Quick Summary: Chinchero is a Quechua weaving village about 30 km from Cusco, and it sits higher than Cusco, at roughly 3,760 m. Go for a half day of weaving demonstrations, a Sunday market, modest Inca terraces and a colonial church built on Inca walls. It works best as the first stop on a Maras and Moray loop, not as a full day by itself. This guide is for travellers already acclimatised in Cusco. For the wider picture, see the Sacred Valley travel guide, the Maras and Moray day trip, day trips from Cusco and the Sacred Valley destination page.
Where Chinchero Is, and Why the Altitude Matters
Chinchero is a town in Urubamba province, about 30 km from Cusco on the paved road toward Urubamba and Ollantaytambo, according to the Ministry of Culture's Cusco office. It sits on the plateau above the valley, not on the valley floor.
Chinchero is usually given as about 3,762 m (12,343 ft), per Wikipedia and Inca Rail, though other guides say 3,750 to 3,800 m. Cusco is 3,399 m (11,152 ft) and Urubamba is 2,870 m (9,420 ft). So Chinchero is about 360 m above Cusco and roughly 900 m above Urubamba. "The valley is lower than Cusco" does not apply here.
- Best for: textiles, a church on Inca walls, easy terraces
- Not for: your first day or two at altitude (see our altitude sickness guide)
Weaving, Natural Dyes and What a Demonstration Shows
The Ministry of Culture describes Chinchero weaving, with its natural dyes and Inca-derived symbols, as living heritage that families still pass on.
The best-documented place to see it is the Away Riqcharicheq centre, home of the weavers' association that helped found the Center for Traditional Textiles of Cusco (CTTC) in 1996. The CTTC now works with ten communities. A demonstration usually runs 30 to 60 minutes and, according to a 2026 weaving guide, is free to watch:
- Raw wool is washed with saqta, a plant that works as natural soap, then spun by hand on a drop spindle.
- Dyes come from plants and insects: cochineal for red, indigo for blue, chilca for green, molle for soft yellow. Cochineal looks dull purple-grey until water is added, then turns bright red.
- Weaving is on backstrap looms. Many patterns refer to Pachamama, the condor, the puma or the snake.
Where and when: Calle Manzanares S/N. The CTTC contact page lists weekdays 9:00–16:30 and Saturday 9:00–16:00. Its demonstration page says daily 9:00–16:00, so Sunday opening is unclear. Drop-ins are welcome.
How to Buy Fairly and Spot a Sales Stop
The line between a cooperative and a sales stop is blurrier than most guides admit. A coach stop with a demonstration can still pay weavers well, and a modest co-op can still overcharge. No published commission rate for guides or drivers could be found, so nobody outside can say what share of a sale reaches the weaver. Ask instead:
- Who made it? Real artisans can name the maker and her community and say whether the dyes are natural, per the weaving guide above.
- Is there an organisation behind the room? The CTTC describes its work with ten communities as fair trade, though it publishes no pricing details.
- Does the price make sense? The same guide puts a hand-woven chumpi (belt) at about S/20–30 (US$6–9) and a lliklla (blanket) at S/200–500 or more (US$58–145+). A suspiciously cheap "alpaca" may be synthetic. Real alpaca feels warm and silky, not shiny, with slightly uneven yarn.
- Can you leave without buying? You should be able to. Haggle politely: 10 to 15 percent off is normal, much more is not. Carry small soles bills.
Calibrate first: the CTTC's main shop and free museum are at Av. Sol 603 in Cusco, beside Qorikancha (closed Sundays).
The Terraces, Palace Remains, Church and the Boleto Turístico
The archaeological park covers about 43 hectares in two sectors: an urban sector of residential and ceremonial rooms for the nobility, and an agricultural sector of terraces. The chronicler Juan de Betanzos (1551) says the Inca Túpac Yupanqui had the town built, and the Ministry cites about 1480 for the royal palace. The colonial church, Nuestra Señora de la Natividad (first named Monserrat), stands on the main Inca structure. A Ministry catalogue quoting archaeologist José Alcina Franch dates its construction to 1570–1607. Expect terraces and a plaza, not a Machu Picchu-scale ruin.
Chinchero is on Boleto Turístico Circuit III, with Moray, Ollantaytambo and Pisac. It is not sold as a single-site ticket. Foreign-visitor prices on COSITUC's tariff page, as of October 2026:
| Ticket | Covers | Price | Valid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Partial, Circuit III | Chinchero, Moray, Ollantaytambo, Pisac | S/70 (about US$20) | 2 days |
| Integral | All 16 sites, Circuits I to III | S/130 (about US$38) | 10 days |
| Integral, foreign student | All 16 sites | S/70 | 10 days |
If Chinchero and Moray are your only Boleto sites, the S/70 partial is enough. Add Sacsayhuamán on another day and two partials (S/140) cost more than the S/130 integral. Guides say to buy at the COSITUC office on Av. El Sol or the first included site, with cash and your passport.
The Sunday Market
Sunday is the day to aim for. Farmers and weavers from surrounding villages fill the main square with produce and textiles, and barter (trueque) is still a living practice among local families, per the Ministry. The weaving guide suggests arriving between 8 and 9 a.m. Guides disagree on other days: Wikivoyage says Sundays only, while Lonely Planet's listing mentions smaller midweek markets.
Getting There From Cusco
| Option | Time | Rough cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Colectivo or minibus | 30–60 minutes | About S/5–10 (US$1.50–2.90); sources differ | About every 15 minutes from garages near Calle Pavitos and Calle Belén (CTTC); vans leave when full |
| Taxi | About 30 minutes | About US$29–35 one way (Rome2rio estimate) | Agree the price first |
| Group tour | A stop within an 8–9 hour loop | See our Maras and Moray guide | No waiting, fixed stop times |
Get off at the last stop in town, Paradero Entel. The weaving centre is a minute's walk down Calle Manzanares, in an orange building with a blue CTTC sign. Ask the driver for the last colectivo back to Cusco.
How Long to Stay and How to Combine It With Maras and Moray
Plan on 2 to 3 hours: weaving centre and plaza, then terraces and church. That is a judgment, not an official figure.
- Chinchero, Moray, then Maras: the standard loop, with about 45 minutes between Chinchero and Moray. Moray is on Circuit III, so one S/70 partial covers both. The Maras salt pans are not on the Boleto and charge separately, about S/10 according to one travel blogger.
- DIY loop: one blogger's colectivo route (Cusco, Urubamba, Maras, Moray, Ramal, Chinchero) cost about S/25 in transport. Check last departures.
- Sleeping here: Chinchero is higher than Cusco. If you are altitude-sensitive, base in Urubamba.
The New Chinchero Airport: Where It Stands
It is not open, and recent reporting puts opening no earlier than the end of 2028. Timelines have slipped for years, so treat every date as provisional.
- November 2025: the transport ministry (MTC) reported about 49.5% overall progress, with the terminal at 22% and the runway and control tower still being awarded (Infobae). In January 2026 it gave about 40% and a target of late 2027 or early 2028 (Andina). The figures do not match, and the reports do not explain why.
- May 2026: Acciona won a US$48 million control tower contract (Gestión). The state auditor Contraloría then reported that the terminal contractor had proposed finishing in December 2028 instead of December 2026, and that the ministry faced a 2026 budget gap of about S/65 million (Gestión).
- 17 October 2026: Gestión reported that operation would begin at the end of 2028, with 2027 a construction year.
When it opens, it is planned to handle 8 to 12 million passengers a year, against just over 5 million at Cusco today (La República). For the town, 2026 means a construction site, not an airport. The Contraloría report said the contractor owed about US$896,000 to suppliers in communities of Chinchero district. Critics, including a 2019 academic petition, warned of noise, traffic and uncontrolled urbanisation. Whether the market and weaving centres keep their character is unknown.
Who It's For and Who Should Skip It
For most first-timers, Chinchero is better as the first stop on a Maras and Moray day, after at least two nights in Cusco, than as a trip of its own.
- Go if: you want to watch weaving and buy a few real pieces, prefer small plazas to big ruins, and are acclimatised.
- Skip or shorten if: you have just flown in from Lima, or you have one valley day and want big stonework. Ollantaytambo and Pisac offer more, and the same Circuit III ticket covers them.
- Overhyped: the ruins. They are modest. The weaving and the plaza are the draw.
FAQ
Is Chinchero higher than Cusco?
Yes. Chinchero is usually given as about 3,762 m against Cusco's 3,399 m, so roughly 360 m higher. Spend at least two nights in Cusco first, and sleep lower, in Urubamba, if you are sensitive to altitude.
Do I need the Boleto Turístico for Chinchero?
Yes, for the archaeological site, which is on Circuit III. As of October 2026 the partial Circuit III ticket is S/70 for two days and the integral is S/130 for ten days. Rules at the plaza and church gates can vary, so ask on arrival.
Can I visit Chinchero without a tour?
Yes. Colectivos run from near Calle Pavitos for roughly S/5–6 and take 30 to 60 minutes.
Do I have to buy something at a weaving demonstration?
No. The CTTC welcomes drop-in visits during opening hours, and the weaving guide says you should not feel pressured. If you buy, ask who made the piece and whether the dyes are natural.
Is the new Chinchero airport open, and does it affect a visit?
It is not open, and reporting from October 2026 points to the end of 2028. Visiting the town is unaffected, though you may see construction nearby.
Limitations
This guide reflects sources checked in October 2026. Boleto prices, colectivo fares, weaving-centre hours and the airport timetable can all change. US dollar figures use about S/3.44 to the dollar, the mid-October 2026 rate, and move with the exchange rate. Work-around: check COSITUC's tariff page and the CTTC contact page before you go, ask your colectivo driver the fare and last departure, and read the latest transport ministry news before planning around the airport.