The days needed to make a trip of Cusco, Machu Picchu and Sacred Valley like this are 4 days, although it can be done in up to 3 days, the best way to visit places like those you will see in Machu Picchu and the Sacred Valley of the Incas is patiently and in a more subtle way.
If you plan your Tour to the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu well, it is likely to become the trip of a lifetime
Day 1: the city of Cusco and its surroundings.
Take your first day in Cusco calmly, especially if you come from cities close to sea level. You can take a tour of the city of Cusco from midday, we recommend resting in the morning after your arrival, although we know that you will leave your things at the hotel and leave as soon as possible to get to know the city. Drink a lot of coca tea, this will prevent you from getting sick from altitude sickness. You can buy the tourist ticket at the Plaza de Armas in Cusco, this will serve you not only to visit places like Sacsayhuaman and other archaeological sites in the city, but also to visit the churches in Cusco and the archaeological sites in the cities of the Sacred Valley of the Incas.
The Cusco tourist ticket includes the best places in the city, the Cusco Cathedral is probably the first place you visit on your trip through the ancient capital of the Inca Empire, then you can walk to the Coricancha. After going to the archaeological centers on the outskirts of the city, start with Sacsayhuaman, then Qenqo, Puca Pucara and Tambomachay. Most organized city tours end in the main square in Cusco, before 7 pm.
Day 2: Full-day tour to the Sacred Valley of the Incas, Pisac, Ollantaytambo and Chincheros.
In most cases, tours of the Sacred Valley of the Incas begin 45 minutes from the city of Cusco, in the beautiful town of Pisac. The Inca ruins of Pisac give you an idea of ??the advanced architecture achieved by the Incas, it is a kind of royal hacienda that apparently belongs to the Inca Pachacutec; here you can see terraces, residences, ceremonial places, canals and aqueducts. Another thing you can't miss in Pisac is its handicraft market, with unique and authentic products.
After half a day, you can have lunch in Urubamba, the commercial center of the Sacred Valley of the Incas, and if you didn't know, the best white corn in the world is produced in this town. Also, the rainy season brings delicious seasonal fruits that you can't taste anywhere else in the world.
Then, visit the Inca ruins of Ollantaytambo, a military and religious agricultural center that served as a gateway to the Inca Trail leading to the sacred Inca city of Machu Picchu, here you can see residences, temples, terraces, towers and other incredible Inca buildings. .
The way back is through the city of Chinchero, known as the rainbow city; it is a colonial city that houses the church of Our Lady of Monserrat, which began to be built in 1607, in what was the Tupac Yupanqui Palace.
Day 3: Aguas Calientes, Machu Picchu and Cusco.
This day should start very early, 5:00 a.m. It is a good time to start moving from Cusco to the train station in Ollantaytambo, remember to book train tickets in advance, at 7:20 in the morning, this will take you through the Sacred Valley to the town of Aguas Calientes at the foot of the Machu Picchu mountain and where the Inca city of Machu Picchu is located; you can take advantage of this to have breakfast, in Aguas Calientes there are many restaurants. Unless you want to walk up to Machu Picchu, you will have to buy bus tickets to Machu Picchu, these are sold next to the train station just before Puente Ruinas, and right in front you will find the bus stop where you will have to board the buses to the entrance to Machu Picchu.
You can also add more Tours to your stay in Cusco. We recommend 2 tours in Cusco
