Cusco is the capital of the Inca empire and was called Tawantinsuyo. Cusco has a special charm and beauty and is known as the archeological capital of South America. The streets are of Cusco are full to the brim with the history of the Inca and the Spanish as you will see by the mix in the architecture. Cusco has many archeological sites, majestic cathedrals and wonderful museums to discover. There is much to fill your time in Cusco.
The city of 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
Mild
1 day
We will pick you up from your hotel in Cusco. The city is a marvelous mix of Inca and Spanish culture. The tour will start at Santo Domingo church, which is built over the temple of Koricancha, the main Inca temple Cusco dedicated to the Sun God, Inti. You have time to explore these amazing sites.
Travel outside Cusco to the archaeological site of Sacsayhuaman, an impressive site that overlooks the city of Cusco. From there visit the ruins of Qenqu, Pucapucara and Tambomachay before returning to Cusco and the end of the tour.
Koricancha and the Convent of Santo Domingo
The convent of Santo Domingo was built on the spectacular Koricancha ‘enclosure of gold’. This was the most important temple in Cusco, dedicated to the worship of the Sun. The walls of the temple is said to have been lined with solid sheets of gold. All that remains now is some of the fine stonework of the foundations, the conquistadors took the rest to build the convent. Coricancha was also an observatory, where priests kept track of major celestial events. Today the site 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 weighing 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, some have been identified, 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 the Avenida el Sol 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.
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.
