21 Cusco Tips That Will Save You Money, Altitude Headaches, and Machu Picchu Regrets
My first trip to Cusco, I ignored the altitude warnings, tried to walk uphill to Sacsayhuaman on day one, and spent the evening in bed with a splitting headache and nausea wondering if I'd made a terrible decision. My second trip, I did everything right and had one of the best weeks of my life.
Learn from version one of me.
Altitude & Health
Cusco sits at 3,400 meters (11,150 ft). That's higher than any city in Europe and most of the US Rockies. Most visitors feel something — headaches, shortness of breath climbing stairs, fatigue, nausea. Spend your first day below 3,000 meters if possible (the Sacred Valley towns are at ~2,800m) or stay low-key in Cusco itself.
1. Take day one seriously.
2. Coca tea is your friend. Mate de coca is legal, available everywhere (hotels offer it at check-in), and genuinely helps with altitude symptoms. It's not going to get you high — it's about as stimulating as green tea. Drink 2-3 cups per day for your first few days. Pharmacies also sell Sorojchi Pills (aspirin + caffeine), which work.
3. Hydrate aggressively. You dehydrate faster at altitude. Drink 3-4 liters of water per day. Avoid alcohol on day one — it hits harder up here and worsens altitude symptoms. I learned this the hard way with a pisco sour that felt like three.
4. Don't trek until day 3. Whether it's the Inca Trail, Rainbow Mountain, or even the uphill walk to Sacsayhuaman, give your body 2-3 days to acclimatize. I've seen fit, young hikers get crushed by altitude because they tried to summit on day two.
If altitude is a concern, Mexico City sits at 2,240 meters — high enough to notice but much more manageable as an introduction to high-altitude travel.
Machu Picchu
5. Book tickets weeks ahead. Entry costs S/152 ($40 USD) for foreigners and must be bought online at machupicchu.gob.pe. Limited to ~4,000 visitors per day in timed circuits. Peak season (June-August) sells out. You cannot buy tickets at the gate.
6. Book trains early too. PeruRail and Inca Rail from Cusco/Ollantaytambo to Aguas Calientes sell out weeks ahead in peak season. Round trip runs $60-90 USD. Book at perurail.com or incarail.com the moment you know your dates.
7. The budget alternative to the train. Take a colectivo from Cusco to the Hidroelectrica station (~S/60 round trip), then walk 2.5 hours along the railway tracks to Aguas Calientes. It's scenic and an adventure in itself, but it's basic — there are no facilities along the route and you're walking on train tracks.
8. Go on the earliest circuit. The first entry slot (usually 6AM) has the fewest people and the best light. Morning clouds clearing to reveal the ruins is the iconic Machu Picchu moment. By 10AM, it's crowded regardless of the day.
9. Stay overnight in Aguas Calientes. Most tours do Machu Picchu as a day trip from Cusco. That means everyone arrives on the same mid-morning trains. Stay one night in Aguas Calientes (~$30-80 USD for decent hotels) and you can be at the gate at 6AM before the day-trippers arrive.
Money
10. Buy the Boleto Turistico. This tourist ticket costs S/130 ($35 USD) and covers 16 archaeological sites and museums over 10 days, including Sacsayhuaman, Moray, Pisac, and Ollantaytambo. If you're visiting 3+ sites, it saves significant money versus individual tickets. Buy at the COSITUC office on Avenida El Sol.
11. Eat the menu del dia. Set lunch menus at local restaurants include soup, main course, drink, and sometimes dessert for S/8-15 (~$2-4 USD). Available noon-3PM at restaurants with "menu" signs. The tourist restaurants on Plaza de Armas charge S/40+ for the same dishes. Follow the office workers.
12. San Pedro Market is the budget food MVP. Cusco's central market since 1925. Ceviche for ~S/10, chicharron sandwiches for ~S/8, and fresh fruit juices for ~S/5. Also sells coca leaves for altitude relief. Open Mon-Sat 6AM-6PM, 5-minute walk from Plaza de Armas.
13. Don't change money at the airport. Rates at Cusco airport are terrible. Use ATMs inside banks on Avenida El Sol for the best exchange rate. Or change USD cash at reputable casas de cambio downtown.
Getting Around
14. Walk downhill in Cusco, taxi uphill. The city is steep. A taxi within the center costs about S/5-10 (~$1.50-3 USD). Walking downhill from San Blas to Plaza de Armas is pleasant. Walking uphill to Sacsayhuaman on day one is a recipe for altitude misery.
15. Colectivos are the budget champion. Shared minivans run to most Sacred Valley towns for S/5-15. The Cusco-to-Ollantaytambo colectivo (about 2 hours) costs ~S/15. They leave from designated spots near the market when full.
Culture & Customs
16. Ask before photographing locals. Women in traditional Andean dress near tourist sites will pose for photos but expect a tip of S/1-2 per photo. Always ask first with a polite "puedo tomar una foto?" In markets and rural areas, photographing without permission is considered disrespectful.
17. Quechua is still alive. Cusco was the Inca capital, and Quechua — the Inca language — is still widely spoken alongside Spanish. You'll hear it in markets and rural areas. A few words go far: "allillanchu" (hello), "sulpayki" (thank you).
This living indigenous culture parallels what you'll find in Cancun and the Yucatan, where Mayan language and traditions remain vibrant.
18. The Inca stonework is everywhere. Look down as you walk through Cusco. The foundations of many colonial buildings are Inca walls — massive stones fitted without mortar so precisely you can't slide a piece of paper between them. The most famous is the 12-angled stone on Calle Hatunrumiyoc.
The Stuff Nobody Tells You
19. Rainbow Mountain is brutal. Vinicunca (5,200m) looks incredible on Instagram. And it is incredible. But the reality is a 3-hour drive from Cusco at 3AM, followed by a 2-hour hike at extreme altitude. Altitude sickness is common — even acclimatized visitors feel it at 5,200m. Only attempt this after 2-3 full days in Cusco. And go on a clear day — clouds ruin the rainbow effect.
20. The Sacred Valley is worth more than a day. Most tours do the Sacred Valley as a single-day sprint: Pisac market, Ollantaytambo fortress, maybe Moray or Maras salt mines. That's too much driving and too little exploring. Stay overnight in Ollantaytambo (~$20-60 USD) and explore the fortress ruins and town at your own pace. The Pisac Sunday market (not daily — Sunday is the big one) deserves a slow morning.
21. San Blas is the neighborhood you'll love most. A steep, narrow-laned artisan quarter above Plaza de Armas full of art galleries, ceramics workshops, and craft shops. The San Blas Church has a carved wooden pulpit considered the finest in the Americas. Jack's Cafe and The Meeting Place serve excellent coffee and breakfast. It's quiet in the mornings and lively in the evenings.
The walk up is steep (altitude makes it harder), but the views of the city and surrounding mountains from the top are worth every labored breath.
