Welcome to Cusco, Peru!
Declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983, this colonial city is currently one of Peru’s most popular destinations. It is a must stop to visit Machu Picchu, one of the New World Seven Wonders and host of the ruins of the Inca civilization and the most spectacular landscapes on the planet..
Upon arrival at the Cusco airport, you will be received by your guide and transportation and head towards your selected hotel. Along the journey, your guide will be telling you about the attractions and services that the city has to offer you. Private Transfer.
Today you will need to arrive in Cusco before midday to be able to enjoy your city tour.Private City Tour
You will start your tour with a visit to the Coricancha, also known as the “Temple of the Sun” (or “Premises of the Gilded One”), the construction of which was ordered by Inca Pachacútec (1438-1471) and was used as base for the construction of the Santo Domingo Convent upon the arrival of the Spaniards. This is when the Sun (Inti, in Quechua) was worshipped during the Inca Empire and at the time of the Incas its walls were fully covered with gold sheets and its courtyards were planted with golden corn and life-size llamas. You will then go to the Cathedral, the most important building on the Main Square and one of the most splendid Spanish colonial churches in America, which is shaped as a Latin Cross and houses about 400 colonial paintings from the Cusco art school, and impressive goldsmith, silversmith and precious stones works. Its construction lasted almost a century, it started in 1560 and ended in 1654. The Ecclesiastical Chapter ordered to extract and transport hundreds of stones from the Sacsayhuamán fortress for this purpose. You will then visit said fortress, en emblematic work of the Incas, which protected the Holy City. Conceived and built by Inca Pachacútec in the 15th century, The Sacsayhuamán complex was built with megalithic blocks, which transportation and construction continue to be a mystery. The Inti Raymi Festival, which worships the Sun, is reenacted on June 24 of each year, during the winter solstice. You will then go to Qenqo, located four kilometers away from Cusco City, an archaeological complex mainly used for religious purposes, and it is believed that agricultural rituals took place there. You will finally visit the vestiges of Puka Pukara, located seven kilometers away from Cusco. Puka Pukara, which means “red fortress”, was an architectural complex presumably used for military purposes; it has many rooms, squares, bathrooms, aqueducts, walls and towers, and it is believed that the Incas entourage used it while he rested at Tambomachay. At the end, you will return to your hotel.