PE · Cusco · 13.52°S 71.98°W

cusco

Inca stone lanes, courtyard cafés, Andean markets and ruins above the old capital.

Best time
May–September are dry and sunny with freezing nights, and June is busiest, with the Inti Raymi festival. January–February are the wettest months, when landslides can disrupt mountain travel.
How long
3–4 days, before Machu Picchu
Getting there
Fly to Lima with one stop, usually via Amsterdam, then about 1.25 hours on to Cusco, about 30–35 hours all in. The airport is 15–20 minutes from the centre. Peru is 13 hours behind KL all year.
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PE · Cuscocusco13.52°S 71.98°Wgowherelah.com
Dear group chat,Inca stone lanes, courtyard cafés, Andean markets and ruins above the old capital.— gowherelahTo: whoever’s drivingCuscoPE, Cusco
KLcusco
≈ 18,668 km from KL, as the crow flies
Society of Jesus church, Plaza de Armas, Cusco, Peru

Photo: Diego Delso · CC BY-SA 4.0

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Photos: Wikimedia Commons, credited on each.

Cusco was the Inca capital, and its streets still run along walls of perfectly fitted Inca stone, with Spanish churches built on top. It's worth several days in its own right, and you need them anyway to get used to the altitude before Machu Picchu.

Makan

  1. CuyRoast guinea pig, the Andean festive dish; there's even one on the table in the cathedral's painting of the Last Supper.Map ↗
  2. Choclo con quesoGiant-kernel corn with a slab of fresh cheese, sold on street corners.Map ↗
  3. TroutFrom the highland lakes, fried or grilled.Map ↗
  4. Coca teaMate de coca, the local remedy for the altitude.Map ↗

Things to do

  1. Plaza de Armas and QorikanchaThe arcaded main square, and the Inca sun temple with a Spanish convent built on its walls.Map ↗
  2. San BlasSteep lanes above the centre, full of workshops, cafés and views over the tiled roofs.Map ↗
  3. SacsayhuamánZigzag walls of huge fitted stones on the hill above town, a 30-minute walk up.Map ↗
  4. San Pedro MarketJuice stalls, soup counters, bread and piles of potatoes in every colour.Map ↗

Good to know

  • Cusco is about 3,400 metres up; take the first day slowly, or sleep lower down in the Sacred Valley for the first nights.
  • The boleto turístico covers Sacsayhuamán and several Sacred Valley ruins; Machu Picchu is a separate ticket.
  • Halal is very limited; trout, vegetarian dishes and the Chinese-Peruvian chifa places help, but ask about pork.

Last checked October 2026. Things change, so check opening times, fees and transport before you go.