It is located in the southeastern part of Peru near the Andes Mountains in the Urubamba Valley.

Many tourists stop in Cusco city for a few days to acclimate themselves to the higher altitude and thin air before beginning the grueling four day hike towards the ancient city of Machu Picchu.

Cusco, a World Heritage Site since 1983, is home to over 350,000 people and receives about a million tourists per year. The city was also once the capital of the ancient Inca Empire.

Some of the other attractions in or around Cusco include the Santo Domingo Convent, the Sacsayhuaman Fortress Ruins, Ollantaytambo Town, and the Puca Pucara Red Fort Ruins.