Travel to Cusco

built on far older foundations than the Incas

Set high in the Andes Mountains around 700 km southeast of Lima, Cusco is the historic capital of the Inca Empire and the main point of access for the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu.

The city is the seventh largest in Peru, with a population of around 500,000 people and is set at a very high altitude of 3400m (11200’). The air is noticeably thinner up here.

Modern day Cusco remains an impressive and captivating place, essentially a Spanish colonial city which has literally been built upon the massive foundations of a monumental megalithic precinct that substantially pre-dates the Inca, all surrounded by the dramatic snow-capped peaks of the Andes.

Virtually all trips to this part of the world include at least a couple of nights in Cusco, to take in the considerable history, architecture and culture.

It’s certainly a great pleasure to explore the cobbled streets, try to identify the original Inca walls, visit the beautiful Renaissance cathedral and check out the various markets, stores and restaurants.

The city is very well served with hotels, there being some particularly attractive options, some of which are contained within historic monasteries, convents and grand colonnaded houses.

The best time to visit Cusco is generally considered to be during the Apr-Sep cool dry season.

Cusco has a subtropical highland climate, which is generally dry and temperate, with two clearly defined seasons.

During the Apr-Sep winter conditions are usually cool and clear, with lots of sunshine. The peak daytime temperatures are usually around 20C/68F, with the nighttime lows regularly plunging to 1C/33F, with regular frosts. Average sunshine is up around 7-8 hours per day, peaking in July.

During the Oct-Mar summer the weather is often cloudy and wet, with rainfall around 100mm (4”) per month. The peak daytime temperatures usually climb to around 27C/80F, with the nighttime lows holding up around 6C/44F. Average sunshine drops to only around 4 hrs per day in February.

Like many of the high elevation locations in the Andes, the ultra-violet radiation is extremely high, so sun protection is essential.

Where to stay

Cusco has a remarkable collection of high quality hotels, many of which are contained within impressive and authentic old buildings. Some of them are virtually museums in their own right, with impressive historic art collections.

Almost all the best hotels are located very close to the central Plaza de Armas or slightly northwest into the San Blas district.

The main decision is whether you want to stay at one of the smaller boutique places like Inkaterra La Casona and Antigua Casona San Blas or look at one of the large prestigious properties like Belmond Hotel Monasterio, Belmond Palacio Nazarenas and Palacio del Inka.

easily worth three, four or more nights