Written by Sam Corporations January 22, 2024
What is the best way to spend 4 days in Cusco? You need to explore this unique city and the beautiful Sacred Valley. Depending on your time in Cusco, we’ll provide a the possible itineraries . If you’re planning to explore Peru’s Sacred Valley and visit Machu Picchu, Cusco is the perfect home base to explore the region.
Situated high in the Andes Mountains, Cusco’s rich history and ideal location as an adventure hub of the region. The perfect spot for a few days exploring the Sacred Valley with easy access to many great day trips. With so many amazing ways you could spend your time, deciding on the perfect Cusco itinerary is certainly a challenge.
In this article, we’ve constructed the ideal itinerary if you have just 4 days in Cusco. This outline will save you some time as you plan your Cusco itinerary!
Overview
The map below displays the location of each activity included in our Cusco itinerary for 4 days.
Spend the first day of this Cusco itinerary exploring the city and getting acclimated. If you had a long flight to Peru, this is a great chance to rest up for the next couple of days.
As there are a myriad of hotels the choice is endless. Here we give you a couple of choices, located in the center of Cusco and San Pedro Market.
Hotel Antigua Casona San Blas. Located in the barrio of San Blas, this restored colonial house has a beautiful patio to relax in the evening around the fire. There are several different types of room to suit. The staff are friendly and helpful and have the perfect recommendations for dinner. The Hotel Antigua Casona San Blas is recommended for families groups and independant travelers.
The Costa del Sol Cusco. Located one block from the famous Plaza de Armes, this 4 star hotel has everything you will need on your stay in Cusco. Away from the hustle and bustle of the plaza, the hotel features comfortable quiet rooms and some with views of the city. Dine in the restaurant and relax on the patio with an evening cocktail.
The perfect way to start the day is a stroll through the Plaza de Armas. This bustling square is located at the heart of Old Town Cusco. The square is lined with various shops, restaurants, and cafes. Have breakfast at one of the many cafes and get energized to start the day.
One of the main features of the square is the Cusco Cathedral, built at the site where the Incan palace Quishuarcancha used to stand. Construction of the cathedral began in the mid 1500’s and took over 100 years to build using stones carried from the Sacsayhuamán citadel. Today it is recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage site.
From Plaza de Armas have a lovely view of the mountains that surround Cusco, with little red-roofed houses clinging to the hillsides. It’s truly one of the most beautiful city squares that you will ever see.
Overlooking Cusco, the Sacsayhuaman fortress was built by the Incas and likely used the site to host religious ceremonies. Another theory is that is was a store for valuables, like food, armor, and precious metals. From Plaza de Armas, its about a 20-minute walk uphill to the ruins.
While the ruins are impressive themselves, the view overlooking the city of Cusco from Sacsayhuaman is worth the visit. In order to enter Sacsayhuaman, you will need to purchase a Cusco Boleto Turistico. Purchase your Boleto Turistico in advance or at the entrance to Sacsayhuaman.
Here you will find a chaotically beautiful assortment of vendors selling various textiles, souvenirs, local produce, cheeses, meats, and more. The market also includes a huge selection of food vendors, where you can eat anything from the classic Peruvian dish Lomo Saltado to freshly made juices, another specialty in Peru.
The assortment of smells, from sweet mango juice aromas to the scent of meats. The sounds of yelling voices trying to entice shoppers to their booths and the vibrant array of colors and items to look at is a feast for the senses.
Picture a maze of narrow cobblestone streets with quaint, colorful homes packed in tightly on all sides and small, local artisanal shops on each corner.
This is San Blas, Cusco, one of the most picturesque neighborhood in the heart of the ancient Incan capital. Spend days simply wandering around the small streets, finding small surprises, bursts of color, and local shops or dine in one of the restaurants.
One of the most popular things to see in San Blas is the 12-Sided Stone.
Made of green diorite, the 12-angle Stone is part of the now-destroyed Incan Palace of Hatunrumiyoc. What makes this particular stone so unique is that it contains, you guessed it, 12 angles! The Incas were masterful craftsmen, constructing massive walls with stones cut to fit perfectly together without using mortar that remains perfectly airtight today.
To wrap up day one, grab dinner and drinks at one of the many restaurants and bars around the Plaza. The city is full of some of the best restaurants in South America. Peruvian food is considered some of the best in the world, there are many awards to prove it. If you love the nightlife, Cusco is the place for you. There are many different bars to have a drink and dance the night away. Try one of the famous Peruvian cocktails like a Pisco Sour or a Cuba Libre.
On day two of our Cusco itinerary, make your way through the Sacred Valley to Aguas Calientes, the main hub for visiting Machu Picchu, with a few fun stops along the way.
Visit Pisac
There are several things to see in Pisac, the first town on any Sacred Valley tour. Start at the impressive Inca ruin where you will receive a guided tour and learn about the history. The view from the site is spectacular. After you have finished at the ruin travel down to the colorful Pisac Market. The market is the place to buy all your souvenirs for home.
The stunning salt mines of Maras and the mysterious ruins of Moray are located on the way to Ollantaytambo from Cusco and are a great way to break up the journey. Both sites are interesting to visit and learn the history.
After visiting the Maras Salt Mines and Moray ruins, continue to Ollantaytambo. Plan to spend a couple hours in Ollantaytambo, exploring the cute little town and the nearby Ollantaytambo ruins.
Your final destination on day two of our Cusco Itinerary is Aguas Calientes. To get there, you will need to book a train ticket from Ollantaytambo.
On the second night of our Cusco itinerary, stay in the small town of Aguas Calientes, from where you visit Machu Picchu.
Below are a few recommendations on great places to stay in Aguas Calientes:
Keep in mind that this route is primarily used to get to Machu Picchu. This means that tickets do sell out so be sure to book well in advance.
Day three is the pinnacle of our 4 day Cusco itinerary. The main reason most people who go to Cusco go see Peru’s famous wonder of the modern world, Machu Picchu!
From Aguas Calientes, there are two ways to get to Machu Picchu:
Regardless of whether you hike or take the bus, you’ll need to have reservations to enter Machu Picchu. When you purchase tickets, select a designated entrance time and route through the ruins.
During the peak season, these tickets sell out far in advance for the best time. You have to purchase tickets online before you leave home to ensure entry. Tickets costs approximately $50 USD and may be purchased online here.
When purchasing tickets to Machu Picchu, we highly recommend selecting one of the circuits that includes access to hike Huayna Picchu. The mountain that towers over Machu Picchu!
Huayna Picchu provide the absolute best views of Machu Picchu. Be able to escape some of the crowds, get your heart pumping while climbing some of the steepest stairs we’ve ever seen. Explore a whole separate set of ruins that people who only visit Machu Picchu never get to experience!
Foot traffic through Machu Picchu is one way and you have to follow a specified route.
After a couple hours exploring Machu Picchu in the morning, begin the journey back to Cusco at the end of day 3. Once again, either walk or take the bus back to Aquas Calientes, take a train to Ollantaytambo, our driver will take you back to Cusco, which will take you around 2 hours.
On day 4 of your Cusco itinerary, there are several amazing day trips from Cusco that you could choose from. We recommend the Huchuy Qosqo day hike because it’s easiest to access and requires less travel time.
Often overlooked in favor of the Sacred Valley’s more famous ruins, Huchuy Qosqo is an Incan archeological site located north of Cusco near the town of Lamay that remains off the beaten track and there are fewer tourists.
The Huchuy Qosqo trek begins near the small town of Chinchero and traverses nearly 10 miles one-way to Lamay, passing by the Huchuy Qosqo ruins along the way. Unlike many hikes in the area, the Huchuy Qosqo trek is only about an hour’s drive from Cusco, making it perfect for a day trip.
If an all-day hike doesn’t sound like your cup of tea, here are a few other ideas on how to spend your fourth day n Cusco:
If you have fewer than 4 days in Cusco, we’d recommend first taking out day 4. Or if you have only two days, you really only have time for a quick trip to Machu Picchu.
If you have more than 4 days in Cusco, we’d recommend tacking on a day trip to Laguna Humantay, or Rainbow Mountain. You could also build in an extra rest day with more time to explore the city of Cusco after your trip to Machu Picchu.
Because there are so many amazing things to do near Cusco, you could easily spend 10 days to 2 weeks in Cusco. However, if you have less time, 4 days is enough time to see the highlights. With 4 days in Cusco, you can spend a day exploring the city, visit one of the modern wonders of the world, Machu Picchu, and embark on a day trip into the Andes Mountains.
If you have more than a week to spend in Peru, we recommend you check out our 10-day Peru itinerary, which covers all the highlights of the Sacred Valley.
If you’re planning to spend 4 days in Cusco, you will almost certainly want to purchase the Cusco Boleto Turistico, which grants you access to many of the archeological sites in Cusco and the Sacred Valley.
For more details, we’ve put together a complete guide to the Cusco Boleto Turistico with all the information you need to know.
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Sam Corporations
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