Cusco & Machu Picchu Travel Guide
First Time in Cusco
What a first-timer needs to know before landing in Cusco: how to handle the altitude, what to book ahead, the tourist ticket, money and tipping, safety, getting around, protests and disruptions, and the November 2026 papal visit.
Cusco is one of the most exciting cities in South America and the gateway to Machu Picchu, but it asks a little more of visitors than most destinations. It sits at about 3,400 meters, Machu Picchu runs on a strict system of capped, timed tickets, transport depends on a single railway through a mountain gorge, and the weather swings between a dry season of blue skies and a wet season of afternoon storms. None of this is difficult once you know how it works. Here is what is worth knowing before you go.
Altitude comes first. Most visitors fly into Cusco from Lima, climbing from sea level to 3,400 meters in about an hour and a half, and almost everyone feels it: breathlessness on stairs, a headache, poor sleep, a racing heart. For most people these symptoms are mild and fade within a day or two. The best strategies are simple. Consider going straight down to the Sacred Valley on arrival, which is several hundred meters lower, and coming up to Cusco after two or three nights; or, if you start in Cusco, take your first day very easy, with a slow walk around the Plaza de Armas and the Cathedral and an early night. Drink plenty of water, eat light meals, avoid alcohol on the first day or two, and walk slowly uphill. Coca tea and muña tea are offered everywhere and are traditionally used for altitude. Many travelers ask their doctor before the trip about medication such as acetazolamide. Hotels with oxygen-enriched rooms help some people sleep. Save Rainbow Mountain, the Inca Trail and other high hikes until you have acclimatized. If symptoms become severe, with a worsening headache, vomiting, confusion or breathlessness at rest, seek medical help and descend.
What to book before you fly. Machu Picchu tickets come first, because every route has a daily quota and a fixed entry time, and the popular circuits and mountain routes sell out weeks or months ahead in the dry season. The only official online seller is the Ministry of Culture platform, linked from machupicchu.gob.pe; agencies and platforms resell tickets with service added. If you want to hike the Inca Trail, you need a permit through a licensed operator, often booked months ahead, and the trail is closed every February. Once you have your Machu Picchu date, book the train from Ollantaytambo or Cusco to Aguas Calientes, and a hotel there for the night before your entry. Everything else, from city tours to Sacred Valley trips and cooking classes, can be booked a few days ahead.
The tourist ticket. Most archaeological sites around Cusco, including Sacsayhuaman, Q'enqo, Tambomachay, Pisac, Ollantaytambo, Chinchero and Moray, are covered by the Boleto Turistico del Cusco, sold in soles at the COSITUC office on Avenida El Sol and at the sites. The full ticket, around S/130, is valid for ten days, and partial tickets around S/70 cover single circuits for one or two days. It does not include Machu Picchu, the Cathedral, Qorikancha or the Maras salt pans, which charge separately. A new national tourist-ticket law was passed in May 2026, with its regulations still being drafted in October 2026, so details may change.
Money and tipping. Peru's currency is the sol. Cards are accepted in hotels, better restaurants and many shops in Cusco, but markets, taxis, small restaurants, site fees and tips run on cash, so withdraw soles from ATMs inside banks or shopping centers and carry small notes. US dollars are accepted for some tours and hotels. Tip around ten percent in restaurants if service is not included, tip guides and drivers on tours, and on treks budget properly for the porters and cooks, who depend on tips.
Getting around. The historic center is compact and walkable, though hilly, and the lanes of San Blas are steep stairways. Use registered taxis or ride-hailing apps rather than hailing unmarked cars, especially at night, and agree fares in advance where there is no meter. For the Sacred Valley, there are shared minibuses, taxis, private drivers and tours. Machu Picchu is reached only by train to Aguas Calientes, then by shuttle bus or on foot.
Safety, protests and disruptions. Cusco is generally safe for visitors, and the main risks are pickpocketing in crowds, taxi scams and the effects of altitude. Peru does experience protests and strikes, and in recent years they have occasionally blocked roads and railways, stranding visitors at Machu Picchu; disputes over the shuttle buses to the citadel have also caused strikes since 2025, and in August 2026 a forest fire near the tracks halted trains for a day. Natural events matter too: heavy rain closed the Inca Trail from 19 August to 6 September 2026. Build a buffer day into your plans, buy travel insurance, follow the news and your operators' alerts, and keep your accommodation and guide informed of your plans.
The papal visit. Pope Leo XIV is scheduled to visit Peru from 11 to 16 November 2026, and on Sunday 15 November he is due in Cusco for a meeting with the faithful at Sacsayhuaman and the Angelus at the Cathedral square. Expect closures, security checks, very large crowds and pressure on hotels and flights that weekend.
When to go. The dry season, from May to September, has clear skies, cold nights and the biggest crowds. The rainy season, from November to March, brings green landscapes, fewer visitors and frequent afternoon showers, heaviest in January and February. April and October are good shoulder months. Whatever the season, pack layers: the sun is strong at altitude, but mornings and evenings are cold, and many older buildings have limited heating.
Respect and etiquette. Cusco is a living Andean city, and Quechua is widely spoken. Ask before photographing people, and expect women in traditional dress who pose with llamas to ask for a tip. Dress modestly in churches. Do not climb on Inca walls or touch carved stones, and follow site rules at Machu Picchu, where guards enforce routes and restrictions. A few words of Spanish go a long way, and a smile and patience go further still.