How Many Days to Spend in Cusco

Peru is a country that offers so much to do, and it can be difficult to hit up all the places that you want to visit in a short amount of time. Most people’s trips to Peru include a stop in Cusco, which is considered a must. Cusco is not only the jumping off point for visiting Machu Picchu, but the city and surrounding area is also home to an incredible amount of ruins, culture, and beautiful treks.

While I spent a month in Cusco and had a blast, you probably don’t have that same amount of time. When you’re on a short trip, it’s best to spend four to five days in Cusco. Three days is the second-best option. By having several days in Cusco, it’s the perfect amount of time to see a little bit of everything. You’ll be able to visit Machu Picchu, see smaller ruins around Cusco, enjoy the city, and even take a day trip to Rainbow Mountain or the Sacred Valley.

To help you further decide, here’s a breakdown of what you can expect to see based on how many days you spend in Cusco.

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Table Of Contents

One day
Two to three days
Four to five days
Six days or more
More resources for traveling Peru

One day

Machu Picchu’s terraced grass fields and ancient stone ruins, with groups of tourists exploring the site, set against dramatic, forested mountains. — Tour groups at Machu Picchu on a cloudy day.

There’s a lot to see in and around Cusco, so one day isn’t enough. You’ll need to decide on what you want to prioritize. If Machu Picchu is a must for you, that will be the only thing you see. Visiting Machu Picchu is a full-day trip, since the travel time is about three to 4.5 hours one way.

If you’re okay skipping Machu Picchu, you can easily spend an entire day exploring Cusco. There are four ruins that are near Cusco and easily accessed by taxi, Uber, or walking: Sacsayhuamán or Saqsaywaman, Q’enqo, Puka Pukara, and Tambomachay. You can either explore these ruins on your own or go with a guided tour. Either way, this is a great way to spend half the day.

Besides Incan ruins, Cusco has plenty of museums that will teach you about Cusco’s history, Incan culture, and regional art. Some of my favorites are the Museo de Arte Precolombino (Museum of Pre-Columbian Art) and Museo Histórico Regional de Cusco (Regional Historical Museum of Cusco).

Cusco is also a wonderful city to simply wander around. You can spend hours walking the cobblestone streets and popping into restaurants, cafés, and shops. Best of all, it’s a completely free thing to do in Cusco.

Two to three days

With two or three days in Cusco, you can spend one day going to Machu Picchu and then one or two days to see Cusco itself. You’ll be able to do pretty much everything that I’ve mentioned above under the one-day option, but at a relaxed pace.

If you have the time, I recommend trying to spend three days in Cusco, instead of two. This is because you can dedicate one day to Machu Picchu, see all four ruins located around the city in one day without feeling rushed, and spend another day leisurely exploring Cusco. Three days gives you the best balance of seeing all the highlights and having some time to relax. You can even do another day trip, such as going to Rainbow Mountain or visiting the Sacred Valley, if you’re not keen on spending two days in Cusco itself.

Four to five days

Spending four to five days in Cusco opens up some more options, and this is the ideal amount of time to spend in Cusco.

For example, instead of doing Machu Picchu as a day trip, you can either do a shortened version of the Inca trail or Salkantay trek to Machu Picchu. While you technically have enough days to do the classic four-day Inca trail, it’s not recommended since you won’t have enough time to acclimate before starting the trek. In general, it’s best for most people to spend two to three days in Cusco acclimating to the elevation before doing any hiking.

You also have time to visit the Sacred Valley, which is a valley in the Andes where more ruins are located. While you can spend several days exploring the Sacred Valley, I recommend going on a one-day tour to see all the highlights in this case. This will leave you with plenty of time to do other things in and around Cusco. You can also choose to visit one of the three towns in the Sacred Valley (Ollantaytambo, Pisac, and Chinchero) on your own and spend a day there.

Narrow stone street with drainage running through the middle of it in Pisac. The street is lined with colorful buildings and orange-tiled roofs, with a small tuk-tuk parked in the distance and green hills rising in the background. — One of the many quaint streets in Pisac.

Six days or more

When you have six days or more to spend in Cusco, you’ll truly be able to see everything in and around Cusco. This includes exploring the ruins near Cusco, visiting the cultural and historical attractions in the city, taking day trips to Machu Picchu and Rainbow Mountain, and staying in the Sacred Valley.

The Sacred Valley is often done as a full-day tour from Cusco. However, since you have the time, I recommend doing the Sacred Valley self-guided and spending several days in the three small towns there: Ollantaytambo, Pisac, and Chinchero. Depending on how many days you have, spending two nights in each town is the perfect amount of time to experience them and their sights.

Instead of doing a day trip to Machu Picchu, you may also have time to either do the Inca or Salkantay trek to Machu Picchu. The classic Inca trail takes four days, and the classic Salkantay trek is five days long. However, most tour operators have longer or shorter variations of both treks, so you should be able to find one that accommodates your schedule. Just don’t forget to allow yourself two to three days in Cusco to acclimate to the altitude before starting any treks.