So you only have 24 hours in Cusco? That’s just enough time for the 1-Day Machu Picchu Tour from Cusco – Machu Picchu is a citadel dating back to the Inca civilization of the 16th century and is the most famous tourist site in South America.
Assuming you’ve already been up to see Machu Picchu or don’t care much for all the hype, there’s a wide variety of options for your 24 hours in Cusco.
Cusco tours are generally divided into the following groups:
- Multi-Day Treks < You can scratch this off the list if you only have a day in Cusco
- Day Hikes from Cusco
- Non-Hiking Day Trips from Cusco
- Cusco City Tour Variations
Day Hikes from Cusco
- Original Rainbow Mountain Tour – this popular hike takes you up to see sections of the Andes mountains that are naturally marbled due to the sediment of minerals (also known as the “Colored Mountains in Peru”)
- Palccoyo Rainbow Mountain Tour – this alternative to the original Rainbow Mountain Tour is a less challenging day hike that takes you to the next best colorful mountains in Peru
- Humantay Lake Tour – an increasingly popular tour, this hike takes you up to a hidden turquoise lake or lagoon at the base of the Salkantay and Humantay mountains (click here to learn how to get to Humantay Lake from Cusco)
Non-Hiking Day Trips from Cusco
- Sacred Valley Tour: Classic – on this tour, you’ll see the key archeological sites around Cusco that date back to the time of the Incas
- Sacred Valley Tour: Plus – this version of the tour adds on the Pisac market and archeological site in addition to all of the sites in the classic Sacred Valley of the Incas tour mentioned above
Cusco City Tour Variations
- Cusco City Tour – without having to leave Cusco, this tour spans the Inca archeological sites in the city itself
- Cusco City Walking Tour – if you don’t mind or enjoy walking, we can take you to all the must-see places in Cusco, Peru within walking distance of the Cusco Plaza de Armas
