Cusco Side by Side

Upon arrival, you are welcomed by your friendly and knowledgeable private guide who’ll be with you throughout your stay. From Cusco´s airport, we will drive into the Sacred Valley of the Incas, a tranquil oasis of cultural, historical, and agriculture richness. where we will visit Chinchero village and market, which are former agricultural center, composed of 12 ayllus (tribes) or indigenous communities. Its inhabitants are dedicated to agriculture. On Sunday there is a fair where local people meet to sell their products. From the Chinchero plateau we begin our descent into the Sacred Valley, with beautiful landscapes and the backdrop of snow-capped peaks. Then we will continue to Maras. About 7 Km (4.3 mi) away southwest from Maras is Moray, a very unique archaeological site, where enormous natural depressions or hollows in the ground surface where used for constructing irrigated farming terraces. What is surprising is that the difference of average annual temperature between the top and the bottom reaches even about 15˚C (59˚F) in the main depression that is about 30 m (100 ft.) deep. In these natural formations, nature has created an environment or microclimates that in modern times people create in greenhouses or hothouses.
Towards the northwest of the Maras Village are the famous “salt pans”, where considerable volume of solid salt is obtained; about 10 cm (4 inches) high from the floor. That solid salt is beaten granulated, then packed in sacks and sent to the region’s markets. Today that salt is being treated with iodine, thus its consumption is benign. In the neighborhood of these sites, we will have lunch with beautiful views if the surrounding landscapes.

At the end of the day, we will leave you at your selected hotel

Overnight in the Sacred Valley.
lunch

We leave early in the morning from the Sacred Valley, to the rock wall located in Pachar between Urubamba and Ollantaytambo.

A Via Ferrata is a type of rock climb on an established route with a safety system permanently installed, it gives people with no experience in climbing and using minimal equipment, the opportunity to move through the spectacular mountain scenery. We will climb a rock wall 400 meters in a safest way. You will have the opportunity to have lunch while enjoying the mystical landscape of the Sacred Valley of the Incas. During descent, the 100 m of rappel will shoot an extra adrenaline you need to make this a unique experience. The ZIP-Sacred Valley Line gives you the opportunity to fly over this magnificent place in a safe and fun way. Zip-line has 6 lines or cables, from 100 to 500 m, for a total of 2000 m. To reach the first cable, you must walk through a beautiful path of 35 minutes, equipped with parts Via Ferrata, to provide maximum security and confidence. Return to the Hotel in midafternoon.

*Not recommended for those affected by vertigo.

Overnight in the Sacred Valley.
breakfast/lunch

Before take the train to Machupicchu, we will visit Ollantaytambo, an attractive little village located at the western end of the Sacred Valley that has been built on top of original Inca foundations and is the best surviving example of Inca town planning. The town is divided in canchas (blocks), which are almost entirely intact. Each cancha has only one entrance (usually a huge stone doorway), which leads into a central courtyard. We will visit the Inca ruins situated on a hilltop landscape with surrounding terracing and with cyclopean rock carvings. From the hilltop there is an extraordinary view of the village below and the surrounding countryside. Finished our tour we will take the train to Machupichu that ride last two hours down the Urubamba gorge, and it changes from mountain vegetation to cloud forest. Arrival at the station of Machupicchu Pueblo and a half an hour bus ride will bring you to the citadel for a guided visit which on average takes three hours as your official guide walks you through the different sector of the hill-top citadel, with astonishing views, telling you aspects of life here that will take you back in time. Lunch is included.

In the afternoon return to Machupicchu Pueblo where you will check into your hotel and use the evening to rest and relax.

Overnight in Machupicchu.
breakfast/lunch/dinner

Rise bright and early this morning for a second and complete tour in Machu Picchu with your guide.
Your insightful private tour provides a complete overview of the world-renowned complex and UNESCO World Heritage Site.
You may choose from a number of short hikes like the Sun Gate or The Inka Bridge but the most popular (subject to permit availability) are to climbing to Huayna Picchu or hike to the Machupicchu Mountain.

Overnight in Machupicchu.
breakfast/lunch/dinner

After having breakfast, board the train to Ollantaytambo from where we will return to Cusco. This day the Sacred Valley of the Incas will welcome us again. We will visit the Inca and Colonial Pisac to discover one of the most beautiful archeological sites in the Sacred Valley located at the top of the mountain where you can have an amazing view of the colonial town of Pisac. Then, we will have a walking tour to the Colonial town where we will enjoy a delicious lunch. Then and on Route to Cusco, we will visit to the Ccaccaccollo Community to discover a women’s weaving cooperative where we will see and feed the Andean camelids, such as the llamas and alpacas, and where the women will show us all the stages of the traditional weaving process: hand-spinning the wool, dying the wool using natural dyes, and participating in a weaving demonstration. Ccaccaccollo is a community that still have their traditional and ancestors’ customs, with an original heritage and form where you could have an amazing view of the mountains.

Finally and once in Cusco City, we will leave you at your selected hotel.

Overnight in Cusco.
breakfast/lunch

We will get away from the crowds to visit Sacsayhuaman, an impressive fortress full of colossal structures surrounded by beautiful landscapes in complete communion with nature. We will then continue to the Inca shrine of Qenqo, with its awesome altar for sacrifices embedded in the side of the rock.
Finally, we wiil reach the Puca Pucara watchtower and Tambomachay, a monument of noticeable architectural excellence, considered one of the pillars of the Andean view of the world.
After visited all this amazing and historical inca sites, we will return to the City and on the way we will stop at San Cristobal to enjoy a panoramic view of the city delighting us with a small toast and then we will enjoy a traditional and delicious lunch in one of the best restaurant of the City.

After having lunch, our city tour continues visit San Blas Neighborhood, a bohemian place where the most important and representative artisans and painters was born. From here, we will walk down along the Hatun Rumiyoc Street, finding midway the Inca Roca Palace, today the Archbishop’s Palace; and where we can appreciate the worldwide famous Twelve Angles Stone. Arriving to the Main Square, we will visit the Cathedral that houses invaluable colonial works of art and then we will have the opportunity to visit one of the most beautiful and impressive museums in Peru, The Inka Museum that has a complete collection of our heritage, culture and history.

After visit all these beautiful and impressive places, we will go to San Pedro Market, where we will able to appreciate the local flavors and learn about the local produce in this market where you can find everything and is the main supply center of the city. Finally, we will then continue to the Koricancha Temple that will welcome us with its splendor. The Sun Temple is the meaning of its name in Quechua and we can still feel the sumptuousness of its walls that were once lined in sheets and where worship was offered to the Sun God, the most important deity of the Incas.

Overnight in Cusco.
breakfast/lunch

The tour starts at 9:00 in the morning. We will depart to Cusco south and after about an hour we will arrive at the Chapel of the Purified Virgin of Canincunca, located on an old Wari center and next to the lagoon of Urcos. Then just 4 minutes from Canincunca is the San Juan Bautista Temple of Huaro, our second destination, which preserves more than 60 sculptures and 50 canvases of great quality and beauty, as well as silverware, altarpieces and others. Our third destination will be the Temple of San Pedro Apóstol of Andahuaylillas, whose artistic majesty is also reflected in the coffered ceiling of Mudejar influence, the great variety and richness of the canvases (such as the series dedicated to Saint Peter the Apostle, patron saint of the town), the polychromy of the roofs and the triumphal arch that separates the presbytery from the main nave.

After visiting this Temple, we can enjoy a delicious lunch in Andahuaylillas or a generous box lunch.

After having lunch, we will visit Rumiqolqa, that was an inka gate which is located in the eastern sector of the pre-Hispanic city of Pikillacta, this inka gate was one of the main entries to the city of Cusco and exit towards the Qollasuyo. To complete this tour, we will visit the most important archaeological center regarding the hydraulic wisdom of the Incas: Tipón, which was a major shrine where water was worshiped with the care and veneration that the Incas treated to this element. This complex has been distinguished by the American Society of Civil Engineers as a marvel of Civil Engineering.

We will be arriving in Cusco around 5:00 in the afternoon, after enjoying the Andean Baroque and the South Valley Route.

Overnight in Cusco.
breakfast/lunch

At the proper time, we will pick you up from your hotel to transfer to the airport for the flight to your next destination.