Getting around — Sacred Valley

In the Cusco and Machu Picchu region, internal travel is organised in several modes. In Cusco intra-muros, everything is done on foot (compact historic centre, 1.5 km²). Official taxis and Uber/Cabify serve the rest of the city (PEN 5-15 in-town ride, PEN 25-40 to peripheral archaeological sites like Sacsayhuamán). No reliable public tourist bus.

For the Sacred Valley, several options. Hiring a taxi for the day (PEN 200-350 i.e. €50-90 for 8h, negotiable, ask hotel for recommendation) is ideal for the Pisac → Urubamba → Maras-Moray → Ollantaytambo loop. Guided group excursions from Cusco (€40-60/person, full day bus + French-speaking guide + lunch) are an economical alternative. Colectivos (shared local minibuses, PEN 5-15 per trip) run on the main Cusco-Pisac-Urubamba-Ollantaytambo road (3-4h from Cusco) — economical but impractical to see several sites in one day. Car hire possible (€35-50/day) but little recommended (winding Andean roads, sometimes weak signage).

For Machu Picchu, the classic trip: taxi/bus Cusco → Ollantaytambo (2h, €30-40), then PeruRail or IncaRail train Ollantaytambo → Aguas Calientes (1h30, €75-500 return depending on class), then Consettur shuttle bus Aguas Calientes → Machu Picchu entry (25 min, USD 12 return, quick booking on site on your arrival). Cusco-Poroy trains suspended since 2022 — mandatory departure from Ollantaytambo. Budget alternative: via Hidroelectrica (Cusco-Santa Maria-Hidroelectrica road 6h in colectivo, then 11 km walk / 3h along the railway to Aguas Calientes, economical but long, about €30 total return) — reserved for backpacker travellers with time.

Access from Lima is mostly by Lima-Cusco domestic flight (1h30, LATAM, Sky, JetSmart, Avianca, €80-200 return depending on anticipation). It's the only practical option. Long-distance Lima-Cusco buses (22-25h on Andean road via Nazca-Abancay, Cruz del Sur €50-80) are an alternative for travellers with time. International connections direct from Cusco: La Paz (Bolivia) flights in season, Bogota (Avianca occasional), Santiago (LATAM seasonal). No direct flights from Europe to Cusco.

In high-altitude Quechua villages (Chinchero, Maras), triciclos (motorized cyclo-rickshaws) are local transport. At Aguas Calientes, everything is done on foot (very compact village). The paro season (social protests blocking roads) can affect Cusco-Sacred Valley and Cusco-airport links — check news before departure and plan margin.