Things to see & do in Cuzco
There are plenty of public parks, pedestrianised plazas and reasonably priced food markets to keep budget travelers more than happy as well as an extremely affordable public transportation system offering next to nothing excuses to get out of the city and explore.
Acclimatising to life at 3,400m deserves more than a cursory couple of hours in Cuzco, even if you’re only on Mission Machu Picchu, so rest, relax and stroll around the winding stone streets, meeting Quechua people for whom customs have changed little since their indigenous Inca predecessors.
Read on for some top budget travel tips for keeping costs down in Cuzco.
Our Peru budget Vacations
Peru adventure vacation, small group
Experience coastal deserts, mountains and the Amazon Jungle
Hiking the Inca Trail, Peru
An authentic trek through the land of the Incas
Inca Trail adventure vacation
Discover Cuzco and the Sacred Valley on this Incan adventure
Northern Peru vacation, off the beaten track
Get off the tourist trail and explore the beauty of Peru
Lima to Santiago overland vacation
Travel through Peru Bolivia & Chile
Machu Picchu by train
Soak up colonial and Inca history by train
Peru, Bolivia and Chile vacation
Action-packed short tour of Peru, Bolivia and Chile
Inca Highlights, adventure tour
Allow yourself to absorb the magic of Peru
Andes and Amazon tour in Peru, Lima to Lima
Small group tour encompassing the best of Peru.
Peru small group budget vacation
Explore highlights of Peru Machu Picchu, Nazca, Colca Canyon
Peru & Bolivia small group vacation
Reveal some of the secrets lying in South America
Peru to Chile small group vacation
From Peru’s capital on the Pacific coast into the high Andes
Inca Trail hiking vacation, Peru
The Sacred Valley, one of the world’s best known hikes
Bolivia and Peru tour
Explore the Amazon Andes and Inca trail
Peru vacation on a shoestring, tailor made
Explore the Inca heartland in the Andes
Keeping costs down in Cuzco
Day tripping from Cuzco
If you have a free day or two in Cuzco there are lots of interesting sites on the outskirts of the city that can be reached within 30 minutes by bus. For instance, Cristo Blanco (like a mini version of Rio’s Christ the Redeemer) was a present from the people of Palestine who sought refuge in Cuzco during World War II. The views from the statue alone are well worth the bus fare. The Inca ruins of Tambomachay are also easy to get to. Tambomachay provides an example of life in ancient Inca times. The aqueducts, canals and stone baths have led archaeologists to believe it may have been some kind of exclusive spa resort.The citadel of Sacsaywamán, the Puka Pukara fortress and the sacrificial site of the Q’inqu rock formations are all within 10km of Cuzco and easily accessible for day trippers by public bus. Public transport in Cuzco is very cost effective, with journeys often costing as little as one or two soles. Moovit is a really great app to help you work out which bus to take to where, and when.
Sustainably soft souvenirs in Cuzco
You can pretty much stumble onto a market every block or so in Cuzco. Some of the most popular souvenirs are the jumpers, coats, hats and colourful tapestries made from alpaca wool. The most sought after is ‘baby alpaca’, which just means it's the wool from the first time the animal is shorn and considered to be the softest, and the most valuable.You do have to be careful where you shop, as some markets may be selling imitations that aren’t made from alpaca and haven’t even been made in Peru – be sure you’re buying an authentic ‘baby alpaca’ garment rather than a ‘maybe alpaca’ imposter.
A recommended locally-owned store selling affordable adult alpaca wool products from Peru is Artesanías Asunta. You can pick up an authentic alpaca jumper for around 25 soles (about £7). Just head to Cuzco’s famous 12-cornered Inca stone and the store is around the corner – well, one of them.
Our top Peru budget Vacation
Peru adventure vacation, small group
Experience coastal deserts, mountains and the Amazon Jungle
2019: 16 Dec
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