Cusco & Machu Picchu
 

My husband and I will go to Cusco next month. Do you recommend us to stay 2 nights there, or 1 night and 1 in Machu Picchu?
In any case, which hotels can you recommend?
Thanks in advance

I haven't been yet myself (also going next month). We are spending 4 nights in Cusco and 1 night at Aguas Calientes (and 3 nights on the Inca Trail). We have booked into Hotel Casa San Blas (www.casasanblas.com) for our first 3 nights in Cusco, the Pueblo Hotel in Aguas Calientes (www.inkaterra.com), and then 1 night at the Sanctuary Lodge in Cusco (www.monasterio.orient-express.com). I have read lots of good things about all of these hotels.

Cuzco is a great city - I wish I spent more time there. When you go to Machu Picchu it will be an all day excursion - but I would recommend staying in Cuzco still. The little town by Machu Picchu is pretty terribe, touristy, and there is not really much there. I had a great late lunch there - but other then that didn't spend any time there. In Cuzco there are tons of great restaurants, bars, and history to see.

Right near Cuzco there are a lot of great ruins too - Sacsay Huaman (sp?) was a great one. The Sacred Valley of Urumbaba is beautiful too. - there's also Ollantaytambo Inca ruins which were absolutely spectacular. Try to get a Peruvian tour guide to show you that stuff in a day tour from Cuzco.

We stayed at the Niler Hotel. Was a good accomodation - didn't spend much time in the hotel at all other then sleeping. BTW - the altitude is a killer.

I would recommend staying overnight in Aguas Caliente at the Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel (if you can get a room at this late date).
The ruins are best visited when the day trippers from Cusco have left. Day trippers swarm the ruins from 10 am to 2 pm. If you go very early or very late you can have the ruins almost to yourself. The classic Inca trail trek arrives at dawn so that trekkers can see the sun rise over the ruins.

I agree with the other folks -
- Spend more time in Cusco and surrounding areas - lots to see
- Spend at least 1 night in Machu Pichu.
Also suggest you consider the train ride from Cusco to Puno at Lake Titicaca and go to Copacabana on the Bolivian side. If that far, a trip to La Paz is also merited.

How are you departing Cusco? If you're flying out, then you need to spend the night before in Cusco since there are no afternoon flights out - only early morning flights.

If you stay one night in Aguas Caliente, you'll probably not get back to Cusco until afternoon of the next day depending on train schedules.

If you had 3 nights, then I'd do 1-1-1, but since you only have 2 nights, then I'd spend them both in Cusco. Logistically, it just works out better whether you're flying or not since you can leave in the morning rather than the afternoon for onward travel.

Actually there are afternoon flights from Cusco to Lima - but whether they actually depart or not is another matter! I believe it depends on the weather. Unfortunately we didn't realise this when we were booking and booked a midday flight - so we're keeping our fingers crossed it flies! Anyway, we have an extra day in Lima so it's not the end of the world if we don't leave Cusco till the next day!

It's been my experience that the early-afternoon flights usually get out on time, but beyond that, the wind sometimes starts to pick up, making take-offs and landings difficult.

There's an early-morning train that leaves Aguas Calientes and goes as far as Ollantaytambo. You'd have to race from there to catch an afternoon flight from Cusco's airport. Otherwise, the Machu Picchu-Cusco train arrives back in Cusco in the evening, long after the last flight of the day has departed. (There definitely are no evening flights.)

Peru Rail's schedules are at:

www.perurail.com

Casa San Blas is a good choice for Cusco. :)

I am not sure where you are coming from...but you might need time to adjust to the altitude. I think 1 night in Cusco and one night in Macchu Picchu is way too little...but if that is all you have. Cusco has so much to offer...but I also agree you want to see Macchu Picchu early or late...I prefer early so that you can see the mist float away. We loved the Libertador in Cusco and the Pueblo in Aguas Calientes...but I would say that you might be lucky to find room in either at this time. Enjoy!