I got back from Cusco a few months ago and I still can’t stop raving about it. I have done my share of traveling so I was amazed at how much this trip took my breath away. I highly recommend doing a tour as there much to see, and transportation is required to see it all. I did a 3 day tour which was excellent. Normally the first day you start with a city tour of Cusco. This is best done the first day as it is is only part of the day and you will need a few hours to rest to get acclimated to the high altitude. For altitude sickness I recommend buying your pills HERE in the U.S.; the ones there I did not find very helpful. However, even without the pills most people adjust after a few hours. The second day I toured the sacred valley which was worth all the walking and steps! The last day we took a 4 hour train to Machu Picchu. I was hoping to sleep but I couldn’t take my eyes off the scenery. Once we arrived in Aguas Calientes we took a quick bus up to Machu Picchu and were there in 15 minutes. Being up there is definitely a spiritual experience. Definitely take your time up there as this is the highlight of the trip.