City Tour Cusco - Half Day
Cusco is located in the Peruvian Andes and is famous for its role as the capital of the Inca Empire from the 13th to the mid-16th century. It is hugely popular with tourists from around the world for many reasons, primarily its location in the “sacred valley” of the Incas, making it a useful base for exploring Machu Picchu and other local Inca sites. The city itself is a UNESCO World Heritage site and features charming cobbled lanes and attractive historic buildings on every corner. In addition to out-of-city tours to places like Machu Picchu, the Urubamba Valley, and even the Peruvian Amazon, Cusco is packed with museums, galleries, and other interesting places to visit. Explore its impressive colonial architecture and haggle for souvenirs at one of the many markets, and don’t forget to enjoy a glass of Pisco Sour, Peru’s national cocktail.
Cusco – Cathedral – Coricancha – Sacsayhuaman – Qenqo – Puca Pucara – Tambomachay – Cusco
For the morning City tour or the afternoon City tour, you will be picked up in your hotel at a specific time to begin your private tour through the city.
The first place to visit will be the Cathedral of Cusco located in the Plaza de Armas. It is the main religious temple in the city and also one of the most popular architectural monuments. It was originally an ancient Inca temple designed to worship Wiracocha. However, during the conquest, it was looted and demolished to build the monument that is appreciated today, and in 1983, it was declared Humanity Heritage by UNESCO.
Then you’ll head to Coricancha, the Temple of the Sun located only a few blocks away from the main square. Coricancha was once the richest temple in the Inca Empire, but all that remains are some stone walls, upon which the colonial Church and Convent of Santo Domingo are built. It is stated that formerly the walls of the interior of the Coricancha were covered with gold plates. It even had a giant gold statue of the sun god. All the gold and treasures disappeared with the arrival of the Spanish conquerors who caused the decline of the Incas. Coricancha was the most important spiritual center of the Incas.
After that, you’ll leave the city going towards Sacsayhuaman, one of the most imposing and enigmatic places on the planet. It was built between the 15th and 16th centuries and its size impresses many people from all corners of the world. There the tourist will be able to appreciate stones up to more than 120 tons, they all fit together with incredible precisión and the Spanish believed that it was a work of the devil. It was built on a mountain where you can see an excellent view of the city of Cusco. Today it is one of the most symbolic attractions of the Cusco city tour.
A few kilometers away from Sacsayhuaman is the Inca site of Qenqo, a large limestone ruin surrounded by a complex pattern of steps, niches, seats, geometric reliefs, and symbolic carvings. One of its main attractions is an underground cave that has altars finely carved into the rock. It is believed that it was an ancient Inca ceremonial center whose buildings were dedicated to the Pachamama. It is also associated with fertility rites, solstice, and equinox ceremonies.
Another place to be visited is Puca Pucara, known as “Red Fort” because of the color of its stones when it gets dark. Puca Pucara was used as a military and rest center for the numerous Inca troops. It is located in front of the Valley of Cusco, where beautiful panoramic views are offered. Furthermore, it was an entrance and exit controlled by those traveling to or from the Imperial City. It is believed that one of its main functions was to watch over Tambomachay and Sacsayhuaman. Furthermore, it was an entrance and exit controlled by those traveling to or from the Imperial City. It is believed that one of its main functions was to watch over Tambomachay and Sacsayhuaman.
Finally you’ll visit Tambomachay, a small Inca site made up of aqueducts and water channels. It is believed that its purpose was to worship water. It is one of the most beautiful archaeological sites that you will visit in the Cusco city tour. Even today after so many centuries, its channels continue to flow water. In addition to canals and aqueducts, the enclosure is made up of a set of finely carved rocks.
Once the tour has finished, you’ll go back to your hotel or otherwise the main square; so you have the rest of your time for exploring the city by your own.
- Hotel pick up in Cusco
- Private transport throughout the tour
- Professional Tour Guide
- Personalized service
- Small group tour max 8 people
- Entrance fee ticket to the Cathedral
- Entrance fee ticket to Coricancha
- Entrance fee tickets to all Archaeological Sites
- Active itinerary with unique cultural features
- Non alcoholic drinks while on tour
- Private walking tour in all the attractions
- Emergency first aid kit
- Emergency oxygen bottle
- Hotel drop off in Cusco
- No meals included in this tour
- Extra expenses
- Gratuities
- Souvenirs
- Travel insurance
- Hotel in Cusco
LIST OF THINGS TO BRING
- Extra money.
- Hat or cap for the sun.
- Sun protection cream.
- Oct-Mar waterproof jacket / rain poncho.
- Camera.
City Tour Cusco half day.- To do this tour you need the tourist ticket or BTG which will be given to you before starting the tour.
General Tourist Ticket: This ticket is used to visit the City Tour, the Sacred Valley, the South Valley and other museums in the city.
Foreign Tourists Price
*Adults/. 130.00 *Students/. 70.00
Price for National Tourists.
*Adults/. 70.00 *Students/. 40.00
Partial tourist ticket: This ticket is only for the City Tour, the Sacred Valley or the South Valley.
Foreign Tourist Price.
Adults/. 70.00 National Tourist Price. Adults/. 40.00
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