Best Day Trips From Cusco
You don’t have to hire a car or have a huge budget to enjoy the sites near Cusco.
Despite rising to fame as the primary stop-off location before Machu Picchu, Cusco has many other incredible activities right on its doorstep.
When we visited Cusco, we were fortunate enough to see some fantastic places in the surrounding area without having to leave Cusco for more than a few hours at a time.
So, let’s walk you through some of our favourite day trips from Cusco.
Then you will have a great idea of the things you are able to see and do around the historical Incan town.
We will explain the best day trips from Cusco and how to visit them independently or through an organised group tour.
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Peruvian Market in Cusco
Overview of Cusco
Before beginning our round-up of the best day trips from Cusco, we thought we’d start by highlighting what a fantastic place Cusco is to visit.
As we mentioned earlier, the city has a reputation for simply being a stop-off point before visiting Machu Picchu, but it has far more to offer than first meets the eye.
Not only can you wander aimlessly through the streets in search of quaint, little markets and authentic ceviche, but you can also dive into the history of the Incan Empire in the famous Plaza de Armas - the central square and focal point of the city.
Cusco was the capital of the Incan Empire from the 13th century until the 16th century Spanish Conquest. A number of colonial-era balconies line the buildings surrounding the Plaza de Armas, acting both as a reminder of the city’s tumultuous past and as a fantastic spot to grab an iced coffee.
Rooftops of Cusco
Trip recommendation: on the Cusco half-day city tour you are able to learn more about the city’s fascinating historic, as well as the chance to visit some of Cusco’s nearby archaeological sites.
Designated World Heritage Site status in 1983, Cusco is a wonderful fusion of Colonial architecture and rich, deep history pre-dating the conquest.
All of these pieces make Cusco the ideal place to base yourself during your Peru adventure.
During the day, you can take several day trips from Cusco to some of the most influential sites in Peruvian and South American history. In the evenings, after you have returned from your forays, unwind in one of the many bespoke restaurants that populate the Cusco old town side streets.
Whether you’re travelling through Peru as a single trip or as part of a 6-week South America Backpacking Itinerary, Cusco definitely has to feature in your plans. The town is certainly more than just a stop-off for Machu Picchu, but we figure you probably already know that by now.
We are now going to highlight the best day trips you can take from Cusco. As the name suggests, all of these day-trips are designed to be taken in one day where you begin and end in Cusco. Some may require very early starts, whereas some of the day trips can easily be navigated within a few hours.
Plaza de Armas, Cusco, Peru
How many days should I spend in Cusco?
As mentioned, Cusco is much more than a simple stop-off point before Machu Picchu.
If you are backpacking around Peru, we recommend spending at least 5-7 days in Cusco. Once you factor in the inevitable trip to Machu Picchu, plus a couple of days to explore the town, you’ve already used up 3 of your days in Cusco.
The remainder of your time in Cusco can be spent exploring some of the best places in the surrounding area, particularly the best day trips from Cusco.
Should I be wary of altitude sickness in Cusco?
Altitude sickness amongst tourists is relatively common in Cusco, but that’s not to say it is a guarantee that you will feel the effects of the higher altitude.
If you are travelling from elsewhere in Peru, it is likely that your body will have already acclimated and the increase in altitude should be fine. If you are travelling straight to Cusco from sea level, you will have a higher chance of feeling the effects.
Typically, symptoms come into effect within 24 hours of reaching higher altitude, and it can cause vomiting, dizziness and headaches. As with many illnesses, plenty of liquids and a good rest should help to overcome it.
You can also try coca leaf tea, sold in the majority of cafes in Cusco, which really does help.
Day Trips from Cusco
Maras Salt Ponds
Maras is a town located in the Sacred Valley that features a number of colonial buildings and structures. At first glance, the town of Maras seems fairly inconspicuous, but the thing that really sets this town apart from the rest is its famous Salt Ponds.
The Maras salt ponds have been cultivated and maintained since before the Incan times and continue to play a major part in the lives of the Sacred Valley residents.
The ponds themselves are a series of over 5000 tiered pools that contain an intricate web of holes, walls and troughs, carefully designed so that the water can reach each and every pond.
The highly salty water emerges from a spring above the pools and makes its way through the various channels until it reaches the lowest pools in the valley. As the sun evaporates the water in the pools, a thick layer of salt is left behind.
The owners of the pools then harvest this salt to sell it to tourists visiting the site and to Peruvians up and down the country.
The Maras Salt Ponds make for an incredible day trip from Cusco, as they are an excellent example of Andean people working together within an accepted communal system. Each and every salt harvester knows the individual role they play in making sure there is enough water and salt for every member of the community.
Note: as of September 2019, visitors are no longer allowed to walk around the salt ponds themselves due to contamination fears. Instead, visitors are guided to a platform where the salt ponds can be viewed.
Maras Salt Ponds
How to visit Maras Salt Ponds independently?
The town of Maras lies 25 miles (40km) North of Cusco and is accessible via a well-maintained paved road.
It is possible to get a shared taxi ride from Cusco to Maras for around 20 Soles each one-way (£4/$6), then another short taxi from Maras to the salt mines (£1/$2).
Alternatively, the walk from Maras town to the Salt ponds is about 4km and takes around an hour each way.
When you arrive at the Salt Ponds, there is a 10 Soles (£2/$3) entrance fee.
Overall Cost: Approx. £15/$22
How to visit Maras Salt Ponds through a tour?
Our tour: the tour we took to explore the Salt Ponds at Maras was a join Quad-biking tout of the Maras Salt Mines and Moray Ruins
We were picked up from our accommodation in Cusco and driven to a village outside of Maras, where we picked up our quad bikes. From here, we drove to the Salt Ponds before making our way across the Sacred Valley to the Moray Ruins.
As well as having a guide for the duration of the tour, we could also stop at several unique spots along the journey to learn more about the Sacred Valley and grab some crucial photo opportunities.
Overall cost: £28 ($40) each - which, considering that you were picked up from your accommodation, given a quad-bike to ride, and access to two famous sites in the Sacred Valley, was excellent value for a day trip from Cusco.
Local woman selling salt at Maras Salt Ponds
Moray Ruins
The Moray Ruins is an archaeological site that lies just west of the town of Maras. The site contains a number of unusual, circular terraces.
The largest of the circular depressions is approximately 30m, and helps create the wonderful spectacle that can be visited on a day trip from Cusco.
As with many of the Incan Empire ruins, Moray's exact purpose has yet to be determined.
The terraced depressions in the land help to create unique micro-climates at each level. So much so that there can be a temperature disparity between the top and bottom depressions of around 15 degrees Celsius (27 Fahrenheit).
Samples from the site confirm that a number of different soils from around the area were collected and placed on different levels. This led scientists to believe that Moray was a site used to study the effect of different soils, climates and conditions on crop growth.
There are also theories that suggest Moray was an abandoned mine and that when the Incas finished using the mine, they reinforced the walls to prevent erosion or landslides.
Regardless of the original purpose, the ruins left behind are a fascinating example of Incan life and make Moray the perfect place to explore on a day trip from Cusco.
Moray Ruins
How to visit Moray Ruins Independently?
The Moray Ruins are approximately 50km Northwest of Cusco and, similar to the Maras Salt Ponds, require you to get a taxi from Cusco to the town of Maras (£4/$6 each, one-way).
The distance from the town of Maras to the Moray ruins is just over 8km, and while this is achievable via a 2-hour walk, most people grab a taxi from town.
It is typical to hire a taxi for a couple of hours, so you are able to explore the ruins and guarantee a ride back to the town of Maras. Typically, this will cost around £5/$7 for a couple of hours you will need to hire the taxi.
The entrance fee to the ruins themselves is 70 Soles (£13/$18).
Overall cost: Approx. £26/$37
How to visit Moray Ruins through a tour?
As with the Maras Salt Mines, it is rare to find an organised group that will only visit the Moray Ruins. Typically, most tours combine the two incredible adventures into one day trip.
Tour option: the Maras Moray Sacred Valley Tour from Cusco is a 5-hour tour that includes pick-up from your accommodation in Cusco, as well as a guided tour of both sites.
If you’re pressed for time during your stay in Cusco, then this tour is perfect as you are able to visit both sites in the space of 5 hours. With a pick-up time usually around 8:30 am, you could easily have your tour finished by 1pm, leaving you the rest of the afternoon to explore Cusco.
Overall cost: £12 ($17) for the tour + £15 ($21) for the Entrance fees to Maras and Moray = £29 ($38)
Rainbow Mountain
Rainbow Mountain is a spectacularly colourful natural landmark high up in the Andean Mountains.
A thick layer of Andean Snow once covered the famous mountain, but due to the unfortunate rising temperatures thanks to climate change, that thick layer of impenetrable snow has completely melted.
The melting of the snow revealed a fascinating natural wonder that had previously remained undiscovered.
The dazzling display of colour that the mountain produces is due to an assortment of different minerals underneath the mountain’s surface.
At over 5000m above sea level, Rainbow Mountain is by no means an easy day trip. You are required to hike a steep trail to get the mountain’s viewpoint. The trail would be fairly easy at sea-level, but the altitude and lack of oxygen at 5000m make the hikes difficult.
It is certainly achievable as long as you take your time. Besides, the promise of getting to the top of the trail so you can wonder at the colourful display on offer provides all the motivation you need.
Rainbow Mountain
How to visit Rainbow Mountain Independently?
Independently organising a day trip to Rainbow Mountain from Cusco is tricky but can be manageable. Being able to speak Spanish is certainly beneficial here.
Faria, from Oops I Booked Again, outlines the 5 simple steps to exploring Rainbow Mountain without a tour and it is certainly worth a read if you’re planning to avoid the tour route when day-tripping from Cusco.
To summarise Faria’s route, you first need to get a bus from Cusco to Checacupe (Around £1.50/$2 one-way), before grabbing a taxi from Checacupe to Rainbow Mountain (£22/$30).
Remember that you will need to hire a taxi for the day so that you can have a return ride back to Checacupe once you’ve finished exploring.
Overall cost: Approx £28/$40 (not including food/drink)
How to visit Rainbow Mountain through a tour?
Tour option: the Rainbow Mountain from Cusco that we took began very early with a 4am pick-up from our accommodation in Cusco. From here, it was a 3-hour drive to our breakfast stop, before a further 20-minute drive to the Quesiuno community, which was the beginning of the trek.
The walk up to the viewpoint took around 1-1.5 hours, and there were plenty of necessary breaks along the way. At the top, there was plenty of time to explore and take photographs before descending back to the van for the drive back to Cusco. During the drive back, an additional stop was provided for our lunch.
In all, the tour was around 14 hours, making it one of the longer day trips from Cusco that we went on during our stay in Peru.
Overall cost: £35/$49 for the tour (Including meals and entrance fee at Rainbow Mountain)
Rainbow Mountain and surrounding Mountains
Humantay Laguna
Humantay Laguna, nestled high up in the Vilcabamba mountain range, is a spectacular example of the true beauty of the Peruvian Andes.
Located between the mountains of Salkantay and Humantay, the lake is surrounded by imposing peaks, and the grand Humantay Glacier.
Barely visible until you reach the water’s edge, Humantay Laguna is truly breathtaking and is certainly one of the highlights of the entire Cusco region.
A wonderful day trip from Cusco, Humantay Laguna, has to be seen on any Peru travel itinerary.
Humantay Laguna
How to visit Humantay Laguna Independently?
Humantay is an approximate 4-hour drive West of Cusco, making it particularly difficult to get to via public transport.
It is generally recommended that visiting the laguna, independent of a tour, requires hiring a taxi for the entire day - the 4-hour drive there, the time it takes you to do the hike and explore, and the 4-hour drive back.
As a result, this can be quite a costly affair. While it’s difficult to ascertain an exact price, it is generally estimated that a taxi hire for this long could start at around £50/$75. If you are in a group of 4, this would certainly be worth the money. If you want to travel to Humantay alone, it’s going to be costly.
Overall cost: Taxi (Split between 4) + Entrance fee = approx. £14/$20 (excluding food/drink)
How to visit Humantay Laguna through a tour?
The Humantay Lake all-inclusive full-day tour begins at 4 am, with a drive to the small village of Mollepata. After a quick lunch spot, you are driven to Soraypampa, where the trek begins.
The moderate 1.5-hour hike takes you through some truly incredible landscapes before arriving at the main attraction - the magnificent Humantay Lake.
The tour offers plenty of free time to explore the lake and the nearby Humantay Glacier, with the added option of riding a horse around the lake.
Overall cost: £34/$48 (excluding gratuities)
Machu Picchu
Surely you didn’t think we were going to outline the best day trips from Cusco and not mention the most famous one of them all?
First discovered (scientifically speaking) in 1911 by history professor Hiram Bingham, Machu Picchu is internationally recognised as one of the new 7 wonders of the world and has become the flagship destination for any South American adventure.
Generally considered to be constructed as an estate for the Inca Emperor Pachacuti, Machu Picchu has been in situ since the early 1400s. Due to its strategic location, high in the mountains above the Sacred Valley, the Spanish invaders never found the citadel.
Locals managed to keep the secret city hidden before Hiram Bingham brought it to global attention in the early 1900s. Nowadays, Machu Picchu is a UNESCO World Heritage site and is undoubtedly one of the most prized destinations for travellers all around the world,
We visited Machu Picchu on a day trip from Cusco, and the thing that struck us the most was how incredible the landscape was that surrounded the ruins. Everybody has seen the photos of the old buildings and stone walls, but it is hard to capture just how high up the city is built.
If you find yourself in Cusco, we implore you to take a day trip to Machu Picchu. It was, without question, one of the most breathtaking experiences we have ever had while travelling together.
Machu Picchu
How to visit Machu Picchu Independently?
In our guide of how to visit Machu Picchu in a day we outline exactly how you are able to visit the famous Incan Citadel on a day-trip from Cusco
The guide goes into greater detail as to how the trip can be organised independently, but to summarise:
You will need to get a train from Cusco to Aguas Calientes and a bus from Aguas Calientes up to Machu Picchu. You will also need to find a tour guide to take you around (mandatory for all visitors to Machu Picchu) and grab an entrance ticket (needs to be booked online a number of days prior to arriving in Machu Picchu)
Overall cost: Approx starting at £170/$240 (excluding food/drink)
How to visit Machu Picchu through a tour?
Tour option: we were pressed for time during our stay in Cusco, so we opted for the full day tour of Machu Picchu from Cusco and it was a brilliant and stress-free way to visit the famous site.
The tour pre-arranged every detail of the trip, meaning the transport to the train station, the train ticket, the bus ride from Aguas Calientes to Machu Picchu, the entrance fee and the tour guide, was already organised for us.
This meant the day trip was utterly stress-free, as every aspect of the journey had been taken care of. The line for the bus up to Machu Picchu can sometimes exceed a 2-hour wait in the peak of the high season, so being able to skip the line and get straight on the bus was a real plus.
Yes, Machu Picchu is certainly navigable on an independent day trip from Cusco, but the stress is completely removed when you book through an organised tour. You can see our experience of the best day tour to Machu Picchu (from Cusco) here.
Overall cost: £245/$347 (excluding food/drink)
Note: one of the things you need to know before travelling in South America is that Machu Picchu is likely to be your biggest expense of the entire trip - in some cases, it’s even more expensive than your flight - but we promise that the money is going to be completely worth it.
Llama at Machu Picchu
That concludes our list of the best day trips from Cusco.
Cusco is a world-renowned destination that is perhaps best known for being the last main city before Machu Picchu. Less well-known, however, is the abundance of incredible day trips that are on offer from Cusco.
We hope that our list has inspired you to create the ultimate Peruvian travel itinerary and highlighted some of the unmissable sights when backpacking Peru.
