Cusco or Qosqo in quechua was the capital of the Inca empire called Tawantinsuyo. Cusco, with its special beauty and charm is considered the archeological capital of South America and a cultural legacy of Humanity. Without a doubt, Cusco is the most important tourist destination in Peru because of Machu Picchu. The streets of the city are over flowing with the history of Peru. As you tour Cusco the different stages of history from ancient times until the Conquest of the Incas. Cusco has numerous archeological sites, old majestic cathedrals and numerous museums to explore. There are endless things to do and discover in Cusco.
Cusco is also the cradle of Machu Picchu, a secret and magic citadel and recently named; one of the seven new Wonders of the world, showing the more refined work of Inca genius and wisdom. At last Cusco, in addition to the numerous archeological sites to visit, is one of the most auspicious places to do amazing treks, and discover incredible Andean landscapes and more!
3400 m.s.n.m
Up to 12
Group or private
Self-guided
Moderate
1 Days
In the afternoon, we will pick you up from your hotel proceeding to visit the Imperial City. It is a living example of the mix of andean and spanish culture. We start the tour at the Convent of Santo Domingo built over the Koricancha, which was the Ancient Inca Palace and the main worship center of the Sun God. You are given plenty of time to enjoy these amazing historical sites. From there we visit the archaeological site of Sacsayhuaman, with its impressive Inca architecture which dominates the city. Finally, we explore the archaeological sites of Q’enqo, Pucapucara and Tambomachay, which are located in the north east section of the city. You’ll return to your hotel in Cusco in the early evening.
The convent was built on the spectacular Coricancha ‘enclosure of gold’. This was the most important temple dedicated to the worship of the Sun and the walls of which were lined with solid sheets of gold. All that remains now is the fine stonework, the conquistadors took the rest and destroyed the temple to build the convent. Coricancha was also an observatory, where priests kept track of major celestial events. Today it houses an impressive collection of canvas paintings from the Escuela Cusqueña of art.
Sacsayhuaman (which means ‘a place where the falcon is satisfied’) is one of the most impressive sites built by the Incas. It is generally referred to as a fortress; however it is not certain what its main function was in reality. Current research suggests that it was more likely used as a temple, as Inca tombs have been discovered in the area.
The site is a marvellous archeological feat; even now after it was destroyed, one can only imagine its greatness when it stood in its full glory. Its construction of stones on the walls is incredible and the largest one weighs 128 tons.
The Incas envisioned Cusco as having a puma shape and Sacsayhuaman was the head. Its magnificent zigzag walls are the biggest attraction. The grounds surrounding Sacsayhuaman are still used today for the colourful festival of Inti Raymi which is held to celebrate the winter solstice on the 24th of June.
The site of Q’enqo (meaning ‘maze’ in quechua) contains the most impressive carved rocks in the Cusco area. There are carvings everywhere, although some are very indistinct, such as a llama, a condor and snakes have been identified. There are many zigzag channels on top of the natural rock, probably used for pouring sacrificial chicha (a local drink made from corn). Below the rock, there are a number of caves and passageways , an altar which was used for the sacrifices of llamas, and buried remains of people that have been mummified were discovered.
Puka Pukara is translated to ‘the red fortress’ in quechua. This is a small site and although the name suggests that it was a fortress, it does not appear to have had any defensive purpose. Probably it was used as an administrative center. The most interesting part is the way in which the Incas built the walls over the rocks.
The name means “place of rest” in quechua. It used to be the royal hacienda of the Inca Yupanqui when he went to hunt in the surrounding area. This site was also thought to have been used as a Temple to the Water. There are some interesting aquaducts, canals and cascades sculpted out of stone, designed to channel water flowing from a nearby stream.
Please Note: The Cusco city Tour and price is only for our clients who have booked any 2, 3, 4, 5 days or other tours or treks with INCA TRAIL.
ENTRANCE FEES
You have the Option to Purchase a 1 Day or a 10 Day Boleto Turistico.
The partial ticket, or 1 Day ticket costs 70 soles (US $22) and is valid for 1 day. You can visit as many sites as you like in one day with no further charge. There are no discounts with this ticket.
Both tourist tickets, of 1 day or 10 day, allows the access to different archeological sites around Cusco, and Sacred Valley. This is the best way to visit all the archeological sites of the region and the Sacred Valley. Most of the main archeological sites are not accessible for free.
The general ticket allows you to enter 16 archeological and cultural sites over the next 10 days in Cusco, the south valley and the Sacred Valley. The price of this ticket is 130 soles (about US $40) and is valid for 10 days. This is the cheapest and most convenient way to plan to see different sites in a few days. The cost for students under 25 (with the presentation of a valid ISIC card) and for teenagers under 18 (with the presentation of an identity card) is 70 soles (US$20). Children under 11 are free.
Here is a list of sites where you can use your Boleto Touristico:
Note : The entrance ticket to the main archeological sites like Sacsaywaman, Pisac, Ollantaytambo,Chinchero,Tipón and Moray cannot be sold individually; you must buy the Boleto turístico to visit them. You can get it in Avenida el Sol nearby Peru office or at the time you enter the first site that you are visiting. YOU MUST PAY IN SOLES, NO CREDIT CARD OR US DOLLARS ARE ACCEPTED.
Important: These entrances are not included in the Boleto Touristico.
It will take place the night before the trekking departure at 6pm in our office which is located at Garcilaso Street 210 , Office Nº:213 (2nd Floor) in the la CASA DEL ABUELO shopping center.
Of course! During the your Culinary Tour your main luggage can be stored at our office or at your hotel, both are free.
FIRST, to book your Tour to Machu Picchu, we need you to fill out our booking form by clicking on BOOK NOW on our homepage or click here the link BOOK NOW.
Please be ready with the following information (FROM EACH PARTICIPANT in your group).
SECOND, we require a deposit of US$55.00 per person. You can make you deposit by clicking on the VISA or PAYPAL symbols on the top of our home page, or on our booking page.
It would be greatly appreciated if you pay in cash at our office (US dollars or Peruvian soles) here in Cusco. We have many cash machines in the historical center to withdraw money. You can also pay by VISA or PAYPAL online but you will have to pay a 5.5% service charge, charged by VISA and PAYPAL. To pay your balance through PAYPAL, you need to log into your PAYPAL account using our email address of info@incatrailhikeperu.com to complete the payment.
