Route Briefing: London to Cusco
Few routes from London reward the journey quite like this one. Yes, you're looking at around 17 and a half hours in the air with two stops, but what waits at the other end is one of the most extraordinary cities on earth — the ancient Inca capital of Cusco, sitting at a lung-testing 11,000 feet above sea level in the Peruvian Andes. This is the launching pad for Machu Picchu, but calling it merely a gateway does it a disservice. Cusco deserves days of your time in its own right.
The city is a living collision of two empires. Inca stonework — some of the most precise masonry ever created, fitted together without mortar — forms the foundations of Spanish colonial churches and palaces built on top of it. Walking the cobbled streets of the San Blas neighbourhood or standing in the Plaza de Armas, you feel the weight of centuries pressing in from every direction. The food scene draws heavily on Andean ingredients like quinoa, purple corn, and fresh trout from Lake Titicaca, and Peruvian cuisine more broadly has earned serious international respect.
Timing matters enormously here. June through August is the dry season and peak travel period — skies are clear, the trails are open, and the light over the Sacred Valley is spectacular. That popularity comes at a price, so if you're targeting this window, book your flights four to six months ahead. Routing through Madrid with Iberia or through Lima with LATAM tends to offer the most competitive fares and the smoothest connections. A good deal lands under $900 roundtrip; standard pricing sits between $1,200 and $1,600, so patience in your search pays off.
On arrival, taxis from Alejandro Velasco Astete International Airport into the city centre are a short ride — the airport sits practically within the city, which is a genuine convenience after a long haul from London.
The single most important practical tip for this trip: do not rush straight to Machu Picchu. Spend at least two full days in Cusco first to acclimatise to the altitude before heading higher or exerting yourself on trails. Altitude sickness is real and can derail even fit travellers who push too hard too fast. Drink plenty of water, take it easy on arrival day, and consider coca tea, which locals swear by. Your body will thank you, and your memories of the whole trip will be sharper for it.