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The world-famous citadel of Machu Picchu is one of the most recognizable attractions in all of South America. While it is possible to visit it on a day trip, if you are looking for the best experience, we recommend booking a round-trip tour from Cusco.
Travel from the welcoming city of Cusco to this breathtaking site and retrace the steps of the Incas on your journey. You can choose from a quick visit or a multi-adventure experience that will take you to mountain-shrouded valleys, mythical ancient ruins and more!
1. The Inca Trail
The best way to experience the magic of Machu Picchu is by hiking on the Inca Trail, an ancient Incan road that stretches 26 miles/42km to the citadel. It is considered the world’s most beautiful trek and takes on average 4 days to complete.
Before you set out on the trek, make sure to acclimatize in Cusco so that your body can handle the altitude. It is also important to book your trek with a reputable company.
After visiting Machu Picchu, head out to explore more historic sites around Cusco. Sacsayhuaman is a citadel on the outskirts of town that is well worth exploring and provides great insights into Incan civilization.
2. The Inca Jungle
One of the New World’s most iconic wonders, the UNESCO-listed citadel of Machu Picchu Travel Packages is an incredible archaeological site that offers visitors a truly unique adventure. It’s renowned for its sophisticated dry-stone walls that fuse large blocks without the use of mortar, intriguing buildings that play on astronomical alignments and panoramic views of the surrounding Andes Mountains.
You can enjoy an unforgettable experience to this storied ruins on a full-day tour from Cusco that begins with a thrilling train ride through the jungle-clad mountains. You’ll get a guided tour of the Inca citadel and explore its most notable sights before returning to the town of Aguas Calientes for lunch.
3. The Lost City of the Incas
Machu Picchu is a citadel of spectacular beauty and one of the world’s greatest examples of landscape art. Soaring terraces, gardens, granite and limestone temples, staircases, and aqueducts were carved directly out of the hillside.
The ruins are laid out in several distinct sectors, including an urban section, an agricultural area, and a royal district. They’re all connected by a series of paths that lead to the site’s most famous attractions, such as the Intihuatana stone and the Temple of the Sun.
It’s not easy to find the right time to visit this incredible site; it’s often crowded, and can be a bit overwhelming for first-time visitors. The best times to see the ruins are during the dry season (June-August) and on special occasions, such as summer national holidays or solstice days.
4. The Sacred Valley of the Incas
The Sacred Valley of the Incas is an impressive Andean region with centuries-old ruins, green terraces, picturesque towns and colorful markets. But its biggest draw is the ancient citadel of Machu Picchu, which was only known to the locals until Yale professor Hiram Bingham rediscovered it in 1911.
For an unforgettable experience, try a full-day trip that combines visits to some of the Sacred Valley’s most popular sites including Pisac and Ollantaytambo. Or, you can take a more relaxed trip through this magical Andean region by bus.
Another must-see attraction in the Sacred Valley is Moray, which boasts leveled terraces resembling an ancient Greek amphitheater. The site is usually combined with a visit to the Salinas, a set of mountainside pools that the Incas used to extract salt.
5. The Rainbow Mountain
Rainbow Mountain Peru is one of the best ways to experience Machu Picchu, arguably the New World’s greatest wonder. Hiking up to this incredibly colorful peak will take you to a world that you won’t find anywhere else in the world, with herds of llamas and valleys adorned by stunningly vivid colors.
The trek up Rainbow Mountain can be a little challenging and requires some physical fitness, but it is absolutely worth the effort. It’s also important to note that altitude sickness is possible, so it’s a good idea to acclimatize properly before you start hiking.
The tour to Rainbow Mountain is one of the most popular attractions in Cusco, and it’s easy to see why. It’s a full-day trip that starts with an early morning pick up from your hotel in Cusco to take you through the Sacred Valley and on to Ollantaytambo train station.
