We are headed to the Cuzco area at the end of the month and while we have most of our trip planned we have a few questions:

1. Day 1 - Salt Mines & Sacred Valley - Do we need a tour guide or company like the following one or is this something that we can just hope on some transport and do it on our own (we are looking at https://www.getyourguide.com/ollantaytambo-l93095/from-cusco-sacred-valley-and-moray-salt-mines-t317787/?ranking_uuid=5fb9d309-b5d3-4f46-b5e4-b9dbdfb78b39)? Watch BYU-K State game

2. Day 2 - church and walking around Cusco, visit historical churches, town square, etc.

3. Day 3 - Rainbow Mountain - Do we need a tour guide or company like the following one or is this something that you can just hope on some transport and do it on your own (https://www.getyourguide.com/cusco-l359/cusco-rainbow-mountain-and-red-valley-tour-with-meals-t351741/?ranking_uuid=5fb9d309-b5d3-4f46-b5e4-b9dbdfb78b39)?

4. Day 4 - Sacsayhuaman - Do we need a tour guide or is this something that we can just hop on some transport and do on our own? Visit the main market, cultural activity, observatory

5. Days 5-8 Inca Trail / Machu Pichu - Tour booked and planned - Any tips on what to wear and bring are welcomed. For those who have done it, how do you do your pics without having a place to recharge a phone? Did you just bring a camera? We did some hikes in Utah while on vacation and have been walking about 5 miles per day. Any thoughts on what we should be doing to prep the last few weeks before we go? Is it worth paying the porters an additional amount to carry our backpack in addition to the gear they carry for us. Watch BYU-Baylor game.

6. Day 9 - Recovery day, no major planned activities, explore Cusco

7. Day 10 - Return home

* We are also interested in general tips about Cusco and Peru. Are there particular foods or restaurants we should try? We do like going to a show or seeing local dance or music. Is there something like this that is excellent in the area that we should consider? Is there something we are missing on our agenda and what should we replace it with if there is? Is it worth it to just hire a single guide (if so who) to take us to the non-Inca Trail/Machu Pichu activities?

We are planning on purchasing the Cusco pass. Is there anything else like this that we should purchase such as a bus pass?

** We are taking anti-altitude sickness pills with us

*** Any thoughts on tipping, carrying cash, whether or not to use trekking polls or not (we are not used to using them yet), what type of clothing to wear, whether or not to wear our rings etc. Other thoughts on medicine to take or what to do to acclimatize to the elevation or prep for it.

****Will I have issues watching the BYU game while I am there? We have ESPN+ and Xfinity.