+51 978 640 079 info@metaperu.travel Travel blog
Meta Peru Travel
Chat with us

Discover Cusco – The Historic Heart of the Inca Empire

Cusco, the former capital of the Inca Empire, is one of Peru’s most iconic and enchanting cities. Nestled in the Andes at over 3,300 meters above sea level, Cusco offers a unique blend of ancient Incan heritage, colonial charm, and vibrant Andean culture.

Why Visit Cusco?

Historic Significance: Once the capital of the Inca civilization, Cusco is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, home to remarkable archaeological ruins and colonial architecture.
Gateway to Machu Picchu: From Cusco, travelers embark on unforgettable journeys to the Sacred Valley and the world-famous Machu Picchu.
Andean Culture: Discover traditional textiles, music, and Quechua traditions that are still alive today in Cusco’s people and communities.
Gastronomy & Markets: Delight in dishes like cuy al horno, chiri uchu, and tamales, and explore bustling local markets full of flavor and color.
Festivals & Spirituality: Cusco celebrates some of Peru’s most important festivals, including Inti Raymi and Corpus Christi, rooted in both Incan and Catholic traditions.

Must-See Attractions in Cusco

Sacsayhuamán – An impressive Incan fortress with panoramic city views
Plaza de Armas – The cultural and social heart of Cusco, surrounded by stunning architecture
Qoricancha (Temple of the Sun) – A sacred Inca temple overlaid with a colonial church
San Pedro Market – A vibrant place to experience local flavors, crafts, and daily life
Sacred Valley – A region of awe-inspiring landscapes and ancient sites like Pisac and Ollantaytambo

Best Tours in Cusco – Explore, Taste & Discover

Luxury Treks

Waqrapukara Trek & Inca Fortress Tour – Full Day from Cusco

Discover one of Cusco’s most impressive and lesser-visited archaeological sites on the Waqrapukara Trek & Inca Fortress full day tour. This adventure takes you through dramatic c...

Max Altitude: 4300 m.s.n.m
Duration: Full day
Price per person USD $ 169
View Package Book Now
Luxury Treks

Seven Lakes of Ausangate Tour – Full Day from Cusco

Discover one of the most spectacular high-Andes landscapes on the Seven Lakes of Ausangate full day tour from Cusco. This scenic journey takes you to a remote mountain region domin...

Max Altitude: 4800 m.s.n.m
Duration: Full day
Price per person USD $ 119
View Package Book Now
Luxury Treks

Pallay Puncho Rainbow Mountain Tour – Full Day from Cusco

Discover one of Cusco’s newest and most striking natural wonders on this full day Pallay Puncho Rainbow Mountain tour. Known for its sharp, blade-like colorful ridges and dramati...

Max Altitude: 4,790 m.s.n.m
Duration: Full day
Price per person USD $ 119
View Package Book Now
Luxury Treks

Palccoyo Rainbow Mountain Full Day Tour from Cusco

Discover the colorful landscapes of the Andes on this full-day Palccoyo Rainbow Mountain tour, the best easy alternative to the classic Vinicunca trek. This experience is perfect f...

Max Altitude: 4,900 m.s.n.m
Duration: Full day
Price per person USD $ 119
View Package Book Now
Luxury Treks

Qeswachaka Inca Bridge Tour – Full Day experience from Cusco

Our full-day Qeswachaka Inca Bridge is for those who want to explore a place that is not so crowded or off the beaten path of other tours. This tour will take you towards the south...

Max Altitude: 3700 MSNM- 12139 FT
Duration: Full day
Price per person USD $ 149
View Package Book Now
Luxury Treks

Humantay Lake & Salkantay Trek – Scenic 2 Day Experience

The Humantay Lake Trek is a two-day hike with spectacular scenery to the Humantay Lake  through the local indigenous villages of Iscuchaca and Limatambo, who keep Inca traditions ...

Max Altitude: 4630 MSNM- 15190 FT
Duration: 2 days - 1 night
Price per person USD $ 296
View Package Book Now
Luxury Treks

Humantay Lake Full Day

The experience of the Humantay Turquoise Lagoon allows us to discover one of the most popular natural destinations today. Its location at the base of a snowy mountain and the heigh...

Max Altitude: 4200 MSNM- 13780 FT
Duration: Full day
Price per person USD $ 149
View Package Book Now
Luxury Treks

Rainbow Mountain Full Day

Enjoy the natural colors of the stunning Rainbow Mountain! Hike through a secluded valley, where you can interact with local people who still keep the ancient Quechua culture alive...

Max Altitude: 5030 MSNM- 16732 FT
Duration: Full day
Price per person USD $ 149
View Package Book Now
Luxury Treks

Sacred Valley of the Incas: Includes Maras and Moray Salt Mines Full Day

Explore with us this unique tour, which was specially designed for you to get to know all the most important archaeological sites of the legacy of the Inca Empire. This tour will t...

Max Altitude: 3300 MSNM- 10827 FT
Duration: Full day
Price per person USD $ 130
View Package Book Now
Luxury Treks

South Valley Cusco Tour – Full Day Experience

This tour takes us to the unique and magnificent archaeological site of Tipón, where you can enjoy the impressive irrigation system of the Incas, and then to Piquillacta, where yo...

Max Altitude: 3500 MSNM- 11483 FT
Duration: Full day
Price per person USD $ 138
View Package Book Now
Luxury Treks

City Tour and Pisac Full Day

This full-day tour combines the most important Inca sites near Cusco with the cultural charm of Pisac in the Sacred Valley. Visit Sacsayhuamán and explore nearby sites like Q’en...

Max Altitude: 3300 MSNM- 10827 FT
Duration: Full day
Price per person USD $ 119
View Package Book Now
Luxury Treks

Half-day tour to Chincheros, the Salt Mines and Moray

This half-day Chinchero, Moray and Maras Salt Mines experience will take you off the beaten track to enjoy the stunning scenery of the snow-capped Andes Mountains in the Sacred Val...

Max Altitude: 3762msnm / 12343ft
Duration: Full day
Price per person USD $ 119
View Package Book Now
Luxury Treks

Cusco City Tour – Best Archaeological Sites Half Day

Discover the ancient capital of the Inca Empire, Cusco, known as the “Navel of the World” and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This half-day tour offers the perfect introduction t...

Max Altitude: 4725
Duration:
Price per person USD $ 79
View Package Book Now

What people say about us

Hear from our travelers who experienced the magic of Peru through our exclusive luxury journeys — where comfort, culture, and authenticity meet.

Tripadvisor star 1Tripadvisor star 2Tripadvisor star 3Tripadvisor star 4Tripadvisor star 5Verificada
Salkantay experience with Christian I fell ill right at the start of our Salkantay trip, but Christian was absolutely incredible. He made sure I got all the right medicine and went above and beyond to help me recover and get back into shape so that I could still enjoy the rest of the trek. Beyond that, Christian is genuinely one of the best guides you could ask for. He’s funny, incredibly helpful and full of great recommendations. Whatever questions we had, he seemed to know the answer, and if we needed something, he somehow made it happen. More than anything, it felt less like having a tour guide and more like travelling with an old friend who just happened to know everything about the area. He made the whole experience so much more enjoyable. Highly recommend Christian to anyone doing the Salkantay trek!
Publicado en Tripadvisor Tripadvisor
Patrick M profile picture
Patrick M
Tripadvisor star 1Tripadvisor star 2Tripadvisor star 3Tripadvisor star 4Tripadvisor star 5Verificada
More than a guide — a friend in Peru We were lucky to have the same guide, Cristian, for both our Sacred Valley tour and the Salkantay Trek, so we ended up spending quite a few days together. He really became a big part of our Peru trip. He knows so much about Inca history, Peruvian culture, the mountains, and local life, and we loved how naturally all of that came up in our conversations along the way. He was also very patient and always paid attention to how we were doing during the trek. On Salkantay, he even suggested adjusting our itinerary based on the weather conditions so we could have the best possible experience, which we really appreciated. He never rushed us, was happy to stop whenever we needed, and was just very easy and fun to be around. By the end of the trip, it honestly felt less like we had hired a guide and more like we had made a friend in Peru.
Publicado en Tripadvisor Tripadvisor
適亨 楊 profile picture
適亨 楊
Tripadvisor star 1Tripadvisor star 2Tripadvisor star 3Tripadvisor star 4Tripadvisor star 5Verificada
4d Salkantay trek and Sacred Valley day tour We were so lucky to have Cristian as our guide on our first trip to Cusco. He’s such a smart, thoughtful, and organized person. We did both the Sacred Valley tour and the Salkantay Trek with him. Whenever there was something to explain, he was incredibly knowledgeable, and during the trek he was also just a really fun person to talk to. He always paid attention to how everyone was feeling, made sure everyone was doing okay, and took care of what each person needed. I’m really happy that this trip to Peru gave us not only so many amazing memories, but also a wonderful new friend.
Publicado en Tripadvisor Tripadvisor
憶甄李 profile picture
憶甄李
Tripadvisor star 1Tripadvisor star 2Tripadvisor star 3Tripadvisor star 4Tripadvisor star 5Verificada
Esperienza perfetta Esperienza bellissima, Cristian la nostra guida ci ha ricoperto di attenzioni e ha fatto in modo che tutto fosse perfetto, e a parte questo è una persona adorabile con la quale è stato bellissimo condividere il cammino e che ci ha veramente aiutati a capire tante cose di questo paese meraviglioso e della sua società. Altamente raccomandato!
Publicado en Tripadvisor Tripadvisor
Tato3672 profile picture
Tato3672
Tripadvisor star 1Tripadvisor star 2Tripadvisor star 3Tripadvisor star 4Tripadvisor star 5Verificada
Great experience at MachuPicchu Great experience with guide Krystian doing the baby trail to MachuPicchu via Sun Gate. Capable and knowledgeable guide !
Publicado en Tripadvisor Tripadvisor
Koen D profile picture
Koen D
Tripadvisor star 1Tripadvisor star 2Tripadvisor star 3Tripadvisor star 4Tripadvisor star 5Verificada
Short Inca Trail review Cristian guided our family through the short version of the Inca Trail. The views were amazing and the hike made the whole experience even more unforgettable. Cristian provided us with interesting stories about the history of the Inca civilization and was very enthusiastic! A very friendly man who had a good feeling with the needs of the group. I highly recommand this trail and Maccu Pichu visit!
Publicado en Tripadvisor Tripadvisor
Lucas D profile picture
Lucas D
Tripadvisor star 1Tripadvisor star 2Tripadvisor star 3Tripadvisor star 4Tripadvisor star 5Verificada
Superleuk! Het was een supertof ervaring! De gids(Cristian) wist veel over de natuur en over de Machu Picchu. Hij kon ons interessante feitjes vertellen en dat maakte de hike en de belevenis nog toffer.
Publicado en Tripadvisor Tripadvisor
Arthur D profile picture
Arthur D
Tripadvisor star 1Tripadvisor star 2Tripadvisor star 3Tripadvisor star 4Tripadvisor star 5Verificada
Short-Inca trail review Mega leuke wandeltocht met geweldige uitzichten. Cristian, onze gids, legde alles op een leuke manier uit met interessante weetjes, wat de tocht nog leuker maakte.
Publicado en Tripadvisor Tripadvisor
Trek19589988553 profile picture
Trek19589988553
Tripadvisor star 1Tripadvisor star 2Tripadvisor star 3Tripadvisor star 4Tripadvisor star 5Verificada
Inca trail with Cristian and our family of 6 1 day inca trail with our guide who was very enthusiastic and motivated, giving lots of explanations and tips. Really an unforgettable experience!
Publicado en Tripadvisor Tripadvisor
Veronique profile picture
Veronique
Tripadvisor star 1Tripadvisor star 2Tripadvisor star 3Tripadvisor star 4Tripadvisor star 5Verificada
Short Inca Trail - Perfect experience! Christian was an amazing guide on our short Inca Trail trip. Everything was perfectly organized, he made sure we feel comfortable and shared a lot of interesting insights. Thanks again for this great day, which was the highlight of our vacation in Peru.
Publicado en Tripadvisor Tripadvisor
Ti_Carpenter profile picture
Ti_Carpenter