Luxury Travel Packages in Cusco: Private Tours, Five-Star Hotels, and Machu Picchu in Style
Cusco is the natural base for a luxury trip through southern Peru: the city itself, the Sacred Valley, and Machu Picchu all sit within easy reach of each other, which is why most luxury travel packages in Cusco are built around all three rather than the city alone. The difference from a standard itinerary comes down to who sets the pace: private guides instead of group buses, five-star hotels instead of standard tourist-class rooms, and a schedule built around your interests rather than a fixed departure time.
For travelers looking to extend the trip beyond Cusco to Lima, the Amazon, or Lake Titicaca, our broader lineup of luxury travel packages in Peru covers the rest of the country in the same style.
What Makes a Cusco Package “Luxury”?
The itinerary can look similar on paper; what actually changes is who’s arranging it and how much control you have over the pace:
| Standard / Group Package | Luxury Package | |
|---|---|---|
| Guide | Shared group guide | Private, English-speaking guide |
| Transport | Shared tourist bus | Private vehicle throughout |
| Hotels | Standard tourist-class | Five-star or boutique |
| Train to Machu Picchu | Standard service | Vistadome or Hiram Bingham |
| Pace | Fixed group schedule | Built around your dates and interests |
Cusco City: Private Touring
A private tour of Cusco usually starts in the historic center, Plaza de Armas, the Cusco Cathedral, and Qorikancha, the Inca sun temple built over with a colonial church, before continuing to the hilltop ruins just outside town. See our guide to the Sacsayhuamán archaeological site for the largest and most impressive of these, along with Q’enqo and Tambomachay nearby. With a private guide, there’s room to go past the standard stops and into neighborhoods like San Blas, known for its artisan workshops and views over the city. For a fuller rundown of the city itself, see our guide to the top things to do in Cusco City.
The Sacred Valley in Style
Most luxury itineraries spend a day or two in the Sacred Valley between Cusco and Machu Picchu, both for the altitude and for the valley’s own sites. A private vehicle makes it easy to add stops that don’t fit into a standard group tour: the geometric terraces at Moray’s Inca agricultural terraces, the still-functioning salt pans at the Maras salt mines, and Ollantaytambo Fortress and its top attractions, one of the few Inca towns still laid out and inhabited the way it was built. For a deeper look at the valley as a whole, see our guide to explore the Sacred Valley in depth. If you’re weighing a private guide against a small-group option for this stretch, our guide to how to choose the right private tour walks through the trade-offs.
Machu Picchu in Luxury
Getting to Machu Picchu is part of the experience on a luxury itinerary. The Vistadome train journey to Machu Picchu adds panoramic windows and onboard service to the standard route through the Sacred Valley, and travelers who want the fullest version of the trip can step up to the Belmond Hiram Bingham, with gourmet dining and live music on the way. At the citadel itself, a private guide at Machu Picchu means setting your own pace instead of a group’s, with more room to linger at the sites that interest you most. Tickets are limited and timed regardless of budget; see our guide to Machu Picchu entrance tickets before you lock in your dates.
A Sample 5-Day Luxury Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival in Cusco
Private airport transfer and the rest of the day free to rest and begin acclimatizing.
Day 2: Cusco City
A private guided tour of the historic center and Sacsayhuamán, with time built in for San Blas or a longer lunch if you’d rather slow down.
Day 3: Sacred Valley
Private visits to Moray, Maras, and Ollantaytambo, with an overnight stay in the valley.
Day 4: Machu Picchu
A Vistadome or Hiram Bingham train to Aguas Calientes, followed by a private guided visit to the citadel.
Day 5: Departure
A private transfer back to Cusco or directly to the airport, depending on your flight.
Where to Stay
Cusco’s luxury hotel scene leans into the city’s colonial architecture. Belmond Palacio Nazarenas, built around a restored colonial convent, and Belmond Hotel Monasterio, set in a former monastery dating to the 1590s, are the city’s best-known five-star options. Inkaterra La Casona, a boutique property in a colonial manor house, is a smaller, quieter alternative nearby. All three sit within walking distance of the historic center.
Dining and Cultural Experiences
Cusco’s food scene draws on Andean staples reimagined with contemporary technique; restaurants like Cicciolina and MAP Café are among the city’s best-known for this. See our guide to the typical dishes of Cusco for the classics worth trying alongside the tasting-menu versions. Beyond restaurants, private cultural experiences, a weaving demonstration with Sacred Valley artisans, or a pachamanca meal cooked underground with heated stones, are common additions to a luxury itinerary and a way to get past the surface-level version of Andean culture.
Planning Around the Altitude
Cusco sits at roughly 3,400 meters (11,150 feet), and altitude affects every traveler differently regardless of budget. Building in a day or two to acclimatize before any strenuous activity is worth doing even on a fully private schedule; see our tips for handling Cusco’s altitude for what actually helps.
FAQs
What’s included in a luxury Cusco package?
Typically a private guide, a five-star or boutique hotel, private transportation, and a customized itinerary covering Cusco city, the Sacred Valley, and Machu Picchu. Exact inclusions vary by operator, so confirm specifics before booking.
How many days do you need for Cusco, the Sacred Valley, and Machu Picchu?
Most luxury itineraries run 5 to 7 days: a day or two in Cusco to acclimatize and explore, a day or two in the Sacred Valley, and 1 to 2 days around Machu Picchu.
What’s the best luxury hotel in Cusco?
Belmond Palacio Nazarenas and Belmond Hotel Monasterio are the two most established five-star options in the historic center; Inkaterra La Casona is a strong boutique alternative.
Is a private guide worth it in Cusco?
For travelers who want depth, flexibility, and the ability to skip crowds, yes; a private guide can adjust the pace and itinerary in ways a scheduled group tour can’t.
Ready to build your itinerary? Take a look at a couple of starting points, or contact us on WhatsApp to plan a private trip around Cusco, the Sacred Valley, and Machu Picchu.
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We are a Travel Agency specialized in tourist packages, if you need any information, do not hesitate to write to us. We offer tours in Peru and Bolivia.
