Cheap souvenirs from Cusco: 20 authentic ideas that fit in your suitcase

You don't need to spend much to come home from Cusco with beautiful, meaningful souvenirs. Beyond magnets and T-shirts, there are dozens of authentic, cheap, light objects and products that tell a story about the place: salt from the Maras salt pans, chocolate from Cusco cacao, bracelets woven by artisans, a bag of cancha or a hand-painted postcard. This guide collects ideas for tight budgets with tips on where to buy them. We don't give prices because they change, but all are affordable options.

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Things to eat and drink

1. Maras salt: pink salt from the Inca salt pans in the Sacred Valley, in small bags or jars, sometimes with herbs or chilli.
2. Cusco chocolate: bars made from cacao grown in Cusco's jungle, in small tablets.
3. La Convención coffee: high-altitude coffee, whole bean or ground, vacuum-packed.
4. Cancha: toasted, salted corn, the quintessential Andean snack, in sealed bags.
5. Packaged quinoa or kiwicha: light, useful Andean grains.
6. Andean jams: golden berry or sauco, in small jars (mind liquids in hand luggage).
7. Muña or herbs for tea: packaged, though check your country's rules on plants.

• Chocolate and cacao in Cusco: workshops, chuncho cacao and what to buy
• Coffee in Cusco: where it comes from, specialty cafés and farm visits
• Moray and the Maras salt mines: how to visit from Cusco or the Sacred Valley
• What you can take home from Peru: customs, coca, food and crafts

Small textiles

1. Woven bracelets: colourful thread, often made by the vendors themselves. Light and perfect as gifts.
2. Chullo: the classic Andean hat with ear flaps, in wool or alpaca.
3. Woven coin purses and pouches: with Andean designs.
4. Woven bands (chumpis): loom-woven, handy as bookmarks or decoration.
5. Alpaca socks or gloves: practical and warm.

• Buying alpaca in Cusco: how to spot the real thing, prices and where to look
• Ethical shopping in Cusco: fair trade, cooperatives and weavers

Small crafts

1. Knitted llama or guinea pig keyrings: a fun classic.
2. Small Pucará bulls: an Andean ceramic amulet.
3. Pisac ceramic beads: for making necklaces or bracelets.
4. Andean dolls: in the traditional dress of different communities.
5. Chakana: the Andean cross, as a silver pendant or in wood.

• Ceramics in Cusco and the Sacred Valley: styles, workshops and what to buy
• Silver jewellery in Cusco: how to buy genuine Peruvian silver

Paper souvenirs and art

1. Hand-painted postcards and watercolours: many street and San Blas artists sell small works.
2. Cusco School prints: reproductions on paper, easy to carry rolled up.
3. Recipe or photography books: in bookshops in the centre, to remember the trip.

• The Cusco School of painting: where to see it and how to buy a reproduction
• San Blas, Cusco's artisan quarter: what to see, viewpoints and tips

Ideas depending on who it's for

If you don't know what to buy, think about the person. For someone who loves cooking, bring Maras salt, packaged ají amarillo paste or a small Peruvian recipe book. For coffee or chocolate lovers, a pack of La Convención coffee or Cusco cacao bars. Kids love llama keyrings, small chullos and Andean dolls. For someone into home décor, a small weaving, a Pucará bull or a Cusco School print. And for a travelling friend, alpaca socks they'll appreciate on their next mountain.

Souvenirs that cost nothing

Some of the best souvenirs are free. At the Machu Picchu exit there's usually a commemorative stamp you can put in your passport, though it's best to use a page you don't need, since some border authorities frown on unofficial stamps. Keep your entry tickets, tourist ticket and train tickets too: stuck in a travel journal, they tell the story better than any object. And a word learned in Quechua, like "sulpayki" (thank you), is a souvenir you'll always carry with you.

• Basic Quechua phrases for your trip to Cusco (with pronunciation)

Where to buy cheaply

• San Pedro market: for food products and some crafts.
• Centro Artesanal Cusco: many stalls to compare prices.
• Directly from artisans: in Chinchero, Pisac or on squares, prices are often better and the money goes straight to the maker.
• Supermarkets: for chocolate, coffee, cancha and packaged salt at fixed prices.

• San Pedro Market in Cusco: what to eat, what to buy, opening hours and tips
• Centro Artesanal Cusco: the big craft market on Avenida El Sol
• Supermarkets and malls in Cusco: where to stock up

What to avoid

• Coca tea and coca sweets: banned in many countries.
• "Antique" objects: can't be taken out of the country.
• Wild animal products: feathers, skins, shells.
• Cheap fake alpaca: if it's very cheap and very shiny, it's probably acrylic.

• What you can take home from Peru: customs, coca, food and crafts
• Coca leaf in Cusco: tea, chewing, altitude sickness and whether you can take it home

Tips for shopping on a budget

• Shop at the end of your trip, when you know how much space and budget you have left.
• If you buy several souvenirs at one stall, ask for a combined price.
• Carry small notes and coins.
• One small handmade souvenir is worth more than many mass-produced ones.
• Always ask whether a product is local: many shops sell mass-produced items.

• How to shop at Cusco's markets: bargaining, yapa and safety
• Cusco on a budget: saving on accommodation, food, transport and Machu Picchu

Notice: This guide shares advice and recommendations based on research and local experience. Prices, opening hours and rules may change: always check with official sources and operators. Cusco Tips is not responsible for third-party services, bookings or decisions made using these guides; some links are affiliate links (see our affiliate policy).