot, cooking or Maras and Moray | Cusco | 3,399 m (Cusco) |
We count full days in Cusco: your departure flight is the day after day 7. The altitude of every place is in our Cusco altitude guide.
Days 1 to 3: the city, the valley and Machu Picchu
These are the days of the 3-day itinerary, in the same order:
- Day 1. A morning of rest and the private City Tour in the afternoon: Qorikancha, Sacsayhuaman, Q’enqo, Puka Pukara and Tambomachay, in about five hours, mostly by vehicle.
- Day 2. Sacred Valley VIP or Classic, ending in Ollantaytambo, where you sleep. The whole valley lies below Cusco.
- Day 3. Morning train to Machu Picchu and back to Cusco at night. If you would rather not change hotels, the Machu Picchu Full Day arranges everything from Cusco. Which train to take is in our train guide.
Days 4 to 6: two mountains with a quiet day in between
- Day 4: Humantay Lake. The lower of the two, at 4,200 metres: about 3 km uphill from Soraypampa, in an hour and a half to two hours. It leaves at 4:00 and takes about 12 hours. All the details are in the Humantay Lake guide.
- Day 5: South Valley. Tipón, Pikillacta and the church of Andahuaylillas, in about six hours at 3,400 metres and with no early start. You recover from day 4 without losing the day. We cover it in the South Valley guide.
- Day 6: Rainbow Mountain. The highest point of the week, at 5,200 metres, with about 5 km of climbing. It leaves at 3:30 and takes about 14 hours. With five nights in the region it is a reasonable option if you are fit. More in the Rainbow Mountain guide.
Humantay and Rainbow Mountain should not go on consecutive days: the South Valley between them is the rest your body asks for.
Day 7: at your own pace
The last day, with no early start and no extra altitude. Three options:
- The centre on foot: the twelve-angled stone and San Blas, the Cathedral and San Pedro Market.
- Peruvian cooking: the food tour with a cooking class, about seven hours in the city.
- Completing the valley: if you did the Classic Sacred Valley on day 2, the Chinchero, Maras and Moray tour (about seven hours) adds the terraces and salt pans you missed.
Alternatives for your fitness
- No climb: swap Rainbow Mountain for Palcoyo, with the same colours after a thirty-minute, almost level walk.
- More walking: the Rainbow Mountain and Red Valley tour adds an hour downhill through an almost empty valley.
- For hikers: instead of Humantay, the Ausangate 7 Lakes, four or five hours above 4,300 metres; or Waqrapukara on day 6, with five or six hours of walking.
What it costs
| Day | Private tour | From |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | City Tour | USD 45 (transport; guide and tickets extra) |
| 2 | Sacred Valley VIP / Classic | USD 85 / 95 per person |
| 3 | Machu Picchu Full Day | USD 305 per person, depending on group size |
| 4 | Humantay Lake | USD 89 |
| 5 | South Valley | USD 65 |
| 6 | Rainbow Mountain / Palcoyo | USD 89 / 120 |
| 7 | Food tour / Chinchero, Maras and Moray | USD 189 / 75 |
On top of that come the entrance fees: the full Cusco Tourist Ticket (130 soles, ten days, covering the City Tour, the Sacred Valley and the South Valley), the Machu Picchu ticket and the community fees at the mountains, about 10 soles each. All prices are in Cusco private tour prices.
Frequently asked questions
Is 7 days enough for Cusco?
Yes, without rushing: the city, the Sacred Valley, Machu Picchu, Humantay Lake and Rainbow Mountain, with a quiet day between the mountains and a free day at the end.
How many days should you spend in Cusco?
Three days for the essentials, four or five to add a mountain and a week to do both without wearing yourself out. With less time, see 2 days in Cusco or Cusco in 4 or 5 days.
Can I do Humantay Lake and Rainbow Mountain?
Yes, but not on consecutive days: Humantay on day 4, a quiet day on day 5 and Rainbow Mountain on day 6.
Where do I sleep during the week?
In Cusco, except on the night of day 2, which is best spent in Ollantaytambo to catch the train to Machu Picchu without a pre-dawn start.
Which Tourist Ticket should I buy for a week?
The full ticket, at 130 soles and valid for ten days: it covers the City Tour ruins, the Sacred Valley and the South Valley. We explain it in the Tourist Ticket guide.
What is the best month for this itinerary?
May to September, in the dry season, with clear skies for the mountains; May and September also have fewer people. Month by month, in the best time to visit Cusco.
Message us on WhatsApp with your dates and we will put the whole week together, with transfers and the train coordinated.
