Cusco City Tour

Itinerary
At 02:00pm  in the afternoon we pick up you up from your hotel and go by bus to visit 6 archaeological sites in and around Cusco. The tour ends in the Plaza da Armas.

The Cathedral
The Cathedral which sits solid on the foundations of the Inca Viracocha`s Palace at the Main Plaza “Plaza de Armas” looks more like a fortress than a cathethral.The construction began in 1560.It houses a finely carved granit altar, a Neoclassical altar made entirely of finely beaten embossed silver, important collections of gold and silver work, some of the finest paintings of the Cusqueña school. As there are many myths and legends around the Cathedral you might be able to spot the Indian chief who as per myth is still imprisoned in the right-hand tower awaiting the day when he can restore the glory of the Inca Empire.

Koricancha
The Koricancha complex with the Convento de Santo Domingo is not far from the Plaza de Armas. The convent was built on the spectacular Coricancha ‘Site of gold’. This temple, dedicated to worship the Sun was the most important temple and just imagine the walls were lined with solid sheets of gold before the Conquistadors arrived in Cusco! These days you only can see the fine stonework, after the conquistadors set their gold –hungry eye on it. Coricancha was also an observatory and its position in the Sacred Valley was carefully planned.

Sacsayhuaman
The fortress of Sacsayhuaman is located high above the hills of the city and forms the head of Cusco`s ethereal puma. It is the closest and one of the most impressive sites built by the Incas around Cusco. It is generally referred to as a fortress and protected by its steep approach it only needed one defensive wall on one side. This wall is about 600meters long and crosses the plateau. However, due to many recently excavated sacred and ritual objects archaeologists start to consider Sacsayhuaman as more of a ceremonial centre than a fortress. The stones of the wall are incredible and the largest weighs over 300 tonnes.
On 24th of June every year the colourful festival of Inti Raymi takes place here and throughout the whole year you can come across various sun ceremonies.

Q’enqo
The site of Q’enqo (“labyrinth” or “zigzag”) is an large outcrop of limestone. This great stone illustrates the critical role of the Rock Cult of the Inca cosmological beliefs. It is carved with a complex pattern of seats, steps, geometric reliefs and puma designs.  There are many zigzag channels on top of the rock, probably used for pouring sacrificial Chicha (a local wine made from maize) or Llama blood at the top of the zigzag to predict? The fertility of the year to come. Beneath Q`enko are several tunnels and caves.

Puka Pukara
Puka Pukara (‘Red Fort`) a relatively small ruin, is impressively situated overlooking the Cusco Valley. It was more likely a hunting lodge for the Emperor Pachacutec or a guard post between Cusco and the Sacred Valley than a fortress.

Tambomachay
This site was thought to have been used as a Temple to worship the Water. Evidently a place for ritual and also physical cleaning, it is one of the more impressive Inca baths. The impressive aqueducts, channels and cascades carved in stone are designed to channel water from a nearby spring.