Cusco is unlike anywhere I’ve ever been. Once you’ve acclimatized to the 11,000+ feet in elevation, there is SO MUCH to do in this historic city, but it’s also a cultural epicenter and gateway to some epic adventures within the Sacred Valley. Below are the best single day trips from Cusco to maximize your time. I did not include Machu Picchu of course, because that’s a given.
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4. Hike to Rainbow Mountain
This iconic mountain literally didn't exist until 2015...
Okay, Rainbow Mountain definitely existed, but under a solid sheet of glacial ice which no longer exists due to climate change (one of the few positives). Now, we get to experience this beautiful otherworldly landscape on one of the many convenient day trips from Cusco!
This day trip to Rainbow Mountain lasts 12 hours (4:30am – 4:30pm) and is not a walk in the park. After a two hour drive, the hike is moderate but lasts about two hours due to the elevation. Plan to hike from 14,189 feet up to 16,466 feet.
** Make sure you’ve acclimatized in Cusco for at least three days before this day trip to Rainbow Mountain. I personally spend quite a bit of time above 9,000 feet at home with no ill effects, but 16,000 feet is a whole other level of altitude. For reference, the summit of Mt. Whitney—the tallest mountain in the contiguous United States—stands *only* 14,505 feet tall.
3. Hike to Humantay Lake
Surprisingly actually worth the trek...
To be honest, I wasn’t really looking forward to Humantay Lake because I’ve backpacked to so many alpine lakes in California with no one around, and I knew Humantay Lake would be super crowded and touristy. However, the lake really is spectacular and the hikers come in waves, so we just waited for one such crowd to take off and the lake became surprisingly quiet. That being said, we did visit in November which is shoulder season.
This hike, like Rainbow Mountain, is relatively short but challenging. The last bit up to the lake is the toughest/steepest by far. I’d say Humantay Lake is a bit easier than Rainbow Mountain though, because the max elevation is only 13,780 feet and the hike only takes about an hour and a half.
Like most day trips from Cusco, if you snooze you lose. The trip departs at 4:30am and returns by 6:00pm. Additionally, I would recommend spending a few days at altitude before this hike as well to avoid the headache and dizziness that often accompany altitude sickness.
2. White Water Raft the Urubamba River
We booked this the night before on a whim...
You know I love to leave time for planned spontaneity, and white water rafting the Urubamba was the most spontaneous of our day trips from Cusco. This activity was totally unplanned but was one of the most memorable on our three-week Cusco itinerary! We left from Ollantaytambo (where we were staying at the time), but this is the best option from Cusco.
Plan to get picked up in Cusco at 8:00am and return by 5:00pm. The rafting itself lasts roughly two hours and covers seven miles of the Urubamba River! A major highlight of the full day tour is the zip lining, which we unfortunately had to skip due to time constraints on our itinerary.
The elevation on this tour is similar to Cusco, so only a little acclimatizing is required beforehand.
1. Explore Ollantaytambo + Sacred Valley Sites
Best use of your time and money!
This is my top recommendation for day trips from Cusco because you can see so much all in one day. Personally, my favorite location was Ollantaytambo where we actually stayed for a few nights. There is only so much you can do in a day, so I’ve included flexible options in case you decide to stay longer.
Option 1: Day Trip from Cusco with Optional Drop-Off in Ollantaytambo
This first option includes brief stops at Pisac, Maras, Moray, and Ollantaytambo— all must-do Sacred Valley archeological sites! If all you have time for is a day trip, this itinerary is perfect. However, this trip leaves you with a tempting offer: you can end your tour at 4:30pm in Ollantaytambo, extending your stay as long as you’d like (or return to Cusco by 6:00pm).
Option 2: Build your Own Multi-Day Itinerary
We chose this option as it granted us more freedom to pick and choose our activities on our own time, though it does require significantly more effort.
We took a taxi from Cusco Airport to Ollantaytambo using Taxidatum and built out our itinerary from there. We stayed for two nights to acclimatize (Ollantaytambo is lower elevation than Cusco) and packed it full of activities right away!
From Ollantaytambo, we were able to:
- Take a guided tour of Ollantaytambo Archeological Site (~$50 each for the ticket + guide)
- Hike to Pinkuylluna Archeological Site (*free!*)
- Do a half day of white water rafting from Ollantaytambo (~$50 each)
- Check out Maras, Moray, and Chinchero on our way back to Cusco on day three (~$60 each)
- Stay in a beautiful private rental home with a rooftop terrace and listen to the sounds of the Ollantaytambo town anniversary celebration while watching the sun set over the Andes ($30 per night total)
Which of these day trips from Cusco should you do first?
If you’ve been in Cusco for at least three days acclimating already, it really doesn’t matter in which order you complete these day trips from Cusco. However, if you’re just arriving to Cusco, I’d highly recommend starting with your time in Ollantaytambo (lowest elevation), then working your way to the white water rafting (11,000′), then check out Humantay Lake (13,000′), then finish with Rainbow Mountain (16,000′).
If you plan your day trips from Cusco in this order, you’ll be least likely to suffer altitude sickness and be ready for some hiking uphill at 13,000+ feet in elevation on the final days.
Are there more worthwhile day trips from Cusco?
Yes! If you have more days to spare, I’d recommend spending a separate day visiting each town in the Sacred Valley if you’d like a more in-depth and immersive experience. However, my top four day trips from Cusco are rated as such because they maximize your time on a tightly packed itinerary.
How to Book my Top Day Trips from Cusco
Below, I’ve included the activities as mentioned above, plus an easy day trip to Machu Picchu just for fun. Feel free to click on the options that interest you below and contact me with any questions!
Planning a Trip to Cusco, Peru?
For more information and recommendations for planning a trip to Cusco, check out these helpful articles:
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