Arrival in Cusco
DAY 1. Arrival in Cusco, and transfer from the airport or bus station to the hotel located in the city center. Rest of the day at leisure, and overnight stay at the hotel.
Cusco City Tour and 4 nearby ruins
DAY 2. Breakfast at the hotel. In the morning, we will pick you up from your hotel and begin the tour by visiting the Temple of the Sun, also known as Koricancha. This emblematic site is a clear example of the fusion of Inca and Spanish cultures, and its foundation was used to build the Church and Convent of Santo Domingo.
We will visit the main Cathedral located in the Plaza Mayor, which has beautiful religious art, much of it belonging to the Cusco School.
We will continue the Cusco City Tour towards the Sacsayhuaman archaeological complex, where you can appreciate this magnificent building of enormous carved stones that fit together perfectly, and it is said that it was built by more than 20,000 men, and that it took them around 70 years to finish it.
Next, we`ll visit the religious center of Qenqo, where they worshipped their gods, such as the sun, the moon, and the earth. One of its main attractions is the underground galleries, and you`ll also see a semicircular amphitheater. We`ll continue this interesting excursion at the military site of Puca Pucará, which in Spanish means "Red Fortress" because of its reddish-colored architecture.
Next, we will visit the Tambomachay water worship center, which features aqueducts and waterfalls fed by nearby springs. After this visit, you will be taken to Plaza El Regocijo, one block from the Plaza de Armas.
Chinchero, Maras Salt Mines and Moray Ruins
DAY 3. Early in the morning, we will pick you up from your hotel to begin this interesting excursion to Sacred Valley of the Incas . Our first stop will be in the town of Chinchero , located 28 km from the city of Cusco. Here we will visit a local textile workshop, where we will appreciate how they use ancestral techniques to make garments.
Continuing along the route, we will arrive at the Salt Mines of Maras , on an open hill in the Urubamba Valley , where a natural current of saltwater runs underground. This incredible process, created by the Incas, causes the water to evaporate and the salt to crystallize within the more than 3,000 natural pools found there.
Next, we`ll head to the ruins of Moray , which consist of three coliseums believed to have been used by the Incas as a kind of open-air agricultural laboratory. The coliseums are made up of several enormous circular depressions on terraces, the largest of which is about 30 meters (98 feet) deep. Admire these terraces, arranged in concentric circles and reminiscent of an ancient Greek theater.
The Sacred Valley of the Incas boasts vast fertile lands perfect for agriculture, as well as impressive archaeological sites that showcase the Inca Empire `s way of life and advanced construction techniques. At the end of the tour, we will return to the city of Cusco and drop you off at Plaza El Regocijo, one block from the Plaza de Armas.
Pisac Market, Ollantaytambo Ruins and Expedition Train to Machu Picchu
DAY 4. Breakfast at the hotel. We will pick you up from your hotel to begin the tour to the town of Pisac, a place that boasts a fantastic market and an archaeological center with temples and stone buildings, offering a wonderful view of the valley, as well as views of the terraces.
Next, we`ll continue our journey to Urubamba for a delicious buffet lunch, and then we`ll arrive in the town of Ollantaytambo. We`ll visit its temple, which served as the headquarters of the Inca army, as well as a religious and agricultural center. It boasts breathtaking views of the valley and over a hundred terraces with irrigation canal systems that were very advanced for their time.
Finally, we will transfer you to the train station in Ollantaytambo to board the Expedition Train to Aguas Calientes. Upon arrival, you will be assisted with your transfer to the hotel and will have a short meeting with your guide before the tour to Machu Picchu. Overnight at the hotel.
Machu Picchu
DAY 5. Breakfast at the hotel. Early in the morning, you will board your transport for an ascent along a winding road, offering spectacular views of the Urubamba River as it carves the famous canyon. Machu Picchu, the Lost City of the Incas, will welcome you with its incredible terraces, staircases, ceremonial sites, and urban areas.
Energy emanates from the entire place. After a guided tour, you will have time to continue exploring this fantastic place, or return by bus to the town of Aguas Calientes for lunch (optional).
At the agreed-upon time, you will return by train to Ollantaytambo and be transferred to your hotel in the city of Cusco. Overnight stay at the hotel.
South Valley: Tipón, Pikillaqta and Andahuaylillas
DAY 6. Breakfast at the hotel. After picking you up from your hotel, we will head to the South Valley of Cusco, beginning our tour at the Tipón Water Temple, a vast area containing 12 impressive terraces. Even more impressive is the irrigation system, still in operation, which continues to irrigate crops to this day.
The next stop is Pikillaqta, which has the characteristics of an important pre-Inca urban center, and was of great relevance to the development of the Huari Empire.
Next, we continue to Andahuaylillas. In this typical Andean town, you can visit the famous chapel, also known as the "Sistine Chapel of the Americas." We will return to the city of Cusco and drop you off at Plaza El Regocijo, one block from the Plaza de Armas.
Departure from Cusco
DAY 7. Breakfast at the hotel. Pick-up at the agreed time to transfer you to the bus station or airport in the city of Cusco.
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