Photo by Eddie Kiszka on Unsplash
Six days in the Peruvian Andes, ordered so that you climb gently: the Sacred Valley first, with its terraces and salt pans, then the train to Machu Picchu, then the old Inca capital of Cusco and its high ruins at the end. Thin air, stone walls and mountains that fill the sky.
From average weather, 2021 to 2025: days that are warm but not hot, with few rainy days, score highest. Crowds and prices change through the year, so check them before you book.
A short, gentle first day. Straight from the plane to a lower valley, a hillside of Inca terraces above a market town, and a quiet evening on the valley floor.
A market town below a hillside of Inca terraces, with a ruin at the top that you can reach by a path or a road. Walk slowly, rest often and let the first day be about the view.
Go when Midday, with the sun on the terraces.
Local tip The ruins are up a steep path or a winding road. Go slowly and rest often, because this is your first day at altitude. Market days are busiest, so check ahead.
Baked empanadas filled with cheese or meat, from the wood oven of the market bakery. A light first lunch at altitude.
Local tip Eat lightly on your first day, and drink plenty of water.
A town on the floor of the valley, with a river, fields of maize and mountains on every side. A calm place to sleep, lower than Cusco, and a good base for the next day.
Go when Evening, when the light softens on the valley (about 5:28 PM).
Local tip It sits lower than Cusco, so it is a gentle place to adjust. Drink water, eat lightly and sleep early.
Large-kernel Andean corn with fresh cheese, then a warm bowl of quinoa soup. Plain, filling and gentle on the stomach.
Local tip Skip the heavy meat and the alcohol on your first night.
A day among the valley's great stonework. A set of circular terraces that step into the earth, salt pans on a hillside, then a living Inca town with a fortress above its streets.
Fresh bread, eggs and a cup of coca tea, a traditional drink of the Andes that many locals sip at altitude.
Local tip Coca leaves are legal in Peru but not in many countries, so do not take any home.
A set of circular terraces that step down into the ground like an amphitheater, thought to have been used to test crops at different heights. Photogenic and quiet early in the morning.
Go when Morning, when the terraces are quiet.
Local tip A short walk at the rim is enough. Keep to the marked paths, because the terraces are a fragile site and the steps are uneven.
Thousands of small salt pans that step down a hillside, fed by a salty spring and worked by local families for centuries. The white pans against the dry hills are unmistakable.
Go when Midday, when the pans are brightest.
Local tip The paths between the pans are narrow, uneven and slippery. Bring sun protection, because there is no shade, and check ahead on access to the pans.
Fresh bread, cheese, tomatoes and fruit, eaten with a view of the valley. There is little to buy at the pans.
Local tip Buy your lunch in the morning, before you leave the town.
An Inca town whose street plan is still the old one, below a fortress and a hillside of terraces. Climb the terraces slowly, because the steps are steep, and the thin air makes them feel steeper.
Go when Afternoon, with time for the terraces and the lanes.
Local tip The steps are steep, so stop to breathe. The fortress is best in soft light, and the town has lanes worth a walk once the day groups leave.
River trout, fried or grilled, with golden potatoes and a lemony sauce, a plain meal of the highlands.
Local tip Peru grows thousands of kinds of potato, so ask which one you are eating.
A slower morning, then the train. Storehouses high above the town, then a ride along a river gorge to the small town at the foot of the mountain, with an early night ahead.
Seasonal fruit, yogurt and bread, a light start before the climb and the train.
Local tip Carry a snack for the train ride.
Inca storehouses on the steep hill opposite the fortress, with a view over Ollantaytambo. The climb is short but steep and the path is rough. Go slowly and turn back whenever you like.
Go when Morning, before the train.
Local tip The path is rough and steep, with drops at the sides. Go only if you feel well, and turn back any time. Check ahead on access.
The town at the foot of Machu Picchu, also called Machu Picchu Pueblo. There is no road link from the valley, so most visitors come by train. A base of steep lanes, a river and a hot spring, and an early night before the big day.
Go when Afternoon, after the train.
Local tip Go to bed early, because the buses to Machu Picchu start before dawn. Most visitors arrive and leave by train, so book your return seat too.
A hot stew or a plain plate of pasta in town, with an early bedtime in mind.
Local tip Eat early, because you will wake before dawn.
The reason for the trip. An Inca citadel on a ridge in the clouds, then a walk along the old trail to the Sun Gate, with a train back down the valley in the evening.
A roll, a boiled egg and fruit, packed to eat before the early bus. Food inside the citadel is limited.
Local tip Ask the hotel to pack it the night before, and drink water on the bus.
A fifteenth century Inca citadel on a ridge high above the river, with terraces, temples and houses wrapped in cloud forest. Arrive early with a booked time, follow the route, stay behind the ropes and give the morning mist time to lift.
Go when Morning, soon after opening, when the mist lifts.
Local tip Entry is timed and limited, and the route through the ruins is one way. Bring your passport, water, sun protection and a rain jacket. Check ahead on the rules.
The Sun Gate, a pass above the citadel where the old trail from Cusco arrives, with a wide view back over the ruins. It is a rough walk uphill, so go only if you feel well and check ahead on access.
Go when Midday, if you feel strong.
Local tip The path is uphill and the drop is steep in places. Take water, go at your own pace and turn back if the weather changes. Check ahead on whether it is open.
A sandwich or a hot meal back in the town below, after the walk down.
Local tip Check the time of your train back before you settle at a table.
The high city, now that you have adjusted. The main square, a cathedral built over an Inca palace, the temple of the sun beneath a church and a quarter of steep artisan lanes.
Hot chocolate and a fresh pastry in a cafe, a gentle first morning in the high city.
Local tip Keep it small, because the thin air can dull your appetite.
The central square of Cusco, ringed by arcades and two grand churches, on what was the heart of the Inca capital. Take it slowly, sit on a bench and let your breathing settle.
Go when Morning, with a slow start.
Local tip Sit and let your body settle after the valley. Cusco is high, so a gentle first hour is best, and the cafes around the square are a good place for a quiet tea.
A great colonial cathedral on one side of the square, built over an Inca palace and filled with paintings and carved wood. A cool, quiet place to rest from the thin air.
Go when Midday, as a rest from the thin air.
Local tip Look for the painting of the Last Supper with a local dish on the table. Check ahead on opening, and respect any service in progress.
A bowl of chicken soup with noodles and herbs, a Peruvian favorite for settling the stomach.
Local tip Drink plenty of water, and avoid raw food from street stalls.
The Inca temple of the sun, whose fine stone walls were used as the base of a Spanish church. The contrast between the two shows the whole story of the city.
Go when Afternoon, when the stone is lit.
Local tip Look at where the Inca walls meet the church above them. The stones fit so tightly that they needed no mortar.
A neighborhood of steep cobbled lanes, small plazas and artisan workshops above the main square. Climb slowly, stop often and look back over the red roofs at dusk.
Go when Evening, as the light fades over the roofs (about 5:28 PM).
Local tip The lanes are steep and cobbled, so take it slowly and carry water. Workshops here sell crafts made nearby, so ask the maker about the work.
Strips of beef stir-fried with onions, tomatoes and chilies, served over rice and fries. A classic of Peruvian cooking.
Local tip It can be spicy, so ask for it mild if you prefer.
The last day, high above the city. Huge stone walls on the hill, a carved rock shrine, and a market that feeds the city, then a quiet evening before the flight home.
Fresh bread, a little cheese and a milky coffee, before the climb to the ruins.
Local tip Fill your water bottle before you set out.
A fortress on the hill above Cusco, whose zigzag walls are built of enormous stones fitted without mortar. High and breezy, with a long view over the city. Take it slowly, since you will be at altitude.
Go when Morning, while the air is cool.
Local tip It is high above the city, so the walk up is hard. Take a taxi to the top and walk down if you feel the altitude. Bring water and sun protection.
A carved limestone outcrop with channels, niches and a passage, used by the Incas for ceremony. Small, close to the fortress, and a good stop on the way back down.
Go when Midday, on the way down.
Local tip A small site, so linger for a few minutes. Look for the carved channels, and take care on the uneven stone.
The main covered market of Cusco, with fruit, cheese, bread, herbs, juice and textiles. The best place to buy a snack or a souvenir, though you should keep a close hold on your bag.
Go when Afternoon, when the stalls are full.
Local tip Try the fresh juice and the cheese, and keep a close hold of your bag in the crowd. Wash your hands before you eat, and choose food cooked in front of you.
A hot bowl of quinoa soup or chicken soup, simple and warming before the flight.
Local tip Keep your last dinner light, since early flights are common.
By average weather from 2021 to 2025, May to August are the most comfortable months for walking around Cusco. This plan is built for mid June, which is one of the best months. Crowds and prices change through the year, so check them before you book.
It covers 6 days in Cusco, planned for mid June. Each day is built around a small number of stops, with room to rest.
It was planned for most travelers. The pace and the places reflect that, so check it fits how you travel.
No. Places marked "book ahead" need a reservation. Hours, prices and availability change, so confirm before you go.
Yes. Archie drafts a day by day plan for your dates and takes your pace, the weather and who is travelling into account. You can start one from the Archie app.
Yes. It is a starting point you can change to fit your own trip: swap a place, add a day or move the pace.
Each day has about 1.1 to 31.6 kilometers between its stops, and 85.8 kilometers in all across 6 days. A short hop is a walk and a longer one a ride. Distances are straight-line estimates, so allow extra for the streets.
Make it yours in a minute, then move days around and add what you want.
A trip idea · Updated November 2026
Want your own days planned like this? Plan your own trip on the web or get the Archie app.
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