Pisac Peru: Day Trip to the Ruins and Market
A day trip to Pisac, near Cusco, should be top of your list if you’re exploring Peru. The ancient town is home to the incredible Pisac ruins, a fun handicraft market and a network of charming traditional streets.
Believed to have been built by the Inca emperor Pachacuti around the mid 1400s, the archaeological site at Pisac stretches out across acres of verdant mountainside. The ruins it contains offer a window into the Inca world to rival Machu Picchu.
It’s easy to see why a day trip to visit Pisac is quickly becoming a popular activity to do in Cusco, Peru. This guide will provide you with all the key information you need for your day trip, including how to get to Pisac, how to visit the ruins, and tips from my own visit to Pisac.
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What is Pisac Peru Known for?
Piscac Peru is a small town close to the well-known destination of Cusco. Pisac is known for its market and impressive Inca ruins.
How High is Pisac?
Pisac town is located at 2950 m altitude. This is lower than Cusco but higher than Machu Picchu and it’s above the recognised height at which altitude sickness can typically start. The highest part of the Pisac ruins is the military section, Q’allaqasa, at an altitude of 3514 m.
If you’ve spent some time in Cusco before visiting Pisac, you might be pleasantly surprised at how much easier it feels to walk round Pisac town (it also has less steps than Cusco, which is a relief). If you haven’t spent a few days adapting to the altitude before arriving in Pisac, and even if you have, pace yourself and be aware of the signs and symptoms of altitude sickness. Going slowly is the order of the day here.
Where Can I Get a Colectivo from Cusco to Pisac?
Colectivos leave Cusco from Puputi Street. More details below.
How to Get from Cusco to Pisac
A day trip to the Pisac ruins and market often starts out from the nearby town of Cusco, which is also where most people travel to Machu Picchu from. But just how do you get from Cusco to Pisac? Here are the main options:
Get a Colectivo (Public Shared Mini-van)
Visiting Pisac from Cusco is easy via local colectivo. First, head to Puputi Street in Cusco. This street is out of the main historic centre of Cusco and it’ll take you 20 minutes to walk here from the Plaza Mayor (the main square in Cusco). Whilst the walk here is not picturesque, as it involves walking alongside a noisy main road, it’s probably as quick to walk as it is to try to wrestle your way here through the heavy Cusco traffic on a local bus. If you don’t fancy the walk, you could take a taxi for a few soles but, as with the bus, you may find you get stuck in traffic.
The stop for the Pisac colectivo is just a few metres up Puputi street (coming from Avenida de la Cultura). You’ll probably hear it before you see it, as there are people shouting out ‘Pisac’ repeatedly. There’s also a large sign. Once at the stop, you’ll be directed to get in the modern minivan.
If you’ve timed it right and the van is already full you’ll head off straight away. If you’re the first ones there, you might have to wait up to 15 minutes for the van to fill up with other passengers before you depart. It’s not time wasted though as you can enjoy the food vendors entering the van to offer you all sorts of tasty treats, with neon-coloured jellies and fruit a popular option.
What’s the Journey to Pisac Like?
Most of the journey to Pisac is on good roads, although if you get motion sickness the last section is along a bit of a winding road. There are some great views on the journey, as you pass by small villages, llamas, eucalyptus forests and gaze out at the snow-capped Andes in the distance.
On arrival in Pisac, the colectivo will drop you just over the bridge at the entrance to Pisac town.
Take a Taxi from Cusco to Pisac
If time is short and you just want to get going or if there’s a group of you, a taxi the whole way will cost around 110 soles (£25/$30). Uber and Cabify both work in Cusco, or you can ask your accommodation to book a taxi for you. Note that you’ll need to negotiate the waiting time cost if you want the same taxi to bring you back. I recommend organising this in advance rather than chancing it and trying to get a taxi back from Pisac late in the day, it’s a stress you don’t need after a busy day trip.
Book an Organised Tour
Whilst it’s very possible to get from Cusco to the Pisac market and Pisca ruins independently, it does involve a bit of hanging around. If you’d prefer the certainty of an organised tour, there are some great options on Viator. These day tours usually include other Sacred Valley sights so this is a great choice if you don’t have long and want to see beautiful Moray, Ollantaytambo and Pisac all in one day.
Check the price and availability of this 5-star Sacred Valley 1 day tour. Includes Pisac, Maras, Moray, Chinchero & Ollantaytambo.
How Much Does it Cost to Go from Cusco to Pisac?
The cost of a single journey on the colectivo from Cusco to Pisac is 5 soles (£1/$1.30) per person. The return journey costs the same.
How Far is Pisac from Cusco
Journey time via colectivo from Cusco to Pisac is 40 minutes. The distance from Cusco to Pisac is approximately 32 km.
Things to Do on Your Pisac Day Trip
Pisac is a charming town in eastern Peru with plenty to do. On arrival, spend time wandering the grid of historic streets, enjoying the local atmosphere and traditional architecture. Once you’ve got a feel for the place, head over to visit the Pisac market and then explore the Pisac ruins for the rest of your day.
Visit Pisac Market
One of the top items on your itinerary for a day trip to Pisac, Peru, should be the Pisac artisanal market. At this, admittedly touristy, purposefully dedicated large outdoor space you’ll find plenty of local goods on sale. It’s a great place to pick up a souvenir.
What do They Sell at the Pisac Market?
Goods for sale at Pisac market include ponchos, socks, hats, gloves, t-shirts, ceramics, toy llamas, jewellery, bags, textiles, instruments and more. An example of the cost of items at Pisac market are:
- Handcrafted terracotta mug £10/$12
- Long warm socks £5/$6
- Christmas jumper £8 – £15/$10 – $19
- Alpaca blanket £10/$12
You might be able to haggle an even better price if you feel so inclined, although prices are so good that you’ll be getting a good deal regardless.
Stop for Lunch
Take lunch at one of the eateries on the main square. The Pisac Inn has delicious salads made from organic fresh produce, and huge bowls of steaming hot pasta (one is big enough to share between two for lunch, especially if you’ve had a starter).
Explore the Pisac Ruins
After you’ve filled up on some hearty food, the next part of your day trip to Pisac must include a trip to the magnificent Inca Pisac Ruins.
How to Get from Pisac Market to the Pisac Ruins
The easiest way to get from Pisac market to the Pisac ruins is via a taxi. The route up is steep and a taxi is the quickest option. You’ll find taxis next to the orange bridge at the entrance to Pisac. There’s a big sign saying Pisac taxi. If unsure, ask at the colectivo stop and they will point you around the corner to the taxi rank.
The cost of a taxi is 25 soles (£5/$6) which might seem expensive for a 15-minute journey compared to other taxis in Peru. However, given the steep walk up to the top, it is worth every penny.
Pro Tip: Before you start your taxi ride, make sure to ask the driver to go right to the entrance of the Pisac ruins not just the ticket control, as that is still a bit of a distance from the actual entrance. Have your tickets ready in the taxi, if you have them, as you need to show them at the control point.
Alternatively, you could walk up from Pisac main square – head up past the artisanal market to the entrance to the archaeological park. It’s a very long and very uphill hike so I would recommend getting transport up and hiking the trail down instead if you want to so some hiking.
Entrance Fee for the Pisac Ruins
To enter the Pisac archaeological site you need a Cusco Tourist Ticket (boleto turistico). If you haven’t already bought one before your day trip, there are control points at both entrances where you can buy the ticket. Depending on how many days you want your ticket to last, and which sites you want it to cover, the entrance fee will be between 70 soles (£15/$20), 2 day partial ticket, and 130 soles (£28/$36), 10 day full ticket.
If you want the convenience of having your ticket delivered to your hotel you can order the boleto turistico in advance from Get Your Guide.
There are guides offering their services at the entrance to the ruins but it’s not a requirement to enter so the choice is up to you. Hiring a tour guide is a good option if you want to gain a deeper understanding of the site but if you’ve already visited a few of the other Cusco ruins you can enjoy the beauty of the landscape and explore by yourself.
Pro Tip: Pisac is a large archaeological zone. To make it easy to find the key areas, take a photo of the map board at the entrance or pick up a free map in the tourist information office on the main square in Pisac before you set off.
How Much Time Do I Need to Visit the Pisac Ruins?
It’s possible to see just the uppermost section of the Pisac ruins in around an hour. You’ll get to see the main terraces, the military and urban zones and the old Inca burial site. Although this does mean you miss out on some of the other key areas, which really are worth visiting if you have the time, so that you can get a feel for quite how far the site spreads.
If you want to see more of the Pisac ruins, you can hike the trail back down to Pisac town. This will take you along incredible mountainside views and allow you to see much more of the ruins. For this, you’ll need a minimum of 3 hours and ideally 4 in total. For more stunning mountain views in Peru, visit the vibrant Palcoyo rainbow mountain.
Highlights of the Pisac Ruins
The Pisac site really is a large complex with lots of interesting ruins. The main sites are:
- Inca agricultural terraces – vast swathes of giant green blocks spreading across the mountain.
- Tantana Marka – the largest Inca cemetery in South America.
- Q’allaqasa – military zone, which requires climbing up high, to an altitude of 3500m.
- Amaru Punku – an Inca gate (‘snake gate’).
- Pisaq’a – the old Pisac village, which has a pleasing half-moon shape when you climb up the adjacent stairs and get a birds eye view.
- Intihuana – ceremonial fountains, doorways and temples.
- Tianayoc – courtyard and a seat carved into stone.
- Torreones – watch towers.
Pro Tip: There are toilets near the car park at the upper entrance. Head into the site, past the residential area, along the top of the terraces and look for the sign that says SS.HH and points to the right.
Top Tips from My Experience of Visiting the Pisac Ruins
Although the Pisac ruins site is open until 6 pm, officials started to to block off the uppermost section, the military zone, at around 4.30 pm. I was still allowed to roam free and take the hiking trail back down to the centre of Pisac. The trail was a wonderful experience, passing by the snake gate, Pisaq’a and the Intihuana. That was until dusk started to descend and I was still on the mountainside trying to get to the end of the walk.
I strongly suggest taking a good torch and planning your time better than I did. I wanted to see ‘just one more’ of the highlights on the way down and as a result had to complete the last section in the dark, which I don’t recommend and was nearly as scary as my experience sandboarding in Peru’s Huacachina desert.
There are so many things to see at Pisac ruins that you really do need to give yourself plenty of time if you want to see them all and check out what time it’s due to get dark at the time of your trip. Of course, if you’re happy just to head on down without stopping, it will be a much quicker hike. Give yourself at least two hours to do the trek and more if you want to visit all the sites on the way without rushing.
For more great hikes in Peru check out my guide to hiking Huayna Picchu the epic mountain at Machu Picchu.
Is a Trip to Pisac Worth it?
The terraces at the Pisac ruins are enormous. The stunning views from the mountain top look out across the Sacred Valley and make the trip to Pisac very much worth it. The second section of seemingly never-ending terraces stretching all the way down from Pisaq’a is equally impressive.
As well as the views and historical sites, if you’re lucky, you’ll also spot the local llamas roaming around the Pisac ruins. They seemed very happy to have their photos taken (and don’t charge a fee for the privilege).
If you’re interested in more day trips in Peru, visit the sea lions and penguins of Islas Ballestas, Paracas on a day trip from Lima.
What to Do in Pisac: Other Options
Although the Pisac ruins and market are plenty to keep you occupied on a trip to Pisac, if you’re still looking for things to do or decide to spend a couple of days here, check out some of the other local activities:
- Shop in the arty boutiques dotted around Pisac town
- Visit the museum Museo de Pisac
- Have a cake at Cafe El Encanto, corner of Calle Grau and San Francisco
- Visit the Felipe Marin Moreno botanic garden at Calle Grau 485
- Visit the church on the main square
Return Journey from Pisac to Cusco
Whether you choose to hike or take a taxi, once you’re back in Pisac town, go back to the colectivo stop and pick up the return bus to Cusco.
Where to Stay in Pisac
If this guide to Pisac ruins and Pisac market has inspired you to visit, you might be thinking about staying overnight so that you don’t have to fit everything in to one day. Or perhaps you’d like to stay in Pisac as an alternative to staying at the high altitude of Cusco. To help you plan, here are some great places to stay in Pisac.
Budget Hotel in Pisac
One of the most popular places to stay in Pisac is the Pisonay Hotel. Located down a traditional street in the centre of Pisac this hotel is all about convenience. The hotel offers excellent value for money and is highly rated for cleanliness.
Check the price and availability of the Pisonay Hotel.
Mid-range Hotel in Pisac
The lovely Pisac Inn is situated right on the market square in the centre of Pisac. As well as delicious food served in the restaurant, this traditionally decorated hotel comes very highly rated.
Check the price and availability of the Pisac Inn.
Luxury Hotel in Pisac
For a spot of luxury whilst travelling Peru, check out the Royal Inka Pisac. The hotel comes with its own huge swimming pool, sauna and tennis court and is reasonably priced.
Check the price and availability of the Royal Inka Pisac.