Visit the most important tourist sites in the city of Cusco, reliving the history and ancient culture inherited from the Incas through a half-day tour designed by Vilcabamba Tours. On this route, ideal for appreciating the impressive stone work of the pre-Columbian and colonial periods, you will get an up-close look at the majestic Cusco Cathedral, the Temple of the Sun or Coricancha, and the stunning archaeological complexes of Sacsayhuamán, Qenqo, Puca Pucara, and Tambomachay.
Short Itinerary
- Start: Pickup from your hotel in Cusco at the selected time (morning or afternoon) by the Vilcabamba Tours team.
- Stop 1: Guided visit to the Cusco Cathedral to appreciate its colonial art and the Cusco School.
- Stop 2: Tour of the Coricancha Temple (Santo Domingo) to observe the fusion of Inca and Spanish architecture.
- Stop 3: Transfer outside the city to the monumental Sacsayhuamán Fortress.
- Stop 4: Exploration of the pathways and the ceremonial table in the Qenqo sector.
- Stop 5: Visit to the Puca Pucara complex, an ancient control and rest center.
- Stop 6: Tour of Tambomachay to see its fountains and Inca hydraulic engineering.
- End: Return and end of the tour with Vilcabamba Tours near the Plaza de Armas of Cusco.
Full Itinerary
The tour begins directly with the pickup from your hotel in Cusco at the chosen time, providing the punctuality and comfort that characterize Vilcabamba Tours.
The first stop is at the emblematic Cusco City Cathedral, a building constructed over the palace of the Inca Wiracocha that masterfully combines the Renaissance style with stunning cedar decoration, silver objects, and a valuable collection of paintings from the Cusco School.
Subsequently, you will head to the famous Coricancha Temple (current Convent of Santo Domingo); guided by our guide, you will discover the main sacred enclosure dedicated to the Sun god during the Inca Empire, where you will appreciate the unique contrast between its perfectly polished stone walls and the Spanish colonial structures built on top of them.
After completing the urban circuit, our tourist transportation will take you out of the city to the Sacsayhuamán Archaeological Complex. In this colossal building, considered religious and military in nature, you will contemplate enormous stone blocks of up to 40 tons perfectly fitted together while the expert Vilcabamba Tours guide explains the fascinating historical battles that took place at the site.
The journey continues to Qenqo, a limestone labyrinth with an underground gallery and an altar where sacred rites were performed in honor of the stars and agriculture.
Finally, the tour proceeds to the Puca Pucara complex, a red fortress with plazas and aqueducts that served as a control post and lodging for the Inca’s entourage, to later culminate at the Tambomachay archaeological site, a ceremonial center linked to the cult of water and the regeneration of the earth that stands out for its perfectly preserved channels and hydraulic engineering. After concluding the visit, you will begin the return to the city, ending the tour near the Plaza de Armas of Cusco.
Includes
- Pickup from your hotel in Cusco.
- Shared/private tourist transportation throughout the tour.
- Professional bilingual guide service (English – Spanish) certified by Vilcabamba Tours.
Not Included
- Entrance to the Cusco Cathedral (S/ 40.00).
- Entrance Ticket to the Coricancha Temple (S/ 20.00).
- Cusco Tourist Ticket for the archaeological sites (S/ 70.00).
- Food and beverages.
