Immerse Your Senses in an Exquisite Culinary Experience While Enjoying Breathtaking Views of Downtown Cusco from the Beautiful Rooftop Kitchen

CURRENCY: Sol

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All major credit cards will be accepted for when you eat out/ book activities, however, it is encouraged to have Peruvian sol with you for when you are shopping in the local markets and on our weaving tour. There are ATM machines in the Sacred Valley that you can easily access.

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WEATHER

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Cusco and the SV in April are typically range from the mid 60's during the day, where as temps at night fall to about 39-43 degrees F.

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ALTITUDE

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Cusco sits 11, 152 ft above sea level, the SV's elevation is roughly 8,000 ft, and Machu Picchu is 7,972 ft. We intentionally chose to start our trip in Ollantaytambo for this reason, to give you time to acclimate to the elevation. 

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ALTITUDE SICKNESS

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Ways to prevent altitude sickness are to take it easy upon arrival, stay hydrated, drink the coca tea that is available ( a natural remedy for altitude sickness). Please purchase traveler's health insurance to ensure that you have adequate coverage while abroad. 

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Read here on how to prevent altitude sickness.

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PASSPORTS

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Must have at least six months of validity at time of entry

No VISA is required

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IMMUNIZATIONS

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Read through the CDC recommendations for vaccinations for your trip. 

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IMPORTANT NUMBERS TO SAVE

105 - police

116 - fire brigade

106 - ambulance

+51 1 6182000 - U.S. Embassy

WHERE WE'RE STAYING

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IN OLLANTAYTAMBO

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Originally opened in 1925 under the name of hotel Santa Rosa, El Albergue is a historic and romantic hotel, located in the Ollantaytambo train station little more than an hour away from Machu Picchu and the city of Cusco.At El Albergue our gardens are visited by hummingbirds and engulfed by the aroma of fuchsia, passionflower, peaches and avocado trees. During your stay, you may spend days visiting the archeological sites of Ollantaytambo, Pisaq and Moray; river rafting; biking; horseback riding and enjoying the beauty, cuisine and culture of the Andes - or simply relaxing in our hammocks and sauna. 

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Over 40 years El Albergue Ollantaytambo has grown and has gone from being a historical hotel inside the train station to being a place where our clients breathe history and tradition, while immersing themselves in a unique and unforgettable culinary experience . At present, El Albergue has a farm and organic garden that supply products to our restaurant, the Pachamanca lunch, its own coffee roasting and the Andean Distillery. Beautiful gardens full of flowers and fruits welcome our guests to participate in the experience of El Albergue.

We are pleased to invite you and your clients to fully participate in this adventure, not only as a place to spend the night but as a world in which you can discover the flavors of our contemporary Andean culture.

The Pachamanca lunch, an opportunity to savor the roots of the Andean agricultural culture, our guests will be able to participate in the burial of this millenary lunch in our underground stone oven. During the cooking, you will be given a tour of our organic garden, the coffee roasting and the distillery, to then witness the unearthing of the food and later go to the country dining room of our organic farm, which is located on an Inca terrace with a wonderful view of the archaeological complex of Ollantaytambo.

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IN CUSCO

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​El Balcón is the beautiful sister hotel to El Albergue. Located only three blocks from the Plaza de Armas in the city of Cusco, El Balcon has a commanding view of the entire city, cathedrals, churches, mountains and the Ausangate glacier. El Balcon is a renovated colonial Casona that dates back to the 1630s built atop the preceding Inca terraces. Inca stone work and colonial balustrades mesh harmoniously around terraced gardens creating an atmosphere that is beautiful, historic and authentically Peruvian. Some of our amenities and services include free airport transportation, complimentary hot breakfast and buffet, laundry, and free yoga classes. We are happy to help with any travel arrangements so that our guests can experience the best that Cusco and the Sacred Valley has to offer. At El Balcon we strive to provide our guests with the highest level of hospitality so that they have all they need to feel comfortable at our family establishment.

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