Arrival in Cusco
We'll meet you on arrival and take you to your chosen hotel. The rest of the day is free for acclimatizing to the altitude.
Overnight: Cusco
Train package · 6 days
Fascinating Cusco
Six days in Cusco combining history and nature: city tour with four archaeological sites, Machu Picchu by train, Humantay Lake and Rainbow Mountain. For travelers who want the essentials of Cusco and two high-altitude hikes.
6 days / 5 nightsMachu Picchu includedHumantay and Rainbow MountainSpanish / English guide
Duration6 days / 5 nights
GuideSpanish or English
PickupCusco airport
Machu PicchuEntrance included
Highlights
What you’ll experience
- CuscoPlaza Mayor, Qoricancha, the Cathedral and the sites of Sacsayhuamán, Q'enqo, Puca Pucara and Tambomachay.
- Machu PicchuTourist train, guided visit of the terraces and ceremonial enclosures, and lunch included.
- Humantay Lake1 hr 30 min hike to the lake at 4,250 m, with an offering to the Apus.
- Rainbow Mountain3-hour hike with a guide toward the foothills of the snow-capped Ausangate.
Itinerary
Day by day
The Humantay and Rainbow Mountain tours start at 4:00 a.m., so it is best to schedule them after you have acclimatized.
City Tour and Archaeological Park
Breakfast
At 12:30 p.m. the tour of Cusco begins in Plaza Mayor, with its colonial architecture. You visit the Qoricancha, a great work of Inca architecture and today the Convent of Santo Domingo, and the Cathedral, in Renaissance and colonial style.
You finish at the four archaeological sites near the city: Sacsayhuamán, Q'enqo, Puca Pucara and Tambomachay. Then you return to your hotel.
Overnight: Cusco
Machu Picchu
BreakfastLunch
After breakfast, we take you to the Poroy or Ollantaytambo station, depending on the season, to catch the train to Machu Picchu. In Machu Picchu Pueblo, our staff helps you board the bus that climbs beside the Urubamba River canyon up to the citadel.
With your guide you tour its terraces, staircases, ceremonial enclosures and urban areas, then have lunch at a restaurant in the area. At the scheduled time, take the train to Ollantaytambo, and transfer to Cusco.
Overnight: Cusco
Humantay Lake
BreakfastLunch
We pick you up at your hotel between 4:00 and 4:30 a.m., and travel with your guide to Mollepata, where you have breakfast. Continue to Soraypampa, rest briefly, then begin the climb to Humantay Lake at 4,250 m, roughly 1 hr 30 min.
At the lake you have time to enjoy the scenery and witness a brief offering to the Earth for the Apus. Then descend to Soraypampa and return to Mollepata for lunch. You arrive in Cusco around 6:30 or 7:00 p.m.
Overnight: Cusco
Rainbow Mountain
BreakfastLunch
At 4:00 a.m. we pick you up to travel toward the foothills of the snow-capped Ausangate, with a stop in Cusipata for breakfast. After a short briefing, you start the 3-hour hike with your guide, who tells you about the customs and beliefs of the Andean mountains.
On the way back, have lunch in Cusipata, and you arrive at your hotel in Cusco around 4:30 p.m.
Overnight: Cusco
Departure from Cusco
Breakfast
After breakfast, at the agreed time, we take you to Cusco airport for your flight to Lima or your home country.
✓Included
- Airport–hotel–airport transfers in Cusco.
- 5 nights' accommodation in Cusco with breakfast.
- Half-day Cusco city tour and 4 archaeological sites.
- Full-day Machu Picchu trip by tourist train.
- Full-day Humantay Lake tour.
- Full-day Rainbow Mountain (Vinicunca) tour.
- Lunch in Aguas Calientes.
- 2 en-route lunches on the Humantay and Rainbow Mountain tours.
- Entrance fees.
- Professional guide in Spanish or English.
- Assistance throughout the trip.
✕Not included
- Meals not mentioned in the program.
- Early check-in, late check-out, drinks during meals, hotel extras and personal expenses.
- Tips for guides, drivers and waiters.
- International and domestic flights.
About Machu Picchu tickets
Machu Picchu tickets and Inca Trail permits are issued through the Peruvian government in each traveler’s name (full name and ID or passport number) and must be paid in advance. Once issued, they are non-refundable and non-transferable. See cancellation terms
Frequently asked questions
About Fascinating Cusco
How demanding is the program?+
Two days are at altitude: Humantay Lake is at 4,250 m, with a climb of about 1 hr 30 min, and Rainbow Mountain involves a 3-hour hike. Arriving on day 1 with no activities helps you acclimatize. It is not suitable for people with respiratory problems.
Are flights included?+
No. International and domestic flights are not included; the program starts and ends at Cusco airport.
What meals are included?+
Daily breakfast at the hotel, lunch on the Machu Picchu day, and breakfast and lunch en route on the Humantay and Rainbow Mountain tours.
Which station does the train to Machu Picchu leave from?+
From Poroy or Ollantaytambo, depending on the season.
What language is the guide?+
The professional guide speaks Spanish or English.
What is the cancellation policy?+
If you cancel 45 days or more in advance, you receive a 70% refund; between 30 and 44 days, 50%; with less than 30 days or if you do not show up, no refund. Machu Picchu tickets and Inca Trail permits are non-refundable once issued.
No-obligation quote
Book this tour
Leave your details and dates. A travel advisor will send you a quote for Fascinating Cusco for your group.
- No payment to get a quote. You get the final price for your dates before you decide.
- A real travel advisor. Available on WhatsApp or video call.
- Paperwork handled. We book your tickets and trains in your name.
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Would you prefer one more acclimatization day or to change one of the hikes? We'll adjust Fascinating Cusco to your dates and pace.
