How We Spent Two Days in Cusco, Peru
We Managed to see Machu Picchu, Humantay Lake, and a small part of Cusco during a jammed packed 48 hours. Read about what we ate, where we stayed, and what we saw.
By Shainur Ahsan
A Quick Trip to Cusco
My wife and I recently took a trip to Peru, and we arrived in Cusco during Day 2. We fit in visits to Macchu Picchu and Humantay Lake within two packed days of adventure before returning on Day 4. Everything about our trip far exceeded our expectations. Here are our experiences and recommendations on food, accommodations, and attractions.
Planning Our Cusco Itinerary
Given we were in Peru for a short time, we focused on two main attractions to see while in Cusco for two days. We initially decided that we wanted to see Machu Picchu and Rainbow (Vinicunca) Mountain.
However, after reading others experiences, it was hard to know if the trip to Rainbow Mountain would be worth it. We were going during the rainy season which would mean cloudy skies and damp ground. Both of these conditions can dramatically affect the colors and view of the mountain. In addition, the viewpoint was at the end of a long and difficult trail.
After seeing rain in the forecast and some recent underwhelming Instagram posts, we decided to go to Humantay Lake instead. Here was our tight schedule for our trip to Cusco:
Where We Stayed in Cusco
We quickly narrowed down hotels to those located in the Historic Center. Because we were going on two back-to-back day trips, we needed to be close to the tour pickup point in the historic center. Next, we looked for moderately-priced and unique hotels, which there were many of.
We found Casa Biru which had great reviews and was conveniently located a five-minute walk from the central square. We used our credit card points to book two nights but the cash price would have only have been $60 per night.
Casa Biru is located on Calle San Agustin which is one of the many cobblestone streets with hotels, shops, and restaurants. The street is not too busy and outside noise in the hotel was limited. The entrance for Casa Biru can be easily missed as you have to walk through a small shop.
Casa Biru was advertised as a boutique hotel as there are only a few rooms located on the property. The layout of Casa Biru is like other hotels in central Cusco – the hotel rooms wrap around an open-air courtyard. Sound does carry within the courtyard, but we were fortunate that we were among few guests at the time.
The Room
Our room at Casa Biru was on the second floor and was nicely decorated. It had mostly rustic elements like the wood framing you see in the picture below and polished tile work in the bathroom. The room was the size of a typical hotel room but had nice, high ceilings.
The room was equipped with basic amenities such as a TV, fridge, and safe. In place of a closet, there was a open shelf to store clothes on. We did notice that the room lacked AC and did not have a ceiling fan. Luckily, the temperature was mild and we had no trouble feeling comfortable in the room.
One odd thing about the room was that the bathroom projected out into the bedroom and was on a raised floor. While the projection did have a obtuse glass wall, there was no ceiling above it.
The Hotel and Service
Due to the layout around the central courtyard, there wasn’t a true lobby at the entrance. Instead, there is a small office on the first floor and a common room on the second floor with a seating area and free tea and coffee. The hotel really didn’t have many amenities, but we knew that coming into the place.
The service from the staff was spectacular! We explained to the staff that we had a fully packed schedule with early starts on both days. Despite starting before 4 a.m. on both days, the hotel provided us with basic breakfast to take with us. This really helped us on the way to Machu Picchu as there was no planned stop for breakfast during our outing.
The staff also helped us with storing our luggage on the second day as we needed to checkout before leaving for the day tour and our flight was in the evening. The staff also helped us with providing rags to clean our boots and with booking a taxi to take us to the airport. They were always very friendly and seemed glad to help.
Where and What We Ate in Cusco
To be honest, because of our jam-packed schedule, we didn’t get to fully indulge in the food that the Cusco region had to offer. On the day of the Machu Picchu trip, we did take advantage of grabbing lunch in Aguas Calientes and did grab dinner in Cusco upon our return. Our tour package on the day of the Humantay Lake trip included stops for breakfast and lunch at a private residence.
Lunch in Aguas Calientes
If you travel to Machu Picchu, you will most likely pass through Aguas Calientes which is a small town at the intersection of a stream and the Urubamba River. After our visit to Machu Pichu, we had some time to grab lunch in town at Mapacho – our tour guide’s recommendation. The restaurant is located a short walk from the train station and has some seating that overlooks the adjacent Urubamba River. We were lucky to get a table right beside the window.
We were treated to complimentary roasted Andean corn. The kernels are much larger than what we are used to in the US and were crunchy but not too hard to eat. The menu featured a selection of native dishes while also having choices such pizza and hamburgers. We definitely decided for the traditional fare.
For entrees, I ordered the Aji de Gallina while my wife ordered the Chicken Fried Rice. Chifa which is a fusion of Chinese and Peruvian dishes is popular throughout the country. Both dishes were delicious. The Aji de Gallina was a chicken dish smothered in a mild pepper sauce served with a side of plain rice and topped with a cheese crisp. We complimented our food with their ginger lemonade and peppermint lemonade which both tasted fresh.
Dinner in Cusco
After arriving back in Cusco from our day trip to Machu Picchu, we ventured out into town to try a restaurant nearby. We stumbled onto Mama Seledonia Restaurant which was a short walk from our hotel and up a short flight of stairs. The vibe in the restaurant matched that of the town with historic woodwork and traditional decorations all around.
The restaurant offered a number of dishes popular to the Cusco region featuring ingredients such as quinoa, potatoes, and corn. They also had some interesting takes on some classics like the alpaca burger and philly cheese steak using native ingredients.
We decided to both try the Andean Fried Chicken Sandwich which was coated with quinoa rather than traditional batter. We paired the sandwiches with Inka Cola and classic lemonade.
What We Saw in the Cusco Region
We knew from the initial planning stages of our trip that visiting Machu Picchu was a must and was the main reason for visiting Cusco. Once we started looking more deeply, we realized that the Cusco region had way more to see than we originally thought.
After being amazed by all the attractions, we had settled on visit Rainbow (Vinicunca). But we changed our minds a few days before arriving in Cusco because we weren’t sure about how clearly the namesake colors would be visible. When the mountain is damp in the rainy season, the multi-colored bands turn into dark shades of gray. We ultimately decide to visit Humantay Lake instead.
We planned both trips as day trips from Cusco which meant starting the day around 3:45 a.m. to make the nearly 4-hour trip to each. After a full day’s journey we arrived by in Cusco around 5 to 6 in the evening. We would have definitively planned the trip differently with our experience. But despite the long days, I’m happy to say that both excursions exceeded our wildest dreams. Here’s my recap for both days:
Machu Picchu
We booked a full day tour of Machu Picchu using our credit card points which bundled transportation and admission tickets together. The package included a shuttle from Cusco to Ollantaytambo, train tickets on IncaRail from Ollantaytambo to Aguas Calientes, bus tickets from Aguas Calientes to Machu Picchu, admission tickets, a guided tour, and return trips back to Cusco. You can absolutely book everything individually to save some money, but we opted for convenience. The package was offered by Gray Line Peru.
We started the day around 3:45 a.m., when our shuttle came to pick us up from the front of our hotel. There was one other group of four that accompanied us. Though there is a train station located just outside of Cusco, it is closed in the rainy season. We had to drive two hours away to Ollantaytambo to catch the train. The trip to the train station was pretty uneventful. It was pitch black during most of it so we couldn’t really enjoy the scenery.
Train Ride From Ollantaytambo
After sunrise, we arrived at the train station. We next took a train to Aguas Calientes, a small town near Machu Picchu. All the trains that go to the town are scenic and have windows in the ceiling to see the Andes as you travel through the valley. We took the Voyager train through IncaRail.
The ride was an experience unto itself. The train followed the Urubamba river as it flowed through one of the valleys in the Andes. The large windows offered views of the Andes and smaller ruins along the route. Small windows in the ceiling allowed us to see the peaks of the taller mountains. During the one and a half hour trip, the environment changed from a drier arid climate to a subtropical climate.
I was impressed with IncaRail although I didn’t try any of the other rail companies. The announcer let us know as we were passing points of interest along our route. There was even a tea and snack cart in the middle of the ride.
Taking the Bus from Aguas Calientes
As our train rolled into the train station at Aguas Calientes, we disembarked and met up with our guide. Our guide walked us through the quaint town to the bus stop. While small in size, the town was teeming with activity due to an active market, many restaurants, and incoming tourists.
The town has a small river flowing through the center with multiple bridge across offering great photo spots. We didn’t have much time to explore in the morning as we were to take the next bus to Machu Picchu but we were able to spend a few hours in town in the afternoon.
The buses, which are the only vehicles in town, took us up the mountain through a series of switchbacks. We arrived at the entrance to Machu Picchu after about 20 minutes and proceeded to get our passports stamped with the Machu Picchu. Next, our guide led us through the entrance and up the trail to the ruins.
Touring the Lost Incan City
We finally arrived at Machu Picchu after more than 5 hours of travel! After a short walk up the trail, we were treated to some of the best views of the city from within the complex. We couldn’t have gotten better luck with the weather. Despite it being the rainy season, the skies were relatively clear and the sun was out.
As we ventured through the city, we realized we were lucky to have a guide with us. There are no information boards anywhere within the city. Our guide was able to tell us about the city as we walked through its various parts.
It was fascinating to see the different areas of the city and the layout of the different buildings throughout. Our guide walked us through the residential, common, and agricultural areas of the city. We saw engineered retaining walls and drainage systems still functioning in much of the city. Although a number of buildings were reconstructed, we could grasp the great precision with which the Incans must have built the city.
Our guide also gave us a lot of background about the culture of the Incans. As the city housed priests and scholars, there are a number of religious influences within the city. Many areas were laid out with respect to the angle of the sun during specific times of the year such as the summer and winter solstice. The Incans favored the number 13 and used it in the construction of their buildings.
Returning to Cusco
We were sad when the tour ended as we were overwhelmed with the intricacies and background of the Incans and Machu Picchu. The tour of the city took approximately two and a half hours. We weren’t too tired as we often took breaks walking through the city to get some background from our guide.
We took the same route back to Cusco and ended back in the city around 6:00 p.m. The drive back was very scenic and we were able to enjoy all of the views we had missed in the morning.
Machu Picchu definitely lived up to its name and was worth all the hype. You truly can’t get an idea of the scale and setting without seeing it with your own eyes. We would gladly do the tour again and even check out the nearby attractions.
Humantay Lake
After experiencing Machu Picchu, we were in high spirits and ready to take on our second day of adventure at Humantay Lake. We booked our tour a few days ahead with Willka Travel for about $40 per person. Due to the change in our itinerary, we did not do much research on Humantay Lake other than looking at the pictures. That was a big mistake! The trail is intended for intermediate level hikers with an elevation change of roughly 1,000 ft. (300 m) with a starting altitude of 12,800 ft.
Given that we had only arrived in Cusco a day and half before, we weren’t fully adjusted to the high altitude and partially succumbed to altitude sickness. Also, we would consider ourselves beginner hikers at best. But don’t let this stop you from going – just make sure you’re ready and you plan for it.
Another Early Morning Start from Cusco
Like the day before, we had an early morning start. The tour shuttle picked us up near our hotel around 4:00 a.m. We had about eight others in our group. The trip to Humantay Lake wasn’t nearly as eventful as Machu Picchu. The shuttle drove on dark roads through the Andes until we stopped at a private hostel three hours in to eat breakfast shortly after sunrise.
The breakfast was simple with mainly fruits and eggs. We also had the packaged breakfast that the hotel provided us and decided to save that for our time on the trail. It was another two hours drive to arrive at the base of the trail. We were among the first groups to arrive and the weather was cloudy with a little fog.
Hiking to the Lake
The base of the trail has some small shops were you can stock up on supplies such as water. Snacks are also available, but we had already packed some ahead of time. A short way down the trail is an eco camp where you can stay if deciding to do more hiking in the area.
The trek up to Humantay Lake takes one and a half to two hours but horses are available for a price to take you up to the top. About 30 minutes into the hike, we decided to both get horses. Even if you don’t get one at the start of the trail, there are locals with horses at different points along the route. The horses cost 80 soles (~$24) each. Even if you have a horse, you have to walk the last ten minutes on foot. The trail offered nice views of the valley behind us but it was difficult to see the mountain ahead due to fog.
We finally arrived at the last hill before arriving at the lake. At this point, the snow-capped Salcantay was partially visible and already was an incredible backdrop. We couldn’t wait to take the last steps to see the lake.
Climbing the Last Hill
And then we saw it – the bright sky blue water overlooked by the Salcantay. The view was initially hindered by the fog and light rain, but the fog started to clear and the rain stopped within an hour to offer an even more incredible view!
Our group was the first there around noon and we were able to enjoy the scenery without much noise and distractions. Within 30 minutes of our arrival, multiple other groups started arriving. Our group spent an hour at the lake and the sky partially cleared before we had to head back. If we had been among the later groups, the fog would have most likely completely cleared away.
Hiking back down to the parking area was the hardest part of our trip. We had thought the horses we rented would be available to take us back down. Unfortunately, that was not the case. The difficulty is walking down was mainly due to the high altitude and the loose stone along the trail. We often had to stop to catch our breath and fell behind our group.
Despite the difficulty, we were able to make it back down to the start of the trail. We were both very tired at the end and crashed in the van all the way back to Cusco. We arrived at 5:00 p.m. which gave us more than enough time to get ready for our flight at 9:00 p.m. Though it was one of the hardest hikes we’ve ever done, we were glad to have seen Humantay Lake and it’s incredible backdrop.
Tips for Visiting Cusco, Machu Picchu, and Humantay Lake
While our few days in Cusco went relatively smoothly, there were definintely some things we could have planned better. Our crammed itinerary left little time to rest and relax. We also could have more efficient with time rather than travelling 3-4 hours each way to see attractions.
Cusco was perfect for our original plan as it was between Rainbow Mountain and Machu Picchu. However, when our plans changed, we should have looked at staying near Machu Picchu.
While we stayed in Cusco, we didn’t get to see very much of the city other than the few blocks near our hotel. Though only a short walk, we also missed out on Saqsaywaman since it closed before we returned on both days.
Consider Staying Outside of Cusco
While Cusco is nice and historic, it is still a few hours away from some big attractions. In our case, both Machu Picchu and Humantay lake were about 4 hours away. We could have stayed in a smaller town to the west such as Ollantaytambo to cut down on our travel distance to Machu Picchu. There are also a number of other attractions to see within a short distance of Ollantaytambo.
Plan Travel in a Circuit Rather than Multiple Roundtrips
We planned two back-to-back day trips from Cusco and our time traveling during those trips totaled nearly 16 hours! Planning a two-day circuit with an overnight stay in a town outside of Cusco would have let us use our time better. While Humantay Lake would have still taken time to get to, we could have considered seeing many of the other more accessible sights in the vicinity.
We could have also considered booking an inclusive multi-day tour but knew the cost would be higher.
Spend More Time in the Cusco Region
While we enjoyed our time in Lima, I believed we would have been fully satisfied with just visiting the Cusco region. After starting to research the region, we found many attractions that we wish we could have saw. Due to the high altitude of some of the attractions, it would have also been nice to spend a few days relaxing and to become acclimated.
Pack Appropriately
I felt that we did pretty well during our time in the region. We dressed in layers which we could easily put on or take off to adjust to the weather. It was not too cold at either of the locations. Among handy things to have are a lightweight backpack, water bottles, snacks with protein, altitude sickness medication (optional), ziploc bags, and a portable charger.
Carry Local Currency
While it’s relatively easy to find places in Cusco that will take credit cards, locals outside the city will prefer cash. If doing a guided tour, understand what is included in the cost of your tour and what you will have to pay for. Luckily, our trips pretty much included most of the expenses except for lunch for the Machu Picchu trip. Be sure to generously tip your tour guide. We tipped our guide 35-40 soles per person (70-80 soles total).
Use Offline Maps in Google Maps
Google Maps has a feature called Offline Maps which allows you to download map data locally to your phone while you have signal or are connected to WiFi. This is very useful if venturing out of the city as you may not have connection to data in remote areas. However, your phones GPS may still function and you can use Maps to keep track of your location.
Consider the Season and Time When Planning
We knew that we were traveling during the rainy season which is from September to April in Peru. We were unsure about the condition at Rainbow Mountain and ultimately decided against going since the colors are only visible when clear and sunny. Weather is also very hard to predict as the forecasts we looked up through Google were somewhat unreliable.
While we were blessed with near perfect weather at Machu Picchu, it would have been nice to have clear skies at Humantay Lake to get picture perfect views of the Salcantay in the background. On our way back on that day, we noticed the skies cleared up quite a bit later in the afternoon. I’m sure if our plans had allowed us to spend more time at the lake, we would have gotten even better views.
Conclusion
Though it was a short visit, we thoroughly enjoyed our time in Cusco, Peru. Our hotel and the various dishes we tried in the city exceeded our expectations. Our day trips to Machu Picchu and Humantay Lake were the highlight of our Peru trip overall. After spending only two days in the area, we know that we definitely want to come back one day.
Must Do's in Cusco:
- Stay in Either The Historic City Center or One of the Outlying Towns
- Try a Traditional Andean Dish
- Visit Machu Picchu
- Visit One or More of the Many Other Sights in the Region
If you take a trip to Cusco in the future, consider the tips on this article to help plan you stay. If you want to learn more about how we used points to pay for most of our trip, read the article here.
No matter how long you stay or where you go, you’re bound to have a great adventure in Cusco.
Photos of Peru in this post are the property of S. Ahsan and J. Atahar.
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