Cusco City Tour | Red Andes Peru

The city itself has been protected as a World UNESCO Heritage site since 1983 – this in itself just shows how marvelous it is! Our amazing tour guides will lead you throughout the ancient city, wonder by wonder – special for your own private group! You will learn about ceremonies, how people lived, and how they connected with the Pacha Mama – or “Mother Earth”. Our local guide will give you inside information passed down so that you will get the real story of what happened here.

Situated in the Peruvian Andes, Cuzco developed, under the Inca ruler Pachacutec, into a complex urban center with distinct religious and administrative functions. It was surrounded by clearly delineated areas for agricultural, artisan and industrial production. When the Spaniards conquered it in the 16th century, they preserved the basic structure but built Baroque churches and palaces over the ruins of the Inca city.

The Imperial city of the Incas was developed as a complex urban center with distinct religious and administrative functions which were perfectly defined, distributed and organized. The religious and government buildings were accompanied by the exclusive abodes for royal families, forming an unprecedented symbolic urban compound, which shows a stone construction technology with exceptional aesthetic and structural properties, such as the Temple of the Sun or Qoricancha, the Aqllahuasi, the Sunturcancha, the Kusicancha and a series of very finely finished buildings that shape the Inca compound as an indivisible unity of Inca urbanism. The noble city was clearly isolated from the clearly delineated areas for agricultural, artisan and industrial production as well as from the surrounding neighborhoods. The pre-Hispanic patterns and buildings that shaped the Imperial city of the Incas are visible today.

Itinerary

Day 1: City tour

1.30pm: meet at the predetermined location for transport. We first visit the central exquisite architectural feats of the ancient “Koricancha” Temple, and the Principal Cathedral, in which the first stone was placed in 1560, is a marvel of the religious art possessing approximately 300 paintings from the Cusqueña School.
Then, the tour moves to the archaeological park complex of Saqsayhuamán, majestic place with impressive works in stone, some up to 120 tons. Q’enqo (Labyrinth) a religious center dedicated to the adoration of the Earth. Puca Pucara (reddish place) that was used as a military control center, and a mandatory stop for all travelers of the Inca era.
Tambomachay (Temple of the Water) a center of adoration and worship of water.

What's Included?

What is Included:

Private tourist transport
van for 12 person or bus for 20 person
Excellent English speaking tour guide
Visit to main Cathedral and Qorikancha
and the Four Archeological Sites
(approximate duration of visits):
*SAQSAYHUAMAN 40 minutes
*QENQO 30 minutes
*PUCAPUCARA 20 minutes
*TAMBOMACHAY 20 minutes

What is not Included:

Entrance fees to the sites
(Cusco Tourist Ticket 130 soles approx US$45)
Same ticket can be used for Sacred Valley Tour
Half price for students with ISIC card.
*Entrance to Koricancha (or Qorikancha) 10 soles
*Entrance to Cathedral 25 soles (the visit of the Cathedral is optional, as many people prefer not to visit now that it is more expensive so there is the option to have afternoon tea in a restored Colonial house / hotel if you prefer during this part of the tour)
Alternatively you can purchase a partial ticket which allows a one day visit of just the 4 Archaeological sites if you are not planning to visit any of the Sacred Valley sites such as Pisac, Ollantaytambo, Chincheros

Cusco Tourist Ticket it cost 130 soles approx US$45* includes the admission to Cusco folk dances and music at Cusco Art Center in the 3rd block of Sol Avenue, presentation every night from 7:00 pm.