Self-Launched Cusco, Sacred Valley & Machu Picchu — 7 Days

Land at Cusco airport and skip straight down to the Sacred Valley — it's 600m lower, which makes acclimatising far easier. From the airport take a taxi or colectivo to Puente Grau / Av. Tullumayo bus stops and catch a local colectivo or minibus to Pisac (~S/10-15, 45 min, ~£2-3). Stash your bag at a guesthouse, then visit the Pisac archaeological site on the hillside above town — walk up from the plaza (~40 min) or take a local taxi for S/20 (~£4). Entry is covered by the Boleto Turístico Parcial (S/70 / ~£15, valid 2 days for Pisac, Ollantaytambo, Moray and more — buy at the site ticket office with your passport). On the way back, stop at the small Andean animal sanctuary at Awanacancha (entry ~S/10) for condors, llamas and alpacas. Afternoon colectivo from Pisac to Urubamba (~S/5-8, 40 min). Overnight Urubamba.

🚌Airport taxi + colectivo/minibus Pisac (S/10-15); local taxi to ruins (S/20); colectivo Pisac → Urubamba (S/5-8)

🛏Urubamba guesthouse or hostel private room (~£14-20/night)

• →Pisac ruins (Boleto Turístico)
• →Awanacancha Andean animal sanctuary
• →Urubamba riverside evening stroll

Get up early and grab a colectivo from Urubamba to Ollantaytambo (~S/5, 25 min). Explore the fortress terraces and the still-inhabited Inca town grid — entry is on the same Boleto Turístico. Then loop back towards Maras and Moray: from Urubamba take a colectivo to Maras village (~S/5) and a shared taxi/tuk-tuk up to the Salineras (~S/10-15 each way, site entry S/10). Walk the salt pans, then a taxi or 45-minute walk over to Moray's circular agricultural terraces (entry on the Boleto Turístico; ~S/30 round trip by taxi from Maras). If you'd rather not juggle transport, a GetYourGuide/Klook 'Maras, Moray & Salineras half-day tour' from Urubamba or Cusco is roughly £25-35pp and includes the driving — a fair trade for solo travellers. Return to Urubamba or stay in Ollantaytambo tonight if you have an early train tomorrow. Optionally add Chinchero's weaving cooperative and colonial church on the way back (S/10 entry, colectivo from Urubamba S/5).

🚌Colectivos Urubamba ↔ Ollantaytambo (S/5 each way); colectivo to Maras (S/5); shared taxi to Salineras/Moray (S/10-30)

🛏Urubamba or Ollantaytambo guesthouse (~£14-20/night)

• →Ollantaytambo fortress & Inca town
• →Salineras de Maras salt flats
• →Moray terracing
• →Optional Chinchero weaving & church

Book your Machu Picchu entry and train well in advance — Machu Picchu tickets sell out in high season and must be bought by passport number on the official Ministerio de Cultura site or via a GetYourGuide/Klook combo. Take an early PeruRail Expedition or Inca Rail train from Ollantaytambo to Aguas Calientes (~£45-70 one way depending on how far ahead you book; the cheaper 'Expedition/Voyager' classes are fine). From the station, either walk 1.5-2 hrs up the stairs to the citadel or take the Consettur shuttle bus (~£10 each way / S/48). A standard Machu Picchu entry with a 2-hour official guided group is ~£50-60 total (entry ~£38 + shared guide ~£15-20 via GetYourGuide or on-the-spot at the gate). Wander the upper terraces after the tour, then grab a cheap menú lunch in Aguas Calientes (~£5-7). Afternoon/evening train back to Ollantaytambo (another ~£45-70) and colectivo or shared van to Cusco (~S/15-20, ~1h45). Overnight Cusco.

🚌PeruRail/Inca Rail Ollantaytambo ↔ Aguas Calientes (~£90-140 return); Consettur bus (~£20 return); colectivo to Cusco (S/15-20)

🛏Cusco hostel private room or dorm (~£10-18/night)

• →Train through the Urubamba gorge
• →Guided group tour of Machu Picchu
• →Upper terraces & optional Huayna Picchu (extra ticket)

A slow start to shake off yesterday. Explore Cusco's centre independently: Plaza de Armas, the Cathedral (S/25 entry, ~£5) and Qoricancha / Temple of the Sun (S/15). Then use the Boleto Turístico Integral (~S/130 / ~£28 for 10 days, covers Sacsayhuaman, Q'enqo, Puca Pucara, Tambomachay, Pisac, Ollantaytambo, Moray and museums) or the cheaper partial ticket. Take a local bus or taxi (~S/10-15) up to Sacsayhuaman and walk the ridge path downhill through Q'enqo (Puma temple), Puca Pucara and Tambomachay — it's a very walkable 4km line of sites. No guide needed; the signboards are decent, or download a free audio guide app. Evening: Cusco's San Blas neighbourhood for cheap set-menu dinners (~£6-8) and a wander through San Pedro market for breakfast supplies.

🚌Local bus/taxi to Sacsayhuaman (S/10-15); everything else on foot

🛏Cusco hostel (~£10-18/night)

• →Cusco Cathedral
• →Qoricancha
• →Sacsayhuaman, Q'enqo, Puca Pucara, Tambomachay walking route
• →San Blas & San Pedro market

The original itinerary gives you a buffer day — use it as yours. Options: the Museo Inka (~S/10), the free Chocolate Museum tour, a half-day cooking class (~£25-35 on Klook/GetYourGuide), or a morning at San Pedro market tasting juices and local cheese. If you're doing Rainbow Mountain tomorrow, keep today gentle — drink coca tea, walk slowly, and don't drink alcohol. Alternatively book a cheap half-day trip to nearby lesser-visited sites like Tipón's Inca water channels (~£15 shared tour) or do a solo ride-share to Huchuy Qosqo. This is also your admin day: reconfirm tomorrow's Rainbow Mountain pickup, sort laundry (~S/10), and top up your Boleto Turístico if needed.

🚌On foot / local buses (S/2-4 a ride)

🛏Cusco hostel (~£10-18/night)

• →Museo Inka or Chocolate Museum
• →Optional cooking class
• →San Pedro market
• →Optional Tipón half-day

You'll want a shared tour for this one — the buses leave Cusco around 3:30-4:30am. A GetYourGuide/Klook or Cusco-agency Rainbow Mountain day trip runs ~£25-40pp including transport, breakfast and buffet lunch at Cusipata and a guide (the local community breakfast and lunch are usually basic but hearty — quinoa soups, rice, potatoes). The hike from the trailhead at ~4,300m is about 1-1.5 hrs up at altitude; horses can be hired for ~S/60-80 (~£14-18) if the altitude bites. Entry to Vinicunca (~S/25) is sometimes collected separately — check what your booking includes. Back in Cusco by mid-to-late afternoon. Take it easy the rest of the day.

🚌Shared minibus tour from Cusco (included in day-trip price)

🛏Cusco hostel (~£10-18/night)

• →Sunrise drive over the altiplano
• →Vinicunca Rainbow Mountain hike
• →Cusipata community breakfast & buffet lunch

Last morning for souvenirs at San Pedro market or the artisan stalls on Calle Triunfo, plus a final coffee in Plaza de Armas. For the airport, an official taxi from the centre is ~S/25-35 (~£6-8) or a Dolmus-style shared van from Av. de la Cultura for S/5. If your flight is late, book a hostel day room or use a cafe to kill time — Cusco airport is small and has limited food options. (Kantu's version includes an airport drop-off; DIY means a cheap taxi instead.)

🚌Local taxi to airport (S/25-35 / ~£6-8)

🛏None (departure day)

• →Souvenir shopping
• →Plaza de Armas coffee