Cusco has more activities than most travelers can fit into a single trip: multi-day treks, archaeological circuits, day hikes, food tours, city walks. But not everyone arrives with a week to spare.
On my last visit, I had four days in the region. I used the first day to acclimatize, keeping things light around the city, and then dedicated the next three days to something more ambitious: three of the most iconic hikes near Cusco, all done as day tours.
The idea was simple, if time is limited, choose experiences that represent the best of the region: Inca history, high-mountain scenery, and Andean landscapes. And that’s exactly what this 3-day sequence delivered.
Into the Andean backcountry
1.- Hike the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu: History First, Altitude Later
Starting with the 1-Day Inca Trail felt like easing into the adventure with purpose. The early train from Ollantaytambo already sets the mood: big windows, the Urubamba River running beside the tracks, and cliffs that feel like they’re slowly enclosing you into the cloud forest. When you step off at Km 104, the shift is immediate: within minutes you’re walking on original Inca stonework, following a trail that climbs steadily through orchids, small waterfalls, and shaded forest.
The first big moment comes at Wiñay Wayna, an archaeological site built into the mountainside with sweeping terraces and the kind of strategic views that remind you how the Incas understood the terrain better than anyone. Later, as the path bends toward the ridge, the approach to the Sun Gate becomes one of those rare travel moments where everything aligns. You see Machu Picchu appear naturally through the stone doorway, framed by the surrounding peaks, with no crowds around you just silence, wind, and the first clear look at the city from above.
2.- Explore the the Humantay Lake: First Real Dive into the High Andes
Humantay changed the tone of the trip. The drive into Soraypampa takes you into cleaner, colder air, and by the time you step out of the van, you’re looking at a wide valley surrounded by massive snow peaks. The trail climbs quickly, and the altitude forces you to slow down whether you want to or not. But the payoff is immediate. One moment you’re climbing, and the next, the lake appears almost suddenly below the glacier of Apu Humantay.
The water looks unreal at first glance, bright turquoise shifting to emerald as the clouds move, and the glacier wall above it feels close enough that you can almost trace the cracks with your eyes. Standing there, with the lake perfectly still and the mountain towering overhead, you understand why this peak is considered sacred.
3.- Hike up to the Rainbow Mountain: The Perfect Wrap-Up
Rainbow Mountain was the final day and the highest altitude of the three, but the trail starts gently across wide plains where alpacas graze freely. The scenery changes gradually as you climb, more red tones, more wind, more open space. The last ridge is where you feel the altitude the most, but once you step onto the viewpoint, the entire landscape shifts into something that feels almost geological rather than scenic.
The mountain shows its colored layers clearly: red, yellow, lavender, green stacked like sedimentary pages shaped over thousands of years. And behind it, the Red Valley stretches into a deep copper horizon. Vicuñas move quietly across the slopes, and the combination of high-altitude silence and open views makes the experience feel bigger than just reaching another lookout.
How to make this possible
What made all of this possible in such a short window was going with Apple Travel Peru.
They handled the logistics for all three hikes: permits, transport, timing, guides. So each day felt organized and predictable. When your time is limited, that coordination makes a real difference.
These three tours work perfectly together because they balance history (Inca Trail), mountain scenery (Humantay), and iconic geography (Rainbow Mountain).
For travelers with only a few days in Cusco, this combination covers a huge range of experiences without requiring a week-long stay or complex planning.
