Best Hikes Near Cusco: Top Trails and Day Treks

There can be overwhelming planning for a trip in Cusco. You read all about Rainbow mountain, Humantay Lake and a lot more trails but which is the one that you feel most comfortable in? So what of these disturbing stories of elevation? This simple guide to the Best Hikes near Cusco will help you choose an adventure you’ll remember forever, without the stress.

You have heard the names heard in an adventure club Rainbow Mountain, Humantay Lake, the Salkantay Trek but they will be lost in one mountain mystery. Let’s clear that up together. Cusco is more than a stop on the way to Machu Picchu; it’s the true heart of an Andean adventure and the hub for some of the best hikes near Cusco.

The Andes do not keep the beauty to the advanced mountaineers. You will see turquoise lakes on easy paths and multicolored mountains which will demand more labor. Whether you are a fitness expert or an amateur, there is something to do here. The trick is to select a hiking path that is challenging enough and easy enough to allow you to meet your expectations and experience. This is what this guide can assist you to do.

With preparation, the difference between a tough trip and a great one comes into place. The primary factor in consideration is altitude. Allow some days to acclimatize and then do day trips around Cusco hiking. This is a small thing that would keep you safe and have fun during the journey.

The #1 Rule for Hiking in Cusco: How to Beat Altitude Sickness

It is important to discuss the altitude in Cusco (which is the main element that everyone is concerned with) before the descriptions of breathtaking lakes or the mountains of the rainbow color. The fact that Cusco is above 11,152 ft above the sea level (3,399m) implies that the air does not contain abundant oxygen. Unless you take your time to acclimatize to the altitude you may develop altitude sickness locally referred to as soroche. 

The positive thing is that the soroche can be avoided almost completely. It does not have to do with a costly piece of equipment or some magical pills, it has to do with just letting your body come to adapt. This is known as acclimatization, and it is the golden rule of Andes, which cannot be negotiable. 

And it will only take a few steps to become accustomed to it. The last thing, of utmost importance, is allow yourself some space upon landing.

• Wait: At least 2 full days in Cusco or the Sacred Valley however happened before you could contemplate any hiking. Never arrange a day tour when you arrive!
• Hydrate: Drink tons of water. You will also be given mate de coca (coca tea), which is a remedy, a local one.
• Go Easy: During the 48 hours the first thing that is mostly taken away first is heavy meals and alcohol. Your body already is kept at labour.
• Listen: Pause And take unrest. Don’t try to “push through it.”

Having the most important rule out of the way you are now able to hike with confidence. These steps will help prepare your body and minimize your risk, as well as, have the energy to appreciate the magnificent scenery. Now you are prepared to make your own choice.

Rainbow Mountain vs. Humantay Lake: Which Iconic Day Trip Should You Choose?

Your body is now adventure-ready so you are bound to come across a typical Cusco dilemma: Rainbow mountain or Humantay lake? These two are the most common day trips of the city. The two are an unforgettable sight but they are unlike. It will also be up to you as to the type of wow moment that you desire in the Andes.

Start with the visual reward. Do you prefer an alien looking landscape? Rainbow Mountain (Vinicunca) presents the stripes of colors of minerals. Is it a post card picture you would like? Below a glacier, Humantay Lake is a blue turquoise lake. One provides you with a large panoramic of colors. The other conveys extreme alpine beauty at a single location.

Hike Difficulty & Crowd Experience

The hikes are a challenge in themselves. Rainbow Mountain is pronounced more gradually. It touches 17,060 ft (5,200 m) , which is extremely high. Humantay Lake is lower at 13,800 ft (4,200 m). The increase is not larger but significantly steep towards the end. They both can be tough, only because of different reasons.

The two destinations are on the tourist spots list and thus, will have people. There is a place called Humantay Lake where most people assemble in a single point of view. That has the ability to make the area hectic. The Rainbow Mountain is on a broad ridge. There is a lot more room to stretch and sightsee.

There’s no wrong choice here. You might choose a more long and high altitude walk to an exclusive view. Or a shorter steep ascent to a burning glacial lake. Either way, you will enjoy some of the best scenery of the Andes.

Your Guide to Hiking Rainbow Mountain (Vinicunca): What to Really Expect

Going to the Rainbow Mountain is an experience of a real high adventure, yet the difficulty is not what many people expect. The trail itself is a fairly smooth, broad trail the majority of the way. It is the air that is the true challenge. You are hiking at a height of 17, 060 feet (5, 200m), that is higher than any mountain in the continental US, and you will feel that with each step, you are making a strain. It’s an uphill that skims your lungs like no other thing but your legs.

That being said, the most important thing that you can know is that you do not have to walk the distance. The most significant part of the ascent is provided with horse rentals by the local community members. You can take the rapid upper part most of the way up, with a few Peruvian soles, sparing your dear little energy the last strenuous, 15-minute scramble to the central wayside. This alternative will allow a significantly larger group of the population to experience the marvelous panorama, not only experienced mountaineers.

Expectations vs. Reality

In terms of the pictures there is nothing more real than the mineral lines on the mountain, but the extremely bright, neon colors that you perceive through your social media are heavily over-edited. Physically, the colors are gorgeous but much more natural and concrete– imagine terracotta, lavender and soft turquoise as opposed to crayon-bright colors. The surroundings remain spectacular and completely rare, yet with the realistic expectations, you get a chance to enjoy the natural, rugged beauty of it.

Finally, visiting Vinicunca with the naked eye is a bucket-list experience and is absolutely attainable to a correctly acclimatized traveler. However, should the image of such a high level leave you wanting more, or should the image of a shining blue lagoon be what you are dreaming of rather than of a painted landscape, why not have the equally beautiful trek to Humantay Lake begging your attention.

Hiking to Humantay Lake: How to See the Famous Turquoise Lagoon

Rainbow Mountain can be a challenge to the lungs with elevation, however, Humantay Lake issues a challenge to the legs. The audience begins gradually with a dramatic valley. The actual work is during the final 45-60 minutes. In this part, one ascends to the sharp incline through zigzags up a moraine left by glaciers. It’s tough but short. The top wrong makes you motivated.

Several tourist travelers do not know that this lake is the starting point of the largest tourist destination on the popular Salkantay Trek 4 Days. This is a multi-day trail which gives Machu Picchu. You shall find Trekkers going on their long trip. That makes your day hike a kind of connection to a bigger adventure.

In the case of the postcard photo, time is of essence. The lake is turquoise in color due to the glacial minerals. Waters look the brightest when subjected to strong sunlight. Attempt to land between 11 o AM and 1 PM. The lake is as jeweled by the sun. It is enclosed by the snowy Salkantay peak.

It is a big accomplishment to the visitor who has been acclimatized to reach Humantay Lake. However, perhaps as an introvert, we find these increases too sharp. That’s okay. You do not have to climb a mountain in order to appreciate the Andes. Mellow increases are found in Cusco. They suit you perfectly when you get used to the altitude.

3 Easy Hikes Around Cusco Perfect for Your Acclimatization Days

Even on those initial days which are vital as your body is becoming accustomed to the height, there is no need to remain locked up in your hotel. You do not need to climb any distant mountain top, but you can commence an excursion of the country around the very suburbs of the city.

Even a couple of fantastic ones are right there on your door, to spend a morning out or afternoon out:

• Cristo Blanco: To see the jumble of terracotta roofs in Cusco in a panoramic view, go to this mega-white statue of Christ. It is a mellow 45 minutes walk uphill from the Plaza de Armas or a taxi ride which would save you the energy.
• Pisac Ruins: This is the associated acclimatization best in the Sacred Valley. It is just a matter of increasing down rather than up.
• Temple of the Moon: This small ruin of Inca buildings is a serene, surreal 30 minutes walk through quiet countryside about 10 minutes out of the interesting San Blas area where guests can relax and unwind amidst the bustle of the city.

In order to perfect the Pisac Ruins walk, get a taxi or a colectivo (local van shared by people) in Cusco. Get the driver to pull you in the upper entrance to the ruins. Then you will ramble through several hours down through the wonderful productive terraces, the temples, and the fortifications, and finally arrive in the lower town square. 

These less demanding trails are the best option to check what you are feeling at elevated levels as you still enjoy the Andes magic. They train your body to be ready for bigger things to come, in case you decide to undertake them.

Beyond the Inca Trail: Salkantay vs. Lares Trek at a Glance

You are fantasising about that multi-day trip to Machu Picchu, but the traditional Inca Trail 2 Days has been booked? Don’t worry—some travelers argue the best alternatives aren’t alternatives at all, but premier choices in their own right. These two are the most popular, the Salkantay Trek and the Lares Trek. Although the two are both memorable Andean tours, they provide entirely different experiences, and it is important to pick the right one to have.

Why Choose the Salkantay Trek?

Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu is the one that is the choice of the adventurous person who wants to have pure gorgeous views. It is an epic trip, passing through an incredible elevation of more than 15,200 feet (4,650m) in the air through the gracious Salkantay mountain peak with its snow-dusty summit looming beside you. Having faced the icy mountains, you will shear off in a cloud forest with fertile green foliage on your path to Machu Picchu.

Nature vs. Culture: Two Very Different Journeys

The Lares trek, on the other hand, is a tour into the very core and soul of the Andean people. It is dubbed as the cultural trek because the path traverses distant high altitude villages where one could find weavers working on colored textiles and farmers herding their herds of llamas and alpacas. The view is gorgeous–imagine hilly hills and lonesome lakes–but the best of it all is the human interaction.

The bottom line is what you are after anyway. The Salkantay Trek is one that has to do with the humility of the power of nature. The Lares Trek is concerning being touched by the warmth and the strength of its people.

Whichever route you get tempted to follow, it is not a stroll in the park. They both are demanding multi-days tracks that require a high level of fitness and above all a certain amount of acclimatization in Cusco or the Sacred Valley prior to the trip. This is the best and the first step that needs to be followed to be prepared in these really life-changing journeys.

For the Truly Adventurous: Is the Ausangate or Choquequirao Trek for You?

And in case the grandeur of Salkantay and the rich heritage of Lares look unbelievable and yet you still need something more, then, come close. And to hikers who want a challenge in which they are to swap the Machu Picchu destination, there are emergent two historic names, which are Ausangate and Choquequirao. 

The Ausangate Trek takes one into the world of crude high-altitude beauty. However, unlike other treks, it is a high-altitude circuit, which is the loop of the fantastic, sacred mountain Ausangate. The difficulty of the Ausangate trek does not lie in a single difficult day; instead, doing something impossible at extremely high altitudes on the whole route.

Whereas Ausangate is a challenge of height, Choquequirao Trek is a torture of stamina. It is typical canyon hiking. In order to get to the spectacular ruins of Choquequirao, the so-called sacred sister of Machu Picchu, you have to first go down a number of thousands of feet to the roaring river, and then up the other side, back to the same point. And then do all the same over on the way home. 

These expeditions, however, are no mean improvement on Salkantay or Lares. They are off-road, physically the rudest trails that require really good shape and a strong mental state. To reach such a magnitude of adventure, it is necessary to employ a professional trail guide or Ausangate expert of the Choquequirao trail in order to ensure your safety and success.

Cusco Trekking Without a Guide: Which Hikes Can You Actually Do Yourself?

Although the walks that we have just done were extensive (and definitely require a guide), you may be curious about the day trips. Would you mind saving a bit of money and sightseeing? The response is clearly yes, but only under certain increases in which logistics are in your favor. In the case of a solo traveler, it is important to know the trails to complete alone in order to have an adventure.

Cusco hiking without a guide has the most desirable alternatives in the Sacred Valley. These localities are easily linked through colectivos-shared vans which are the blood of local transport. With half a handful of soles, you can readily proceed, out of Cusco, to places such as Pisac or Ollantaytambo and, walking straight out of the town square, can hike up to their fabulous ruins. One of the most satisfying and least difficult hikes around Cusco that can be made without an instructor is the Pisac ruins that orchestrate up a scenic path directly over the village.

However, the renowned day tours to Rainbow mountain, Humantay Lake are another case. These are trailheads some hours off Cusco along remote streets which have no regular transit. The 3 AM pickup and long-distance driving are done by a tour, which allows a 12+ hour day to be done. 

What to Pack for a Day Hike in Peru (And What to Leave Behind)

The optimal trick to remain cozy enough in any Cusco trekking adventure is to learn how to layer. The Andes weather can alternately be hot and sunny yet the next hour it is windy and frigid particularly when on an open trail such as the Rainbow Mountain hike. Of a big coat, forget about it, but think of three: a plain t-shirt, a warm-up or intermediate garment, a waterproof/windproof jacket. 

Sun protection cannot be compromised besides your garments. At elevation the atmosphere is thinner causing UV rays to be much more intense even when it is cloudy. The broad-brimmed hat, sunglasses and high-SPF sunscreen would help prevent the unfortunate burn that can setback your traveling plans. Likewise, your feet should be kept good. 

Travel with a light load daypack and concentrate on what is essential. And you will be happy you did it when the path becomes steep.

• The System of Layers: A plain shirt, some warmup fleece, and a rain/wind jacket.
• Sun Protection: SPF, a nice hat and sunglasses are a necessity.
• Broken-In Footwear: Shoes or boots that you have been wearing before that are comfortable in hiking.
• Water & Snacks: Acclimatization is important with regard to hydration. One liter of water is a reasonable beginning.

Your Adventure Blueprint: Choosing and Preparing for Your Perfect Cusco Hike

Having a clear picture of what you can do, you can gaze at the landscape around Cusco confidently, seeing it not as something unclear but as something you can decide to select the ideal day trip that would undoubtedly suit you.

It is just a matter of the memory you would like to create. You are seeking unearthly hues, a sparkling blue-green lake, or solitude in the old Inca ruins? And whatever way you choose, you must follow the golden rule of Andes: to allow your body to acclimatize. Patience is the first step, and starts many days before you ever set foot on the trail, your great adventure.

You are not a tourist who is about to go on a vacation anymore, you are an adventurer that is about to go out there. All that remains is to make your option come into reality by conducting research on the best tour operators in Cusco. Your memorable adventure to the very center of the mountains is here.