Cusco Tourist Ticket – All You Need to Know

Cusco Tourist Ticket – All You Need to Know

Without a doubt, visiting Cusco is a must for everyone that visits Peru. Many of our travellers say that they love Peru’s diversity and that of all destinations, what they liked most was Cusco.  Most importantly, for its rich history and the many options for day tours it offers.

One of the most popular day tours in Cusco is the Sacred Valley tour, where you visit the most important archaeological ruins from the Incas.

In order to visit these and more sites, you will need the Cusco tourist ticket. However, as there are different options as to what ticket to buy many people often get confused.

That’s why in this article we will elaborate what the Cusco tourist ticket is (Boleto turístico del Cusco (BTC) in Spanish), which sites each ticket includes and how much it costs.

What is the Cusco tourist ticket?

The Cusco tourist ticket is a ticket that grants you access to many important archaeological sites close to Cusco.

The non-profit tourism organisation behind it, COSITUC, is in charge of the commercialisation of the tourist ticket and of the conservation and preservation of the sites you can visit once you acquired the ticket.

It’s important to mention that the ticket only grants you access to the sites, but it doesn’t include a guide or transport.

 

What are the different ticket types? Which is the right one for me?

There are four different Cusco tourist tickets that vary considering the sites you can visit, the price and the validity. The good news? We’ll tell you which one is the right choice for you.

 

Full Cusco Tourist Ticket

With this ticket you’ll have complete access to all 16 attractions during 10 days. Not all of them are must visits, but the majority of them are worth visiting.

A site that you visit during many Sacred Valley tours and that is not included in any of the Cusco tourist tickets is Maras. You have to purchase the entrance once you are at the site (cost: S/ 10; info: $1 is around S/ 3,30).

Also, please be aware that from the 15th of June 2019, the entrance to the Maras salt mines will be prohibited. You can still access the salt mines, but only up to the general viewpoint. Consequently, it will not be possible to walk between the salt ponds anymore.

  • Sites included: Centro Qosqo de Arte Nativo, Chinchero, Monumento de Pachacutec, Moray, Museo de Arte Popular, Museo Histórico Regional, Museo Municipal de Arte Contemporáneo, Museo de Sitio Korikancha, Ollantaytambo, Pikillacta, Pisac, Puca Pucara, Qenko, Saqsayhuaman, Tambomachay & Tipon
  • Validity: 10 days
  • Price: S/ 130 for adults over 25 years (S/ 70 for kids between 10-17 only when showing passport/ID, also for students from 18-25 showing a valid ISIC card)
  • When to get this ticket: If you plan on visiting the most important sites just outside of Cusco (Saqsayhuaman, Qenko, Puca Pucara, Tambomachay) and if you also want to do the Sacred Valley tour (Pisac/Chinchero, Moray, Ollantaytambo).

Tourist ticket cusco and salt mines background

Photo of the Cusco Partial Cusco Tourist Ticket III

 

Partial Cusco Tourist Ticket I

This partial ticket I grants you access to 4 sites. It’s the adequate ticket if you want to get to know the ruins that lay just outside of Cusco.

  • Sites included: Qenko, Puca Pucara, Saqsayhuaman & Tambomachay
  • Validity: 1 day
  • Price: S/ 70
  • When to get this ticket: If you plan to do one of the typical city tours where you visit the 4 ruins outside of Cusco.

 

Partial Cusco Tourist Ticket II

With the partial ticket II, you’ll have access to 8 sites.

This is normally preferred by people that have an extra day in Cusco and don’t want to visit the ruins in Cusco itself but rather the ones in Cusco’s south valley.

  • Sites included: Centro Qosqo de Arte Nativo, Monumento de Pachacutec, Museo de Arte Popular, Museo Histórico Regional, Museo Municipal de Arte Contemporáneo, Museo de Sitio de Korikancha, Pikillacta & Tipon
  • Validity: 2 days
  • Price: S/ 70
  • When to get this ticket: If you plan on doing a tour of Cusco’s south valley (valle sur)

 

Partial Cusco Tourist Ticket III

The third and last option of the tourist ticket grants you access to 4 sites in the Sacred Valley of the Incas.

  • Sites included: Chinchero, Moray, Ollantaytambo, Moray & Pisac
  • Validity: 2 days
  • Price: S/ 70
  • When to get this ticket: If you plan on doing a Sacred Valley tour.

Pisac terraces surrounded by valley

You will visit the Pisac terraces during our Sacred Valley tour

 

Where to buy the Cusco Tourist Ticket?

Neither of the ticket options can be bought online or in anticipation.

However, you can buy them at all of the attractions during your visit except from the museum of contemporaneous art and the Pachacutec monument.

Apart from that, you can also acquire the tickets at the DIRCETUR (the official tourist information center) or at the official BTG ticket office. Below you can find the exact addresses:

DIRCETUR Cusco, Calle Mantas 116 
Monday – Saturday 9:00 am – 1:00 pm / 2:00 pm – 6:00 pm
CENTRAL COUNTER, Av. El Sol 103 (Tourist Galleries)
Monday – Sunday: 8:00 am – 6:00 pm

 

Important facts about the tourist ticket

  • Bring your passport/ID for the purchase of the ticket and also have it ready in case they want to check for your identity.
  • There are discounts for kids and for students (S/ 70 for the full ticket and S/ 40 for the partial ticket. for kids between 10-17 only when showing passport/ID, also for students from 18-25 showing a valid ISIC card).
  • Kids under 9 don’t pay (it’s still recommended to bring their passport/ID).
  • There are no individual tickets for each attraction, you must purchase the full or the partial ticket.
  • All of the tourist tickets are non-transferable and non-refundable.

 

Unlike the Machu Picchu tickets that you buy online, the Cusco tourist ticket can only be bought at the attraction itself or at an official office in Cusco.

Normally you shouldn’t worry about the ticket as you can buy them during the tour at the attraction itself, just make sure to have your passport/ID on you.

In order to make your time in Cusco as enjoyable as possible we recommend you check our recommendation on how to avoid the altitude sickness, as this might really ruin your vacation. Many people don’t take it serious, whereas this should really be something you shouldn’t underestimate.

If there is anything else you want to know about the Cusco tourist ticket or of you’re wondering which one of our multi-day Cusco trips is the right one for you, just comment below or chat with us.

2 Comments
  • 11 September, 2023 at 1:12 pm

    This is great info, thank you so much! I tried booking them online before our trip but all the offers were a lot pricier than what you mentioned above. So we’ll just wait until we get to Cusco to purchase them during our tour. That should be fine right? Thanks in advance, Toni

    • 11 September, 2023 at 8:39 pm

      Hey Toni! Absolutely, you can purchase the Cusco tourist ticket during your tour and you’ll be fine.

      Enjoy your time in Peru and feel free to reach out if you need anything.

      Best,
      Oliver

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