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Unmissable day trips from Cusco
Cusco is much more than the gateway to Machu Picchu: from the city, you can explore stunning landscapes, ancient sites and living cultures on single-day trips.
Cusco, your starting point for the heart of the Andes
Even with only one day, Cusco offers dozens of round-trip options: lively markets, agricultural terraces, colorful mountains, handwoven bridges and turquoise lagoons.
Cusco's strategic location gives you easy access to breathtaking landscapes, archaeological sites and communities that still maintain their traditions. Here are the best day trips and excursions to help you make the most of your time in the Andes.
The Sacred Valley of the Incas
This fertile valley was a key spiritual and agricultural center of the Inca Empire. Three of its finest sights are easy to combine in a single excursion.
Pisac
Stunning ruins high in the mountains and a colorful traditional market where artisans display their work. A perfect blend of history and local life.
Ollantaytambo
A remarkably well-preserved Inca fortress and a living town of stone streets. It is also one of the main train stations on the route to Machu Picchu, making it ideal to continue your journey.
Chinchero
A textile village where artisans demonstrate traditional dyeing and weaving techniques with alpaca wool. Watching the fiber being transformed is a spectacle in itself.
Maras and Moray: agriculture as art
Two nearby sites demonstrate the scientific and agricultural knowledge that flourished in the Andes long before the Inca Empire.
Circular terraces and salt ponds
Moray is a remarkable Inca agricultural laboratory formed by circular terraces that reproduce different microclimates. A few minutes away, Maras surprises visitors with thousands of salt ponds used since pre-Inca times.
Most fascinating of all, Maras's salt ponds are still harvested by hand today, just as they were centuries ago: a living example of engineering that continues to work.
Beyond the valley: color, bridges and lagoons
If you are looking for breathtaking scenery, these excursions take you to some of the most photographed landscapes in the Cusco region.
Vinicunca or Palccoyo Mountain
Vinicunca is ideal for adventurous travelers seeking a challenging hike. Prefer something more relaxed? Palccoyo offers equally stunning views on a shorter, easier walk with fewer people.
Q'eswachaka, the Inca suspension bridge
South of Cusco, this handwoven bridge is rebuilt every year in a traditional ceremony. Crossing it means walking through the living history of the Andes.
Humantay Lagoon
A turquoise lagoon surrounded by snow-capped peaks: one of the region's most photogenic places. A moderate three- to four-hour walk reaches the lagoon, making it well worth the effort for nature lovers.
Exploring with a local agency makes a difference
Exploring on your own can be complicated: coordinating transport, schedules, guides and admission takes time. A local agency handles all of it for you.
The Sacred Valley and its surroundings are full of unforgettable adventures. Do not stay in the city: venture out and experience the magic that makes this region one of the world's most admired destinations.
Ready for a day trip from Cusco?
We will plan your route through the Sacred Valley, Vinicunca, Palccoyo, Humantay or Q'eswachaka with local guides and transport from the city.