Useful Services in Cusco and the Sacred Valley: Transport, Languages and Daily Life

Beyond sleeping and eating, staying in Cusco and the Sacred Valley means sorting out practical things: how to get to each town, where to work, how to do your laundry or learn the language. This guide gathers what we verified, without recommending specific businesses.

Getting between Cusco and the Sacred Valley

Approximate distances from Cusco: Pisac, about 32 km; Urubamba, about 43 km; Ollantaytambo, 72 km by road.

• Pisac: minibuses from the Puputi area, in about an hour.
• Urubamba: buses from Puente Grau; via Chinchero, close to an hour; via Pisac, between an hour and a half and two hours. There are departures at least every hour during the day, but without a fixed schedule.
• Ollantaytambo: usually done by bus to Urubamba and then another leg of about 30 minutes. You can also take the train: most depart from Poroy station, about 20 minutes by car from the center of Cusco, and some from San Pedro, which makes the trip longer.
• Private transfers: there are companies offering private transfers between the valley, Cusco, Maras-Moray and train stations. Before hiring one, verify that they are legitimate and ask for written confirmation of the price and the pickup point.

All of these frequencies and routes can change: confirm them with your lodging the day before.

Learning Spanish or Quechua

In Cusco there are Spanish schools, some with locations in more than one city, and also Quechua classes. In the valley, there are organizations that offer Spanish and Quechua classes within educational programs, for example in Ollantaytambo. Keep in mind that Quechua is still used in everyday life: in Pisac, for example, there are Masses in Quechua. Ask about minimum duration, group size and whether they offer private lessons.

Working remotely

Cusco has coworking spaces with shared desks and private offices. Ask about internet speed and the type of contract before committing to a long stay.

Daily life

• Laundry: there are laundromats in Cusco that offer water washing and dry cleaning, ironing and home delivery. In the valley, ask your lodging.
• Bicycles: there are bike shops and rentals in the Sacred Valley, including electric bikes, as well as guided rides. Ask about helmet, insurance and the condition of the brakes.
• Altitude and health: if you have pre-existing conditions, are pregnant or feel symptoms, see a health professional first. The CDC recommends descending if symptoms worsen despite rest.
• Tourist assistance: Mincetur has an assistance service called IPerú. A 2018 press release described it as available 24 hours; confirm the current channel on the official website.

When it is easiest to get around

The driest months (June to August) have less rain, but also more people and higher prices. In January and February it rains on more than 60% of days, which can affect roads and schedules. If you have a train, don’t leave the transfer to the last minute.

What we could not verify

We were not able to verify services such as clinics, photographers, translators or veterinarians in time. If you need any of them, ask your lodging.

In short

• Pisac is 32 km, Urubamba 43 km, and Ollantaytambo 72 km from Cusco.
• Minibuses and buses are frequent during the day, with no fixed schedule; confirm the day before.
• Verify that any private transfer is legitimate.
• There are Spanish schools, Quechua classes and coworking in Cusco.
• Laundry, bicycles and workshops exist in the main areas.
• If altitude symptoms appear and get worse, descend and seek medical care.

When PuroCusco has businesses listed, you will see them at /categoria/servicios; for now, use this guide to organize your daily life.