An amazing tour of the South Valley of Cusco will provide unforgettable memories.
Tour Location: Cusco Region, Peru.
Type Tour: Day tour.
Tour Duration: All day.
Start/End Tour: Our guide will meet you in the lobby of your hotel and bring you back after.
Advice: Comfortable shoes, hat, warm cloth, sunglasses.
Highlights: Andahuaylillas Temple, Pikillacta, Tipon.
Overview
Most tourists usually choose the Sacred Valley of the Inka first, because it’s exactly on the way to Machu Picchu and has the most famous places to visit.
During this tour, we offer to escape from the crowds of tourists and visit another side of Cusco and also interesting places to visit.
- First of all, you will drive approx 30 km to the south of Cusco and get to the Andean village Tipon. Here you can observe the example of excellence of the Inkas in hydro constructions. There are many water canals that are still working perfectly. The source takes from the mountain Pachatusan and was provided with water from around 250 hectares of agricultural terraces. Tipon was a very important agricultural center of the Inkas and as well a center of the cult of water. You will see the giant terraces, which are partially restored, most of them are still covered with vegetation and hard to see.
- After you will proceed to the Pikillacta. The Wari culture occupied the site from around 550 to 1100 AD and established Pikillaqta (before the rise of the Inca Empire). The huge city could have served as a defensive settlement as well as a massive feasting place for people from all around the region. Houses, colcas (food storage spaces), temples, and areas used for games and ceremonies are all connected by a network of streets, some of which are very narrow. There are around 700 constructions on the site, with some walls reaching approximately 18 meters high.
The city of Picillacta covers more than 25 hectares.
- Next, you will proceed to the Andahualillas temple. “The Church of the Apostle St. Peter,” a magnificent colonial church from the sixteenth century, is located in Andahuaylillas village. This church is often called “Sixtine Capella of the Andes” due to its Barocco decoration and paintings. Some paintings belong to the famous “Cusco School”, which worst to see here.
- On the way to Cusco, you can have lunch in the Andean villages Saylla or Tipon, where you can try the famous guinea pigs or one of the popular Peruvian dishes.