No Peru visitor visits Peru without their feet touching Cusco soil. It holds great importance in Peruvian tourism as it is a former Incan Empire capital thus it contains a lot of heritage and most of the tourist tours start from Cusco city including the hiking trip to the iconic hiking track of Machu Picchu, Salkantay Lake, and Ausangate trek. The Old Peruvian capital itself is worth exploring the city and you can do this on your own. The former Incan capital is known as a tourist hub where they assemble and head to their journeys. One of the best things about this city is that you can have a tour of Cusco on your own. There are a lot of things to do on your own.
Why Explore Cusco
While planning an unguided trip to Cusco, a question arises in mind that what to do in Cusco, well it has everything. It has to offer everything one could ask during a trip to Cusco. It hosts the finest Incan and Colonial architecture and treats with the best traditional Peruvian scrumptious cuisine. Besides visiting the glorious Cusco, it comes in mind that what to visit near Cusco, so there are majestic ruins of ancient sites standing tall up till the date in suburbs of Cusco. The Andean mountains around the Cusco city further enhance the beauty of this historic city.
Cusco city lets you connect with the ancient roots of the development and progression of the ancient Inca Empire that narrates the glory of the past of the Incan Empire and let you understand the beautiful equilibrium between retention of Incan culture, traditions, and the evolution process. If there is a city for a solo visit to South America, then no doubt it is the Cusco city. Cusco city is one of the prominent most solo explorable destinations in the South American region.
Things to know about Cusco
It is a bustling city that has preserved the Peruvian heritage and lets the outside world discover and understand this unique society. It is a diverse city that has transformed into Peru’s cultural capital. If you are planning to hike around the city alone, here are a few things you must know.
Elevation
Elevation of this city is higher than Sacred Valley with an altitude of 3399 meters, 11151 feet above sea level.
Climate:
Cusco has climatic characteristics of any hilly town which means that the sun is quite strong.
Seasons:
The season of Cusco is mainly divided into the dry and wet season.
Dry Season:
The dry season lasts between April and October and is the general tourism season in the region. It peaks in July with above average traffic till mid-September.
Wet Season:
This city gets a lot of rain in the wet season which lasts between November and March.
Language:
The Peruvian natives speak Spanish, but you’ll find a lot of people speaking English.
Currency:
The national currency of Peru is Sol.
Tickets:
Many archaeological sites have tickets for inside and outside city archaeological sites.
The Best Hiking Trips
Hiking alone in Cusco won’t be an issue anymore as we are going to present you with the guide to hike alone in Cusco city. Each of these locations will draw an amazing expression upon you. These trips are going to be the special ones. There are a lot of things to do in Cusco alone. Here is a complete guide to know, what to see in Cusco. The following guide is a complete answer to the question, what to do in Cusco beside Machu Picchu?
- 1-day trip to Rainbow Mountain.
- One day trip to Humantay Lake.
- A day trip to Kinsa Kocha (Hike to the 3 Lakes in Pisac).
- Trip to Huchuy Qosqo ruins (Little Cusco).
- Chacan Cave, Balcon Del Diablo and the Temple of the Moon trip.
- A trip t0 Sacsayhuaman and Nearby Ruins.
Get a guided tour
If your mind has undergone a sudden change of plan, then you must know that you can grab a guided tour too. If you are wondering about tourist operators who would facilitate a lone traveller, then you needn’t worry! We, at Camina Los Andes, have a small group facilitation policy i.e. we only operate group tours for a maximum of four people. If you want to learn more about this amazing city and worry less about itineraries and guidance and have an intimate and fulfilling experience at the same time, we are at your service.
What do you need?
If you are going solo hike in Cusco, you must be well-prepared. If you are going to do a solo trip then this is the complete list of things to keep with you.
- Proper clothing layers per the prevalent weather conditions.
- Raincoat and umbrella, especially if you are travelling in the wet season.
- Hiking gear.
- Hiking boots or footwear which supports the ankles.
- Snacks and food supplies.
- Adequate water supplies.
- Sunscreen and sunglasses (hats are recommended).
- Basic first aid.
- Maps, compass, and GPS-enabled devices.
- Cash (Soles) to pay taxi/bus/horse-ride fares.
