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One Week Peru Itinerary: Cusco, Sacred Valley & Machu Picchu

Like many travelers, Machu Picchu has been on my travel wish list for a very long time. An opportunity and good timing for Thanksgiving break finally made this wish come true. This was our one week Peru itinerary that included Cusco, the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu. 

My teen daughter and I joined three of my girlfriends and two of their daughters for a girls getaway. Seven ladies including three girls ages 10, 14 and 16. My husband and son stayed home due to a soccer tournament commitment.

Machu Picchu with kids

There was no Inca Trail hiking or multi-day hiking for us. Contrary to what many believe and what several people have asked us, there’s an easier way to reach Machu Picchu that doesn’t require hiking for over 10 hours a day and camping. This was our DIY approach and not being part of a tour group.

We all had an incredible experience and such a wonderful time during our week of adventures. We loved Peru! I hope our one week itinerary can help with your travel plans to explore this part of Peru and on your way to Machu Picchu.

Day 1 – PISAC

We landed in Cusco around 6:30 AM after a long flight from Los Angeles to Lima. We had a three hour layover and a little over an hour flight from Lima to Cusco.

Our Ollantaytambo hotel in the Sacred Valley arranged for a van to transport us from the airport to their hotel with stops in between. The driver stayed in the car with our luggage while we did our sightseeing and shopping. This was really the best way to sightsee after getting picked up from the airport.

Cusco Peru

Dealing with Altitude Sickness in Peru

Since all of us lived at or near sea level in Southern California, one of our biggest worries during this trip was altitude sickness. Cusco was at 11,154 ft (3,400 m). We decided to head down to the Sacred Valley first which was around 9,514 ft (2,900 m) to better acclimate with the altitude and make our way back to Cusco later.

Our group had an arsenal of headache, anti-nausea and prescription medicine (Diamox) for altitude sickness. Our first bout with altitude sickness was walking up a small hill in Awanacancha which was our first stop.

Some of us felt lightheaded, had shortness of breath and rapid heart palpitations. Now, we know why many say to take it easy on your first day. The lack of sleep from the plane rides didn’t help either.

But, we pulled through on this first stop because who can turn down seeing and feeding llamas and alpacas? The Awanacancha weaving center was also home to four members of the cameloid family which were llamas, alpacas, vicunas and guanacos.

Peru Awanacancha with kids

We were all so excited to pet and feed the animals. There were plenty of free alfalfa stalks to feed them. Can you tell how excited my daughter is in this photo? One of her checklist items was to pet and feed these animals.

Peru with Kids Awanacancha llama

There were several natives here showing visitors how they harvest the wool, dye it and make them into beautiful, unique knit and woven pieces. There was a shop here that sold these products.

The handmade ones were of course, quite expensive. But, it was easy to see the difference between the manufactured ones and the products that took months to produce.

PERU Awanacancha weavers

The drive to Pisac was beautiful with mountains and verdant valleys. This was a lookout point into the Sacred Valley.

Sacred Valley Peru

Pisac Ruins

Our next stop was the Pisac Inca Ruins. We saw glimpses of it as we made our way to the top of the mountain. The patterned terraces on the hillside used for agriculture were quite a sight to see.

Visitors can also make their way to the ruins at the top for even more panoramic views. There was a Sun Temple up there and some ancient burial sites.

Pisac Inca Ruins Peru

Stroll through Pisac Market

When you’re on a girls’ trip, markets were necessary stops. We stopped and shopped at plenty of Peruvian markets. The Pisac market was the biggest one we visited.

The alleys seemed to go on for awhile. Most stalls sold similar items with plenty of sweaters with llama designs, colorful blankets, scarves, tablecloths and many llama themed souvenirs you can think of.

There was also an outdoor section where the natives sold fruits and vegetables. Who knew Peru had over 2,000 varieties of potatoes and such colorful corn?

Peru Pisac Market

Day 2 – Ollantaytambo Fortress and Town

We spent three nights in the charming town of Ollantaytambo in the heart of Sacred Valley. Many visitors skip this area as it primarily serves as the route for the train to Machu Picchu.

We highly recommend staying here and exploring the area. The town consisted mainly of narrow cobblestoned streets and original Inca canals where water still flows.

A small plaza surrounded by stores and quaint restaurants existed in the town. Getting around the town was fun by riding the many available tuk tuks for less than 40 cents US.

Ollantaytambo Peru

Old store house ruins sit high above the town. But, the main attraction that seems to watch over the town is the large Ollantaytambo Fortress.

There were large agricultural terraces. Some people still use them today for cultivating corn, quinoa, and potatoes. Read all about our adventure at Ollantaytambo Fortress.

Ollantaytambo Fortress Peru

The area was also used for military purposes and for the important Temple of the Sun. The views from the top were amazing.

Tour guides are available for about $6 US for about two hours. We highly recommend getting one to learn more about the impressive ruins and their interesting history.

Peru Ollantaytambo Fortress

Day 3 – Day trip to Machu Picchu

THE DAY WAS HERE! The Peruvian government enacted new entrance rules that limited visitors to two time slots instead of previously being able to stay for the whole day.

The shifts are 6 AM – Noon and Noon – 5:30 PM. We chose the afternoon shift. We’ve read that the crowds thin out a bit in the afternoon and weather seems to be better.

We took the 8AM train ride from Ollantaytambo to Aguas Calientes which is the town below Machu Picchu. The shining blue Peru Rail was waiting for us and you could almost feel everyone’s excitement. We opted for the Vista Dome going there which came highly recommended from friends and other travel bloggers.

Vista Dome Peru Rail

The large windows were ideal for panoramic vistas. We passed along a river as it snaked its way into the valley and some ruins.

Once in awhile we caught glimpses of some snow-capped mountains. The landscape eventually changed from villages and farms to rainforest.

Peru Rail window

The service was great. The seats were clean and comfortable that faced each other with a table in between.

They offered us drinks, carrot cake and on the way home Inka Corn (think supersize corn nuts) and cookies. I loved the local drawings on the train car we rode. We’ve ridden our fair share of trains all over the world and this was better than most.

Peru Rail with kids

Aguas Calientes

The charming town that sits below the mountain areas and Machu Picchu looks very much like it caters to tourists. We loved the bustling and large market right outside of the train station. There were plenty of restaurants and souvenir stores and a beautiful river alongside it.

Aguas Calientes Machu Picchu sign

We caught the bus with our tour guide (who we met by the bus ticket line) up the winding road to Machu Picchu. We didn’t pre-arrange the guide. There were plenty of them and we picked one who appealed to all of us and spoke good English.

Visitors must also enter the site with an official tour guide. Though, they didn’t heavily enforce it.

Sit by the window on the bus ride and admire the views. But, this isn’t for anyone who gets motion sickness right away or fearful of heights. It is a winding road that goes high up a mountain.

Machu Picchu mountains

Machu Picchu

This is my daughter’s favorite photo from our entire Peru trip. She followed the llamas moving to higher ground to try and take a selfie with them and ended up with this memorable shot taken by a tour guide.

Machu Picchu with Kids

Our guide really made Machu Picchu come alive for us and made us appreciate this never completed complex. It was a surreal feeling to finally be standing in front of this postcard view after many years of dreaming about it.

Machu Picchu llama

Go! It is so much more incredible in person. We stayed for about four hours in the complex including lunch and bathroom breaks. Read more about how we spent the day in Machu Picchu.

Machu Picchu Ruins

Day 4 – Maras, Moray, Chinchero and Cusco

We made our way back to Cusco with several sightseeing stops along the way after an unforgettable day in Machu Picchu. Our first stop was the very unique Maras Salt Mines or Salineras de Maras.

Geometric, terraced shallow pools of water were arranged on a hillside near the town of Maras. These have been around for 500 years. There were about 5,000 pools owned and mined by local families.

The salt comes from a Sacred Valley spring. Water is directed towards the pans through various channels and eventually evaporates leaving behind salt.

It was so interesting to watch the locals using simple tools to harvest the salt. Of course, we came home with several bags of salt.

Peru Maras Salt mines

Moray

Our next stop was the Moray Agricultural Ruins. These ruins looked like a bowl of circular terrace fields resembling a Roman ampitheater. Many believed that the Incas used this as an “agricultural laboratory” to experiment with crop growth using various altitude, light and temperature.

There is about a 59 F (15 C) degree difference between the top and bottom areas. The bottom part of the terrace/crater descends to 492 ft (150 m).

Moray agricultural ruins Peru

Chinchero

Our driver gave us the option of seeing the Chinchero Ruins or stopping at the textile area and see some local women weave. The town is known for its weaving centers.

We opted for the latter and learned more about the weaving process. It was so interesting to watch the women turn items like flowers, corn and cactus parasite into vibrant yarn colors. It was even more amazing to watch them weave the yarn into beautiful, exquisite textiles.

Peru Chinchero Textile factory

We arrived in Cusco in time for the sunset and dinner. This beautiful colonial city was once the capital of the Inca Empire.

This was our view of Plaza de Armas (the main square). The plate on the right is grilled alpaca which was delicious and tasted just like steak. Just try not to think about the cute animal before eating it.

Eating in Cusco alpaca meat

Day 5 – Cusco and Sacsayhuaman/Saqsaywaman Tour

We spent our first full day in Cusco on a four-hour tour of the ruins surrounding the city and the archaeological gems within the city.

The biggest ruin was Saqsaywaman (pronounce it like sexy woman). This large archaeological complex was mainly used for religious purposes and had over 200 sites.

Saqsaywaman Ruins Peru

Its name means “Labyrinth” in the Quechua (Andean indigenous people) while the Incas called it the Temple of the Sun. The complex’s walls were mainly made up of large limestone rocks put together without the use of mortar.

Peru Saqsaywaman fortress

After the ruins tour, we made our way back into the city. The Cusco Cathedral is one of two beautiful churches that dominate Plaza Armas.

It is the oldest cathedral in South America. We did a tour through this incredible cathedral and its chapels.

It reminded us a lot of the Spanish cathedrals we’ve visited in Madrid and Toledo. I guess that’s to be expected considering the Spaniards conquered and colonized the Incas for over 300 years. Unfortunately, we couldn’t take photos while inside.

Plaza de Armas Cusco Peru

Our last site was the very important Inca empire religious site, the Temple of the Sun or Coricancha/Qorikancha. This once opulent religious site was dedicated to the Creator and Sun Gods and Cusco’s religious center. The walls of the temple were believed to be once plated with 700 gold sheets.

Unfortunately, gold was used to pay for the ransom of one of the Incas captured by the Spaniards. The temple was also torn apart and materials were used to build the Santo Domingo church during the Spanish conquest.

These are the beautiful cloisters of the St. Dominic Priory. Part of the Inca wall structures and its amazing construction of no mortar use could be seen within these buildings.

St. Dominic Priory Coricancha Cusco

Day 6 – More Cusco Sightseeing

Cusco is also a UNESCO World Heritage site and it offers so many attractions and museums. The narrow cobblestoned streets still have remnants of the Inca walls and where the Spaniards built on top of them. See our guide of things to do in Cusco.

We spent our last full day walking around Cusco and the surrounding squares around Plaza de Armas. If your muscles are aching, many vendors offered full body massages for 20 soles ($6 US). We had massages and they were the one of the best we’ve had.

Inca walls Cusco

But, the highlight of our day was visiting San Pedro Market. This indoor market was a local hangout and a tourist favorite. It was sensory overload as we walked past many juice stands, vendors and food stalls.

We loved seeing all the local food, cheese, fruits and vegetables. This was one of the best places to buy cheaper food souvenirs like chocolates, Inka corn and fried plantains. It was quite an experience walking through here.

San Pedro Market Cusco

Choco Museo in Cusco

If you need some energy booster and some great food souvenirs, the Choco Museo (two locations in Cusco) is the place to go. It’s free to go into the interactive museum. The chocolate and gift shop also offers various samples and a cacao husk tea.

Some of our group, including two of the kids, did the 45-minute workshop. This included learning more about the chocolate history and its beginnings as a cacao. Though, the best part was making your own chocolates with various flavors and toppings.

PERU with kids Choco Museo

We absolutely loved our time in Peru and can’t wait to return. I promised my son I’d take him back. He’s quite jealous of his sister’s adventures without him.

Our time was brief but the beautiful country and its friendly people have left a lasting impact. We hope our itinerary helps with your planning or at least inspire you to visit Peru.

Peru Ollantaytambo with Kids

Some tips for visiting Sacred Valley, Machu Picchu and Cusco:

  • If you’re visiting during high season (June-Aug), be sure to reserve your tickets as soon as possible.  This is the official site from Ministerio de Cultura. There are many other online agencies that charge a bit more to book tickets.
  • Check this site for availability of tickets. We checked it daily to make sure there were still a lot of spaces so decided to buy it on the day of our Machu Picchu trip at Aguas Calientes.
  • Reserve your Peru Rail tickets early too for the best discounts. Remember to get the Vista Dome for the best views. Our route was from Ollantaytambo to Machu Picchu.
  • Get the Cusco Tourist Ticket that allows entry to 16 attractions found in Cusco and the Sacred Valley.

*Have you visited Machu Picchu or is it on your travel wish list?

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30 thoughts on “One Week Peru Itinerary: Cusco, Sacred Valley & Machu Picchu”

  1. It looks that you cover most of the most interesting stuff around Cusco. Have you been in Rainbow Mountains too? It was one of the best trips in South America we have done. #TheWeeklyPostcard

  2. I have not been to Peru yet and this sounds like a great itinerary. I have been wanting to go but have been saving it until I feel like I can do some of those tough hikes. I probably should prioritize it soon though. Thanks for sharing on #TheWeeklyPostcard.

  3. Wow! You packed a lot in! I’ve wanted to visit Machu Picchu for a long time. And altitude sickness is no joke. I experienced a little bit when I first arrived in Ecuador. Luckily, I acclimated pretty quickly to the altitude. #weekendwanderlust

  4. Simply stunning photos, Mary! This definitely looks like a travel wish list trip! I had no idea that you could do Machu Picchu without hiking. And like you, I love the photo of your daughter with the llama!

  5. What a wonderful trip! I’ve always wanted to see Peru and especially Machu Picchu, but somehow still didn’t make it there. I had altitude sickness before, on Jungfraujock in Switzerland. I’ll never forget how awful it felt to be short of breath. I think you spent just the right amount of time there, but I would definitely take it slower on the first day if I had a week in Peru. #TheWeeklyPostcard

  6. Oh Mary, this is fabulous! I wasn’t aware of the new rules but hope they make the experience better for visitors. You got some awesome shots! I am eager to read more about the trip. I think it is getting easier to visit Peru from Southern California (in terms of airfare prices). I really want to visit! #TPThursday

  7. It looks like you had a busy time at this bucket list area (on my list too). I love the photo with the lama – it is priceless. I think your guide did a great job showing you the area.

  8. I would love to go to Peru, your trip looks amazing. Thanks for sharing all your useful tips and places to visit. #WeekendWanderlust

  9. I’m so jealous that you got to go to Peru! I was supposed to go back in 2010 with a group, but there ended up not being enough people to sign up so they canceled the trip. I was so disappointed! It’s still on my bucket list though, and all the places you recommended look absolutely spectacular. Will definitely have to make an effort to eventually make it to Peru!

  10. What a fantastic trip! Can’t blame your son at all for being a bit jealous. We haven’t seen a lot of posts that talk about getting to Machu Picchu without the hiking and camping – although I’m sure that makes for a memorable experience. Riding trains is one of our favorite things to do, so that seems like a much preferred alternative. :) Thanks so much for all of the detail – you have us excited about Peru, though we have no idea when we could work it in. Thanks for sharing on #TheWeeklyPostcard and #WeekendWanderlust!

  11. Hi Mary!

    This is such a great place and I knew you would have a great time! Your itinerary was almost identical to our trip in March – good call on getting down into the valley first. The altitude is pretty intense!

    We too want to go back as we felt we didn’t get enough of this amazing country. Hopefully you can get another trip worked in sooner rather than later. The picture of your daughter with the llama at MP is such a great, iconic shot. It was raining while we were there, so we didn’t get any shots with the furry locals :( What a great memory for you guys!

    -Carrick

  12. This was so comprehensive! Quick questions:
    Where did you find the best value for money in terms of shopping? And best quality?
    Also, how did you manage bathroom breaks in Machu Picchu? As we’ve heard that one has to go out of the ruins for bathrooms..Look forward to hearing from you Mary.

    1. Hello! The best value for shopping was in Cusco. There were so many more stores and choices which made prices a bit cheaper. For the best quality in textiles like scarves and blankets, you’d have to visit a textile weaving center like Awanacancha and those in Chinchero. As for the bathrooms in Machu Picchu, yes you do have to get out of the ruins to use the bathrooms. They also charge about 2-3 soles. We used the restroom before the tour. We had the afternoon ticket but with our guide we got in around 11 AM. It was about 3 hours. We went back out to eat our packed lunches/snacks, used the restroom and went back into the ruins. Hope that helps.

  13. Hi! I’m wondering if you ever made a post about the tour companies you used? I’m planning for a trip next fall for my mother and I. Thank you!

  14. This was a well put together post on your trip! We are going to Peru shortly & have already purchased our Peru Rail train ticket as well as the Machu Picchu entrance tickets through the official government website. I have couple questions:

    1. Do you know if we can take the confirmation tickets before entering into MP or do we have to pick up official tickets somewhere?
    2. If we’ve already purchased the MP entrance tickets and the train tickets, but a guide is required, do you know where we can secure a reputable/legit guide for MP?

    1. Thank you, Dianna! I’m not sure about the confirmation tickets. The best place to ask may be the Aguas Calientes ticket office. They were right by the plaza. We got our guide by the stand that sold the bus tickets to Machu Picchu in Aguas Calientes. he rode the bus with us to MP. I believe they are all legit guides. You just need to pick someone with great English skills and who you feel comfortable with. I hope that helps.

  15. This looks like an amazing trip! I still haven’t been to Peru but I’m glad to see it’s not that complicated to visit and one even doesn’t have to do any crazy long hikes :) That photo of your girl with the llama is epic!

  16. Extremely well planned out and well written recap. Hope to go this September and will definitely use some of your suggestions. Have you posted any more about Peru?

  17. Thanks for the tips! Planning a march 2019 trip. Did you stay in aquas caliente overnight after visiting macchu pichu? Trying to figure out our logistics. We were thinking about doing the hike from aquas caliente to macchu pichu, but then wanting to take the bus on the way back. Do you know if this is possible?

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