New Year in Cusco: Traditions and activities.

Do you know why choose Cusco to celebrate the New Year? Cusco is a magical place, with lots to do, places to know and adventures to live. This is a different experience than the regular New Year's celebration, and it is because Cusco has this amazing energy that flows around everything and everyone, and if we immerse ourselves in the Inca universe, we will understand that in the Andean worldview there is a perfect balance between the earth, the sky and what is in between.

The magical stories of ancient Peru are told in the stones of the archeological sites, the pieces of the museums and other attractions of the city, and this New Year you can live the experience with us and feel part of the mysticism of the Imperial City.

Cusco is a cultural and spiritual place where you can start a journey through its history visiting its temples, ruins and learning about its customs, the most famous and amazing tourist destinations of ancient Peru.

So, make up your mind and truly get to know Cusco with our packages at The Full Experience service. Here you will find unique experiences that include flavors of our famous gastronomy, cozy accommodations, city tours, adventures that will take your body and your mind to the limit, walks around nature and visits to churches where you will be amazed by the dazzling colonial art. Learn about all the benefits of The Full Experience service by booking Morning in Machu Picchu and Machu Picchu at Sunset packages.

Of course we have the best trains for you to go to Machu Picchu, which, depending on the service you choose, have panoramic windows, lounge bar, background Andean music, comfortable seats, personalized assistance for your comfort, a very efficient boarding process so you only have to think about the wonders you will see once you arrive to your destination, a balcony to feel the wind on your skin, entertainment system, on-board WIFI, transfer service in a private bus to the Citadel and much more. Find out what we have for you on our website www.incarail.com

In case you wonder it is always the best time to visit Cusco, especially if you are looking for a different experience in the magical center of the modern world. Travel with us and find yourself in a ritual that celebrates the here and now, the nature and its mysteries in a mystical and spiritual way that renews your energy with the magic of Cusco.

We will guide you so you can have the most positive and memorable experience where you can show a smile in every single picture that you take. Therefore you must know that your well-being is the most important thing for us, and that is why we comply with all the protocols given by the Ministry of Health of Peru. Get to know them here:

About booking and tickets:

The first thing you should do is make the decision to experience a New Year that is different from all the previous ones, one that will fulfill your heart and soul with a very special energy. If you already have, it's time to think about your safety. Reserve your tickets with us, knowing that you will arrive at your destination on time, comfortable and safe every time.

And of course, if you come to Cusco to spend New Year, you have to visit Machu Picchu, so remember that you can access our All Inclusive service when you purchase the train service of your convenience and travel without hassle. You don't want to miss out on visiting the Inca Citadel for not having the entrance tickets. Our All Inclusive service offers you the train ticket in the service you choose, the entrance to Machu Picchu at the time that is best for you, avoiding lines and crossing schedules, the transfer to the Inca City on the Consettur bus with your guaranteed space on it, and a certified guide who will give you all the information you need about this magical place.

Enter our website, choose your travel date and buy the experience that suits you the most.

What to visit this New Year in Cusco?

Cusco is considered the Archeological Capital of America and therefore the ancient capital of the Inca Empire offers a number of places to visit, places such as the Sacsayhuaman Fortress, the Qoricancha Temple, the archeological centers of Q’enqo, Puca Pucara, Tambomachay, the Main Plaza or the Cathedral of Cusco.

But besides this, we offer you a Hiking to Humantay Lake at more than 4000 meters of altitude, Morning in Machu Picchu and Machu Picchu at Sunset, where you can take the best photos, or Machu Picchu, Cusco City and Sacred Valley, a 4-day package in which you will know everything there is to know about these mystical places.  A Hike to the Rainbow Mountain or a Visit to Pisac Ruins and Ollantaytambo Fortress. All the options are designed for your comfort, where you decide how, when and where.

Enter The Full Experience landing page and learn all about the options we have for you.

Walk around the city:

To do this, you just need strong legs and the desire to get to know the city of Cusco and its people. You can walk through the city and get to the market in Cusco, walk to San Blas, a beautiful neighborhood, and buy some souvenirs in very cozy local businesses while you exchange experiences with people from Cusco and other parts of the world.

Our package Half-Day Cusco Ruins, Plazas and Landmarks, is perfect to know, taste and experience what the city of Cusco has to offer in New Year's time. You will start at the iconic San Pedro Market, very close to the MainPlaza, where you will explore incredible colors, textures and flavors.  Then you will go to the Qoricancha Temple, an ancient Inca palace and center of worship to the Sun. Later, you will ascend to the Sacsayhuamán Fortress, an extraordinary example of the military architecture of the Peruvian ancient culture. After this, you will learn a little bit more about Inca architecture visiting the archeological site of Q’enqo, to finally experience the Plaza de Armas, where you can see the Cathedral, the most important Catholic temple in the city.

If you want to know what to look for in  San Blas and know a little more about its history and charm, visit our blog and find out everything about it.

Maras and Moray:

If you want to get out of the city, you can choose the Maras-Moray tour in our The Full Experience landing page. It is a trip that you can do in a single day. Maras is a salt mine that is in the middle of the Sacred Valley just 50 kilometers away from Cusco.

Moray is the proof of the most perfect agricultural engineering design that the Incas developed. You can still visit the platforms that remain as evidence of the sociocultural vision of the Inca Empire. The distance between the salt mines of Maras and the archeological site of Moray is only 8 kilometers, so you can take your time and visit both sites on the same day.

Our package Visit Maras and Moray will make it very easy for you to enjoy this destination with peace of mind.

The Sacred Valley in your New Year’s trip to Cusco:

If you want a quiet but extremely beautiful very close to the city route, you should definitely visit Pisac Ruins right in the middle of the Sacred Valley and also experience The Archeological Site of Ollantaytambo, where the people are friendly and if you are too, they will surely tell you about the local stories and customs. You will be able to take incredible photos of the landscape and the colors of Peruvian handicrafts. 

If you want to know more about the routes and our packages, click The Full Experience and choose what suits you the best.

Vinicunca, The Rainbow Mountain:

This mountain seems to have caught the colors of the rainbow. To get there you will have to make a trip by car until you reach the town of Cusipata. From now on you will have to walk while enjoying the beauty and majesty of the high Andean landscape. You will see local fauna and flora and will be able to share with the local people. Before starting this wonderful hike, it is tradition to honor the Apus with an offering or Pago a la Tierra, as you will be entering their territory. After a few hours you will finally reach Rainbow Mountain. 

Know more about how to get there and be ready for this trip, clicking here. 

Macchu Picchu

New Year’s Train to Machu Picchu:

We have great news for you: our train services never stop, so you can board our wagons and travel with us any day you choose. You will start the tour looking through a panoramic window, while you leave the city of Cusco behind and witness the breathtaking landscape, the one that is protected by the sacred mountains, the mighty river and the deep Andean sky, which little by little will welcome the vegetation of the rainforest where Machu Picchu is located. You will make this trip in the train of your choice with all the comforts that we offer to our passengers. After a pleasant trip, you will have reached Machu Picchu Town.

We offer several options so your Machu Picchu experience would be the best one possible.
If you want to know more about our services, schedules and rates, visit our website and book your next Inca adventure right now: www.incarail.com 

What to do in Machu Picchu Town:

You can visit the falls, go out for mountain biking, buy some souvenirs at the market, taste the typical dishes, visit the Church of the Virgen del Carmen located in the Main Plaza of Machu Picchu Town, walk under the stars of the Andean Sky or simply enjoy the landscape and accommodation of your choice.

Cusco rituals and traditions for New Year:

There are different Andean customs to prepare yourself for an important event such as the farewell to the old year. One of these customs or traditions in Cusco is the dried lentils. According to the locals, you should keep a handful of this product in your pocket during December 31st wishing for good luck and economic prosperity.

You will also find a lot of places where you can buy miniature bills with the same purpose as dried lentils. 

Ritual baths are also very popular among locals and visitors. They are mystical and spiritual ancient rituals. They are supposed to reconnect you with nature and clear negative energies that bad people leave around you. The ceremony is performed by a Shaman who, with the help of wildflower petals, plants, Palo Santo, incense, flowery water, ancient songs and prayers, drives away bad energies and cleanses the soul and body.

Offerings to the Pachamama or payments to Mother Earth, are ancestral rituals that try to keep the balance between the material world and the spiritual world through a system of reciprocity.

ThePachamama is always generous, and this ritual is about giving back some of what she gives, asking for what you want to achieve and for the well-being of your loved ones.

This ritual is performed in a family or individual way inside each house, or on the summits of the Apus in a communal way.

Although it traditionally happens in the month of August, the Payment to the Pachamama can also be made in New Years in Cusco.

Now that you have all this valuable information it is very important that you'll be well prepared to experience this great adventure and spend a memorable New Year, connecting with nature and your spiritual self. Travel safe, but always leave room for surprise and daring to be spontaneous.

This December 31st, a curfew applies in Peru from 11pm to 4am of January 1st. so you must plan your New Year's adventure in Cusco keeping this detail in mind at all times. Remember that this may be the journey that takes you to discover your true mystical SELF, in a time of energetic introspection among the sacred Apus, the generosity of the Pachamama and the friendly smile of the people of Cusco.

Do not forget that to travel safely, you must always comply with biosafety protocols to enjoy and embrace a totally positive experience from the beginning to the end.

Now that you are ready and determined to make the trip of your life, you only must pack your bags with the essentials and leave room for amazement.

Travel safely with Inca Rail!