CUSCO TRADITIONAL - 4 DAYS

Cusco, the most important pre-Columbian metropolis in the continent, is repository and inheritor of a cultural tradition, developed throughout the Peruvian territory from 18 thousand years BC. It is a living museum where in its atmosphere still perceived greatness of remote times. To make a full description or interpretation of Cusco and its privileged inhabitants would be a gigantic work of hundreds and even thousands of volumes. It is that destiny has rewarded this "Navel of the World" with privileged and excellent quality of nature, geography and people; capable of having developed one of the most advanced civilizations for its time.

 

Peru Mysteries offers you the ease of visiting Cusco and its surroundings in a short time, which means that you will not lose anything of this magical place in your visit. come and enjoy this mysterious place with us.

 

The tour package visits are: Cusco City Tour, Cusco Sacred Valley, Cusco Southern Valley and Tour in Machupicchu

 

CUSCO TRADITIONAL 04 DAYS	CUSCO TRADITIONAL AND MACHUPICCHU	CUSCO CITY TOUR	DAY 01
		SACRED VALLEY OF THE INKAS	DAY 02
		MACHUPICCHU TOUR	DAY 03
		CUSCO SOUTHERN VALLEY	DAY 04
NOTE: YOU CAN TAKE FREE DAYS BETWEEN VISITS AND THE ORDER OF THESE MAY ALSO VARY. COORDINATE WITH THE AGENCY
END OF OUR SERVICES...

 

ITINERARY DESCRIPTION:

 

DAY 01 - CITY TOUR IN CUSCO:

 

CIRCUIT DESCRIPTION - From 13:30 to 18:30 hours - Cusco tour and surrounding areas

The City Tour circuit begins in the majestic Plaza de Armas of Cusco, where the ancient grandeur of the Andean culture still survives. We will visit the Basilica Cathedral of Cusco (in honor of the Virgin of the Assumption). Then, we will walk through a narrow stone street towards the largest Inca shrine, the Qoricancha temple.

 

After having delighted us with these extraordinary and impressive ensembles of Inca and colonial architecture. We will board our tourist bus and go to the surroundings of the imperial city of Cusco, where we will visit 04 imposing archaeological sites: Sacsayhuamán, Qenqo, Puca Pucara and Tambomachay.

 

• The Cathedral of Cusco, majestic symbol of Andean religious syncretism (Inca - European).
• The Qoricancha, the lavish Inca Temple; also known as the Temple of the Sun.
• The Great Ceremonial Fortress of Sacsayhuamán, with its impressive cyclopean rock platforms.
• The Amphitheater of Qenqo, enigmatic rock headlands and labyrinthine paths.
• The Military Fortress of Puca Pucara, large terraces, stone walls and stairways.
• The Water Temple of Tambomachay, mysterious platforms and ceremonial fountains.

 

THE SERVICE INCLUDES:

1. Private transport
2. Specialized and bilingual tour guide
3. First aid kit

 

THE SERVICE DOES NOT INCLUDE:

1. Tourist Ticket of Cusco (Peruvian: 40 soles; Foreigner: 70 soles). Visits: Sacsayhuamán, Qenqo, Puca Pucara and Tambomachay.
2. Entrance ticket to the Cathedral of Cusco 25 soles.
3. Entrance ticket to the Qoricancha Temple 15 soles
4. Drinks such as: water, sodas, wine or beer
5. Tips and souvenirs

 

THINGS TO BRING:

1. Passport
2. Camera
3. Warm clothes (in case of cold fronts)
4. Rain gear or raincoat (long poncho)
5. Wide-brimmed hat, sunglasses and sunscreen for sunny days
6. Medications and / or personal supplies
7. Small backpack
8. Drinking water

 

NOTE: We only visit the Cathedral of Cusco in a private service; in shared service, we do not visit the cathedral of Cusco; but we do visit the other 5 attractions.

DAY 02 - SACRED VALLEY OF THE INKAS - AGUAS CALIENTES:

 

CIRCUIT DESCRIPTION - From 7:00 to 19:00 hours

We pick you up from your hotel in our private transport (7:00 hrs.), And then start with our guided visit to the Sacred Valley of the Incas; We will spend most of our tour around the Vilcanota River and enjoying the panoramic view of this magical place. The places to visit are:

 

• Chinchero, it will be the first archaeological center to visit, it is located northwest of the city of Cusco, over 3762 meters above sea level. Chinchero, the most typical population of the Sacred Valley of the Incas, is a distinctly Inca town that the ambitious conquerors wanted to civilize in order to implant their culture, but never fully achieved it. Its inhabitants inhabit almost intact Inca constructions, in the same place where their ancestors lived and formed the largest and most prosperous civilization in America. Chinchero has a rich monumental and cultural heritage. It is one of the few places that conserves the Inca urban layout in a visible way. The remains of the Inca palace, the colonial church built on a stone base, its impeccable terraces and a colorful Sunday fair are its main attractions.
• Moray, at first glance it looks like a kind of amphitheater. Moray is a concentric platform system, built in three gigantic holes located at different levels. The largest hole contains 12 circular terraces with varying diameters. At the bottom of these holes there is a drainage system that prevents the storage of rainwater. What is striking is the mean annual temperature difference between the top and bottom of the depressions, which reaches approximately 15 ° C (59 ° F) in the main depression about 30 meters deep. For scholars, Moray was possibly an Inca agricultural experimentation center, where cultivation experiments were carried out at different heights (seed production). Moray could have served as a model for the calculation of agricultural production not only in the Urubamba Valley but also in different parts of the Tahuantinsuyo (domestication of wild plants).
• Salineras of Maras (Salt Mines), they consist of approximately 3000 wells with an area of about 5 m² on average, built on the slope of the "Qaqawiñay" mountain. During the dry season they are filled or irrigated every 3 days with salty water that emanates from a natural spring located in the upper part of the wells so that when the water evaporates, the salt contained in it gradually solidifies. This process will continue for about a month until a considerable volume of solid salt is obtained, about 10 cm. high from the ground, which is subsequently beaten and thus grainy; the salt will then be packaged by category and sent to the markets of the region; Today that salt is being iodized so its consumption is not harmful. The salt mines of Maras look like a white patch between the multicolored green of the Sacred Valley and the Urubamba mountain range. Then we will arrive in Urubamba where we will have time to enjoy a delicious Lunch.
• Ollantaytambo, it will be the last archaeological center to visit for the day, located at an altitude of 2,700 meters above sea level. Ollantaytambo is a compound Quechua word that derives from: "Ollanta" personal name of an Inca Captain whose story was kept as an oral and written tradition and as a drama by Antonio Valdez, priest of Urubamba, in the middle of the 18th century it was adapted for a play in 1780; and "Tambo" Spanish form of "Tanpu" city that offers lodging, food and comfort for travelers. Ollantaytambo was a very important fortified city, built as a "tanpu" to enable roads to the "Antisuyo" (La Selva). According to many historians also to allow the protection of the great capital of the Inca from the attacks of the "Antis" who were his worst enemies. Today its name as "fortress" is common but inappropriate because it did not have a war duty, it was rather a complex city with a large urban sector and religious temples.

 

After the visit to Ollantaytambo, we will go to the Ollantaytambo train station (5 min.). We will take the train for 1:40 hrs towards the town of Aguas Calientes where we will spend the night. Aguas Calientes (2000 masl), is a small town located 30 minutes (by bus) from the citadel of Machupicchu.

 

DAY 03 - (AGUAS CALIENTES – MACHUPICCHU – AGUAS CALIENTES – OLLANTAYTAMBO - CUSCO):

For this trip, we will pick you up from your hotel in Aguas Calientes, then we will take one of the buses to ascend 400 m. in 30 minutes along a zigzag path until you reach the wonder of the world "The citadel of Machupicchu", which is inside the "Historic Sanctuary of Machupicchu". The guided tour in Machupicchu takes approximately 2 hours. You will begin to visit the main sectors of the citadel: the sacred square, the Temple of the Sun, the Intihuatana, the Royal Enclosures, the Temple of the Three Windows and the cemetery. At the end of the tour you will have free time to explore the citadel on your own. After this visit, you must return to the town of Aguas Calientes and enjoy your lunch in one of the local restaurants; Then you will take the train back; the return will follow the same pattern as the outward journey. When you arrive at the train station in Ollantaytambo, we will be waiting for you with our bus to take you back to the city of Cusco.

 

THE SERVICE INCLUDES (DAY 2 & 3):

1. Sacred Valley Circuit
2. Train: Ollantaytambo - Aguas Calientes (1:40 hrs.)
3. Lodging in Aguas Calientes
4. Bus: Aguas Calientes - Machupicchu (30 min.)
5. Entrance to Machupicchu
6. Guided tour in Machupicchu (approximately 02 hrs.)
7. Bus: Machupicchu - Aguas Calientes (30 min.)
8. Train: Aguas Calientes - Ollantaytambo (01:40 hrs.)
9. Bus: Ollantaytambo - Cusco. (01:50 hrs.)

 

THE SERVICE DOES NOT INCLUDE (DAY 2 & 3):

1. CuscoTourist Ticket (Peruvian: 40 soles; Foreigner: 70 soles). Visits: Chinchero, Moray, Ollantaytambo and Pisaq
2. Entrance to Salineras (10 soles)
3. Meals - Drinks
4. Regards
5. Tips

 

WE RECOMMEND TO BRING (DAY 2 & 3):

1. Passport
2. Camera
3. Long-sleeved shirt and pants
4. Swimsuit
5. Warm clothes (in case of cold)
6. Raincoats (long poncho)
7. Hat and sunglasses
8. Insect repellent 50% DEET
9. Sunscreen
10. Hiking shoes
11. Medications and personal supplies
12. Handbag
13. Water

 

DAY 04 - THE SOUTHERN VALLEY OF CUSCO (TIPÓN-PIKILLACTA-ANDAHUAYLILLAS)

 

CIRCUIT DESCRIPTION - From 09:00 to 14:00 hours - Cusco tour and surrounding areas.

The Southern Valley of Cusco is the perfect route when you look for archaeological sites with a unique landscape environment, in a short period of time. Our tour to the Southern Valley of Cusco starts at your respective hotel at 8:45 am (pick up time) in one of our private vehicles, In the way we are going to enjoy the view of the southern part of Cusco. Following this we can experience the fabulous hydraulic system of Tipón, the straight constructions of Pikillaqta and the famous art of the Cusco school in Andahuaylillas (mural paints). As well as you can enjoy the famous cuisine of the place: in the village of Saylla the "chicharrones", in Tipon the succulent "cuy al horno" (guinea pig) and in Oropesa do not miss trying their famous  bread "pan chuta".

 

INFORMATION OF THE TOURISTIC PLACES:

TIPON.- We will observe the perfectly aligned terraces; 12 different levels that decorate the geographical environment. This walls were constructed with finely carved stones; the irrigation system in which the Inca ideology is determined. The mystery water of this important archaeological site is still used by the local population (farming).

 

PIKILLAQTA.- The characteristics of this great urban center correspond to the development time of the Wari empire (pre-Inca culture). The constructions are made from stone without carving and clay that serves as mortar (pirca style), surrounded by walls up to 12 m high, arranged in sets and separated by straight streets, which provide an aspect of fortress. There are like 700 buildings, 200 courts and 508 stores or Qolcas (maybe houses), among other buildings. It is a sample of a well planned urbanism.

 

SISTINE CHAPEL OF ANDAHUAYLILLAS.- Andahuaylillas is a charming village. The main plaza, studded with enormous pisonay trees, is where is situated the Andahuaylillas jewel, the Church of Saint Peter - the Apostle. Conceived and built by the Jesuits at the beginning of the 17th century, the neo-Baroque decorated temple, its harmonious interior combine to make it one of the region's most beautiful churches.

 

THE SERVICE INCLUSIVE:

1. Specialized and bilingual tour guide
2. Private transport
3. First aid kit

 

THE SERVICE NOT INCLUSIVE:

1. Entrance fees
2. Drinks
3. Tips and souvenirs

 

YOU SHOULD BRING:

1. Passport
2. Protection against the sun (hat, sunglasses, sunscreen)
3. Protection against rain
4. Water bottle
5. Camera
6. Extra money (personal expenses)

End of our services. Enjoy the tour…

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MAP - CUSCO TRADITIONAL - "PERU MYSTERIES"