✈️ Introduction
This Cusco 5 Day Itinerary immerses you in the heart of the Andes—where Inca stonework meets colonial architecture, mountain towns nestle in valleys, and vibrant Peruvian flavors await. Over five enchanting days, you’ll traverse sacred ruins, ride scenic trains, wander artisan markets, and indulge in Andean cuisine. You’ll feel altitude and wonder as if reading a glossy travel magazine, with practical transport insights and budget breakdowns to guide you seamlessly.
🏰 Day 1 of Cusco 5 Day Itinerary: Plaza de Armas & Colonial Meets Inca
Morning – Plaza de Armas & Cusco Cathedral
Begin your Cusco 5 Day Itinerary at Plaza de Armas, the lifeblood of Cusco since Inca times. The sun hits the two-tiered plaza, flanked by Cusco Cathedral and the Church of La Compañía de Jesús. Admire the cathedral’s ornate façade and golden altarpieces inside ($3 entry). As you sip coffee at a corner café, the buzz of street vendors and indigenous women selling alpaca scarves grounds you in local culture.
Lunch – Local Classics at Mercado San Pedro
A two‑block walk delivers you to Mercado San Pedro, where locals slurp caldo de gallina (chicken soup) and empanadas for $2–3. The scent of fresh corn and cilantro blends with chatter in Quechua and Spanish—a sensory snapshot of modern Cusco.
Afternoon – Qorikancha & Convento de Santo Domingo
Next stop: Qorikancha (Temple of the Sun). Here Inca stone meets colonial walls in dramatic fusion. Marble-plastered Inca stones under colonial church ruins narrate echoes of conquest and spiritual continuity. Your guide illuminates how Spanish colonizers built Santo Domingo atop these sacred stones.
Transport & Logistics
- Walkable day—taxi bonus $2
- Cathedral + Qorikancha tickets ~ $6
Evening Dinner – Casa Cartagena Rooftop
As twilight descends, savor Peruvian fusion at Casa Cartagena rooftop—ceviche sampling ($15), quinoa‑crusted trout ($18), paired with a pisco sour ($7). From the rooftop, Cusco’s terracotta roofs glow under flickering lanterns.
Day 1 Budget Breakdown
- Transport: $5 | Food: $25–30 | Tickets: $9 | Total ≈ $40
🏞️ Day 2 of Cusco 5 Day Itinerary: Sacred Valley & Ollantaytambo
Morning – To Pisaq Ruins & Market
A 1-hour taxi ($10) delivers you to Pisaq, famous for ruins and vibrant artisan market. Wander terraces that hug mountainsides before exploring stalls stacked with silver jewelry, hand‑woven textiles, and carved gourds. Sip coca tea ($1) in the market square.
Lunch – High‑Valley Lunch
Enjoy trout ceviche and quinoa salad at Pisaq Plaza for $8–10. Overlooking green hills, you reflect on the valley’s living agricultural legacy.
Afternoon – Ollantaytambo Fortress
Continue to Ollantaytambo by taxi ($10). Explore its fortress above the town’s Inca-era water channels and steep terraces. As the sun sets, descend to the town plaza and relax with local mate de coca tea or craft beer ($3–4).
Transport & Tickets
- Taxi rides: ~$20 | Pisaq + Ollantaytambo entrance: $18
Dinner – Andean Cuisine
Dine at Apu Veronica—alpaca steak ($18) or stuffed peppers ($12), accompanied by a sweet purple corn dessert ($6).
Day 2 Budget Summary
- Transport: $30 | Food: $25 | Tickets: $18 | Total ≈ $73
🚆 Day 3 of Cusco 5 Day Itinerary: Machu Picchu Day Trip
Early morning Vistadome train from Ollantaytambo to Aguas Calientes ($80 round‑trip). Coffee and pastry in the charming town center before shuttle bus up to Machu Picchu ($50 entrance + $24 bus). A guided tour (~2 hours) reveals the site’s precision stonework and spiritual aura.
Lunch & Exploration
Lunch buffet (~$15) at Sanctuary Lodge overlooking the ruins, before descending to explore terraces at sunset, then ride back down.
Budget Breakdown
- Train & bus: $104 | Machu Picchu guided entry: $74 | Food: $20 | Total ≈ $198
Evening – Hot Spring Soak
End the day soaking in Aguas Calientes hot springs ($7) before train descent and return to Cusco by 9 PM.
💫 Day 4 of Cusco 5 Day Itinerary: Rainbow Mountain & Local Homestay
A full‑day tour ($40) takes you pre‑dawn to Vinicunca, aka Rainbow Mountain. A guided uphill hike reveals multi‑colored slopes etched in pastels. Fair‑trade stalls along the way sell alpaca gloves and mugs of mate de coca ($1 each).
Lunch is hearty homestyle quinoa soup and roasted potatoes ($6). Return via Andean villages like Pitumarca, interacting with llama herders and hearing Quechua panpipes echoing mountain peaks.
Day 4 Summary
- Transport/tour: $40 | Food: $15 | Snacks/Souvenirs: $10 | Total ≈ $65
🗡️ Day 5 of Cusco 5 Day Itinerary: Cusco Museums & Sacsayhuamán
Explore Museo Inka (San Blas, entry $10) then stroll into bohemian Barrio San Blas—artisan shops, panoramic viewpoints. Lunch in a courtyard restaurant with alpaca-stuffed tamales ($12).
Afternoon shuttle ($8) to Sacsayhuamán, the massive Inca fortress above Cusco. Admire daring stone walls and the vista over the valley. Wander the ruins as twilight syncs with folk musicians on llama-skin blankets.
Final dinner: Andean tasting menu at MAP Café—$35, featuring guinea pig, quinoa pudding, and passion fruit mousse.
Day 5 Budget
- Transport: $10 | Food: $47 | Tickets: $18 | Total ≈ $75
📋 Overall Budget Overview (Mid‑range per person)
- Accommodation (5 nights): $250–400
- Food & Drinks: $150–200
- Transport & Tours: $200–240
- Entrance & Tickets: $90
- Souvenirs/Extras: $30
Total ≈ $720–960
🌎 For official travel information and tips about Cusco and Peru, visit the Peru Tourism Official Website.
🌄 Looking to explore more of South America’s breathtaking highlands? Check out our La Paz 5 Day Itinerary: Altitude Adventures, Indigenous Culture & Bolivian Cuisine for another unforgettable Andean journey.