Self-Launched Cusco, Machu Picchu, Maras & Rainbow Mountain (6 Days)
6 days · Cusco & Sacred Valley, Peru
PVTravels charges £605
No-markup version: ~£487 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A DIY version of PVTravels' 6-day Cusco highlights package: colonial Cusco and the Inca ruins above it, the Sacred Valley with Pisac and Ollantaytambo, sunrise at Machu Picchu, the salt pans of Maras with Moray's terraces, and the Rainbow Mountain trek. Instead of a fully guided package you book each tour directly with reputable Cusco day-tour operators (or self-arrange), take the Expedition/Vistadome train yourself, and stay in hostels and small guesthouses. The one thing worth locking in early is the Machu Picchu entry ticket plus train — both sell out in high season. Costs are approximate backpacker/budget rates per person.
Day-by-day
Arrive Cusco – acclimatise and city tour
Cusco
Land at Alejandro Velasco Astete airport (or arrive at the bus terminal from Puno/Lima) and take a cheap taxi or the airport bus into the historic centre (£3-4). Check into a hostel in San Blas and spend the morning going slow — coca tea, no big exertion — because you're at 3,400m. In the afternoon join a small-group Cusco city tour: Qorikancha (Temple of the Sun), then the hillside ruins of Sacsayhuaman, Qenqo, Puca Pucara and Tambomachay. You can also just do this independently by colectivo/taxi to Sacsayhuaman and walking back down. Buy the Boleto Turístico (partial, ~£25) which covers Sacsayhuaman and the Sacred Valley sites. Evening: light dinner in San Blas, early night.
🚌Airport taxi ~£4; city tour minibus included in day tour, or local bus/colectivo ~£1
🛏Hostel or guesthouse in San Blas, Cusco (dorm or private ~£14-18/night)
- →Cusco historic centre walk
- →Qorikancha (Temple of the Sun) – ~£5 entry
- →Sacsayhuaman, Qenqo, Puca Pucara, Tambomachay (Boleto Turístico ~£25)
- →Cusco city tour booked via GetYourGuide or a San Blas agency ~£12-15
Sacred Valley – Pisac, Urubamba, Ollantaytambo – train to Aguas Calientes
Cusco → Sacred Valley → Aguas Calientes
Get an early start (7am) on a shared Sacred Valley day tour booked direct in Cusco or via GetYourGuide (~£25-30 including guide, entry not always included). Stop at Pisac archaeological park and its artisan market, continue to Urubamba for a buffet lunch (~£7), then on to Ollantaytambo to climb the terraces and walk the old Inca town grid. Leave the tour at Ollantaytambo and catch the afternoon PeruRail Expedition or IncaRail train to Aguas Calientes (~£45-60 one way — book 3-6 weeks ahead in high season). Check into a guesthouse by the river, eat cheap at the market, sleep early for the Machu Picchu start.
🚌Shared tour minibus ~£10-12 of the tour cost; PeruRail Expedition Ollantaytambo–Aguas Calientes ~£48
🛏Guesthouse in Aguas Calientes ~£18-22/night
- →Pisac Archaeological Park (Boleto Turístico)
- →Pisac traditional market
- →Buffet lunch in Urubamba ~£7
- →Ollantaytambo ruins and old town walk
Machu Picchu at opening – back to Cusco
Machu Picchu → Cusco
Take one of the first Consettur buses up the switchbacks (~£11 return) or walk the 1.5-hour jungle steps for free to arrive for the 6am opening — the light and the emptiness are worth it. Your Machu Picchu entry ticket must be bought in advance on the official Ministerio de Cultura site (Circuit 1, 2 or 3 depending on availability, ~£30-38; Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu Mountain add-ons sell out weeks ahead). Join a licensed guide at the gate for a 2-hour circuit (~£10-15 shared), then wander the outer terraces and the Inca Bridge trail if your circuit allows. Afternoon: bus down, grab lunch, and take the train back to Ollantaytambo (~£48) plus a colectivo or shared van to Cusco (~£3-5).
🚌Consettur bus Aguas Calientes–Machu Picchu return ~£11; PeruRail/IncaRail to Ollantaytambo ~£48; shared van Ollantaytambo–Cusco ~£4
🛏Hostel or guesthouse in San Blas, Cusco ~£14-18/night
- →Machu Picchu entry ticket ~£32
- →2-hour licensed guide ~£12
- →Sunrise at the Guardian House viewpoint
Maras salt pans and Moray terraces
Maras & Moray
Half-day shared tour (morning or afternoon, book locally for ~£12-15 plus entries) out to the Chinchero plateau. First stop at Moray, the concentric Inca agricultural terraces, then down to the Maras salt pans where families still harvest salt by hand — buy a bag of it straight from a stall. Combine it with the Chinchero textile market if you book the fuller version. Back in Cusco by early afternoon: use the free time for the San Pedro market, a proper menu-del-día lunch (£3-4), and a low-key evening. This is a good day to rest legs before Rainbow Mountain.
🚌Shared tour minibus included in day-tour price
🛏Hostel or guesthouse in San Blas, Cusco ~£14-18/night
- →Moray terraces entry ~£4
- →Maras salt mines entry ~£3
- →Shared half-day tour ~£14
- →San Pedro market and Cusco café afternoon
Rainbow Mountain (Vinicunca) trek
Rainbow Mountain / Ausangate
Book a Rainbow Mountain full-day tour a day or two ahead (~£22-28, usually including pickup around 3:30-4am, breakfast and lunch at a community stop, and guide). The drive is 3 hours each way; you start walking around 4,600m and the ascent to the viewpoint takes roughly 3 hours up / 2 down if you go slowly. Horses can be hired at the trailhead for around £15-20 return if altitude bites. Bring layers, gloves, sun cream, cash for the community entry (~£4), and don't push the pace. Back in Cusco around 5-6pm — you'll want soup and bed.
🚌Shared tour minibus (included in day-tour price, ~£25 total)
🛏Hostel or guesthouse in San Blas, Cusco ~£14-18/night
- →Rainbow Mountain trek with community breakfast and lunch ~£25
- →Vinicunca community entry ~£4
- →Optional horse hire ~£18
Cusco markets and departure
Cusco
Slow breakfast, a last walk through San Blas and the Plaza de Armas, and pick up coffee or textiles at the San Blas artisan market. If your flight is later, the Museo Inka or the Coca Museum fill a couple of hours cheaply. Take a taxi or the airport bus out (~£3-4). If you're continuing overland, overnight buses to Puno and Arequipa leave in the evening from Terminal Terrestre — book with Cruz del Sur or Oltursa a day ahead.
🚌Airport taxi ~£4, or onward bus to Puno ~£18
🛏—
- →San Blas artisan market
- →Optional Museo Inka ~£3
- →Coffee and final plaza wander
Self-launched vs. PVTravels
| This itinerary (self-launched) | PVTravels | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£487 | £605 |
| Duration | 6 days | 6 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £118 per person (20%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more PVTravels-style trips? Check them out here.~£487
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
This publishes your dates so other travellers can find and join you — no tour operator needed.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does Self-Launched Cusco, Machu Picchu, Maras & Rainbow Mountain (6 Days) cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £487 per person for 6 days in Cusco & Sacred Valley, Peru. This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with PVTravels?+
Yes — PVTravels charges around £605 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £487 — a saving of roughly £118 (20%) per person.
How long is the Cusco & Sacred Valley, Peru trip?+
This itinerary runs 6 days, covering 6 day-by-day stops through Cusco & Sacred Valley, Peru.
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a adventure, culture, hiking trip through Cusco & Sacred Valley, Peru, self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
Would you like to name the operator, name the trip, or have any suggestions about how to improve this itinerary?
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