Enjoy a fantastic journey across the Andes through Machu Picchu, and discover Cusco’s impressive Inca ruins, Sacred Valley, Huayna Picchu, and other tourist attractions the Cusco region offers.
Visit Peru, one of South America’s iconic must-visit destinations. Discover, feel and meet locals, beautiful Andean landscapes, valleys, cloud forests, the Amazon of Cusco, etc. We have the best itineraries, from specialized 1 to 7 days tours to guided tours to the most famous attractions in and around Machu Picchu.
Explore the south of Cusco on the colorful and fascinating Vinicunca Rainbow Mountains Tour of Peru. It features colorful mountains and spectacular views of the snow-capped Ausangate Range. A breathtaking trip to the Southern Andes ends with viewing wild alpacas and llamas. Rainbow Mountain is a great day trip on foot, on horseback, or by mixed. There is also the option to take a tourist hiking tour of the famous Red Valley or visit Palccoyo Rainbow Mountain. We have the best tour guides to go to the top of the Andes at 5,100 meters / 16,732 feet together
We are locals. We are very familiar with the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu. Combine the cultural highlights of a 4-day Inca Trail trek with the challenging adventure of one of the world’s most famous treks. A four-day hike on the Inca Trail traverses an impressive mix of ruins, mountain landscapes, and rainforests in the Machu Picchu Historical Reserve. When you see Machu Picchu for the first time in the morning light from the Puerta del Sol, you’ll know it was all worth it.
The Short Inca Trail Network is one of the best hiking experiences to reach the beautiful Inca ruins of Machu Picchu in a 2-7 day hike through different Inca Trails such as the Inca Trail via KM 104, the Short Inca Trail Hike, and the Link of Trails of various tourist attractions that offer the Sacred Valley, Lares, Ancascocha, Choquequirao, Salkantay and many other unique sites in the Andes and Amazon northwest of Cusco.
Discover the incredible Sacred Valley of the Incas by visiting the impressive Inca ruins built on various mountains, valleys, and plains. The sacred valley completes the trip with fantastic views of the Andes and colonial villages. Guided tours are best if we start the excursion from the city of Cusco or if the travelers are already in the Sacred Valley to acclimate to the heights of the Andes, etc., we will gladly start the tour of the Sacred Valley from Urubamba, Ollantaytambo, or any part of the Sacred Valley.
Welcome to the ancient capital of South America to enjoy a wonderful vacation in the city of Cusco, walking through the streets of Inca and colonial architecture where the past and the present blend harmoniously. Cusco offers various excursions for all explorers. If there is no specific excursion, we will make up for you because we are local and know the Cusco area well with its different tourist routes.
Explore our fantastic selection of Machu Picchu tours and find your perfect itinerary for your Peru vacation. Come to Peru to discover the secret land of the thousand-year-old palace with world-renowned gastronomy. You can see the Andes mountains and an incredible number of the world’s most revered Inca ruins, such as Machu Picchu, all in one trip. Visit Machu Picchu in Peru, the world’s most fantastic city, for tours with local guides and first-class accommodations, and eliminate some of the main destinations from your bucket list!
Machu Picchu is located in the Vilcabamba range of the Andes and the jungle belt. The climate is temperate throughout the year, but it cools and becomes cloudy in the mornings in the wet season. The average minimum temperature is 12 ° C and the average maximum temperature is 24 ° C. As it is also located in the jungle brow, it can rain or cloud at any time of the year, however, from April to September is the dry season and from October to March is the wet season.
Table of Contents
Usually, all travelers ask about the “best time to go to Machu Picchu“, “when is the best time to visit peru”, “best month to go to machu picchu”, “rainy season in machu picchu” or “weather in machu picchu”. These questions arise according to your planned trip to Peru. If you want to have the best experience, we recommend you to choose the best time for your trip, the weather does not matter. Machu Picchu has the best landscapes during all the years.
According to weather conditions and our experience, the best time to visit Machu Picchu is from late April / early May to late September / early October. Nowadays the weather conditions have changed due to global warming so it is usually unpredictable but less rainy. The amount of tourists visiting Peru has been slightly for Machu Pichu and trekking, therefore, we provide the following information for you to plan your trip to Peru and the Inca sanctuary of Machu Picchu, one of the 7 wonders of the world:
When to Visit Machu Picchu Peru.
To know when to visit Machu Picchu, you should find out about the weather in Machu Picchu and the high season to avoid crowds and enjoy exploring the site.
Dry season in Machu Picchu: It occurs between April and October and for many, though not all, is the best time to visit Machu Picchu; the sun shines all day and it hardly rains, allowing you to explore the site with unobstructed views of the landscape and Inca constructions. Hiking in the Andean mountains on the way to Machu Picchu also offers scenic beauty and the best views of the surrounding landscape and Machupichu. However, you are likely to queue up to enter and visit the various temples, shrines, royal liivng props, etc and it is very important that you book your Machupichu tour, Machupichu and Waynapicchu mountain hike extra, train tickets, hotel, etc at least 3 months in advance.
Rainy season in Machu Picchu: Occurs between November and March, and unlike what many think, it does not rain all day long, it rains more in the afternoons and is usually covered in mist in the early mornings but clears by late morning, giving you the opportunity to see Machu Picchu as the mist dissipates like an artist unveiling his masterpiece. However, if you don’t mind getting a little wet, you can get lower prices, discounts at hotels and other places.
Due to better climatic conditions, it is still advisable to come to visit Machu Pichu from April to September. If you come in June, we recommend you to book the Inti Raymi (the sun worshipping festival) which takes place on June 24, and also the Rainbow mountain tour located high in the Andes.
Machu Picchu High Season
The high tourist season occurs between May and August; this season coincides with the dry season, but also with the vacations in Europe and the United States.
If you plan to travel in Machu Picchu high tourist season, you will have to book Machu Picchu tickets at least 3 months in advance; but that’s not all, you will also have to book in advance, train tickets, guides and additional tour. On the other hand, you will have to compete with other visitors for the first bus from Aguas Calientes to Machu Picchu, and for the best places on the Huayna Picchu mountain and in the Inca city.
One of the main disadvantages of this season is not precisely that you will not find places, but what you will have to pay for them. During the high season, the prices of most tourist services go up between 30 and 100%, depending on the time of anticipation of your reservations.
These are the rainiest months in Machu Picchu and in general in the Cusco region, during most of the days the sky is cloudy, but there are also short periods of clear days, the temperature is relatively pleasant with an average of 14°C. Although the rains can be an inconvenience when visiting Machu Picchu, they make Machu Picchu look spectacularly green and with colorful flora in all its surroundings, besides the clouds and rain make Machu Picchu become a fabled, almost surreal scenario.
One of the advantages of visiting Machu Picchu in these months is that you can find the vast majority of services at reduced prices, and with many offers in luxury services. So with a moderate budget you can greatly enjoy your stay in Machu Picchu, and if you are the traveler who wants to save the most, this is the time when you should visit the Inca city.
Machu Picchu in April
April is one of the most favorable months to visit Machu Picchu, the rains are minimal and the days become sunny and pleasant. Although the high tourist season begins in this month, it is still possible to find offers on services.
At an altitude of 3,762 meters above sea level (higher than Cuzco), in the middle of the fantastic Sacred Valley lies the small rural town of Chinchero.
Table of Contents
Little known by mass tourism, the town offers several attractions for tourists, from Inca ruins to megalithic remains. But the celebrity is the Chinchero Market, where the famous Peruvian textiles, typical of this area, are sold.
Historical testimonies
There are Inca ruins scattered throughout the city. The remains of an ancient throne with remarkable bas-reliefs are interesting.
Tradition has it that the Inca Tupac Yupanqui, son of Pachacutec, used the town as a kind of country retreat.
He had aqueducts and terraces built, some of which are still in use today, making the soil of Chinchero one of the most fertile in the Sacred Valley.
The soil produces potatoes, olluco, oca, quinoa, and beans and is sold in the local Chinchero market.
The church, built by the Spaniards, dates from 1607. It was built on the remains of an ancient Inca palace, perhaps only the summer residence of the Inca, which blends harmoniously with traditional Andalusian motifs.
The weavings of Chinchero
The Chinchero market is located here, not by chance. Chinchero is the recognized weaving center in Peru, home of the Andean Textile Interpretation Center.
The activity is mainly female, and local women entertain tourists with demonstrations of this ancient art of mixing different colors.
In the textile cooperative, it is possible to see how alpaca wool is washed, dried, and spun to create garments.
During the demonstrations (free of charge, but it is recommended to leave a tip), coca tea is offered for tasting together.
The Chinchero market
All the local textile production is sold in the market. The Chinchero Market becomes a colorful and lively place.
The antagonist of the more famous, but also more touristic, Pisac market, the market is held on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Sundays. On Sunday, the market reaches its peak, involving the inhabitants of neighboring countries, who come down to Chinchero to sell goods of all kinds, from handicrafts to agricultural products.
How to get to Chinchero Market
Chinchero Market is located about 40 minutes from Cusco. If requested, collective buses connecting Urubamba and Ollantaytambo can make a stop.
All individual tours of the Sacred Valley may stop in the village, while only some group tours provide this.
The Cusco Tourist Ticket regulates entrance to the town
Three-day Chinchero tour with Short Inca Trail
Sleeping in a homestay in Chinchero
They are artisans and take the opportunity to show the process of natural dyeing with local plants and weaving techniques.
They also show you how potatoes and Andean quinoa are grown.
The rooms are simple but colorful; there is a patio with a small garden, and the welcome is fantastic.
At 3,760 m above sea level is located Chinchero, a small Andean town that you must stay in in the Sacred Valley of the Incas.
It is charming with white adobe houses, tiny cobblestone streets, colonial arches, and inhabitants who still wear their traditional dress.
Chinchero is renowned for the quality of its textile handicrafts and attracts travelers thanks to its market and workshops where the traditional weaving process is presented.
Three-day Chinchero tour with Short Inca Trail
How to get to Chinchero
As part of one of the seven districts that make up the province of Urubamba, Chinchero is located in the department of Cusco in Peru at an altitude of 3700 meters above sea level, 30 kilometers away from the city of Cusco, which takes a vehicle translates into about 30 minutes drive from the famous Pavitos street of the city of Cusco.
Weather in Chinchero
The climate corresponds to that of the Cusco region, with two distinct seasons, the rainy season between November and April and the dry season between May and October. With a maximum temperature of 18.5 degrees Celsius, which averages 16 degrees Celsius annually, and a minimum of -6 degrees Celsius, with an average of 0 degrees Celsius in a year, rainfall reaches 4533 mm in the year.
Learn more about the history of Chinchero.
Its history officially begins with its mention in Spanish chronicles that narrate the struggle of a young Inca people with the Ayarmacas tribe that possessed this territory and that, according to these narrations, offered fierce resistance during the tribal confrontation.
During the Inca period, it is mentioned as a favorite resting place of the Inca Tupac Yupanqui, perhaps because of its strategic position that communicated Cusco Yucay and Pumamarca and, of course, Machupicchu. Beautiful temples were built there, and later, around 1572, the ruler made a Christian temple as part of the plan for indigenous reductions that would allow better control of the aboriginal settlements. The whole area was declared a national heritage site on December 28, 1972.
Subsequently, essential mention details the escape of Manco Inca, the first ruler of the resistance, who, in 1536, during his escape from the city of Cusco in the direction of Vilcabamba, set fire to the place, which had two food deposits, to prevent the Spanish troops from resupplying and following him during his escape.
One of its most important historical events, not very honorable, is narrated in its frescoes because Mateo Pumacahua, priest of Chinchero, along with the Angulo brothers, during the rebellion of Tupac Amaru II, rose against the pro-independence troops, winning one of the most important battles that would be part of the announcement of the fall of the whole rebellion, which was represented in a fresco of the church symbolized in a puma defeating a snake.
Chinchero Site Museum:
It is located in the square of the district, supply of the pieces rescued from the archaeological site of the same name; it exhibits in another of its rooms old details of agricultural use, as well as its typical clothes in addition to essential pieces of art of outstanding artists of the school Cusqueña.
Colonial church of Chinchero:
Built on Inca foundations of a temple belonging to the Inca Tupac Yupanqui, the church began to be built in 1572 as part of the process of indigenous reductions and was completed around 1607 called Church of Our Lady of Monserrat; this was later decorated with frescoes among which stand out the one of Our Lady of Monserrat and the puma defeating the snake that represents the battle of Pumacahua and Tupac Amaru II, also paintings belonging to Diego Quispe Ttito and Francisco Chillihuani, great exponents of the Cusquenian school of painting. Finally, it also highlights the baroque altar decorated with gold leaf.
Archaeological site:
The one mainly highlights the group of platforms built in the north direction on the hill where the current church of the virgin of the nativity was also constructed later, all around two central squares known as Capellanpampa and town square. In the whole complex, the ten trapezoidal niches that were possibly used for ritual purposes stand out as the magnificent drainage system that still functions today and the urban design that interconnects the entire town through streets and passageways.
Racchi viewpoint:
This viewpoint, located about 5 minutes from the town center itself, offers one of the most beautiful views of the sacred valley, the Vilcanota mountain range, and all the sacred mountains surrounding them.
Do not forget to stop at this magnificent place on your way to the Sacred Valley or Machupicchu itself.
Chinchero traditional fair:
Sunday fair, in which customary trade practices, such as bartering, are still carried out. These are also adorned with the presence of the Varayoq or chiefs of each community.
Culture and Tradition:
Thanks to tourism for our days is part of the regular economic movement of the population, many of the old traditions that were being lost have been revalued to demonstrate them to tourism, which includes its traditional Sunday fair in which the Varayoq or chiefs of the 12 Quechua-speaking communities by which this district is confirmed, as well as its traditional festivities, already mentioned, and mainly the activity of the weaving by which they are primarily known in our days.
Main Holidays:
Cruz Velacuy (May 03, 2020)
Virgin Nativity (August 29 of each year)
Sr de Qoyllorytti and Corpus Christie de Chinchero (June 07, 2020, and June 11, 2020)
Clothing:
The colorful clothing that today is traditional in Chinchero, as well as in many villages of Cusco, was mandatorily instituted after the rebellion of Tupac Amaru II as part of the actions that sought to prevent future rebellions, forcing the people to wear clothing characteristic of peasant peoples of northern Europe to which the natives of the Andes added elements of their own culture. See the photographic description in the following image.
Craft fair:
The handicraft fair in Chinchero works daily offered to the groups of tourists that arrive with the different groups that include as an essential component to this district. Among the most outstanding handicrafts are the famous woven blankets made with the Away technique, reaching levels of quality that the whole world recognizes thanks to the skill of its artisans.
Their processes include the shearing done to the alpacas and sheep that the same population raises and the subsequent washing of the same with the use of clays and a plant known as Saqta; then the dyeing process uses various plants and an insect called cochineal that inhabits the common cacti of the place with which they have achieved a wide variety of colors, the fixing of color is made with urine of young children, the spinning is done with simple spinning wheels, to give way to the fabric of their characteristic blankets finally.
Huaypo Lagoons:
This has a width of 1500 by 800 meters approximately and has a wide variety of fish and birds characteristic of high mountains. Its calm waters make it ideal for the practice of peaceful water sports.
Piuray Lake:
It is the largest lagoon in Chinchero, with a perimeter of approximately 8750 meters and a maximum depth of 50 meters. It currently supplies water to a large part of the city of Cusco.
Snow-capped mountains:
The town boasts beautiful landscapes surrounded by mountains or tutelary apus called Veronica, Salkantay, Pitusiray Sawasiray, and Samay.
When it is best to visit Chinchero:
To visit Chinchero, consider that in the amount you arrive at the place, you can find everything you want to see, that is, within business hours (09:00 to 17:00 hours) or outside them if you’re going to make a more private visit.
Arriving in Cusco is an essential trip for every traveler who loves to enjoy beautiful landscapes full of life and explore these beautiful landscapes.
What to wear in the backpack
The things that will enter your travel backpack will depend on the tour you take since, in some, you will have more days walking, and in others, you will not, as is the case of the Inca Trail of 2,4.5 and 7 days.
We recommend the following items.
Easy drying t-shirts and T-shirts.
Trekking pants, preferably these, have zippers for greater comfort if you need to enjoy sunny days.
Trekking shoes should preferably be molded to your feet for greater comfort.
Hat and sunglasses and apply sunscreen every 2 hours to avoid reactions from the sun’s rays. Take into account that the cap must be a light one.
It is advisable to wear a rain poncho.
Personal items, such as medications, sunscreens, and repellents.
Personal documents
Camera and camcorder
Acclimatization in Cusco
Advice even from a rabbit, if you are going to take a trip through Cusco, do not forget to acclimatize between 2 to 3 days before embarking on the desired tour. This will help you enjoy the time better because your body will be able to adapt more quickly to the change in temperature.
In this way, you can also reduce the possibility of altitude sickness. We recommend some activities you can do in Cusco while preparing for your trip.
Predisposition to fun
Depending on your tour package, you can do various activities that are part of the tourist attraction. Having all the predisposition to enjoy 100% of your trip is necessary.
Hydrate as much as you can!
It is essential that the body stays hydrated and maintains the correct level of water to allow vital chemical reactions and nutrients to be transported to organs and tissues.
More if you do long walks like the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu. For this, we also recommend you review the following link, where we give you some recommendations to acclimatize and the importance of a hydrated body.
Bring extra money, better if it is in Peruvian soles:
Although true, many travelers hire a travel agency service, which will cover many expenses, but not all. Therefore, it is recommended to have extra money for additional costs within the chosen walk.
Hotels, restaurants, and others accept US dollars, but it is better that you have the extra money in Peruvian soles to avoid setbacks.
Machu Picchu, Your Objective Point
In most of the packages, we offer you, a visit to Machu Picchu is included, the main objective of which is to reach the citadel of Machu Picchu.
What to do in Cusco
Surely you have heard about the Inca Jungle Tour; this tour is exclusively for travelers who love adrenaline, travelers capable of enjoying 100% of each extreme sport such as:
Cycling
Rafting
ziplining
walks
Full contact with nature
Enjoying the beautiful landscapes that Cusco has, contributes to your health. Nature, by itself, generates peace and balance between you and your environment, relaxes you, and acts as a type of injectable to avoid cardiovascular diseases, respiratory problems, and stress, among others.
It’s always good to buy souvenirs.
A place that you know, a place that you should keep as a reminder to never forget the sites you met. Remember that Cusco is considered one of the 50 most beautiful cities in the world. Not having a memory of this beautiful city would be a “sin” for a traveler like you, full of expectations and desire to discover new places.
