Iconic mountain city with lots of trekking tours, historical sites, and other outdoor adventures.
Cusco is Peru’s favorite spot for backpackers and expats. It’s got lots of unique Peruvian cultural destinations and doesn’t feel like another typical big city the way Lima does. A fun spot to be and explore the many picturesque treks. Come here prepared to trek and hike your way up mountains. This is the place for adventure! (Or you can be like the laidback expats who are just here to relax and chill.)
Reminds me of something between San Cristobal de las Casas and San Miguel de Allende. Hills and boutiques, local mountain people living amongst city tourists.
5 days is a good amount of time to explore the city and at least do 1 popular trek. Just about everybody comes here for Machu Picchu. But you could also skip that if it’s too expensive and touristy for you. There tons of other great ones like Rainbow Mountain, Lake Humantay, Sacred Valley, and on and on. Look up photos online to see what I mean. If you wanted to do every trek to the fullest…could easily be a month (maybe more).
Where to stay:
- Hostels – there are many places advertised as “hostal” here, but many are not. I would say like 30% are real hostels, with shared dorms and common spaces. The other “hostals” are just actually just motels, private room and a big courtyard in the middle (that’s undecorated, unlit at night, and nobody hangs out there). If you want a cheap private room, Cusco is the place. You can often find private rooms for the price of a dorm (in other cities).
- Hotels – because Cusco is cheap, it’s super easy to find nice cute boutique hotels to stay at.
Hostels:
- Pariwana Hostel – the one I got and immediately switched out right away. It’s a typical huge hotel hostel with many rooms and many people. Big bar/restaurant upstairs that has “activities” every night, but not many people (even when hostel is full). Caters to big groups, plays music all day in the common areas. It’s a social atmosphere depending on who goes there. When I went, it was a ton of unfriendly young Israeli’s. All the non-Israeli’s and staff that I spoke to were super awesome nice people. But not enough to keep me from checking out the very next day and switching to another hostel. The staff are absolutely amazing, like ALL OF THEM are super friendly and so helpful of my unfortunate situation (where my reservation was never made because I booked through a scam company, nonetheless they did their best to find me space). However, I was annoyed that the WIFI didn’t cover all areas of the hostel, especially not in my private room…and even then, was a little slow at times (but functional).
- Loki – considered #1 party hostel. Beautiful and perfect location. Just some people complain about having to climb the hill/stairs.
- Creperia & Backpacker La Bo’M – best freaken hostel in Cusco for me, and one of those “best in the world” type of hostels. Small, cute decor, friendly warm family-style staff, super cozy common areas actually conducive to meeting people. Has cute restaurant/bar upstairs with view over the city. It’s not a party hostel, but it’s very social and cozy and great atmosphere for meeting people. Also in a more chill part of town, that you’ll learn to love once you’re tired of the usual noisy streets by the main plaza (where the party hostels are). If you’re a rowdy party person, or unfriendly group of travelers not looking to meet anyone, please don’t go here.
- Hostal Madre Tierra – cute boutique hotel with private rooms, not actually a hostel.
- Hostal Chaquillchaka – a cheap but cozy spot in center of town. Friendly staff and cozy setup for common areas. But seems most people are in private rooms and not out in common areas much. I would suggest this as a place for cheap private rooms and friendly but very chill/quiet atmosphere. Maybe busy season is different.
- Hostal El Grial – another place that’s more like a small motel with a cozy “community area” with little restaurant tables. Cheap and nice for the price. A little cold with all the wood floors at night, beds are comfortable, place is clean, friendly staff. The high ceilings seem to echo any sound so you hear lots of noise of people shuffling about, walking and talking.
- Hostal Estrellita – looked nothing like the photos. Visited at night and it was like a super dark motel with all lights off. Maybe I was in the wrong part or wrong building? On Google, had nice reviews though.
- Hostal Qori Punku – not a hostel! No common areas. Just private rooms and hallways. Dark and non-vibey.
- Okidoki Cusco Hostal – another one I considered. Can’t remember if I checked it out or not.
Cusco is the favorite expat place in Peru. Lots of cool little places to stay at. Lucky for you, I went around visiting a handful of many different hostels since I was so unhappy with mine. And in doing so, was able to contextually compare different ones. There are many party hostels in Cuzco. Just be careful what you wish for. A party hostel or a hostel on a party street might make it impossible for you to rest before your early-morning tour pickup the next day.
Neighborhoods & Walking areas:
- Plaza de Armas – easily the #1 most important place you must see when visiting Cusco. Most of the city life, big squares with tons of people, restaurants and bars are here. The main must-see touristy area. Many hostels in this area are likely to be party hostels. It’s nice since you’re close proximity to the main tourist things, flat ground, but streets are super crowded and lots of smog from the cars.
- Templo del San Blas – popular hippie/boutique area aka “San Blas”. Much more chill calm vibe with many nice shops, bars and restaurants. Much more vibey and less-crowded part of town. Nice boutique hotels here, too. The more hip, artsy, boutique shop, vegan, and also expat part of town. It’s the nicest place to be. And also more elevated from the center, so much nicer view of the city from here.
Activities to do:
- Squares – Plaza de Armas and it’s surrounding buildings, churches, and also Plaza Recocijo, you can also pass the Piedra de los 12 Angulos (12-angled stone) nearby. Interesting wall with different-shape stones fitted together.
- Viewpoints:
- Mirador de Plaza San Cristobal – easiest viewpoint right by the main square, 5 min walk. Nice view of the square and panoramic view of Cusco from overhead, nice spot to chill. So easy to get to.
- Mirador de San Blas – solid 12 mins walk from Plaza de Armas, or 5 minutes if you’re already in San Blas. Much nicer, relaxed vibe viewpoint of the city. Annoying glass but lots of seating. Also you can go into one of the nearby restaurants or bars for an even nicer view.
- Mirador desde el Cristo Blanco – basically the Cusco version of Rio de Janeiro’s Cristo statue). You’ll need a taxi to get to this one.
- Cristo Blanco statue & Q’enco Archaeological Complex ruins – I would pair these together since they’re near each other. Take a taxi/rideshare up and enjoy the views.
- Arts & museums
- Qorikancha Site – is the main recommended one; it has a museum too that wasn’t open when I went. It’s a nice building to explore and some art in there. Takes an hour. Everyone recommends a tour as they explain so much interesting details, history, and science of what the Incas were doing.
- Museo de Arte Precolombino – is my favorite one. Super interesting artwork/artpieces and best of all, it’s open till 10pm at night. A great idea for night activity or rainy day.
- Museo Inka – I didn’t go but our walking tour guide says that’s the best one. Lots of good history and also you get to see some Inca mummies.
- Churches – these all cost money. But go everyday at 6-9am and they are free! The must-see one is the biggest one (Cusco Cathedral) with interesting art and iconic religious paintings redone in Incan themes. For example “The Last Supper” but with traditional Incan food and drink.
- Sunset views – I imagine any of the miradors would be good. Or terrace restaurants by the square as well.
- Souvenir shopping – for some reason Cusco (and probably Peru in general) has really nice souvenirs and handmade gifts. I think it’s a combination of Peru having a higher standard of quality for everything, and also being a cheap country. Combine the 2 and you have a much nicer selection of gifts to choose from. Cusco is one of the few places where I actually wanted to buy many things. Handmade jewelry (bracelets, necklaces), ponchos, clothes. The stuff looks more authentic and unique, and higher quality (and at better price).
- Artesanias Asunta – really great gift shop with tons of selection, and better prices than most places in Cusco. It’s also right next to the 12-angle stone wall.
- Chinchero (city) – go here if you want to buy the cheapest-priced alpaca sweaters. They are made by hand here (not machine) and naturally-colored by plants (not artificial coloring).
- Clothes shopping – all the best clothing boutique shops I found were usually in the San Blas area. Hilo, Concepto Raiz, Isa Luna, Iskay, Todo Es Una Ilusion, and more.
Tours:
- Inca Trail to Machu Picchu – the #1 biggest attraction. Many people who’ve done it may complain that it’s overrated, too expensive, too crowded/touristy, that their experienced sucked because the cloud weather blocked any view of the ruins, or that they went to other tours they felt was even nicer and more magical. Machu Picchu has multiple tour options:
- 1-day tour – they pick you up from your place in the morning, and bring you back to city center at night on the same day. Seems easy and convenient, but the problem is you don’t see all the best parts and don’t have as much time to enjoy it. Most people will recommend you NOT to do this one.
- 2-day tour – you go up, see some stuff, stay the night, also go to another part, then go home. This is the one every recommends. You get to see the nicest parts, and also doesn’t take so much time.
- 4-5 day tours – you hike through many parts and finally end up at Machu Picchu on final day.
- Lake Humantay – 1 day tour picks you up from your place 4:30am, drops you off 5pm in main town plaza. At the end of hike, you see a big colorful mineral lake within the mountains, super picturesque backdrop. Absolutely beautiful, much more so than Rainbow Mountain IMO (although not as unique as Rainbow Mountain). There’s also more space so you can enjoy the view from many viewpoints and people are more spread out with much more room to take photos (compared to Rainbow Mountain which is very cramped and crowded at the top). The hike is 1.5 hours and very hard. The first 85mins of the hike is even harder than the hard part of Rainbow mountain, the last 5mins of the hike is even harder than the first part. I HIGHLY recommend that you rent the horse, which can only be done during the first part. I liked Lake Humantay much more than Rainbow Mountain.
- Rainbow Mountain – 1 day tour picks you up from your place 4:30am, drops you off 5:00pm in main town plaza. At the top of the hike, you see mountains with many stripes of different colors. I recommend you pick a month with good sunny weather (preferably May to October). Otherwise, the snow covers the rainbow mountain and you won’t see much of its colors…or even worse, you’re getting rained on as you hike up. The hike is 1.5hrs long, the first 1hr is slight incline and easy, the last 30mins is much harder and steep. You can rent a horse at any point during the first part. Unless you’re in great athletic shape or not planning to do many trekking tours, I recommend you rent a horse during the first part to save your energy for the hard part and also for other days. It costs 70 SOL to rent from the beginning, and cheaper if you rent later in the path. This hike is fun, easy, and the view at the end and during the hike is pretty cool. The colors are not as strong in real life as you see in photos and you really need to have great sun to see them. The views during the drive up the mountain is really nice as well.
- Sacred Valley – there’s tours that go through the whole Sacred Valley, making little stops at each historical site and town along the way. But you can also try staying at different towns and visit places on your own pace. I did Pisac and really liked it. Read my Sacred Valley guide.
- City bus tours – bus takes you around all the famous sites, and you hop-on hop-off for 2 hours. Cheap and fun/fast way to see everything in Cusco.
Because Cusco is full of tours! That’s what many tourists come to Cusco for. You’ll be approached at least 10 times a day by tour sellers. There are endless tips and advice about which ones are worth it, and recommended for you. I think you’ll have to talk to someone who’s done them all to get real context of what’s worth your time or not. If I had to pick the main 3…Inca Trail (Machu Picchu), Lake Humantay, Rainbow Mountain. There are many others and I didn’t do them so I can’t comment on them.
Picking a tour company. We tried 2 and I can say they are not the same. While their prices and tours may go through the same routes…your actual experience still has room to vary. The better company will have meals at nicer restaurants (with nicer views), better guides, and better equipment (real hiking sticks instead of just painted broom sticks). You might also experience smaller groups and with that, more time to enjoy the views. Whereas with bigger groups, they rush you and spend more time trying to keep everyone together.
- I really liked this tour company “Erickson“.
Restaurants & Cafes:
- Kushka – great restaurant and service. Staff there speak perfect English.
- Chulls Craft Beer Restaurant – super nice restaurant with delicious options and beer. Seems like only foreigners eat here. I also ate guinea pig (called “cui”) here.
- Vegan (Cusco has many great vegan options):
- Green Point – super delicious vegan restaurant. You don’t have to be a vegan to appreciate it. Nice garden area.
- Our tour guide recommended: Viva & El Encuentro
- Creperia & Backpacker’s Le Bo’m – cute restaurant (within a hostel) that attracts all kinds of people. Really nice vibe in the evening, come see the cool bohemian/hippie decor.
- San Blas views – gonna list all restaurants/bars in San
- Piedmont Restauranet-BA – nice restaurant with amazing city view from San Blas.
- Mercado San Blas – really cheap (and delicious) local food here. It’s like food stall kitchens. You can get a big meal for 8-15 SOL. Natural juices/smoothies for 4-10 SOL. Go here if you want to eat cheap.
- Ice Cream – I don’t know why Qucharitas has such a high rating. I thought the ice cream was watered-down and unimpressive.
- Local restaurant recommendations (given by our walking tour guide):
- Don Thomas – good for eating cuy (guinea pig) and chicharron (pork).
- La Cusquenita – largely considered the most popular restaurant in Cusco. Serves typical traditional Peruvian food. At 1-3pm everyday has a live show (traditional Peruvian dancing). Some reviewers feel the food is just OK, and that people are coming just for the dance. I didn’t try this restaurant. You tell me.
There are really many many awesome places to eat in Cusco. Look them up on Google and explore! There are generally 4 areas I recommend for visitors:
- Plaza de Armas – many nice restaurants around here. Higher price, but still cheap for most Americans/Europeans. Try to get a table with upstair terrace view overlooking the square.
- San Blas – many nice restaurants/bars all over. For an amazing city view, go to higher streets like Kiskapata and you’ll have amazing views!
- Mercado San Blas – go here to eat cheap, and still delicious local food.
- Or explore… many places
Foods to try:
- Cuy guinea pig – go to a good restaurant that serves fresh one.
- Chicha beer – chicha de hora (yellow color) and has small amount of alcohol…bitter taste
- popular corn is purple, also makes chicha morada (simple sweet drink, not alcoholic)
Bars & Clubs:
- I didn’t do any bars and partying here. But you can find many around the streets connecting from Plaza de Armas. The streets I noticed the most are Triunfo & Procuradores, but I’m no expert on Cusco partying.
- For views, go to the higher streets in San Blas area.
- Chango – popular club any night of the week.
- Mythology – popular latin dance club. They have salsa (and free salsa class) every night as well.
Miscellaneous tips:
- General travel tips for Peru.
- Taxi from airport – the ones in the airport charge the most. Walk outside the airport and you’ll find much better rates. The price should be comparable to what the apps charge you.
- Camping Himalaya – they rent and sell outdoor/camping equipment. Address: Calle Procuradores 398. WhatsApp: 910 402028, 926 158689, 963 120965, 084 286838.
- Massages – you’ll likely be hounded by massage people when you walk down Calle Sunturwasi. Don’t listen to any of them telling you lies (like 10 SOL or 20 SOL for an hour massage). The real price is 40 SOL per hour.
- Use ponchos (not umbrellas) – I don’t know if it has to do with religious custom or something but this is what our walking tour guide said.
Altitude sickness:
- You’ll definitely experience it if you’re doing tours or walking around a lot. The 2 best ways is to consume coca plant or muna plant.
- Coca leaves are the most common. Eat them or drink “coca tea” (putting 10-15 leaves in hot water, some people put only a few and that’s not strong enough). For those of you who hate the smell or taste of coca, you can take muna instead.
- Muna has a more mint smell/taste, can be eaten but also you could just crush and roll it in your palms and then take a big inhale of the smell (not the leaves). You don’t have to eat it, inhaling is enough to open your lungs for more oxygen.
- Many stores will sell coca and muna products. For eating, drinking, or other health benefits. But mainly, people use them for altitude sickness.
Nearby towns:
- Pisac – went here and loved. There are many more other cool small towns around here in the Sacred Valley, too. Adventure and explore!
- Cusco** – you probably came from here, so no need to say more. Cusco is a definitely must-see city in Peru. Probably the #1 must see.
Unfiltered notes: