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This tour covers the historical sites located in the valley south of Cusco. The trip offers a look at three distinct periods of Peruvian history through its main attractions. You will see examples of Inca engineering, a large pre-Inca urban settlement, and a significant piece of colonial religious art.
The half-day trip begins in the morning with a departure from Cusco. The first destination is Tipon, an Inca archaeological site. This location is known for its well-preserved agricultural terraces and an advanced irrigation system that is still functional. The stonework is a clear example of Inca construction methods.
After Tipon, the tour proceeds to Pikillacta, a large settlement built by the Wari culture before the Incas. The final main stop is the village of Andahuaylillas. Here, you will visit a small church from the colonial era, which is recognized for its detailed interior murals. The tour concludes with a return to Cusco in the afternoon.
At 9.00 a.m. we leave from Cusco in our private transport to the first place we visit today: Tipon. Tipon is a large complex with 12 impressive currently cultivated terraces. The walls were built with finely carved stone. Very impressive is the irrigation system in Tipon, which is still serving the agriculture.
Then we will go Pikillaqta, this complex features a large urban center of the time of the Wari Empire. It has over a thousand buildings between places, colcas (food stores), playing fields and houses, temples, long and narrow streets with buildings that were up to 4 floors high.
After the visit to Pikillaqta, we visit the village of Andahuaylillas. The Andean village of Andahuaylillas is a time of singular colony of origin and architecture. The Catholic Church from the colonial era that we find here has a beautiful decoration and wall paintings of the seventeenth and eighteenth century known as the Sistine Chapel of Cusco.
Returning we pass through Saylla, a typical town of Cuzco where we can enjoy pork rinds.
We will return to the city of Cusco at 3.00 p.m. approximately.
This 5-hour tour of the South Valley of Cusco costs $65 per person. The price includes entrance fees to all tourist sites and a group guide. There is a minimum requirement of two people to book this tour.
This 5-hour tour costs $115 per person. It includes a private guide and all entrance fees to the tourist sites. A minimum of two people is required for this private service.
How long to visit: This is a half-day trip that lasts around six hours. It is an ideal tour if you have a free morning or afternoon and want to see sites that are less crowded than those in the Sacred Valley.
How to prepare: The main preparation is to have your Cusco Tourist Ticket ready, or cash to buy it. Also, pack a small daypack with essentials. Since it’s a short tour, no extensive preparation is needed.
Acclimatization: It is recommended to spend at least one day in Cusco before the tour to adjust to the high altitude. This tour is not physically demanding, making it a good choice for an early part of your trip.
Recommended Age: The tour is suitable for all ages. Its short duration and the minimal amount of walking make it accessible for children and older adults.
Recommendations: Purchase your Tourist Ticket before the tour starts to save time. Bring cash in local currency (Peruvian Soles) for the ticket, lunch, and any other small purchases. Always carry your original passport.
Climate: The climate in the South Valley is very similar to Cusco’s. There is a dry season from April to October with sunny days, and a rainy season from November to March with more frequent clouds and showers.
The Local People: The villages in the South Valley are generally quiet and traditional. People are often engaged in agriculture. In Andahuaylillas and Saylla, locals are accustomed to visitors.
No, lunch is not included in the tour price. The tour passes through Saylla, a town known for its pork rinds, where you can choose to eat.
No, the entrance fees are not included. You will need to have a valid Cusco Tourist Ticket (Boleto Turístico del Cusco) to enter Tipon and Pikillacta.
It is a single ticket that provides access to multiple archaeological sites and museums in and around Cusco, including those on this tour. It must be purchased separately.
This is a half-day tour. It starts at 9:00 AM and you will return to Cusco at approximately 3:00 PM, so it lasts about 6 hours.
No, there is minimal walking. The tour uses a vehicle for transport between the sites, and the walking at each location is not strenuous.
It is known as the “Sistine Chapel of Cusco” because its interior is completely covered with detailed murals, paintings, and gold leaf from the colonial period.
Yes, you must bring your original passport. It is required to be shown with your Tourist Ticket for entry into the archaeological sites.
Because it is a short, half-day tour with little physical difficulty, it is a good option for one of your first days in Cusco while you are acclimatizing to the altitude.
Saylla is a small town famous in the Cusco region for preparing and selling one specific dish: chicharrones (deep-fried pork).
No, photography and video are generally not permitted inside the church to protect the delicate artwork.
Andes Path Peru is a locally-owned and operated family travel agency and tour operator based in Cusco, built on many years of first-hand trekking experience. As a 100% Cusqueñian company with no external shareholders, we are deeply rooted in our community.
Our vision as a local company is to craft small, customized tours and treks that are exclusively operated by our team of local professionals. We are dedicated to providing a PERSONALIZED and HIGH-QUALITY SERVICE.
We take great pride in our reputation as a RESPONSIBLE & SUSTAINABLE tour operator. We consider our staff to be our extended family and ensure they receive fair wages for their hard work. We are incredibly proud of our team! Without their dedication, we couldn’t offer the exceptional service and create the lifetime experiences our clients cherish.
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To provide a more customized experience for our guests, Andes Path Peru has a strict policy of limiting our groups to a maximum of 8 people. This commitment to small group sizes is a key factor that distinguishes us from other companies that operate with much larger tour groups.
We are incredibly proud of our guides! They are consummate professionals who are fluent in English. They possess a deep knowledge of and a true passion for Inca heritage and history. Our guides are committed to continuous professional and personal growth, constantly researching to ensure you receive accurate and recognized information about Inca and Andean culture. Our crew is fun-loving, engaging, and highly educated. Each guide holds a university degree in a relevant field such as Archeology, Tourism, Botany, History, or Anthropology.
Trekking with Andes Path Peru is a life-changing journey. We offer a fully portered experience where your comfort and enjoyment are our highest priorities. We are dedicated to making sure you have the best possible holiday in Peru, allowing you to interact with local people, explore breathtaking sites, and rediscover remote ancient Inca towns. Our porters will carry your gear, prepare delicious meals, set up your tents in quiet locations away from crowded campsites, and take care of you, allowing you to simply sit back and relax.
We provide the following equipment to our porters at no cost: a jacket, sun hat, warm hat, t-shirt, pants, hiking boots, comfortable duffel bags, a canteen, a supportive girdle to protect their backs, sleeping bags, mattresses, and travel insurance. All of our porters are hired from isolated communities, giving them the opportunity to improve their economic situation and help support their children’s education. We ensure that every one of our porters is treated like family!
The quality of our team (guides, cooks, porters, horsemen) and our top-of-the-line equipment truly makes Andes Path Peru stand out from the competition. For all of our adventure hikes, we include the following:
At Andes Path Peru, we have always believed in the importance of giving back to the local, isolated communities. Therefore, as part of our commitment to responsible tourism, we consistently run social projects and prioritize local hiring.
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