Ultimate 10-Day Cusco Region Tour: Discovering Hidden Gems

This 10-day expedition is crafted for travelers who want more—more than the standard Machu Picchu rush, more than mass-tourism viewpoints, and more than surface-level experiences. Led by a professional photographer and immersed in local culture, this journey unveils the real Cusco region—its secrets, its people, and its soul.

From early morning mist over Machu Picchu to star-filled skies in Ausangate, from the vibrant textiles of Chinchero to the silent majesty of Pallay Punchu, every moment is a chance to connect, learn, and shoot.

📍 Highlights at a Glance

✔ Intimate visit to Machu Picchu at sunrise, with time to explore solo
✔ Portrait sessions in a Quechua community, including school and home visits
✔ Explore lesser-known wonders: Pallay Punchu and Palccoyo Rainbow Mountain
✔ Astro-photography under glacier skies in Pacchanta
✔ Natural hot springs with Ausangate towering behind
✔ Street and lifestyle photography in Cusco & San Blas
✔ Landscape shots at Lake Humantay, 7 lagoons, and Maras Salt Mines
✔ Alpaca Blessing Ceremony + cultural insight you won’t find on a map
✔ Supported by private transport, local guides, and photo coaching every step of the way

🧭 Sample Itinerary (Flexible to Your Pace)

Day 1: Arrival in Cusco & Welcome Dinner

Day 2: Sacred Valley — Chinchero Portraits, Maras Salt Mines & Train to Aguas Calientes

Day 3: Machu Picchu Sunrise & Guided Tour

Day 4: The Faces of Peru — Full Day with Rural Quechua Family

Day 5: Scenic Road to Humantay, Overnight in Eco-Domes

Day 6: Sunrise Photography at Humantay Lake & Return to Cusco

Day 7: Cusco Photo Tour — San Blas, Qenqo Forest, Santa Ana

Day 8: Journey to Pallay Punchu & Overnight in Sicuani

Day 9: Palccoyo Rainbow Mountain, Arrival in Pacchanta, Hot Springs & Astro Session

Day 10: 7 Lagoons Trek, Community Lunch, Return to Cusco & Farewell Dinner

Option to fly out same evening or overnight in Cusco with airport transfer included.

✅ What’s Included

✔ Private transfers, airport pickup & drop-off
✔ Entry to Machu Picchu, Huayna Picchu, Maras, Moray & more
✔ All local transport and scenic train journeys
✔ 9 nights of carefully selected accommodations (double occupancy)
✔ Select meals (welcome/farewell dinners, village lunches, breakfasts)
✔ Full-time photographer guide + expert local guides
✔ Cultural activities: weaving demo, blessing ceremonies, hot springs access
✔ Drinking water, support with luggage and camera gear as needed

🚫 Not Included

✘ International & domestic flights
✘ Travel insurance (required)
✘ Some dinners and lunches to keep flexibility
✘ Personal gear, snacks, tips

🎒 What to Bring

Camera with wide, mid, and telephoto lenses
Tripod, filters (ND, CPL), batteries, and SD cards
Warm layers for nights, breathable clothes for hikes
Headlamp for early morning and night shoots
Bathing suit (for hot springs)
Curiosity, creativity, and your sense of adventure

📷 Who Is This Tour For?

✔ Photographers (all levels)
✔ Culture seekers and explorers
✔ Families and small groups wanting connection over crowds
✔ Adventurers seeking real Peru, beyond the postcards

💰 Tour Pricing

💲 Available on request. Pricing varies depending on group size, dates, and preferred accommodations.
📩 Contact us to receive a personalized quote and start customizing your perfect Andes adventure.

📅 Your Andean Expedition Starts Here

📧 Email: [email protected]
🌐 Website: www.andeanphotoexpeditions.com

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Departure/Return Location

Your hotel in Cusco
Departure Time

Flexible
Return Time

Flexible
What to wear

Comfortable seasonal clothing & shoes
Included

Accommodation

Entrance Fees

Guide

Lunch

Meals

Photo Assistance

Transport
Not Included

Extras

Insurance

Local Flights

From our gallery

What you will see..

Tour Plan

DAY 1- ARRIVAL

Arrival in Cusco, we will pick you up from the airport and transfer to your hotel in our private transport. Take time to check in and relax before a welcome meal in the evening, an opportunity to get to know the whole group and discuss what is to come.

DAY 2- Maras Mines and Andean SECRETS

Begin our drive into the Sacred Valley in our private transport, we will make our way into the town of Chinchero to a local artisanal textile market to learn about the dyeing and weaving process Chinchero is so famous for, here at the market we will also be able to have portrait sessions with the local ladies wearing the traditional clothes of Chinchero. After the session at the market we will head to our own ‘secret’ landscape location to photograph snow-capped peaks over the Sacred Valley. We next move on to a beautiful Andean lake to eat our lunch box. After lunch we will visit the amazing Salineras de Maras before we head to Olantaytambo to take the train to the town of Aguas Calientes located underneath the site of Machu Picchu, here we spend the night.

DAY 3- Machu Picchu

Early start today to catch the first bus up to Machu Picchu, here we can enjoy the ancient Incan citadel bathed in the early morning light. We will spend time photographing it from the best vantage point before taking a full guided tour with a local guide to learn more about this amazing place. After our tour we will return down to Aguas Calientes by bus, eat lunch there together and get the train in the afternoon back to Ollantaytambo, here we will be picked up in our private transport and transferred to a hotel in the Sacred Valley to spend the night.

DAY 4- The FACES of Peru

A fairly leisurely start at the hotel today, we will eat some breakfast there before heading to the market of Calca, this is a very local market and will provide some great photo opportunities, we will spend some time here, pick up some supplies before getting back into our transport to start the drive to a beautiful rural village. Here at the village we will be greeted by a local family who will host us for the day, we will spend time in the village, visit the school there and learn about the lives of these people. Our hosts will prepare us a delicious lunch in their home and we will have the chance for full portrait sessions of these people in their traditional, colourful clothes. And we will also enjoy a beautiful Alpaca Blessing Ceremony. After the day in the village we make our way back to Cusco and check into our hotel for the night.

DAY 5- Road to Humantay

On This Day we will drive to Mollepata, close to Humantay and Salkantay Glacier. During our drive we will have few stops to shoot some landscape and meet some locals. Then we will arrive to our Eco-Camp, where we will settle before dinner. Great opportunity to catch the Milky Way.

DAY 6- Humantay Lake

Very early start today to begin the horse ride up to Laguna Humantay early to avoid the crowds, here we will spend a few hours photographing this incredible glacial lake in the morning light before heading back down to the domes to eat some breakfast. After breakfast we will begin the drive back to Cusco. Upon arrival in Cusco it will be free time to do as we please, and catch up on some much needed rest.

DAY 7- Cusco Photo Day Tour

A very relaxed start to the day, get up and have a leisurely breakfast before all meeting that morning to talk photography and go through the photos we have taken so far for some critique and discussion. After some lunch the afternoon will be spent exploring the beautiful streets of the San Blas neighbourhood before we make our way up to the Eucalyptus forest of Qenqo and then the arch of Santa Ana, sweeping vistas of the city of Cusco.

DAY 8- Pallay Punchu

Visit of Pallay Punchu Mountain. We will leave early morning from Cusco, you will enjoy a very scenic drive to the spot. The sun starts giving light on the mountain around 11am. After visiting that mountain, we will drive back to the Village of Sicuani where we will rest for the night.

DAY 9- The Alternative Rainbow Mountain

An early start to make our way to the community of Palccoyo, here there are rainbow mountains much less visited than the famous Vinicunca but just as incredible. At this location we can find panoramic views all around of the amazing landscapes, all the way to the snow-capped peaks of the mountain Ausangate and its surrounding ranges. After spending some time here we head down to the community of Palccoyo and eat our packed lunch. After lunch we will begin the drive to the village of Pacchanta located in the shadow of Ausangate. Upon arrival we will check into our small, local accommodation there and eat our evening meal prepared for us by our host. We will have free time in the evening to enjoy the village, meet the locals and bathe in the natural hot springs (bring a bathing suit!). At night if the conditions allow it, we will have the chance to try out some astro photography including Ausangate in the composition.

DAY 10- 7 lagoons of Ausangate

Another very early start to photograph sunrise from just outside the village, here we can find a great composition with the river leading to the mountain and practise some long exposures on the water. After sunrise we will eat some breakfast prepared by our host. Once we are finished with breakfast we will jump on our horses to begin the 1.5 hour ride to the lagoons, when there we will dismount and explore this beautiful area on foot. Once we have explored and photographed the circuit round the lagoons we will get back on the horses to start the ride back down to the village. At the village we will eat a spot of lunch and begin the drive back to Cusco. In Cusco you will be dropped off at your hotel. We will meet that evening for a farewell dinner. Time to say goodbye. Fly out from Cusco in the evening or overnight in Cusco. Private transfer to the airport.

Tour Location

Discover Machu Picchu

More than 7,000 feet above sea level in the Andes Mountains, Machu Picchu is the most visited tourist destination in Peru. A symbol of the Incan Empire and built around 1450AD, Machu Picchu was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983 and was named one of the New Seven Wonders of the World in 2007.

10 Interesting Facts about Machu Picchu

10. In the Quechua Indian language, “Machu Picchu” means “Old Peak” or “Old Mountain.”

9. Machu Picchu is made up of more than 150 buildings ranging from baths and houses to temples and sanctuaries.

8. The compound contains more than 100 separate flights of stairs. Most of the individual staircases were carved from one slab of stone.

7. Although many of the stones that were used to build the city were more than 50 pounds, it is believed that no wheels were used to transport these rocks up the mountain. Rather, it is thought that hundreds of men pushed the heavy rocks up the steep mountain side.

6. Many different theories exist about Machu Picchu’s purpose—a royal estate and a secret ceremonial center among them.

5. The Incas were some of the best masons in the world. The structures were so well built with a technique called ashlar (stones that are cut to fit together without mortar) that not even a knife blade can fit in between stones.

4. Machu Picchu was only known locally until Yale Professor Hiram Bingham re-discovered the site in 1911. His book, The Lost City of the Incas, was based on his findings.

3. A long-standing dispute between Peru and Yale University has existed over the artifacts collected by Bingham during his exploration of the site. Yale maintains that they own the items while Peru insists they were given on loan.

2. Machu Picchu was an astronomical observatory, and its sacred Intihuatana stone accurately indicates the two equinoxes. Twice a year, the sun sits directly over the stone creating no shadow.

1. Unfortunately, most cities built by the Inca civilization were destroyed by the Spanish conquest. Machu Picchu was in a hidden location—invisible from below—and not found, making it one of the most well-preserved Inca cities and an archeological gem.

Pallay Punchu Vinicunca Rainbow Mountain

Machu Picchu Peru Tours & Andean Expeditions

Tour Reviews

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Comments

Ricardo M

18/02/2022

Great experience and really amazing people!
I’ve travelled with Andean Photo Expeditions in October 2017. I think I was one of the first ones to tour with them. They where at the time a new project. I got along very well with Pedro (he was recommended by some friends in common) and as a business man I advised him on a few things. His passion for the job is visible and so is Dans. I was lucky enough to meet both founders.
Here’s the good part about this young company and why I recommend them. their communities are not corrupted. These guys don’t go there a few days before to brief the locals on how to interact and what to do in front of the tourists. They simply announce their arrival a few days before and let them live their lives. It’s up to you and them together to create an instinctual interaction, don’t interrupt their lives and still feel very natural about it. They create that atmosphere with ease. This is what makes them good. These are real experiences with local communities. priceless and whenever i return to Peru, I plan to tour again with Pedro and Dan. I’ll definitely be recommending them to all of my photographer friends as well. Thanks guys

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Sarah Lin

05/01/2023

Amazing Trip!
Sep 2022
It is difficult expressing just how perfect our 19-day Peru trip with Andean Photo Expeditions was; mere words feel completely insufficient.

Peru and its landscapes, flora, fauna, and culture independently are without a doubt already incredible, but both Dan and Noe infinitely elevated our experiences of Peru. They were so mindful, so meticulous, and so knowledgeable in their service, and their love for the country, its people, and history rolled off of them in waves as they revealed to us pockets of Peruvian culture and hidden photographic gems I fully believe most visitors will never get to experience.

The only problem Dan and Noe have left me with is the dread that no trip I take in the future will ever be able to top this unforgettable, rich, and beautiful adventure they took us on. For that, I am eternally grateful.

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Marco

28/01/2023

Traveling with Dan was pleasant, eventful and rich of personal experiences: this is twice as much remarkable for me, because I always travel alone, and like to plan my trip by myself. Dan has rare ‘people-skill’, both with the ‘locals’ (he can struck a pleasant conversation with anybody, get precious local information, and get accepted in everybody’s home when necessary) and with clients (he always there when you need him, and he discretely disappears when it is the time for you to have the space of a ‘personal’ experience, either with people in the street or with the beauty of the environment). These are the most important qualities for a guide. The trip organisation was seamless, and his personal attention to my satisfaction and enjoyment was heartwarming. His network – drivers, hotels, restaurants.. – is excellent, and everybody loves him. He has special connections with Peruvian people living in remote villages, he introduced me to some of them, and shared with the locals moments of their life. Priceless, for me. The destinations were all well selected, a special experience for each of them. I came back with lots of beautiful photos, and desire to be back soon.

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Ultimate 10-Day Cusco Region Tour: Discovering Hidden Gems