The tour begins with hotel pickup. The first place we will visit is Cusco Cathedral, which houses valuable colonial art treasures, such as paintings from the renowned Cusco School and works by numerous religious sculptors. Our second visit will be to the famous Coricancha (Temple of the Sun), where we can appreciate the mixture of Inca constructions (with their perfectly polished stone walls) and Spanish constructions (the church built on top of the Inca walls). After visiting Coricancha, we will head outside the city to Sacsayhuamán, where we will see enormous stone blocks weighing up to 40 tons perfectly placed on top of each other. Our guide will explain the importance of this place before the arrival of the Spanish and during the colonial period, as it witnessed one of the greatest battles between the Incas and the Spanish. We will continue to the Qenqo (labyrinth) sector, which is named for its paths that give the impression of being inside a labyrinth. Here, the most important site will be an ancient ceremonial table that owes its importance to the fact that this place was probably the last resting place of Pachacuti.
We will continue our journey to Puca Pucara (red fortress), which was an important control center for people who wanted to enter the city of Cusco during the Inca period. Given the importance of the city, which was sacred, all travelers had to first purify themselves in body and soul, which they could do at Tambomachay, the last place we will visit, where you can still appreciate the skill and knowledge in hydraulic engineering achieved by the Incas. The tour ends near the main square of Cusco.
Cathedral of the City of Cusco
Its construction took place in two stages: first, the Chapel of Triumph was built on the site of the ancient temple of Suntur Wasi (House of God), and then the cathedral was erected on the palace of the Inca Wiracocha. The façade and interior are dominated by the Renaissance style, with rich interior decoration featuring cedar and alder carvings. It also houses an important collection of paintings from the Cusco school and embossed silver objects.
Temple and Convent of Santo Domingo / Coricancha
According to chroniclers, the Coricancha was one of the most impressive buildings in Inca Cusco: its interior walls were covered with gold leaf, as it was the main temple of the Sun God.
Sacsayhuamán Archaeological Complex
The complex encompasses 33 archaeological sites. The best known is Saqsayhuaman, which is believed to have been built for religious purposes, but due to its location and style, it was considered by the Spanish and chroniclers to be a military building.
Qenqo Archaeological Complex
Qenqo, or “labyrinth,” is considered a sacred place where ceremonies were possibly held in honor of the Sun, Moon, and stars. On the outside, there is a semicircular amphitheater with trapezoidal niches and a monolith resembling a puma, which measures approximately six meters. The semicircular, semi-artificial cave on the inside has a table or altar where agricultural rites were performed.
Hours
- 9:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
- 1:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Select the start time in the Extras option when making your reservation.
