Regarding more things to do and see:
In Cusco itself must sees are Plaza de Armas, San Blas, all the churches/cathedrals and the Inca Walls. If you buy the Boleto Turistico (130 Soles), you have free access to several museums as well (I would not buy the Boleto Turistico only for the museums as I would only see this as an extra if you have time, but if you buy a Boleto Turistico anyhow for the other sites it is included).
Around Cusco you can visit several Inca Ruins Sacsayhuaman, Qenqo, Puca Pucara and Tambo Machay (all free entrance with Boleto Turistico).
In the Sacred Valley must sees are the Ruins in Pisac (go on a Sunday, Tuesday or Thursday as there will be an artisan market then) and the Ruins of Ollantaytambo (all free entrance with Boleto Turistico).
Machu Picchu of course is the main goal and takes at least 4 hours from Cusco. Entrance is NOT included in the Boleto Turistico and costs 128 Soles.
All above can be done with day trips from Cusco but it would be better if you could go from Cusco to Pisac and then Ollantaytambo (spend the night in Ollantaytambo) and then next day take the train from Ollantaytambo to Aguas Calientes (takes about 1h 45 minutes and price starts as from USD 50 one way in the backpackers train) to visit Machu Picchu. After your visit you can either stay a night in Aguas Calientes (quite expensive) or go back to Ollantaytambo.
Currently the train does not run between Cusco and Ollantaytambo so if you want to do this as a day trip from Cusco, you will have to take a bus or collectivo (very cheap) to Ollantaytambo (takes about 2 hours) and then the train from Ollantaytambo to Aguas Calientes (around 1 h 45 minutes). As mentioned above better would be to take a bus or collectivo to Pisac and afterwards to Ollantaytambo and to spend the night there so you have more time to enjoy the sites in the Sacred Valley as well.
Regarding money required:
- when you eat something on the street or where the locals eat, you can get your food very cheap
- hostels start around USD 10/night
- there is a covered market around Santa Clara were you can eat very well
- the best hamburger they have on Plaza de Armas in Jack's (a bit more expensive)
Regarding festivals or event in end June & July:
- Festival of the Sun (Inti Raymi), the biggest festival in Cusco, will take place on the 24th of June
- On June 29th it is the Feast of Saints Peter and Paul - a religious event
- National Independence Days festivities are held on July 28th and 29th
Hope this helps
I went in january, 2011. The fastest way from Plaza de Armas in Cusco to Machu Picchu is taking the train which costs 60 dollars one way and it takes 4 hours.
The cheap way is taking a bus from Cusco to a little town which I forgot, it takes 9 hours. From there you take a van that it will take you to Hidroeléctrica, this takes around 2 hours if there are not any land slides. From hidroeléctrica to Aguascalientes you walk for another 2 hours. There you can rest, eat, etc. I am not sure how much it takes you to get to the top of the mountain where Machu Picchu is located since I was so tired that I took a bus... but I think it's like 1 hour on foot. <--- Everything I just mentioned is about 30 usd total, or even less, it was very cheap.
You can eat burgers (not good quality) on the streets for less than 1 USD. Food is not really expensive so you can eat good things for a low price, don't stick to burgers! I used to eat rice with seafood in the markets :)
Hostels cost around 7 USD a day with breakfast included. I stayed at a very nice irish hostel ^_^
Hi Ally,
a day in Machu Picchu (from Cusco) will cost you around $ 200.00, which includes transportation from Cusco (taxi and train combination) and entrance to Machu Picchu plus some food (you have to take care of your own food though). Aguas Calientes is one of the most expensive towns in Peru, but you can get a decent lunch for about $ 6.00. Food in Cusco is pretty inexpensive if you eat where the locals eat, that's away from the tourist areas. I was able to get a lunch or dinner consisting of a soup, rice, beans, veggies, a little meat, and a tea for about $ 1.00. In the tourist areas you pay for something similiar more like $ 7.00.
Hostels in Cusco, usually including breakfast cost you under $ 10.00/night. One of the best hostels in Cusco is called "Loki", www.lokihostel.com
Have a great time in Peru.
if you eat cheap, then you might contract some very common illness like hepatitis or typhoid fever, and believe me, you do NOT want to get them. the only safe food for you is in a tourist restaurant which would probably also be more enjoyable.
I think there are travel packages which are much better than just buying a plane ticket and wandering into the arms of scam dealers or thugs. the travel agencies handle a lot of people and well take good care of you.
the travel agencies most likely have options and lists of events so you can go check them out.
do not forget, this is not like going to Germany or Canada, this is a third world country.
I will be traveling for 5 days to Cusco, Peru. I mostly just want to see Machu Pichu(probably misspelled) but would like to know more things to do and how much money I need to bring for food. I will be going late June/early July. Will there be any festivals or events going on around that time? How much money do I need for food each day(I am not going to Peru to eat well, I will eat cheap) and advice on what restuarants and cafes to try would be nice. And how much does it cost to see Machu Pichu? How far is Machu Pichu from Plaza de Armas and what is the best way to get there(train, bus, cab) and what would be the cost to get there?
Thank You!
