Our Cusco City Tour is the perfect opportunity to explore amazing Inca ruins such as the famous UNESCO World Heritage of Saqsayhuaman, learn about the historical and cultural past of the ancient city of Cusco, and enjoy some of the best views of the surrounding valley.
Travel back in time while walking through the colonial streets and the relics of ancient Inca ruins. Learn about the Spanish imposition by viewing the traces in the architectural structures firsthand. Get mesmerized by this ancient capital of the Incas, which up to this day is buzzing full of culture, art, and gorgeous places.
Therefore, we recommend this tour especially during your first days in Cusco, as it will give you the perfect combination of background knowledge and easy walking to acclimate to the high altitudes while also enjoying some exquisite Inca ruins.
Moreover, this experience is designed for all ages and can be done individually to meet new people, in addition to being ideal for groups, families, or couples. Altogether, it’s the perfect way to begin your adventure in Cusco.
Itinerary
Cusco Cathedral – Qoricancha – Sacsayhuaman – Q’enqo – Puca Pucara – Tambomachay
We will start our Cusco city tour by picking you up from 1:15 PM to 1:30 PM from your respective Hotel. Then we will go to our first destination:
Cusco Cathedral
This is the first site we will visit. It is located in the main square of Cusco, also known as the Plaza de Armas. The cathedral was built in 1560 with massive stone blocks on top of the Inca palace of Wiracocha in the Sunturwasi.
In this magnificent religious construction, you can still admire beautiful wood carvings, silverwork, and nearly 300 paintings from the Cusqueña School. The cathedral’s façade features a Renaissance style, which contrasts beautifully with the Baroque and Plateresque styles inside. Moreover, it houses some of the most important colonial religious artwork in Peru.
Qoricancha or Temple of the Sun
Qoricancha was one of the most important religious centers of the Inca Empire. Additionally, it’s one of the best examples of Inca and Spanish cultural fusion. It is located just two blocks from Cusco’s main square.
Inside, you’ll find paintings from the Cusqueña School and original Inca stonework that are true masterpieces. It was known as the Royal House of the Sun of the Urin Qosqo. Here, the Incas worshipped Inti, the Sun God.
Furthermore, the site included temples dedicated to other deities such as Pachamama (Mother Earth), Illapa (Thunder), Kuychi (Rainbow), Chaska (Venus and the stars), Quilla (Moon), and Punchao (Golden Child), represented in the Solar Drum.
Today, part of the Inti Raymi (Festival of the Sun) is celebrated here every June 24.
Sacsayhuaman
Located just 2 km from the city of Cusco, Sacsayhuaman is one of the most mysterious places on Earth. It features three overlapping platforms that stretch 390 meters. They were built with enormous carved stones, fitted together with incredible precision.
Some stones reach up to 9 meters high and weigh over 120 tons. The site represents the head of the puma, part of the ancient layout of Cusco. During Inca times, it was considered the Royal House of the Sun of the Hanan Qosqo. It served as a religious, administrative, and political center.
Today, the Inti Raymi is reenacted here every June 24.
Qenqo
Qenqo is located 1 km from Sacsayhuaman and 4 km from Cusco. It will be our next stop. Qenqo was a ceremonial and astronomical site dedicated to Mother Earth.
The site features an underground cave used for mummification rituals, and an amphitheater where a large carved monolith in the shape of toads and monkeys stands. Surrounding it, there are trapezoidal niches where the Incas placed the remains of their dead. Today, only half of the original structure remains.
Pucapucara
Our next stop is Pucapucara, located just 10 minutes from Qenqo. It is also known as “The Red Fortress” due to the iron content in its stones.
It’s believed to have served as a military post and resting place. Most likely, it functioned as a checkpoint controlling access to the city of Cusco.
Tambomachay
Tambomachay is the final stop of the Cusco City Tour. It is just 100 meters from Pucapucara and 8 km northeast of Cusco. It was used as a center for the worship of water.
The complex consists of finely carved rocks, waterfalls, channels, and aqueducts. These are fed by nearby springs, coming from the glacial waters known as the “Ojos de Agua.”
Recommendations
After the tour, you can enjoy a walk around the Plaza de Armas and its surroundings. Here, you’ll find local handicrafts, art shops, and traditional souvenirs made by Cusqueñan artisans.
You can also try Peruvian cuisine at nearby restaurants or simply relax on one of the benches in the square.
If you enjoy nightlife, there are many bars and clubs close to the plaza where you can meet other travelers and locals and have a great time.
Included
TOUR INCLUDES
- Transportation from the hotel to all the tourist places
- Professional bilingual guide (Spanish and English; other languages only if previously requested)
- Entry Tickets (BTP, Cathedral, and Qorikancha)
DOES NOT INCLUDE
- National or international plane tickets
- Services not detailed in the program
Contact Us
More Information
What you should know about the South Valley of Cusco
It is made up of important archaeological sites such as Tipón and Piquillacta. Likewise, the visitor will be able to enjoy the beautiful landscapes and the exquisite local gastronomy. There is also a colonial church known as the ‘Sistine Chapel of America’ or known as the San Pedro Church, in Andahuaylillas, where you can see paintings with gold leaf coating in the Cusco Baroque style and a collection of canvases from the Cusco school , which represents the life of San Pedro.
What to do in the South Valley?
In the South Valley you can enjoy the following tourist attractions:
How to visit the South Valley of Cusco?
To visit the South Valley of Cusco you must acquire the ‘Cusco Tourist Ticket (Circuit 2)’. This tourist ticket includes admission to several tourist attractions such as: Tipón, Pikillacta, Coricancha museum, Regional Historical Museum, Museum of Contemporary Art, Monument to Pachacutec, Museum of Popular Art and the Qosqo Center of Native Art.
The Cusco Tourist Ticket can be purchased in the city of Cusco: Avenida El Sol 103 and Calle Garcilaso s / n. Another option is to visit the tourist attractions of the South Valley directly and buy the entrance tickets at the entrance door.
Tipon
They say it was a royal garden commissioned by Wiracocha; It is one of the best examples of agricultural terraces created by the Incas; These terraces extend through the narrow valley and are fed by springs from the Pachatusan Aphat (mountain). You can also see a complex of temples, irrigation canals and aqueducts. Tipón is located 24 km southeast of Cusco.
Pikillaqta
Pre-inka architecture in Pikillaqta. This adobe complex was built by the Wari culture between 700 and 900 AD. A few meters from the area, you can see a small Inca site known as Rumicolca, which functioned as a kind of toll for travelers who pass through the site.
Andahuaylillas
Andahuaylillas is one of the colonial cities of the territory, in this city there is an old church known as “The Sistine Chapel of America”; It is home to gold high schools, Cusco school paintings, and multi-colored ceilings. The chapel is quite simple and modest on the outside; but once inside, you can see the wonderful interior decorated with works of art from the famous Cusqueña school. On the way back, you will pass through the towns of Saylla and Huasao. In Saylla, you can taste the typical food of Cusco; delicious pork shells, roast pork, suckling pigs and a soup consumed since the time of the Incas, known as Chairo. In the afternoon, return to the city of Cusco. Free afternoon.
What to pack for the Cusco City Tour?
- A light daypack
- Drinking water
- Raining poncho
- Sun hat and sunscreen
- Some additional Snacks
- Original passport and if applicable student card «ISIC»
- Extra money in soles
Price
HOW MUCH DOES THE CUSCO CITY TOUR COST?
We have price alternatives that accommodate all budgets, prices per person, expressed in US Dollars.
Make your quotes and reservations by email [email protected], you can also communicate with one of our sales executives at the telephones detailed below, we will be happy to assist you.
Phone – WhatsApp: +51 969 787 221
Phone – WhatsApp: +51 986 994 218
HOW TO BOOK THE SOUTH VALLEY CUSCO TOUR?
To start the reservation process, please send us the following information:
- Name and surname:
- Passport number:
- Nationality:
- Date of Birth:
- Phone:
- Very important – We need the address and information about the hotel that you are staying at, in the city of Cusco, to be able to pick you up at the time when the tour starts
To confirm reservations it is required to pay 50% in advance and the other 50% can be paid upon arrival at your destination.
PAYMENT METHODS
- IZIPAY
- PAYPAL
- WESTER UNION
- MONEYGRAM
- TRANSFER TO OUR BANK ACCOUNT PERU
GENERAL CONDITIONS
- All rates for our Peru Packages are expressed in US dollars (subject to currency exchange rates) and are priced per person
- The rates for Peruvians only include VAT
- All our rates are subject to availability and circumstances
- Children under 2 years and 11 months are considered INF (babies) and are not permitted on this tour
- Children from 3 to 10 years and 11 months are considered DCC (child) and thus eligible for special rates and obliged to share the room with their parents
- Children over 11 years old are considered adults
- Minors must travel with an identity document
- Rates do not apply to holidays, Easter, long weekends, national holidays, Christmas, or New Year
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