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Voykit pocket guide · Peru
Cuzco
Cusco
Sleep low in the Sacred Valley first, then give Cuzco 2–3 nights at the end: it sits at 3,400 m and altitude, not sights, sets your pace.
Cuzco was the Inca capital and is the base most travellers use for Machu Picchu and the Sacred Valley. It is also 3,400 m up, so the order of your trip matters more than the list of sights: arrive low, acclimatise, then climb to Cuzco. Two to three nights covers the centre, Sacsayhuamán and the museums; add nights if you want day trips.
- Country
- Peru
- Local name
- Cusco
- Best months
- May–Sep (dry, sunny days)
- Avoid
- Jan–Mar (rain; the Inca Trail closes in February)
- Stay
- 2–3 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- PEN
- Money
- Currency is the Peruvian sol (PEN, S/). Cards work in hotels and larger restaurants in Lima and Cusco; markets, small towns, taxis and entrance fees in villages need cash.
- Daily spend
- Budget S/120–200 excl. bed · Mid S/200–400 excl. bed · High S/400+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Claro, Movistar, Entel and Bitel sell prepaid SIMs; register with your passport at official shops.
- Emergency
- Police 105 · Fire 116 · SAMU ambulance 106
- Plugs
- Types A, C · 220 V · 60 Hz · US devices need to be dual-voltage (most chargers are).
- Tipping
- Restaurants: About 10% if service is not included.; Inca Trail porters and cooks: Per the operator's guidance; pooled at the end.; Guides: S/ 20–50 per person for a day tour.
- Water
- Not safe from the tap; bottled or filtered.
- Toilets
- Paper in the bin; carry tissue and coins for public toilets.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee or coca tea | S/5–12 |
| Menu del día (soup, main, drink) | S/10–20 |
| Beer: draught in a bar / bottle in a shop | S/12–20 / S/6–10 |
| Taxi in the centre | S/2–4 |
| Combi ride | S/0.60 |
| Qoricancha entry | S/20 |
| Museo Inka entry | S/20 |
| Machu Picchu Museum entry, foreigners | S/20 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- CUZ · Alejandro Velasco Astete International
- 5 km (3.1 mi) east of the centre; about 16–20 min by taxi. Mostly domestic flights, with connections through Lima. A larger airport is under construction at Chinchero.3.1 mi (5 km) east of the centre; about 16–20 min by taxi. Mostly domestic flights, with connections through Lima. A larger airport is under construction at Chinchero.
Typical fares
- Airport → Centro Histórico, taxi
- S/10–15 (official desks ask S/30+)
- Taxi in the centre
- S/2–4
- Combi ride
- S/0.60
- Boleto turístico, full ticket
- S/130, ten days, 16 sites (check)
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
The historic centre is walkable; you only need wheels for the airport, the bus terminal and Sacsayhuamán. Taxis are metered in theory but agree the fare first (S/2–4 in the centre). Combis cost about S/0.60 and run until 22:00. Uber works and is often slightly pricier than a street taxi.The historic centre is walkable; you only need wheels for the airport, the bus terminal and Sacsayhuamán. Taxis are metered in theory but agree the fare first (S/2–4 in the centre). Combis cost about S/0.60 and run until 10:00 PM. Uber works and is often slightly pricier than a street taxi.
See and do
Known for
- Inca and colonial architecture
- Sacsayhuamán
- Qoricancha (Sun Temple)
- Gateway to Machu Picchu and the Sacred Valley
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Sacred Valley of the Incas | Bus or combi from Av. Grau 525 (Chinchero, Urubamba), Calle Puputi 208 (Pisac, Urubamba) or Av. Tullumayo 207 (Pisac, Calca); tours also leave the centre | 1–1.5 h each way |
| Pisac | Combi from Calle Puputi 208 or Av. Tullumayo 207 | About 1 h |
| Ollantaytambo | Combi from Av. Grau 525 or Calle Puputi 208; train from Poroy for Machu Picchu | 1.5–2 h |
| Maras and Moray | Taxi or tour from the centre; no direct combi | 1–1.5 h |
| Aguas Calientes (Machu Picchu) | Train from Poroy or Ollantaytambo (PeruRail, Inca Rail), then bus up to the citadel | 3–4 h |
Sleep
- Centro Histórico (Plaza de Armas and San Blas)
- Walk to most sights, museums and restaurants; San Blas is quieter and uphill.
- Av. El Sol and around
- Hotel strip between the plaza and Qoricancha; easy taxi pickup and tour departures.
- Sacred Valley (Urubamba, Ollantaytambo, Pisac)
- Lower altitude for the first nights; 1–1.5 h from Cuzco by road.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Excuse me / Sorry | Disculpedees-KOOL-peh |
| Thank you | GraciasGRAH-syahs |
| How much is it? | ¿Cuánto cuesta?KWAN-toh KWES-tah |
| Can I pay by card? | ¿Puedo pagar con tarjeta?PWEH-doh pah-GAR kon tar-HEH-tah |
| Where is the toilet? | ¿Dónde está el baño?DON-deh es-TAH el BAH-nyoh |
| I want to get off | ¡Bajo!BAH-hoh |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake; one cheek kiss among acquaintances; avoid: Skipping greetings
- Food pride: Ask about local dishes; avoid: Comparing pisco or ceviche unfavourably with Chile's
- Photos: Ask and pay if asked; avoid: Photographing people without asking
- Politics: Listen; avoid: Taking sides in protests
Scams and watch-outs
- Altitude: 3,400 m. Take the first day slow, drink water, skip alcohol, and see a doctor about soroche if a headache and nausea do not pass.
- Do not take a street taxi at night and never one that already has a passenger; order by phone or app.
- Agree the fare before you get in, especially from the airport or bus terminal, where S/15–30 is asked for a S/10–15 ride.
- Keep bags in front of you on combis and in markets.
- Some sights need the boleto turístico (S/130 full, ten days, 16 sites; S/70 with an ISIC student card); buy it at the sites or at the OFEC office, Av. El Sol 103.
- Place names are spelled several ways (Cuzco, Cusco, Qosqo): search both spellings.
Cuzco is a busy tourist city with ordinary big-city theft risk, plus altitude. The real dangers are soroche on day one, unlicensed night taxis and fare scams; agree prices first and take the first day slowly.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Cuzco yet. Suggested stay: 2–3 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Inca and colonial architecture
- Sacsayhuamán
- Qoricancha (Sun Temple)
- Gateway to Machu Picchu and the Sacred Valley
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- PeruRail: www.perurail.com
- Inca Rail: incarail.com
- Wikivoyage: Cuzco, revision 5297819 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5297819
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
CuzcoCusco
A esta dirección, por favor
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
The US, UK and most other countries run embassies in Lima; some keep a consular agency in Cuzco (check before you need it).
Altitude first: if you feel unwell, descend and seek medical help.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/cuzco). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.