Cusco sits at an incredible 11,000' and at over 3,000 years old it is the oldest city in the Americas.
 
"Cusco, once the capital of the Incas 'til it fell to the Spanish in the early 16th century was an interesting city with many beautiful buildings, often built on the top of the existing Inca ones. I found a good inexpensive hotel and had a few easy days walking around enjoying the city and local area, whilst also recovering from my long bumpy ride down from Puno. It was one of the things that had surprised me, was how calmly the rest of the passengers had taken it all, as if it was just a matter of course." - Mh