Cusco and its surroundings
The city of Cusco (also spelled Cuzco), sitting in the mountains at 3400 meters, was developed under the Inca ruler Pachacutec into a complex urban centre with distinct religious and administrative functions. When the Spaniards conquered it in the 16th century, they preserved the basic structure but built Baroque churches and palaces over the ruins of the Inca city. Cusco holds a unique charm with many churches and museums and incredible narrow cobbled streets in the historic center where you can spend at least 2 days’ worth of exploration. Add to that stunning Inca ruins both within the city and in the surrounding hills.
In this page you will find the highligts of the city and its surroundings... and a bit further but it was more logic
for me to present those sites to you this way. Enjoy!
Downtown Cusco
Cultural festivals throughout the year, mixed Spanish-indigenous heritage this historically-rich city is sure to be one of the most memorable places you’ve ever set foot in. I just love walking around the historic center of Cusco, in the cubblestones streets, to admire the architecture of the buildings... but if you decide to go up to see the San Blas Neighborhood, take time to take a breath! Don't forget that Cusco is at 3400 meters, the altitude will get to you! Around the Plaza de Armas you’ll find Cusco’s top attractions, cathedrals and the San Pedro market. And although I'm not a fan of museums, I highly recommend the Coricancha or Temple of the Sun, where you will see impressive Inca ruins. What is interesting too about this museum, it's that the Spanish build Santo Domingo Church on top of it. If you like museus, it is included in the circuito 2 of the boleto turistico.
On top of the city
The first MUST is Sacsayhuaman! The original Inca-built walls were 3 meters taller. The gigantic scale of Sacsayhuaman's zigzagging, terraced walls will leave you in awe. Whintin this impressive architecture, you will be the witness of stones that vary in size and shape, ranging from around 2 to over 9 meters with some exceeding 200 tons with no use of mortar!!! They fit so perfectly together, that you can't fit a razor blade between them.
Every year, on June 24, the celebrations of the Inti Raymi, or Festival of the Sun, in honor of the Inca god “Inti”; are held in the middle of this Inca complex. It is one of Cusco‘s most important events, and in 2001 it was declared Cultural Patrimony of the Nation.
Q’enqo is an example of a huaca, a naturally occurring rock formation modified into a temple. A tunnel leads into a natural chamber, and its sides and surfaces were polished into walls, and a table, who is to beleived to have been used for sacrifices. According to the guides, it was an important Inca religious site, where ceremonies in honor of the major gods of the Inca culture were performed. The forest of Q’enqo is a must-see too. It has also special carved stones and you have a beautiful view on the city. Admission is completely free and it is located a few meters from the archaeological site.
Pukapukara, means ''red fortress'', due to the color of the earth that is abundant in this area. It is beleived to be a military construction of Inca origin, which functioned as a barracks, but there are no evidence of it. The Ministry of Culture thinks that it can be given chronological data between 1350 and 1480, D.C. It will not take you more than 20 minutes to visit, and like everywhere else, the landscape is gorgeous.
Tambomachay is considered important archaeological complexes in Cusco. In Quechua, Tambomachay means “Place of rest''. This archaeological complex was built during the Inca empire and was intended for the cult of water. Its main function was to provide water to the nearby archaeological sites and it also served as a resting place for the Inca ruler. There is also the main waterfall known as “the Inca baths”, whose waters still flows to this day. I remember when I was there in 2010, an old man who was there told me : ''If you wash yourself in this water, you will always look this young and we'll recognize you if you ever come back.''
Lets continu in the upper part of Cusco city where you can visit 2 free places! First, close to Q'enqo, you can go visit one of the lesser known Inca temples in Cusco, the Temple of the Moon, from where you have a panoramic view of the city. It is an Inca construction inside a cave (of course you can't go in...) There are many stories around this building. It is said to be a temple dedicated to fertility. Others say that the temple was used to communicate between the world of the living and of the dead.
The Cristo Blanco is really close to Sacsayhuaman and measure 8 meters, which is really small compare to the one in Rio de Janeiro in Brazil that has 30 meters more. This statue shows Jesus Christ with open arms as a sign of protection of the city. For the people of Cusco, it represents the peace and blessing of Christ towards the citizens, as well as the total Catholic protection by Jesus Christ (yes, they are very catholic here). The statue itself is not ''big of a deal'' but it gives you a beautiful view of the city... it doesn't cost you anything to make a small detour...
Ready to discover another charming site? Nothing like a visit to the Sapantiana Colonial Aqueduct. It is located near the city's Plaza de Armas (just below the Cristo Blanco) where the charming landscape will captivate you and you can get nice travel photos. This aqueduct is a colonial hydraulic architecture that was built by the Jesuit Order on the P'ujru River during the 17th and 18th centuries. It contains four-level arches in a stone wall and with steps through which the water passes. You can take a taxi up there and afterwards, walk down to see the San Blas neibourhood and make your way down to the Plaza de Armas... easier down than up in Cusco!
Near the city (nortwest)
If you want to take an alternative scenic road between Cusco and Chinchero, there’s a gravel road that will lead you to this 2 sites. First, the abode of the gods, or Apukunaq Tianan (in Quechua). It is a modern tourist attraction made up of several stone sculptures that reach up to 8 meters in height. There you can see monuments sculpted in stone, by the Cusco artist Michael de Titán Monteagudo Mejía. You also have a beautiful view since the site is higher than Cusco. Note that it is in a private area so it belong to the municipality of Cusco. It is in the Poroy district (Sencca sector), 12 kilometers from the city of Cusco. The entrance is 15 soles for tourists and 10 soles for Peruvians.
15 more minutes drive and you will get to an incredible view of an aqueduct from colonial times called Fortaleza, where you can take more pictures of the beautiful landscape of the place. You can walk all the way up and walk on top of it. Unfortunately, like many other sites, it's not well maintained so when visitig sites, you should always be careful where you put your feet. After visiting this site, you can continu on this backroad to Chinchero where you will see a beautiful lagoon that you can't see from the main road.
A bit further from Cusco
Let's start southeast from Cusco, on the road to Puno, we are now in the Valle Sur sector. The fist site worth visiting is Tipon. The Inca Empire, throughout its history, had recognized many deities. The Tipón archaeological complex was built to worship Mama Qocha, Mother of all waters. One of its main characteristics is that it has hundreds of walls, as well as platforms and corridors, made of stone carved to perfection. Tipón archaeological complex is a marvel of hydraulic engineering. If you want to go all the way up to the ''mirador'', you will need at leat 2 hours to visit. It is part of the Boleto Turistico Circuito 2. This site is really beautiful and is for me a must when you are in the Cusco region.
Pikillacta is one of the most famous and best preserved pre-Inca places of the ancient cities that existed in Peru. The Wari culture
had a significant influence on the development of the Andean region. Their construction and urban planning techniques were notable, as evidenced in Pikillacta, where complex urban structures, aqueduct systems, and distinctive architecture can be observed. This site is one of the most representative and best
preserved examples of Wari architecture and urbanism. On the picture on the left, it's the big site where you
will need the Boleto Turistico Circuito 2. On the picture on the right, it's part of the same site but a bit further on the other side of the road, and you can go in for free. And yes... you are not allowed to go up on it anymore...
Rainbow Mountain, known as Vinicunca, is a spectacular multi-colored mountain in the Andes approximately 3 hours drive from Cusco. Exploring the Red Valley Vinicunca feels like exploring Mars... I think... ;-) What makes it look like this? Two main reasons stand behind this phenomenon called weathering and mineralogy. Different layers of sediment rock change colors when exposed to environmental conditions such as wind or water, and we cannot forget that the high altitude also plays an important role in this process. That's why sediments of iron oxide turn red or iron sulfide turn into bright yellow.
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I did those tours in 2 times, but if you are in a relatively good health, I suggest you pack up a lunch and snacks and do it in 1 day tour. The hike starts 4600 meters and the viewpoint lies at 5036 meters. From the parking, the hike is a bit more than 4 kilometers. It should take you about 2 hours to reach the famous viewpoint. At a slower pace, it could be up to 3 hours, or if you are really fit, some people can do in 1½ hours. After reaching the summit of the multi-colored wonder, you will see a rust-colored collection of peaks in the distance. This landscape is known as the Red Valley.The Red Valley trek itself has a moderate difficulty, and you will find it very enjoyable. If you choose to go from the Rainbow Mountain to the Red Valley, then the trek is just 1.5 km, so around an 1 hour. The Rainbow Mountain entrance is 15 soles for Peruvians and 25 soles for foreigners. You can also pay to go up on a horse. The entrance to the Red Valley is 10 soles. Personally, I wouldn't go with kids under 12 years old but you know your kids better than I do.
Among the sacred mountains of the Andes, known as “apus”, Mount Ausangate rises magnificently at 6384 meters and is admired for its extraordinary beauty.The scenic trekking routes around Ausangate offer some of the most spectacular and remote hiking in all of Peru. Many companies will offer different packages up to 6 days treck that can include the Rainbow Mountain. If you are like me, a 1 day tour is good enough and you have plenty of time to gaze into the beauty of the mountain and it's 7 lakes (lagoons). The entrance is only 10 soles and you can also rent a horse for 80 soles. If you walk it, hiking time is around 6 hours round-trip. Afterwards, in the Pacchanta community, there is an awesome natural hot spring with medicinal properties, where you can relax in these hot waters.
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Tired of visiting crowded sites? Leave behind the usual tourist circuits of the Sacred Valley and head towards the Apurimac river to experience the scenic and secluded Waqrapukara ruins. This hidden gem Inca site is still gaining popularity as it was only just recognized as a natural heritage site in 2017. Waqrapukara, which means Horn Fortress in Quechua, has powerful rock formations with spectacular views of the Andes and the Apurimac Canyon. There are 5 different routes to get there and they are all around 3 hours from Cusco. What’s the difference? The difficulty of the hike! Depending on the route, the hike can be from easy to moderate or moderate to challenging. There’s 1 day trek option or more. Entrance fee is only one price for everyone,
20 soles.
Last but not the least of this section : Raqch'i (in Quechua), an Inca archaeological site located 110 kms from the city of Cuzco. It is 3480 meters above sea level and it’s also known as the Temple of Wiracocha, the god creator of the World according to many Andean cultures. Due to the Inca buildings found there, this citadel is believed to have been as important as Machu Picchu. It is also believed that Raqchi was built during the governments of the Incas Huiracocha, Pachacútec and Túpac Yupanqui during almost the entire 15th century.
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However, excavations carried out at the site found ceramic remains from pre-Inca cultures. This would demonstrate that Raqchi was a sacred site (like many others
for the cultures that preceded the Incas. And here, and for all the sites described in this blog, I really put emphasis on the word ‘’believed,’’ as many people can believe different things… Today, Raqchi is one of the most important tourist attractions in the Southern Valley of Cusco. Like many other sites, it is interesting to notice that it is made in adobe and not in rocks like many other sites in the Cusco region. So how old is it really? Only Wiracocha knows… Last thing I want you to remember is that 110 kms in the mountains is still a good amount of time. If you plan to go to Puno to see Lake Titicaca, there’s a bus tour that you can take that makes a couple of stops on the way to Puno and you will stop in Raqchi. Entrance is 10 soles.