Cusco 7 days Tour in Machu Picchu, Humantay Lake and Vinicunca

Machu Picchu is the headline, but this seven-day trip also takes you to Humantay Lake and Vinicunca, two high-altitude outings that call for more than a camera and a free afternoon. You’ll move between Inca sites, a mountain town, salt pans and Cusco, with guides and most major transport arranged.

I like that the package pairs a private, two-hour Machu Picchu guide with a broad mix of sites, and that it includes the train, entry tickets, hotels and airport transfers. I also like the chance to see Andean life beyond the citadel, from Ollantaytambo’s old streets to the weaving traditions of Chinchero.

The main catch is the pace: two 12-hour mountain days start before dawn, and Vinicunca reaches 5,020 meters. You’ll want to arrive ready for altitude, keep a little energy in reserve and understand that the $945 price does not cover every meal or your flights.

• Two demanding mountain days: Humantay Lake and Vinicunca both involve high-altitude hikes, with a horse rental option offered at Humantay.
• A night near Machu Picchu: You stay in Aguas Calientes before the guided citadel visit, rather than making the whole trip there and back in one day.
• Key transport and tickets are included: The package covers the Machu Picchu entry ticket, round-trip CONSETTUR bus, round-trip Expedition or Voyager train, and required site entrance fees.
• A small-group format: The maximum group size is 15, although parts of the trip include private transfers or a private Machu Picchu guide.
• Meals are only partly covered: Six breakfasts and three lunches are included; other meals are yours to arrange.
• Coordination gets strong praise: Trip accounts call out punctual pickups, clear communication and helpful staff, with names including Kilma, Andy and Flor.

Seven days, with Cusco as your base

This is a packed tour, not a slow week in one place. You’ll spend the first day seeing Cusco, travel through the Sacred Valley, sleep in Aguas Calientes, return to Cusco, then head out to Humantay Lake, Maras and Moray, and Vinicunca before your airport transfer.

The price is $945 per person, with a minimum booking of two people. For that, you get a three-star hotel, airport transfers in Cusco, tourist transport, a professional guide, site admission fees, Machu Picchu transport and entry, train tickets, six breakfasts and three lunches. That is a useful bundle for a first visit, especially if you would rather not arrange each leg separately.

Still, do not read all-inclusive into the package. Your flights, medical insurance, tips, unlisted meals and lunch in Aguas Calientes are not included. The tour is also non-refundable and cannot be changed, so check your dates and travel plans carefully before paying.

Cusco’s Inca sites set the stage

On Day 1, a team member meets you after your journey to Cusco and takes you to your hotel. The schedule then gives you a city tour from around 2 p.m., beginning at Qorikancha, the Temple of the Sun. Its Inca masonry offers a close look at the building skill you’ll see on a much larger scale at other sites during the week.

From there, you visit Sacsayhuamán, whose enormous stonework is the kind of thing that makes you pause and reconsider what people could build without modern equipment. The tour notes that it may have been an important ceremonial center, rather than simply a fortress. Q’enqo follows, with its ritual spaces and underground passages, before Puka Pukara and Tambomachay, associated with water worship.

The visits are short, mostly around an hour, with 45 minutes at Q’enqo. That makes this a good introduction rather than a deep study of every site. The high altitude is worth taking seriously from the start: the hikes later in the week climb much higher, so use your first day to settle in rather than push yourself.

The listed meeting point is Plaza de Armas, with an 8 a.m. start time, while the first day’s city tour is scheduled for about 2 p.m. Since arrival and pickup details depend on your flight, confirm the exact plan with the operator before travel.

Sacred Valley, then the train to Aguas Calientes

Day 2 starts with hotel pickup around 7:50 a.m. in Cusco and a visit to Pisac, where you’ll see the handicraft market and Inca cemetery. The market gives you a chance to browse local crafts; the cemetery adds a quieter, archaeological stop. The stated visit is two hours, so you have time for both without spending the whole morning in one place.

Afterward, the group heads to Urubamba for a buffet lunch, then visits Ollantaytambo’s fortress and old town. This is one of the most characterful parts of the week: the town still has Inca streets and traditional architecture, and the setting helps make the Sacred Valley’s past feel connected to daily life rather than confined to ruins.

At about 4 p.m., you leave the group and transfer to the train station for the journey to Aguas Calientes. Staff take you to your hotel, and you have free time to explore the town. Your guide is due to visit in the evening to explain the next day’s arrangements. This handoff is practical, but it does mean the day has several moving parts. Keep your train details close and follow the guide’s instructions for the morning.

Machu Picchu gets a private guide

On Day 3, your guide collects you from your accommodation and takes you to the CONSETTUR bus station. The ride up to Machu Picchu takes about 30 minutes. Once inside, you get a private guided tour of the main sectors and temples for roughly two hours.

That private guide is a meaningful part of the package. Machu Picchu is more than a dramatic set of terraces and stone walls; a good explanation helps you understand what you’re looking at and why the site’s buildings and layout matter. Two hours gives you a structured visit, though it is not a full-day exploration.

You return to Aguas Calientes afterward, where lunch is not included. In the afternoon, you board the train back toward Cusco. Be at the station 30 minutes before departure; at Ollantaytambo, a private transfer takes you back to your Cusco hotel, a drive of about an hour and a half. This is a long travel day, but sleeping in Aguas Calientes the night before avoids a same-day dash from Cusco to the citadel.

Humantay Lake: a steep climb with a horse option

Day 4 begins around 5 a.m. The drive to Mollepata takes about two hours and 40 minutes, where breakfast is served, followed by another hour to Soraypampa at 3,850 meters. From there, you hike to Humantay Lake at about 4,200 meters.

The ascent takes roughly an hour and a half and is described as low to moderate difficulty. That label can sound reassuring, but the altitude changes the equation: even a manageable trail can feel harder when the air is thin. You can rent a horse instead of hiking, according to the tour details. Ask about arrangements and cost directly, since the price is not specified.

At the lake, you have time for photos and to take in views of the surrounding mountains, including Salkantay and Humantay. The descent to Soraypampa takes about an hour and a half, then you return to Mollepata for lunch before reaching Cusco around 6 p.m. It is a full 12-hour day, so keep the evening free and do not plan a late night.

Maras, Moray and Chinchero bring a change of pace

After the mountain hike, Day 5 is a more relaxed half-day outing, with pickup around 8 a.m. First come the Salineras de Maras, a striking set of salt flats and a reminder that the region’s economy has always depended on more than agriculture and tourism. The tour also visits Moray, whose circular terraces are presented as an Inca agricultural testing ground for adapting crops to different altitudes.

The two sites make a useful pairing. At Moray, you see how the Incas worked with changing elevations; at Maras, you see a valuable local resource shaped into a working system. The visit is designed for a range of ages, and the shorter schedule offers a welcome breather between the two long hikes.

The final stop is Chinchero, where you visit an artisanal textile center and learn about traditional weaving. You are due back in Cusco around 2:30 p.m. The rest of the afternoon is yours, a good chance to rest, eat at your own pace or get ready for another early alarm.

Vinicunca reaches 5,020 meters

Day 6 begins around 4:30 a.m. The drive from Cusco to the Vinicunca area takes about two hours, followed by breakfast in Cusipata and another hour by vehicle. The hike starts at about 4,000 meters, with trekking poles provided. The walk takes around an hour and 40 minutes, passing streams, alpacas and llamas, with mountain views along the way.

For the classic view, you climb to about 5,020 meters. That elevation is the real test here. You should be comfortable with strenuous activity and understand that altitude sickness is a genuine concern, not a minor inconvenience. One trip account specifically raised the importance of taking medical conditions seriously; talk with your doctor before travel if you have health concerns, especially cardiovascular or blood-pressure issues. Do not rely on a home remedy or assume the group pace will suit you.

After time at the mountain, you return to the starting point for a buffet lunch, then drive back to Cusco, arriving around 5 p.m. Like Humantay, this is a 12-hour day, and its early start follows a week already full of walking and travel. The views may be the reward, but your stamina and acclimatization matter more than your photo plans.

What the price covers, and what it doesn’t

At $945 per person, the tour’s value rests on logistics as much as sightseeing. It combines hotel stays, airport transfers, local transport, guides, site entry, Machu Picchu tickets, buses to the citadel, train journeys and several meals. Putting those pieces together yourself takes time, and missed connections between Cusco, Ollantaytambo and Aguas Calientes could be stressful.

The package includes six breakfasts and three lunches, but not every meal. You’ll need to budget separately for meals not mentioned, including lunch after Machu Picchu, plus tips, flights and medical insurance. The exact hotel names are not provided, only a three-star standard, so ask for the accommodation details before booking if location or room arrangements matter to you.

The group maximum is 15, a manageable size for transfers and guided stops. The tour also includes private elements: a private Machu Picchu guide and a private transfer from Ollantaytambo to Cusco. Those details are useful, but do not assume every day is private; the broader format is a small-group tour.

Helpful people, but confirm your own details

Trip accounts praise the organization, punctual pickups and frequent communication. Names associated with coordination include Kilma, Katerin, Andy, Flor, Chaska, Nataly and Gaby. These are helpful indications of the team’s roles and service, not a promise that any particular person will be assigned to your departure.

The same practical lesson comes through in the praise: clear coordination matters on a trip with hotel pickups, train departures and early starts. Keep the operator’s contact details handy and make sure you understand each day’s pickup time, meeting location and train departure. For the train back from Machu Picchu, the stated instruction is to arrive 30 minutes before departure.

Should you book this Cusco tour?

I’d consider this tour if you have a full week, want the major Cusco-area sights arranged for you, and are comfortable with two high-altitude hikes. It suits someone who values guided context and transport coordination, and who wants Machu Picchu alongside the Sacred Valley, Maras, Moray, Humantay and Vinicunca.

I’d look for a slower plan if you need more rest days, have concerns about exertion at altitude, or want full control of your hotel and meal choices. Before booking, confirm hotel details, the exact airport pickup plan, and any extra cost for a horse at Humantay. The non-refundable policy makes that homework especially worthwhile.

FAQ

How long is the tour?

The tour lasts approximately seven days. It begins with Cusco and ends with a transfer from your hotel to the airport.

What is the maximum group size?

The tour has a maximum of 15 people. The Machu Picchu visit includes a private guide.

Are Machu Picchu entry and transport included?

Yes. The package includes a Machu Picchu ticket, round-trip CONSETTUR bus tickets and round-trip Expedition or Voyager train tickets.

How many meals are included?

Six breakfasts and three lunches are included. Other meals are not included unless specified.

How difficult are the hikes?

The Humantay Lake hike is described as low to moderate difficulty and takes about 1.5 hours each way. The Vinicunca hike takes around 1 hour and 40 minutes each way, with the summit at about 5,020 meters.

Can I avoid hiking to Humantay Lake?

The tour information says you can rent a horse instead of hiking. The rental price is not specified.

Are flights included in the price?

No. Flight tickets and medical insurance are not included.