Altitude and soroche: can I go to the Sacred Valley tomorrow if I just landed in Cusco?
Book for tomorrow: Express US$32 · Classic US$30 · is there space? · how to book
Altitude of each stop against Cusco
| Place | Altitude | Against Cusco |
|---|---|---|
| Cusco (where you sleep) | 3,350 m | reference |
| Chinchero | 3,762 m | +412 · the only stop above Cusco |
| Moray | 3,500 m | +150 · Express only |
| Maras | 3,385 m | +35 · Express only |
| Pisac, Inca site | 3,300 m | −50 |
| Pisac, town | 2,972 m | −378 |
| Taray viewpoint | 2,972 m | −378 · Classic only |
| Urubamba (lunch) | 2,871 m | −479 |
| Ollantaytambo | 2,790 m | −560 · the lowest point |
Altitude sickness depends above all on the altitude you sleep at and how long you have been at it; going down during the day, even for a few hours, usually helps.
Which of the two routes if you landed today
Classic · 7:20 am
It starts below Cusco, spends six hours in the lower valley and climbs to Chinchero at 4:45 pm, when you have another day of acclimatizing behind you. An hour more sleep than the Express.
See the Classic · US$30Express · 6:20 am
It climbs to the highest stop at 7:40 am and from there everything drops. It is the route for someone who has already slept a night or two in Cusco or arrives from Puno or Arequipa, already acclimatized.
See the Express · US$32What to do the night before and during the tour
- Today: walk slowly, drink water often, eat a light dinner and skip the alcohol. Coca tea is the local custom and almost every hotel offers it.
- Tomorrow: have breakfast; lunch is at 12 pm in Urubamba. Bring water and a warm layer: Chinchero is windy and Urubamba is hot.
- On the visits: the guide sets the pace. There are steps on the Pisac terraces and up the Ollantaytambo fortress; take them at your own speed, nobody is rushing.
- The bus carries a first-aid kit and the guide is certified. If you feel unwell at any stop, say so: dropping down towards Urubamba usually helps.
When to check before booking
This page is general information about the route, not medical advice. If you have a heart or lung condition, are pregnant, are traveling with a baby or take medication for altitude, talk to your doctor before traveling to Cusco; they know your case and we only know the altitudes along the way. If you wake up unwell tomorrow, message us on WhatsApp before the pickup time: a booking for tomorrow is not refundable, but it can be moved to another day with space.
If you carry on to Machu Picchu afterwards
Machu Picchu Pueblo is lower than everything above, so the combination Sacred Valley today → train this afternoon → Machu Picchu tomorrow is a continuous descent. The departures ending in Ollantaytambo finish at 3:30 pm, a 15-minute walk from the station: how to fit it around your train.
Bookings for tomorrow: non-refundable; you can move the date if there is space, and we reschedule or refund if we cancel because of the weather.