Best of Cusco & Machu Picchu in 3 to 8 Days

Best of Cusco & Machu Picchu in 3 to 8 Days

If You Have 3 Days

Three days approximates the standard, albeit rushed package tour sold for visiting the region. Fly into Cusco the first morning. Spend the day exploring the sights of the city. Board a train early the next day for the three-hour-plus journey to Machu Picchu where you'll have a few hours to walk among the famed Lost City's ruins before heading back to Cusco late that afternoon. Spend your second evening in Cusco. Sign on for a tour of the Sacred Valley on your third day. Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday are days when most agencies operate excursions to coincide with the famous market in Pisac.

If You Have 5 Days

Two extra days beyond the three-day itinerary above literally give you a chance to catch your breath: spend your first two nights in Cusco, but take things slowly to acclimatize yourself to the city's 3,500-meter (11,500-foot) altitude. Board the train to Machu Picchu your third day. Spend the entire afternoon at the ruins, stay the night in Aguas Calientes down the hill, and partake of the ruins' unforgettable early-morning quiet and soft light before the day-trippers arrive from Cusco the next day. Rather than returning to Cusco yourself that afternoon, take the train as far as Ollantaytambo or Urubamba. Devote your last day to exploring the charming towns of the Sacred Valley between Cusco and Machu Picchu, visit their nearby ruins, and shop at the Pisac market.

If You Have 8 Days

Eight days give you ample time for altitude acclimatization and extensive, yet leisurely exploring. If your time allows, Cusco warrants a full three days in which to delve into the city's smaller sights. Spend your fourth and fifth days in Machu Picchu before returning to the Sacred Valley, where you can base yourself during your extra days. Pisac, Ollantaytambo, Urubamba, and Yucay get rave reviews for their authentic small-town charm. All have wonderful lodging and make great bases for exploring the region. Juggle your itinerary a bit and plan to be in Pisac on a Sunday, the most colorful of its three weekly market days.