Top 5 Single-Day Tours in Cusco: The Best Hikes & Cultural Experiences You Can Do in Just One Day

Cusco is one of those destinations where you don’t need a long itinerary to experience something extraordinary. Within a single day, you can walk through ancient Inca temples, climb to turquoise alpine lakes, or stand above rainbow-colored mountains shaped by minerals and time. The variety is huge: from soft cultural immersion to high-altitude adventure. The best part is that all of these experiences start right from Cusco.

To make the planning easier, we’ve grouped the 5 most popular day tours into two clear categories:
Cultural & Historical Journeys for travelers who want temples, markets, and Inca architecture, and Full-Day Hikes for those who want altitude, views, and a bit of challenge.

All of them are close, fully guided, and absolutely doable in a day. You just choose your style of adventure.

THE TOP 5 DAY TRIPS FROM CUSCO

1. Sacred Valley Tour: Culture, History & Amazing Views

Category: Cultural

This is the perfect introduction to the world of the Incas. The Sacred Valley combines viewpoints, traditional villages, ancient temples, and landscapes shaped by farming terraces. It’s beautiful, easy to explore, and packed with history. It is an absolute classic.

Highlights

• Pisac Archaeological Site and its massive agricultural terraces
• Ollantaytambo Fortress, one of the last living Inca towns
• Maras & Moray, 2 stops where you will learn about agricultural and cultural practices that shaped the local economy from before the Inca times.

Short Itinerary

07:30 AM – Pick-up from Cusco and drive to Pisac

Morning – Visit Pisac ruins + free time at the market

Midday – Lunch in Urubamba

Afternoon – Guided visit to Ollantaytambo + panoramic stops

Evening – Return to Cusco

2. Humantay Lake: Turquoise Waters in the High Andes

Category: Hike

One of Cusco’s most iconic day hikes. Humantay Lake sits beneath a glacier, glowing turquoise under the morning sun. A great choice if you want something challenging but not overwhelming.

Highlights

• The stunning turquoise glacier lake at 4,200 m
• Panoramic views of Salkantay Mountain
• A rewarding hike with unforgettable photo spots

Short Itinerary

04:00 AM – Pick-up + breakfast in Mollepata

Morning – Begin the 1.5–2 hour hike to Humantay Lake

Midday – Exploration time, photos, optional viewpoint climb

Afternoon – Lunch + drive back to Cusco

3. Rainbow Mountain: One of Peru’s Most Unique Landscapes

Category: Hike

If you’re chasing iconic scenery, this is it. Vinicunca (Rainbow Mountain) delivers bold mineral colors, vast mountainscapes, and the thrill of hiking at high altitude.

Highlights

• The multi-colored slopes of Rainbow Mountain
• Epic views of the Ausangate Range
• A high-altitude adventure close to Cusco

Short Itinerary

04:00 AM – Pick-up + breakfast stop

Morning – 1.5-hour hike to the top viewpoint

Midday – Free time for photos + exploration

Afternoon – Lunch + return to Cusco

4. 7 Lakes of Ausangate: High-Altitude Adventure for Nature Lovers

Category: Hike

A more off-the-beaten-path option. The 7 Lakes of Ausangate are glacial lagoons in different colors: turquoise, emerald, milky white. It’s remote, peaceful, and perfect if you want something less crowded.

Highlights

• Seven glacial lakes with different shapes and colors
• Views of Ausangate (6,384 m), the highest mountain in Cusco
• A full, immersive Andean hiking experience

Short Itinerary

04:00 AM – Pick-up + drive to Pacchanta

Morning – Begin the circuit hike around the lakes

Midday – Explore viewpoints + optional hot springs

Afternoon – Lunch + return to Cusco

5. Cusco City Tour: Temples, Ruins & Colonial History

Category: Cultural

If you prefer exploring without long drives, the Cusco City Tour delivers history, architecture, and key Inca temples right within and around the city.

Highlights

• Sacsayhuamán, the impressive stone fortress above Cusco
• Qorikancha, the most important temple of the Inca Empire
• Colonial + Inca architecture blended throughout the city

Short Itinerary

01:00 PM – Pick-up from your hotel

Afternoon – Guided visits to Qorikancha, Sacsayhuamán, Q’enqo, Pukapukara & Tambomachay

Early Evening – Return to your hotel

Which day tour is for you?

If you only have one day in Cusco, these trips let you pack world-class experiences into a short window. Whether that means connecting with Inca history, visiting ancient temples, or hiking into the high Andes. And if these day tours leave you wanting more, Cusco is also the starting point for bigger adventures like the Inca Trail, Salkantay Trek, and Choquequirao Trek, some of the best multi-day hikes in South America.

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