Know Before You Go

Where to Stay

I would recommend staying near Plaza De Armas since it’s the heart of the city with many amazing restaurants, great shopping and events. It is also centrally located making it easy to get to meet up points for tours. I stayed at the Cooper Boutique Hotel and I’d highly recommend it. Just a few min walking from the Plaza, great price, included breakfast with made to order omelets, crepes, and waffles, tea and water station in the lobby, helpful and friendly staff and comfortable rooms. I booked through Expedia here.

When to Go

The best time to go is from May-September. This is Peru’s winter season but is also the dry season. This is super important for sites such as Machu Pichu and Rainbow Mountain because it will give you the highest chance of a clear view without rain clouds and fog. Specifically, I would highly recommend planning your trip around June 24th. This is when the Inti Raymi festival is celebrated in Cusco and it is one of the most amazing cultural festivals I have experienced in my travels abroad.

Inti Raymi

Inti Raymi is a festival celebrated in Cusco every year on June 24th. It dates back to the Incan Empire where Incas would celebrate the sun and ask for its return during the winter solstice. Today, thousands of people in Peru still celebrate this festival with dancing, music, vibrant traditional costumes, historical reenactments and celebrations throughout the city. The main reenactment event takes place at Saqsayhuaman ruins, a ceremonial fortress built by the Incas in the 15th century. The event is held in Quechua which was the language of the Incas that has been passed down generations and is still spoken today. The event is a procession that moves throughout the city, including a stop in Plaza De Armas. The final, main reenactment event takes place at Saqsayhuaman ruins and here you can purchase a ticketed seat to see the event up close. I purchased tickets here.