The Magic of Cusco Itinerary 5D/4N:
Day 1: Pick up at Cusco Airport – City Tour
The adventure starts from the moment you land at the Cusco Airport. Our guide will meet you and take you to your accommodation where you will rest for a while to adapt to the altitude of the city and start the City Tour.
The tour starts at the Cathedral of Cusco, the main catholic temple of the region and Cultural Heritage of Peru. It is also known as the Basilica of the Virgin of the Assumption, where you can admire important artistic works.
After that, we will visit the main religious site of the Incas, the Temple of Qoricancha, whose architecture merges with the colonial convent of Santo Domingo. Then you see the contrast of nature with a ceremonial fortress in Sacsayhuamán, recognized for being a building of immense megalithic walls; its stones of up to 125 tons’ rest in an imposing and beautiful natural environment where the Festival of the Sun or Inti Raymi is celebrated.
Later you discover the Inca Labyrinth, Qenqo, a ritual place structured on an immense monolith that has subway galleries intertwined like a labyrinth and walls carved in the form of a zigzag.
It is time to admire the ancient Inca military zone, Puca Pucara or Red Fortress, so called because its walls are formed with reddish stones. We will appreciate its fountains, canals and other structures.
Immediately after that we will arrive at Tambomachay or Resting Place which is formed by canals and lithic aqueducts where water was worshiped. It is worth mentioning that these structures still work. To finish the tour, enjoy every detail of the Plaza de Armas which, in ancient times, was a place for economic and cultural exchange of the Incas. A professional tour guide in this place will transform your way of seeing the Archaeological Capital of America.
It’s time to rest and get ready for a second day of emotions…
Day 2: Cusco City – Sacred Valley of the Incas – Cusco
After seeing the beautiful sunrise and having breakfast, we will start the transfer to the Sacred Valley of the Incas, whose most imposing place is the Taray Viewpoint. Here you will find the widest panoramic view of this sacred space of the Peruvian Andes.
The first stop is one of the most important archaeological sites in the region, the Pisac Ruins, a reflection of Inca architectural beauty. Among the highlights, we will observe walls, cemeteries, terraces, bridges and aqueducts on a steep hill. Then you can buy souvenirs, admire the beautiful handicrafts or taste the local cuisine in the diverse Pisac Market.
Then you enjoy a rich buffet lunch in Urubamba, a region that boasts worldwide recognition thanks to its delicious corn. Then you will visit the Archaeological Zone of Ollantaytambo, whose ruins are located on a hill with beautiful monoliths, terraces and the monumental Temple of the Sun. In this same town you can admire the beauty, color and culture of the Living City of the Incas, whose inhabitants inherited the same system of life as their ancestors.
We end the tour with a stop in Chinchero, where we will visit a textile center and learn more about the textile techniques used by the Incas and the artisanal processing of wool.
Day 3: Cusco – Machu Picchu – Cusco
The day starts early when we pick you up at your accommodation in Cusco and take you to the train station in Ollantaytambo. Outside the station you will find local stalls where you can buy everything from food (breakfast) to souvenirs. The train to Aguas Calientes takes approximately 1 hour 45 minutes and once you arrive at your destination, our guide will be waiting for you outside the train station.
We will receive the instructions of the tour and then we will go to Machu Picchu by bus, which has a duration of 30 min. Arriving at the Sacred City of the Incas, you have the opportunity to choose between 3 different circuits of tour (Only Citadel – Huayna Picchu Mountain – Machu Picchu Mountain).
Our tour guide will offer some tips to make the most of the tour according to your interests. Discover the more than 200 structures, including walls, staircases, temples, aqueducts, among other places full of history and beauty.
At the end of the tour, we will transfer back to Aguas Calientes where we will have lunch and some free time to explore the beautiful town before returning to Ollantaytambo by train. It is here where our associate will be waiting for you to board private transportation to your accommodation in Cusco and arrive around 20:00.
Day 4: Cusco – Maras Moray – Cusco
After visiting the cradle of the Inca Empire, we will reconnect with history by discovering the ingenuity and wonder of the Peruvian ancestors who, in the midst of imposing and biodiverse natural spaces, built two productive places such as the salt mines and the agricultural terraces.
The first station is the Maras salt mines built on the Qaqa Wiñay mountain (3,380 masl / 11,080 ft) where the same system of pink salt extraction is developed in more than 3,000 mines or pools with great mineral content that also offer a unique landscape.
Next we will visit the village of Moray. This place of circular terraces, in addition to its beauty, tells of the advanced and futuristic Inca agro-production in a system of terraces where, according to the height and position with respect to the sun, they generated microclimates suitable for the harvest of various items. The construction of these coliseums is also a marvel to behold.
At sunset, it is time to return to enjoy the scenery of the Sacred Valley of the Incas, to rest tonight in the city of Cusco.
Day 5: Cusco – Airport
This day allows you a personal experience to say goodbye to the Historical Capital of Peru. You can explore on your own its museums, temples, markets, squares and tourist attractions, as you prefer.
Our guide will be able to offer you some recommendations, but don’t forget to try our exquisite gastronomy.
According to the travel ticket, we will take you to the airport for a safe return