DAY 2: CITY TOUR: CATHEDRAL, QORICANCAHA, SACSAYHUAMAN, QUENQO, PUCAPURA, AND TAMBOMACHAY.

We will meet you in your hotel lobby at 1:00 pm to begin this tour. Our first stop will be Cusco’s Plaza de Armas where we will visit the famous Cathedral. After touring this sacred church, you will continue on foot with your group through the ancient Inca streets from the Plaza de Armas to Qoricancha, the Temple of the Sun. In Qoricancha you will see the clash between Inca culture and Catholicism, and you will have the opportunity to see firsthand the difference in building methods between the 2 eras. Take time to appreciate the incredible Inka architecture of this temple! It was one of the main temple of the Incas and where all of their major highways departed. The high altar made in bronze in the Catholic church is one of the the high light.

From Qoricancha your group will walk down Avenida El Sol and take a bus to drive up and outside of the city. It will takes 25 minutes to arrive to the majestic Inca site Sacsayhuaman. We will enter the ruins site and the guide will lead you around and explain this incredible sire. You will have extra time to explore on your own.

From Sacsayhuaman  you will take a short bus ride to Quenqo where you will see some altars from Inca times. Next, we will drive to Puca Pucara, a small circular Inca site. Finally, you will visit Tambomachay, the temple of water, and you will be able to see the impressive water fountains. We will then drive back to Cusco and end our tour in the main square. If this is a private tour, we will drop you back off at your hotel. 

DAY 4: MACHU PICCHU – RETURN TO CUSCO.

Today, we will visit Machu Picchu, one of the seven wonders of the world. We encourage you to wake up early in the morning to enjoy breakfast at the hotel and then get to the bus station to try to catch one of the first buses beginning at 5:30 am (they are all first come first serve). This bus will take around 25 min to get to Machu Picchu. As soon as you arrive, we will go to the best spot to get a panoramic view of the landscape, ruins, and the sunrise over the mountains.  You will then have a 2 hr guided tour around Machu Picchu. There will be plenty of free time afterwards to explore on your own. If you have tickets to climb the amazing mountain of Huaynapicchu, your guide will direct you to where this hike begins. Please make sure this is arranged at least a month in advance of your visit, as tickets do sell out. It is $25 USD per person. Once you are done exploring all that the ruins have to offer, you will take a bus down to Aguas Calientes for lunch.

Then we will take an afternoon train back to Ollantaytambo and from there take a private bus to return to Cusco and your hotel. 

DAY 06: SOUTH VALLEY TIPON, PIKILLAQTA, ANDAHUAYLILLAS (08:30AM – 14:30PM)

In this tour you will explore the beautiful South Valley of Cusco and get off the traditional tourist trail. The South Valley is known for its spectacular natural landscapes and incredible architecture. We will explore Inca architecture in Tipon, pre–Inca Wari architecture in Pikillacta, and a beautiful chapel, known as the “Sistine Chapel of America”. 

We will pick you up from your Hotel between 9:00-9:30 am to start our adventure.

First Stop: Tipon

The Tipon Archeological Complex is located 24 km southeast of Cusco. Tipon is one of the lesser visited sites in the Cusco area, but it is equally as impressive as those in the Sacred Valley. It is an ancient Incan site and thought to be a royal garden commissioned by Wiracocha. It is one of the most elaborate examples of agricultural terracing created by the Incas. These tall terraces, which run up the narrow valley are irrigated by an aqueduct from Pachatusan and the mountain is located above the site. In addition to the terracing, there are also some other structures at Tipon including baths, a temple complex, canals, and aqueducts. 

Stop 2: Pikillaqta

Pikillacta is the only pre-Inca site in the Cusco area. This adobe complex was built around 700 to 900 AD by the Huari people. In the area there is a small Inca site just a short walk from Pikillacta, known as Rumicolca, a travel checkpoint for the Incas.

Stop 3: Andahuaylillas

Here we will discover the the “Sistine Chapel of Peru,” a church that is home to golden altars, paintings, and many colored ceilings. The chapel is simple and unassuming on the outside, but on the inside you’ll find masterpiece after masterpiece.

On our return to Cusco we will pass Saylla, where people can enjoy the delicious and infamous pork chicharrones (optional).

We return to Cusco around 3:30 p.m.