Self-Launched Cusco, Machu Picchu, Humantay Lake & Rainbow Mountain — 6 Days
6 days · Cusco & the Sacred Valley, Peru
Waman Adventures charges £670
No-markup version: ~£393 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A DIY version of Waman Adventures' 6-day Cusco highlights package, rebuilt for independent travellers. You'll base yourself in a Cusco hostel/guesthouse, use shared colectivos and local buses for the Sacred Valley, book the PeruRail/Inca Rail train and Machu Picchu entry yourself (the key thing to do 2-3 months ahead), and join cheap local day-tour shuttles for Rainbow Mountain and Humantay Lake. Same big-hitters — Chinchero, Moray, Maras salt pans, Aguas Calientes, Machu Picchu, Vinicunca and Laguna Humantay — at roughly half the group-tour price. Costs are approximate and assume shared dorm/private budget rooms, eating at local menús, and second-class/basic train tickets.
Day-by-day
Arrive in Cusco & acclimatise
Cusco
Fly into Alejandro Velasco Astete (CUZ) and take a taxi or the airport colectivo into the historic centre (~S/15-25 / £3-5). Check into a guesthouse in San Blas or around Plaza de Armas. Spend the afternoon going slow: coca tea, a gentle wander past Qorikancha and the Plaza de Armas, early dinner and early night. Cusco sits at 3,400 m, so today is about acclimatisation. Use the evening to confirm your Machu Picchu entry ticket and train times online, and buy a Boleto Turístico if you plan extra ruins.
🚌Airport taxi ~£4; walking in the centre
🛏Budget guesthouse/hostel in Cusco historic centre (dorm ~£10, private double ~£22)
- →Gentle walk of Cusco historic centre
- →Qorikancha exterior & Plaza de Armas
- →Acclimatisation & coca tea
Sacred Valley loop: Chinchero, Moray & Maras, then train to Aguas Calientes
Cusco → Chinchero → Moray → Maras → Ollantaytambo → Aguas Calientes
Do the Sacred Valley independently by colectivo. Catch a shared van from Cusco's Pavitos/Arcopal street stop to Chinchero (~S/8, 40 min) for the Inca terraces and colonial church, then on to Urubamba and a colectivo to Moray (circular terraces) and the Maras salt pans — the salt pans charge a small entry (~S/10). Textile co-ops in Chinchero offer free weaving demonstrations if you buy something small. Continue to Ollantaytambo in the afternoon and catch an evening PeruRail or Inca Rail service to Aguas Calientes (~£25-45 one way for the basic/expedition class; book weeks ahead — prices climb steeply close to travel). Overnight in Aguas Calientes.
🚌Colectivos Cusco–Chinchero–Urubamba–Ollantaytambo (~£4 total) + local taxi to Moray/Maras (~£8 shared) + train Ollantaytambo–Aguas Calientes (~£30)
🛏Budget hostal in Aguas Calientes (private ~£18-25; dorms limited, book early)
- →Chinchero Inca terraces & church
- →Weaving demonstration
- →Moray agricultural terraces
- →Maras salt mines
Machu Picchu & back to Cusco
Aguas Calientes → Machu Picchu → Cusco
Take the early Consettur shuttle bus up to the citadel (~£10 one way, or walk the 1,600 steps if you're feeling strong). You must have pre-booked a timed Machu Picchu entry ticket online through the official Ministry of Culture site or a reseller (~£40-50); Circuit 2 is the classic route but sells out — book 2-3 months ahead. You can hire a licensed guide at the gate for ~£20-30 (share with others), or explore self-paced with the signposted circuit. Optional Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu Mountain add-on needs a separate ticket. Afternoon shuttle down, then the train back to Ollantaytambo (~£30-45) and a shared van or bus to Cusco (~£4). Collapse into your Cusco bed.
🚌Shuttle bus ~£18 return + train ~£35 + colectivo Ollantaytambo–Cusco ~£4
🛏Budget guesthouse/hostel in Cusco (~£10-22)
- →Machu Picchu citadel (Circuit 2 or 1)
- →Optional Huayna Picchu hike
- →Optional licensed guide at gate
Rainbow Mountain (Vinicunca) day trip
Cusco → Cusipata → Vinicunca → Cusco
Join a local shuttle day tour from Cusco's Plaza de Armas area (bookable a day or two ahead via any tour office or GetYourGuide, ~£20-30 including breakfast and buffet lunch in Cusipata and transport). Pickup is brutal — around 4-4:30am — for the drive over the pass at 4,900 m. The final hike to the viewpoint is ~1.5-2 hours uphill at very high altitude; horses can be hired from local residents for ~S/90-160 (£20-35, cash). Take it slow, drink water and don't push. Back in Cusco by early evening.
🚌Shared tour minibus (included in day-tour price)
🛏Budget guesthouse/hostel in Cusco (~£10-22)
- →Rainbow Mountain / Vinicunca viewpoint
- →Cusipata breakfast & buffet lunch
- →Optional horse hire
Humantay Lake day trip
Cusco → Mollepata → Laguna Humantay → Cusco
Another early shared day tour (~£20-30, bookable locally or online) heading northwest through Mollepata for breakfast, then a 1.5-2 hour uphill walk to the turquoise Laguna Humantay at about 4,200 m, with time at the lake for photos. Buffet lunch on the way back, arriving Cusco in the early evening. Don't plan anything strenuous afterwards — two high-altitude days back to back is tiring. Treat yourself to a lomo saltado and a pisco sour in San Blas.
🚌Shared tour minibus (included in day-tour price)
🛏Budget guesthouse/hostel in Cusco (~£10-22)
- →Laguna Humantay hike & viewpoint
- →Mollepata breakfast & buffet lunch
Cusco, Saqsaywaman or San Pedro market, and depart
Cusco
Morning for San Pedro Market for souvenirs and a cheap menú lunch, a walk up to Saqsaywaman if you bought a Boleto Turístico, or a coffee on San Blas's sloping steps. Taxi back to the airport (~£4) in good time for check-in. Add a couple of buffer nights before your flight if you can — flight delays and altitude fatigue are real here.
🚌Airport taxi ~£4
🛏None (departure day)
- →San Pedro Market shopping
- →Optional Saqsaywaman ruins
- →San Blas cafés
Self-launched vs. Waman Adventures
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Waman Adventures | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£393 | £670 |
| Duration | 6 days | 6 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £277 per person (41%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Waman Adventures-style trips? Check them out here.~£393
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, Humantay Lake & Rainbow Mountain — 6 Days cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £393 per person for 6 days in Cusco & the 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 Waman Adventures?+
Yes — Waman Adventures charges around £670 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £393 — a saving of roughly £277 (41%) per person.
How long is the Cusco & the Sacred Valley, Peru trip?+
This itinerary runs 6 days, covering 6 day-by-day stops through Cusco & the 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, hiking, culture trip through Cusco & the 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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