Is Cusco Safe? 2024 Travel Safety Guide
Welcome to our Cusco travel safety guide.
Situated deep within the Andean mountains, Cusco is by far the most popular city for travel in Peru, with an almost endless list of things to see and do.
As a result, there’s a variety of accommodation, restaurant and nightlife options in Cusco. This makes it the perfect place for tourists to set up camp, from where it’s then easy to explore the surrounding Sacred Valley region.
Cusco Quick Summary:
📍 Where is it: Southern Peru
🗺 Difficulty Getting There: Moderate/Easy
⏱ Time needed: 6+ Days
☀️ Best Time to Visit: September/October
Is Cusco Safe?
In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explore everything you’ll need to know about Safety in Cusco as a backpacker or traveller to this area of Peru.
We’ll look at all the different factors, our top safety tips, other useful information as well as an FAQ section where we answer your key questions.
Is Cusco Safe Right Now?
Quick Answer: Cusco is quite a safe city, even despite the large amount of bustle that passes along its streets every day.
The Historic Centre and the San Blas districts are the safest areas for tourists to stay, although you’ll still want to be careful flashing valuables on the street.
Where to Stay in Cusco
Kokopelli Hostel is by far the best option for backpackers looking for cheap prices and good value. As well as having a lively atmosphere, you’ll also have free breakfast included in the rate too!
El Virrey Boutique is the best option for those who want a more comfortable private room. Located right on the Plaza de Armas, you’ll have everything within touching distance, as well as a hearty breakfast included too.
Things to do in Cusco
Cusco it’s known for its incredible architecture, and there’s no better place to start marvelling than by heading to the Plaza de Armas.
After seeing buildings like the Cusco Cathedral, you can then weave through the streets of San Blas where you can spot the infamous Twelve Angled Stone, before climbing up to the mirador for the very best views over the city.
We then have the stunning Sacred Valley. It’s full of ancient Inca ruins including the circular structures of Moray as well as those of Ollantaytambo. You can also visit some stunning areas of natural beauty too such as Lake Humanatay and the Ausangate National Park.
Machu Picchu is a must of course, and you can head on this guided full-day tour of this legendary citadel.
Is Cusco Safe to visit?
Below we’ll take a look at the current safety situation in Cusco.
Cusco Peru Travel Warnings
Cusco is facing some protests given the current political climate, however these aren’t affecting tourists (unless you get involved of course). Some tourism is affected, with certain sites being closed by the government in response.
As a whole, petty crime isn’t too common with tourists, however, you’ll still want to take precautions and avoid heading out of the touristy neighborhoods at night alone.
Crime in Cusco
The Historic Centre and the San Blas neighborhood are some of the safest areas you can stay and visit within Cusco.
Violent assault is virtually non-existent, although pickpocketing and petty crimes can still happen from time to time. It’s best to take extra precautions if walking through busy markets (such as San Pedro), given it’s easier for a thief to remain undetected.
The neighborhoods outside of these areas are much poorer and less amicable towards tourists, so it’s best to dress down if heading to these parts.
Cusco Safety during the Day
Cusco is pretty safe during the day, and there’s not any of the usual risks you’d need to otherwise plan for.
There is one thing though, and probably not one you would have otherwise thought of – The Roads. Peruvians aren’t the greatest of drivers (George would say harsher things but we’ll leave it at that), and Cusco is notorious for car accidents.
Make sure you only get in registered taxis, and to double check before crossing any roads here. As we always say, learning some Spanish from this book will help you out a ton here.
Cusco Safety at Night
Cusco can really come alive at night, which is focused mostly within the area of the Plaza de Armas and the street of Tecsecocha just behind.
Again no real worries here, where you can head out as you normally would say in Arequipa or in the Miraflores district of Lima. Just try not to get to black-out drunk, and to watch out when crossing roads (as we mentioned earlier on).
Got travel insurance for Cusco?
7 Safety Tips for Cusco
Below we will list 7 of our top safety tips for when heading to Cusco.
1. Watch the Roads
Hopefully by now we’ve hit the point home well, but yes the roads here can be chaotic at the best of times. Also make sure to choose a reputable colectivo for when heading into the Sacred Valley (you can ask your Hostel or Hotel for recommendations).
2. Leave Valuables in your Accommodation
Cusco is actually quite a safe and touristy city, so the risk of being pickpocketed is quite low. However this increases when in busy markets, so when heading here either leave them at home or seal them in this secure Money Belt.
3. Use Caution when leaving Touristy Areas
As always the touristy areas are the safest, given the better infrastructure and more welcoming attitude of locals. Heading further out is best done during the day in groups, or going with a reputable tour.
4. Use Reputable Tour Providers
Speaking of which, this is an absolute must for when embarking on hikes and multi-day trips. As beautiful as these sceneries are, some can be quite dangerous (especially with changing weather conditions) so you’ll need an expert on hand to guide you all the way. We recommend this two-in-one tour which includes hikes to both the Rainbow Mountain as well as Lake Humantay.
5. Take the Altitude Seriously
Located at 3399m, Cusco can be hard work for your respiratory system. Whilst symptoms are usually tolerable, they can cause problems higher up such as sickness (it led to George’s ill-fated volcano attempt in Arequipa). Be sure to take your time, and also use Coca Leaves and Soroche Pills to keep it all in check.
6. Bring lots of Water when Exploring
Dehydration isn’t taken so seriously in Peru, however many of these hikes are pretty demanding (there’s a reason why many of these multi-day treks take as many as 8 days). Keep drinking plenty of fluids to keep your system in optimum condition.
7. Use Sunscreen on Day Trips
You’d be surprised given how cold Cusco is, however the sun here can burn quite easily as we’re up at a high altitude. Walking the city is fine, however you’ll definitely want to carry a top-rated sunscreen like this one when out hiking.
Cusco Safety FAQ Guide:
Here we’ll take a look at the most frequent questions we get asked by our readers about safety in Cusco.
Is Cusco Safe? Final Words
And that’s all for our guide on how to stay safe in Cusco.
A classic staple when backpacking Peru, even those with a loose itinerary through South America will also want to make a stop here. Here you’ll find beautiful sceneries, ruins and a culture that makes Cusco like no other.
Cusco is also a very safe city to visit, with hardly any issues with the touristy areas (even outside they’re pretty rare too). Just make sure to follow our top tips and anything you hear from your local travel advisory, and you’ll have a really memorable time here.
In this guide, we’ve explored the current safety situation in Cusco, which includes the areas to avoid, as well as any current travel advisories.
As well as looking at the best things to do in Cusco, we’ve also included our FAQ which answers your most burning questions.
Be sure to read our Peru Itinerary for more tips and travel inspiration.
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