James Bustamante is Native to New York but born to Peruvian parents. He has been traveling throughout Latin America since early 2003 and finally made his home in Peru. James has made his way by eating and traveling through almost every country in Central and South America.

www.journeymachupicchu.com

Last Updated on March 27, 2024 by James Bustamante

A 6 day Peru itinerary will mostly focus on time spent in the highland region of Cusco.

This trip will absolutely include the ever-important Machu Picchu hike as well as time spent in Cusco, The Sacred Valley, Aguas Calientes, and The Rainbow Mountain also known as Vinicunca.

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Table of Contents

Day 1 Arrival In Cusco

We start our 6 day Peru itinerary at the Velasco Astete airport, which is located in the city of Cusco.

This small airport can be deceiving. It definitely is rather small; however, the amount of arriving tourists far exceeds its size. One of our representatives and a driver will wait for you outside the airport arrivals exit door.

Once our guide and driver spot you, they will help you with your luggage so we can board the vehicle and drive to your Cusco accommodations.

In about 20 minutes, we’ll reach the main square in Cusco, where your hotel is located. You can now check-incheck-in and get settled before possibly exploring the surrounding Cusco streets on day one of your 6 days in Peru.

Travelers Tip: Remember to take it easy on day one of the trip. Cusco is located over 10,000 feet above sea level (3,300 meters), and some are prone to elevation sickness. Make sure you have plenty of fluids, have light meals, take short walks, and rest for the first 24 – 48 hours.

Day 2 The Sacred Valley Tour

On the second day of our 6-day itinerary, we head off to the Sacred Valley of the Inca. This trip will commence with a morning pick-up at your hotel.

Make sure to have breakfast; bring a bottle of water, sunblock, lip balm, a jacket, and, depending on the month, a rain poncho. We leave the hotel around 8:30 – 9:00 am and drive for about 1.5 hours.

We’ll travel through the city’s east side and through the town of Pisac, where you can enjoy the incredible views along the way to Urubamba.

The scenery is honestly fantastic; Urubamba has some of the most impressive landscapes in the entire world. This is particularly true during April – June, right after the rainy season. The views are still lush green and the sky is a clear blue.

At around 1:00 pm, we take a break for lunch. We include a buffet lunch at a well-known restaurant in the valley. The best part (other than the food, of course) is that the restaurant overlooks the Urubamba Valley. This gives you more chances for amazing picture-taking!

After lunch, we move on to the rest of the day hike and visit various Inca fortresses and other interesting locations. We return to Cusco at around 6:00 pm after a full day of hiking through the Sacred Valley.

Travelers Tip: After this first full-day hike, make sure you get a filling dinner and a good night’s rest. It is imperative to feel great on day two of this trip since we’ll be heading to the small town of Aguas Calientes.

Day 3 Train to Aguas Calientes

Next on our 6 day Peru itinerary is the train ride to the small town of Aguas Calientes, nestled just below Machu Picchu. To be objective, this is where we begin the Machu Picchu travel experience because we are heading into the town that connects the Inca citadel to the rest of Peru.

The departure schedule can vary depending on group preferences. For the sake of this itinerary, we will tentatively assume the departure is early morning. We begin this day with an early morning pick-up at your hotel. By 8:00 am, we should already be on our way to the Ollantaytambo train station near the Sacred Valley of the Inca.

The drive will take approximately 2 hours, depending on a few factors, including traffic. Once we arrive at Ollantaytambo, ensure you have everything you need for the next few days. Aguas Calientes and Machu Picchu are in an area called “ The Cloud Forest”.

This region is a cross-section of the Peruvian highland and the rainforest. Aguas Calientes is literally where the mysterious Amazon meets the mighty Andes mountains. Due to its proximity to the rainforest, the town is located at a lower elevation than Cusco and, therefore, is much more humid.

The humidity and lower elevation introduce the possibility of a more hospitable area for anyone who has had any issues with the altitude and dry climate in Cusco. Many travelers feel quite relieved during this part of the 6-day Peru itinerary.

Just as there are positives to being in a more humid, lower-altitude climate, there are some drawbacks. It can also introduce mosquitoes, so in Ollantaytambo, have repellent in your backpack. The mosquito issue is particularly true when traveling between October and March.

We will board the train at around 11:00 am. The trail ride will take around 2 hours, so sit back and relax with the beautiful scenery the Andes mountains have to offer. Once we get to the small town of Aguas Calientes, please check in to your accommodations. Once that’s done, take the rest of the day to walk around this small town.

Travelers Tip: If you like hot springs, check out the Aguas Calientes thermal springs, located at around 12 minutes walking distance from your accommodations.

Day 4 Machu Picchu Hiking

On day four of this Peru itinerary, we start the day by taking a shuttle up to Machu Picchu.

We gather near the bus station at 5:30 am to get on the CONSETTUR shuttle service.

The ride will take anywhere from 20-30 minutes, depending on weather conditions.

The road up to the Inca citadel is quite the winding one. We drive around the mountain while catching an amazing glimpse of the valleys below.

Once we finally arrive, we slowly get off the shuttle and move onto the main entrance.

There is no need to look for a Machu Picchu reservation since it is already included within our 6-day Peru itinerary.

Once the guide does a headcount, we swiftly move in through the main entrance and can finally begin the Machu Picchu tour.

The Machu Picchu guide will present all the important aspects of this stone city while answering any questions you might have.

The tour will take approximately 2.5 hours and we’ll go through all the major areas within Machu Picchu.

Travelers Tip: If you are feeling adventurous, reserve the additional hike of Huayna Picchu (Wayna Picchu). It is a climb up to the highest peak in the area that is not for the faint of heart. This additional tour will take around 1.5 hours.

At around 1:00 pm we will head back down to Aguas Calientes.

Take the next hour to have lunch and rest after hiking Machu Picchu.

At around 3:00 pm we’ll once again board our train and head back to the Ollantaytambo station.

Once we get to the station we will have a shuttle waiting in order to take us back to Cusco.

We should be back in the city by 7:00 pm. Make sure to get a good rest and prepare for our final hike in the itinerary the next day.

Day 5 The Rainbow Mountain Tour

Vinicunca, also known as the Rainbow Mountain is next on our 6 day Peru itinerary.

This might be one of the toughest day hikes in the region. It is one of the tours with the highest elevation as well as one of the most popular day trips starting in Cusco.

At over 17,000 feet above sea level (5,000 meters), Rainbow Mountain is usually left toward the end of any Machu Picchu travel package.

It is best to completely acclimate to the elevation in Cusco before going on to a region at an even higher altitude.

We begin this trek at 4:30 am with a very early pick up at your hotel. We then board the shuttle and go on a 3-hour drive toward Vinicunca.

Travelers Tip: Vinicunca, commonly referred to as “the Rainbow Mountain,” also offers horses. If you are feeling overwhelmed due to the high elevation make sure to ask our guides about the possibility of using a horse instead of walking.

The hike through the beautiful red and yellow mountain range will go on until around 1:00 pm when we break for a quick and light lunch.

You can also bring snacks along in your backpacks but remember that overeating when under high elevation can be a recipe for a bad time.

We end the visit to Vinicunca on this 6-day itinerary by departing at around 3:00 pm and heading directly to Cusco for your final overnight stay. We plan to arrive between 6:30 – 7:00 pm.