15 Day Trips in Cusco Worth Booking

1.Rainbown mountain cusco 1 Day

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 72 reviews · 12 hours (approx.) · from $27Our pick

Travel from Cusco to Vinicunca Rainbow Mountain on a 12-hour guided day trip. You’ll leave around 5:00 a.m., eat breakfast in Cusipata, hike above 5,000 meters, stop for photos, then return for a buffet lunch. Transport, guide, walking sticks, and oxygen are included, but bring 25 soles for the mountain entrance.

“Being woken up 15 minutes before our alarm since guide wanted to pick us up 30 minutes before 5 am scheduled start. After that everything was 5 star. Hiking is from 13800 to 15400 so be prepared to go slow or ride the horse. Crowds were huge but it was Pride Month at Rainbow Mountain.”

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2.1 Day Tour to Palccoyo (Alternative Rainbow Mtn) from Cusco, Peru

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 53 reviews · 10 hours (approx.) · from $153Top rated

Travel from Cusco to Palccoyo’s Tres Rainbows, a quieter alternative to Rainbow Mountain. You’ll ride about 3.5 hours each way, then walk 15 to 30 minutes at nearly 16,000 feet. An English-speaking guide, private transport, snacks, and a boxed lunch are included. The short walk suits families, but the high altitude still deserves respect.

“Das war eines der besten Erlebnisse meines Lebens. Ich hätte mir in meinen Träumen nie eine eindrucksvollere Landschaft vorstellen können. Der uns gebotene Service war auch ganz toll und die Führung einfach Klasse!”

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3.Humantay Lagoon Day Trip from Cusco

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 34 reviews · from $48

Leave Cusco at 1:00 am for Humantay Lagoon, a high-altitude hike to turquoise water at 4,200 meters. Round-trip transport, breakfast, lunch, entrance, a route guide, oxygen, blankets, and walking poles are included. Guides have included Camilo, Wilson, Nilton, Andre, and John. Horses cost extra.

“Excellent experience! The plan is perfectly armed! Includes everything! Worth the effort! You guide them very attentively!Auto-translated”

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4.Vinicunca Rainbow Mountain in one day, private with Peru Vip

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 33 reviews · 14 hours (approx.) · from $159

Leave Cusco at 4:00 a.m. for Vinicunca, the 5,000-meter Rainbow Mountain. Peru Vip provides transport, a professional guide, trekking poles, breakfast, lunch, first aid, and oxygen. Guides such as Wilbert set a steady pace and help with photos. The hike takes about 90 minutes each way and demands good fitness.

“We had a fantastic day climbing Rainbow Mountain, part of it on horseback, with our guide Wilbert.”

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5.Vinicunca Rainbow Mountain Day Trip

★★★★★★★★★★4.2 · 18 reviews · 14 hours · from $34

You leave Cusco around 4:30 a.m. for Vinicunca, with breakfast in Cusipata, a guided two-hour mountain walk, buffet lunch, and return to Calle San Bernardo. English and Spanish guiding, hiking poles, oxygen, and hotel pickup in central Cusco are included. Solange has led one especially praised departure.

“El conductor parecía que llegaba tarde a algún sitio, durante todo el trayecto, tanto de ida como de vuelta estuvo adelantando con doble línea continua, sin visibilidad y, en varias ocasiones, teniendo que meterse de nuevo al carril porque venían coches de frente estando a punto de chocar con ellos. Por otra parte, el guía nos ofreció la posibilidad de entrar al Valle Rojo, ya que se encuentra al lado de la montaña, nos comentó que el coste eran 20 soles, cuando realmente eran 10. Recomiendo la visita a la montaña pero nunca con este operador.”

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6.Excursion: Explore in one day the 7 lakes of Ausangate from Cusco

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 10 reviews · 12 hours · from $35

Leave Cusco around 4 a.m. for Pacchanta, then hike among alpacas, llamas, snow-capped Ausangate, and seven colorful lakes above 4,600 meters. English and Spanish guides lead the trek, with breakfast, lunch, transport, and emergency oxygen included. Finish with Pacchanta’s hot springs before returning to Cusco around 5 to 6 p.m.

“I had to reschedule my trip and they asked me to confirm the day before. I was told my guide would be Antoni and to expect pick up between 4:20-4:40. Not only did they show up at 5am but the guide was different. It was after several calls at 4:20 that I was given the correct info. This was really stressful and a sign of lack of coordination (the agency was mostly unresponsive). However, the actual guide John was nice and professional. The trek wasn’t as hard as I thought and the views were incredible. Food was basic but plenty and tasty. The driver was also professional. It was a…”

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7.Ayahuasca Ceremony 1 Day in Cusco

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 8 reviews · 7 hours

Travel from Cusco to Pisac for a San Pedro Wachuma ceremony led by Maestro Luis, with fire, black tobacco cleansing, meditation, ancestral music, rustic lodging, and breakfast. The experience lasts into the night, though the description also lists a 7-hour duration, so confirm the exact schedule before booking.

“Everything about this service was easy, I was picked up from my hotel and taken to the shaman for ceremony. He and his wife were loverly, I have a great experience, I would recommend!”

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8.Seven Lagoons of Ausangate Hiking Day Trip with Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★3.8 · 7 reviews · 10 hours · from $30

Leave Cusco at 4:00 AM for Pacchanta, then hike a large loop past Ausangate’s seven colorful lagoons. You’ll stop at a viewpoint, eat breakfast and lunch, and finish with time in Pacchanta’s thermo-medicinal waters. The English or Spanish tour includes transport, a guide, walking sticks, oxygen, and first aid.

“The day started off bad the driver never picked me up, but Ya’ll sent a taxi to take me to meet up with the bus. Your bus conductor is a thief he took a few of us moneys to pay Ausangate entrance I gave him $100 Soles the guy sitting next to me also did give him $100 he never returned our change. We saw him at the hot springs he pretended he didn’t remember, our tour guide had to get our money back I’ve posted a photo of him. You can’t be promoting tourism when your staff members are dishonest. Your companies reputation is at stake”

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9.Cusco one day: excursion to Laguna de Humantay

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 6 reviews · 12 hours · from $29

Leave Cusco at 4:30 a.m. for Laguna Humantay, a high Andean lake at 4,200 meters. You’ll ride through Mollepata and Soraypampa, hike about 3 kilometers, and return for breakfast and a Peruvian buffet lunch. English, Spanish, and Portuguese guides provide trekking sticks, first aid, and oxygen. Horses are available for about $20.

“Great guide and beautiful trip! Van was a bit hot.”

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10.Hike to Humantay Lake one day With Meals

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 6 reviews · 1 day · from $30

Leave Cusco before dawn for Humantay Lake, hiking 3 km uphill from Soraypampa at 3,900 meters. Your guide, possibly Israel or Juanito, leads the walk, while breakfast, buffet lunch, transport, and trekking poles are included. Bring water, warm layers, and money for the separate entrance fee or a horse.

“My husband and I booked this the night before and they were very quick in response. We got picked up and our guide, Israel was very informative of what the trip would entail. We had a 2 hour drive to a place where we had a delicious buffet breakfast and then were taken to the place where we would commence our hike. I highly suggest buying the coca candy from the little shop where we had breakfast as they definitely helped with the altitude sickness. Also bring a big bottle of water with electrolytes. Trust me, you'll need it. Since there were multiple tour groups doing the same trek with…”

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11.1-day excursion to Palcoyo Mountain + Breakfast and Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 5 reviews · 12 hours · from $40

Leave Cusco at 4 a.m. for Palccoyo Mountain with an English or Spanish-speaking guide. This 12-hour outing includes hotel pickup, breakfast, lunch, transport, and a gentle 45-minute hike to colorful peaks, the Stone Forest, Red Valley, alpacas, llamas, and views toward Ausangate.

“Très bonne expérience! Merci! À préciser qu’il faut prévoir 15 soles en plus par personne en monnaie”

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12.Day Trip to the 7 Ausangate Lagoons with Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★3.3 · 4 reviews · 1 day · from $40

Leave Cusco at 4:00 a.m. for Pacchanta, then hike about five hours around seven colorful lagoons below Ausangate Mountain. Your English or Spanish-speaking guide, breakfast, lunch, transport, trekking poles, oxygen, and first aid are included. Hot springs cost extra.

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13.Humantay Lake Day Trip with Breakfast and Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 4 reviews · 12 hours · from $31

Leave Cusco before dawn for Humantay Lake, stopping in Mollepata for breakfast and lunch. A bilingual guide, walking stick, first aid kit, and oxygen support are included. The hike to 4,200 meters is demanding, but you get mountain views, Incan mythology, photo time, and the option to hire a horse for the final section.

“Visiting Machu Picchu was truly an unforgettable experience! The breathtaking views, the rich history, and the incredible energy of the place left me in awe. The guide was fantastic, sharing so many fascinating insights and ensuring we felt comfortable throughout the journey. Despite the altitude, everything was well-managed, and I felt safe and cared for.”

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14.One day tour to Rainbow Mountain and Red Valley (optional)

★★★★★★★★★★3.5 · 4 reviews · 1 day · from $25

Travel from Cusco into the Vilcanota range for a full day near Ausangate, Peru’s 6,377-meter sacred peak. The tour includes hotel pickup, transport, breakfast, lunch, an English- or Spanish-speaking guide, walking sticks, oxygen, and first aid. Red Valley may be added for the same entrance fee.

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15.Ausangate 7 Lagoons Tour 1 day + Buffet Breakfast and Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★4.2 · 4 reviews · 14 hours · from $40

Travel from Cusco to Pacchanta for a high-altitude hike past seven colorful lagoons, from Azulcocha to China Otorongo. The tour includes English or Spanish guiding, breakfast, lunch, transport, and Pacchanta hot springs. You will walk between 4,200 and 4,600 meters, so fitness and acclimatization matter.

“Heel mooi gebied, prachtige maar moeilijke wandeling op 4000 m. hoogte. De gidsen waren geweldig!”

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