Cusco City Tour – City Tour Cusco – Cusco Tours

At 0100 PM, we will be meeting at Cusco’s main square, Plaza De Armas (next to the cathedral). After a brief introduction we will start the Cusco City Tour. The tour begins at the emblematic Cathedral of Cusco. Our local tour guide, will share his/her knowledge about the place. This will give you a deeper insight of how the colonialism transformed the years old culture. The place where the Cusco Cathedral stands today was once an Incan Palace.

Our next stop will be at the temple of Qoriqancha (The temple of the sun). To Incas, this was one of the most sacred places. They had covered the walls of Qoriqancha with sheets of gold. Infact, the courtyard, next to the temple was once filled with statues made of gold. To Spanish, this was,”fabulous beyond belief”. When the Spanish troops arrested Incan emperor, Atahualpa, they negotiated with Incas to raise ransom of gold against his life. Most of the gold that the Incas handed over were from Qoricancha.

Upon conquering Cusco, Spaniards demolished the temple of Qoricancha and used its foundations to build the Santo Domingo Church, which stands today. This is once of the many sites in Cusco where you will be able to see how the Spanish incorporated the Incas stonework to raise their architecture.

Here you will be having a detailed guided tour.

Our next stop will be at Sacsayhuaman. A renowned archaeological complex on a hill top overlooking the city of Cusco. Sacsayhuaman is a fortified complex. Sacsayhuaman demonstrates impressive stone works by Incas. Each stones weighing more than a 100 ton. This immense archaeological complex has a lot of history which will be uncovered by your tour guide during the tour.
Sacsayhuaman is today famous for the Inti Raymi festival. Inti Raymi is a traditional religious ceremony practised since Incan civilization in honour of the Sun God.

We will then drive you to Q’enqo. Q’enqo is another prominent site. This was one of the largest holy places for Incas. This was the place where Incas used to do sacrifice. They also mummified the corpses in Q’enqo.

Tambomachay is another interesting archaeological site located on the outskirts of Cusco city. The site consists of terraced rocks with a series of canals and aqueducts. Tambomachay is believed to have been more like a spa for the elite families of Incas.

Right across the archaeological complex of Tambomachay the military ruins of Puka Pukara is located. From the top of Puka Pukara, you will be able to get a good view of Cusco and its beautiful country side. Puka Pukara in Quechua means red fort. The name derives from the transformation of the colour of the rocks to red colour at dusk.

The Incas used this place like a watch tower to keep away any intruding forces.

After visiting Puca Pucara, we will be dropping you back to the centre of Cusco city.