In this article we aim to start a healthy debate about the pros and cons of shared, group day tours out of Cusco that you can take to places such as the Sacred Valley, Humantay Lagoon, Rainbow Mountain and more destinations in the region. Following, we lay out our arguments AGAINST joining these inexpensive day trips:
- You will be rushed and learn almost nothing
Joining a group, day tour to any of the destinations mentioned above means that you will share the vehicle and guide with about a dozen strangers of different cultures, travel styles, ages and physical condition. Some will respect the allocated time at each stop but most are likely to ignore it. Regardless, the distances between attractions are far away which means you will be given mere minutes and brief explanations. It will be a ‘been there, done that’ type of experience and you will learn very little as your guide and driver will be pressured to fit all places into the day to avoid complaints.
- You will not leave a positive impact on the local communities
On a day trip, most of the money you paid will stay with the tour company which is based in Cusco and only a small fraction may pay for meals and admission fees. Since you are not staying overnight and not eating more than a meal in those areas, your positive impact is very limited. Don’t get upset yet. I know you’re thinking that you are at least visiting these places instead of staying back home and it is true, but by taking a day trip instead of at least an overnight trip leaves little value to the host communities.
- You will be putting your life at risk
If you want to visit Rainbow Mountain or Laguna Humantay for example, take into consideration the great distances from Cusco and the type of roads and terrain you will be driving on. When most people sign up, they are unaware of the driving and road conditions and the type of vehicle that will be provided. Do a little research and just imagine driving in a large bus, on a 3-meter-wide dirt track with hundreds of meters of cliff on the side and at high speed to be able to fit the itinerary promised into the day and you get Humantay Lagoon day trip. It is absolutely great that no accidents have happened so far – and we truly hope it stays that way – but the trips offered in order to see these places in one day are not worth the risk in our opinion.
- You will miss the real highlights and meaningful experiences
Almost all day trips will start between 2 and 5 AM which of course means you will not get a lot of sleep at your accommodation. Once you board the vehicle you are likely to pass out until you reach the destination and the same on the way back. You will miss the best views, villages, people and more that really make up the actual experience that you could have had, as you will probably meet zero locals.
- You may simply be too tired to enjoy it and the following day
We know that most people take a day trip due to limited time or budget. However, a day trip will start so early and end quite late that you may get so tired that you may not even enjoy it and be so tired the following day that you may end up wasting more time that you could have used to visit other places. Sometimes taking a two or multi day trip is better than a day trip.
We are aware that for some people, a day trip is the only option and it is ‘better than nothing’. We also appreciate that you come all the way to Peru to visit our country even if it is for a day. However, do think twice before joining a day tour out of Cusco if you can avoid it. Consider a couple or more days and we promise that your experience will be infinitely better – and safer.
Let us know your comments and questions below. Safe and happy travels!!
