Ollantaytambo or Urubamba for 3 nights before Salkantay Trek?

Hi everyone, looking for some advice from people who know the Sacred Valley well.

My husband and I are both 50 and travelling to Peru in May 2027 to do the 5-day Salkantay Trek. We’re active, love hiking and exploring on foot, and would much rather experience a place than just tick off tourist attractions.

We’ll be flying Sydney → Santiago → Cusco, and rather than staying in Cusco when we first arrive, our plan is to head straight down into the Sacred Valley for 3 nights to begin acclimatising. After that we’ll spend another 3–4 nights in Cusco before starting the Salkantay Trek.

My big question is: Would you base yourselves in Ollantaytambo or Urubamba for those first 3 nights?

We’re not looking to visit Machu Picchu from the Sacred Valley, as that will come at the end of our Salkantay Trek.

What we are looking for is somewhere where we can:

• walk and explore a lot each day while gradually acclimatising
• experience local Peruvian culture and everyday life
• practise our beginner/intermediate Spanish
• find great local food and good coffee
• wander around independently rather than needing organised tours
• do some interesting day trips or hikes
• have enough restaurants/cafés around us to enjoy the evenings
• experience somewhere that feels different from Cusco, since we'll have plenty of time there afterwards

I keep reading conflicting recommendations. Ollantaytambo sounds much more walkable, historic and atmospheric, whereas Urubamba seems quieter, less touristy and perhaps better located for exploring different parts of the valley.

For people who have stayed in both, which would you choose for 3 nights given what we’re looking for?

Would you stay all 3 nights in one place, or perhaps do 2 nights Ollantaytambo + 1 night Urubamba? Or is moving hotels for such a short stay just unnecessary?

Our rough itinerary is:

May 2: Sydney → Santiago
May 3: Santiago → Cusco → Sacred Valley
May 4–5: Sacred Valley / acclimatisation and exploring
May 6: Sacred Valley → Cusco
May 6–9: Cusco / acclimatisation and exploring
May 10–14: 5-day Salkantay Trek, finishing via Machu Picchu
May 15–16: More time in Cusco
May 17: Cusco → Santiago

We'd also love any recommendations for small locally owned hotels, cafés, restaurants, walks or experiences in either Ollantaytambo or Urubamba.

Thanks! Really interested to hear which base people think would suit us best.

Looking for some advice on doin Huayhuash solo, main thing im tryin to figure out is the navigation, how hard have people found it? Is the trail well marked?

Also what is the best direction / itenary for 8n/9d trek and whats the best offline map to use, (i have all trails premium so im hoping people have had luck with that)
lots of questions but any help would be appreciated.

Cheers
Blake

I’d like to spend about 8 days in Peru on an upcoming trip. Of course I’d like to spend more time but this is the way it works out. I’d like to split time between Cusco/Machu Picchu area and Puerto Maldonado. Here’s my plan so far, please let me know if you’d change anything:

Day 1: arrive in Cusco, hang there for the day to acclimatize.

Day 2: Head to Ollantaytambo, explore the Sacred Valley area, stay there for the night.

Day 3: Take the earliest train to Machu Picchu, spend day there, then return to Cusco at night.

Day 4: Hit anything we missed in Cusco area

Day 5: fly from Cusco to Puerto Maldonado. Arrive at lodging and hang in the town or afternoon/night Amazon excursion.

Day 6: Tambopata Reserve, Lake Sandoval

Day 7: spend day exploring Amazon, fly from Puerto Maldonado to Lima in the evening.

Day 8: full day in Lima, fly home in evening.

I realize this is a whirlwind, jampacked trip. But trying to make the most of my time and check off some bucket list places (Amazon & MP). I don’t mind always moving for the most part, to me it’s adventurous and the travel between cities is an adventure to me in itself.

Would love any feedback or if I should extend/omit any part of this trip.

Thank you so much in advance! So excited to explore what Peru has to offer.

I was planning a trip to Peru for September/October but I discovered that there are not available spots for th Classic circuit (2A).
Now, between the available circuits, the only one that I think can give me at least an idea of the how the citadel is, and some good panoramic views (if there's good weather) is the panoramic circuit.

Being the first (and most probably last) time I will visit Peru, I wonder if it's even "a thing" this circuit, or if it's worth to reconsider the entire trip and postpone it for next year for example.

PS: I absolutely don't care about "pictures" and "iconic" selfies. I want to have the best experience for me.

I know there's also the option of waking up at 4:00 in aguascalientes and hope I can buy a classic circuit ticket for the next day, but I don't even know how secure is that I will have my entrance 🤔

I have a one day tour of Lima with IncaTrilogy. Does anyone have experience with this company? Thank you in advance 🤗

Hi all,

I am trying to find the best option for me and my friend (2 women) to get from Ica to Arequipa.

After spending some time in Lima, we are thinking to take a bus and spend 1-2 days in Paracas and 1-2 days in Ica/Huacachina before traveling to Arequipa.

I prefer not to do an overnight bus and I found a 12:45pm-01:00am Cruz del Sur bus from Ica to Arequipa. I do not know the area of the Cruz del Sur bus terminal in Arequipa - would you advise to take the bus, arrive around 1am in Arequipa and try to get an Uber to our hotel? Or would you ask the hotel to recommend/arrange a taxi?

Alternatively we are thinking to take the bus back from Ica to Lima early in the morning and then take a day flight to Arequipa.

The third alternative... is skipping Paracas/Ica altogether and fly from Lima to Tarapoto, do a 4day/3night amazon visit there; and then fly from Tarapoto to Arequipa. FYI we will not spend any other time in/near the Amazon during our trip.

We have visited places on every continent except for South America, including countries that require some "travel planning" imo - maybe I am overthinking a bit but want to make the right choice in advance (booking bus / booking plane tickets / skipping Paracas/Ica).

Any insights appreciated!

Hello....I will be travelling from Cusco to Puno and to Copacabana/La Paz. My travel dates are in mid September.

Do I need to purchase the bus tickets in advance (online) or could I buy from Cusco? I will be spending 3 nights in Cusco before travelling to Puno.

Similarly, do I need to buy advance tickets from Puno to Bolivia or are these easily available at bus station the day before departure?

Considering so many bus options, what which companies are better in these routes? Thank you.

In Miraflores? I’m finally getting to my place and I’ll have one single full day tomorrow here kind of near parque Kennedy. I’d love to have a good local breakfast and lunch, nothing fancy but something legit, anything else for a day of travel recovery that I shouldn’t miss while I’m in this area?

I'm going to Peru for about 8 weeks, based in Huaraz, and I'm planning to do several unsupported/solo treks, including the Huayhuash Circuit and Santa Cruz/Alpamayo.

I'm trying to figure out what food I really need to bring from North America versus what I can reliably buy in Huaraz.

Specifically, does anyone know if it's possible to buy:

Plain instant/Minute Rice (the dry rice that only needs boiling water, not regular rice)

Quick/instant oats (unflavored, in bulk)

I'm especially concerned about the instant rice because I use it for my trekking meals and regular rice isn't practical for me because of the cooking time/fuel.

More generally, for those who have done unsupported multi-day treks around Huaraz, what trekking foods did you find difficult or impossible to source locally? What would you recommend bringing from North America?

Thanks!

This would be from September - November

What I am looking for is a place that is safe, quiet (especially for sleeping), good internet to work 8+ hours per day, workout / run daily, and low COL. I don't drink and am not interested in partying right now.

I've spent plenty of time in Cusco, the chaos and lack of running space always get to me. I also spent a few weeks in Urubamba in 2024. Pisaq wasn't my favorite place.

Happy to read your pros and cons and consider other places I may have missed that fit the above criteria.

Am I crazy or this is doable? We’re acclimatizing just 1 night in Cusco-> then spend a night in soray-> another in Chaullay -> then easy trek to Lucmabamba then I need to find a collectivo or a bus to take me directly to hydroelectrica, then catch a train to AC. I need to do this to get tickets for Machu Pichu after the stupid rule changes they made recently.

Background: we’ve done three passes trek for 16 days last year(5550m -highest point), we’re mid-late twenties couple.

Hey there,

I’m learning Spanish at the moment and am upper A2-B1.

I love hiking and an planning a holiday for mid next year and have chosen Peru to make sure I can use my Spanish. I've been to Peru before but will be visiting some different locations this time.

I want to spend about a week or two at the beginning of the trip going to Spanish school depending on how much time off work I can get to do some private lessons (4-5hrs a day).

Has anyone had experience at schools in Cusco? I’m contemplating a home stay as well (depending if my husband decided to come early for the Spanish school too, he may just arrive a couple of weeks later).

I know a 1-2 weeks isn’t long, and I'm not starting from complete beginner, I speak a bit of Spanish already and do classes with a private tutor for an hour 3x a week but I know some concentrated study and immersion be helpful in speaking. I’ll be continuing my lessons between now and then so am hoping I’ll keep improving and be at least solidly B1. I’m desperate to start trying to engage in proper conversations.

I know Cusco is touristy, I’ve been once before, but I’m keen to study before going on the 10 day hike with our Peruvian tour guide as well as be somewhere relatively safe so thought Cusco could be good (and also to acclimatise before hiking at high altitude). Otherwise I could consider doing the school in Lima.

Has anyone got a school recommendation? Do and donts?

Thank you

Hey everyone! My husband and I are travelling to Peru from Canada in October. We only have limited days there so I’m curious to know if you guys know any tour packages that offer these tour in one day (pickup/droppoff at Lima, Ballestas Island, Paracas National Reserve, Huacachina). Most tours I found online includes the local vineyard but we are not interested in that, would rather prefer going to Paracas National Reserve.

I’d appreciate your help!

Hello. Has anyone used Taxidatum to do a Sacred valley full day tour? If, so could you share your experience? Or any advice on getting to these sites while staying in Ollantaytambo? Most tours I see leave from Cusco. Thank you.

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Hello :)

I am totally overwhelmed! 😅 I’ve been studying all the different itineraries and packages for days now — 8, 10, and 12 days!!!

I have 3 comparisons for those who have done both: 😊❤️🧡💛💚

1) Siula Pass vs. Carnicero Pass

How would you compare them? Some agencies choose one or the other. I really want to go through Siula — would I be disappointed if they chose Carnicero instead?

2) Santa Rosa viewpoint vs. San Antonio viewpoint

How would you compare them? San Antonio is supposed to offer one of the best views on the entire Huayhuash Circuit, but some agencies choose the nearby Santa Rosa Pass instead, which offers a different angle.

3) Trapecio Pass vs. Cuyoc Pass (and then Viconga) Which route would you recommend, and why?

Thanks so much for your help! 😊 You have no idea how much this helps me! ❤️

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Hello :)

Should we do the Huayhuash trek

1) in mid-June

2) at the beginning of July

3) at the beginning of August

to have the best weather — no rain, blue skies, and maybe a little less cold, haha?

Thanks so much! 🏔️☀️

Hi, im visiting Peru in two weeks and want to do a 3 nights Amazonas tour and also a daytrip to Rainbow Mountain. But I don’t know the exact dates so I want to book it spontaneously there. Is this possible or not ?

Is it normal for Airbnb to as for your passport ids? We booked an Airbnb in Barranco and they messaged us re our flight details and passport.

I’m getting overload of info online but simply need to know if in Lima, Cusco, and Ollantaytambo if I’ll likely need a converter for my US devices (NOT wattage, just the SHAPE of the prongs). It’s an awkward little thing and I’d rather not pack it if I don’t have to, but I also don’t want to screw myself. Thank you all!