6D CUSCO SOUTHERN VALLEY

A transportation service awaits your arrival at the Cusco Airport to transfer you to your hotel in the Sacred Valley. On the way, you’ll stop and visit the Inkariy Museum, which brings pre-Columbian Peruvian cultures to life. You’ll be accompanied by a knowledgable guide who will offer in-depth insight into the Cusco area’s cultures and history. Overnight at selected hotel in Sacred Valley.

After having breakfast at your hotel, you’ll be transported to the town of Chinchero*, a traditional village located on a lookout point above the Sacred Valley. The inhabitants of this area preserve artisan traditions they’ve inherited from their Incas ancestors. In Chinchero there are also archaeological ruins and a beautiful seventeenth-century church, which is one of the first Catholic buildings in Peru. You’ll then make a trip to to the Living Museum of Yucay, a center for Andean handicraft traditions, where local weavers will demonstrate how they create the area’s highest quality handmade textiles, pottery, and silverware. In addition, you may be able to feed the residents, including llamas, sheep and alpacas! Later, you’ll visit Ollantaytambo, a village that’s been continuously inhabited since the times of the Inca. Here you’ll have a traditional Andean lunch at Chuncho restaurant. You’ll also have the opportunity to climb an iconic multi-tiered fortress which the Inca built into the shape of a llama. At the end of the day, you’ll be brought back to get some rest at your hotel. *If you happen to be here on a Sunday, you’ll also be able to get a taste of traditional village life by visiting a local market. Overnight at the selected hotel in Sacred Valley on bed and breakfast basis. Lunch included.

Start the day with breakfast at the hotel, and then get ready to start your trip to Machu Picchu. In the morning you’ll ride the train to Aguas Calientes, the bustling town that lies at the foot of Machu Picchu. You can take a stroll through this town to visit a craft market, shops, and restaurants. You will then make the short bus trip to Machu Picchu, a masterpiece of engineering and architecture that once served as a sanctuary for the Inca ruler Pachacuti. Once in the citadel, you’ll have the opportunity to visit the Intipunku (the Sun Gate), Wayna Picchu (subject to space availability), and the the Inca Bridge. After taking a tour with a knowledgeable guide, you’ll return to Aguas Calientes. in order to have lunch at Café Inkaterra. In the afternoon you’ll then take the train back to Cusco. Overnight at the selected hotel in Cusco on bed and breakfast basis. Lunch included.

After having breakfast at your hotel, you’ll visit the Coricancha, also known as the Temple of the Sun. The sun was the Inca’s most important deity, and there was even a time when the structure was covered in gold. This temple was once the heart of the Inca empire, and it’s where the emperor lived. Upon conquering the city of Cusco, the Spanish built the Santo Domingo Convent on the foundations of the Coricancha. Next, you’ll visit the Cathedral, the most imposing monument in Plaza de Armas square. The construction of the cathedral took almost 100 years to complete, beginning in the mid- 16 th century. In order to complete this feat, hundreds of stones were extracted and transported from the Sacsayhuaman fortress. Continue your tour to the fortress of Sacsayhuaman, a magnificent building conceived and built by Inca ruler Pachacuti in the 15th century. The Sacsayhuaman complex was built with megalithic blocks, some of which are several stories tall. This complex continues to be a sacred place for locals, and on June 24 th during the winter solstice, there is a ritual to re-enact the festival of the sun. You’ll then continue on to Qenqo, which overlooks the city of Cusco. Qenqo is an archaeological complex that was probably used for religious purposes. The complex contains an underground temple, as well as a number of mysterious engravings. Finally, you’ll make a visit Puca Pucara, which is down the road from Qenqo. It’s believed that Puca Pucara, meaning Red Fortress, was once used by the Inca military. Here you’ll find numerous plazas, ornate fountains, aqueducts, walls, and towers. It’s believed the entourage of the Inca emperors once stayed here, while the the emperor himself rested nearby in a place known as Tambomachay. After visiting these stunning sights around Cusco, you’ll return to your hotel. Overnight at the selected hotel in Cusco on bed and breakfast basis. Optional activity: Pottery workshop by Art trail.

After breakfast, start your day with a visit to Tipon, a perfectly preserved archaeological site located a stone’s throw from Cusco. Near a town with the same name stands an impressive colonial rural mansion which was built in 1650. There are also 12 agricultural terraces and an irrigation system that is considered to be a masterpiece of hydraulic engineering. Both of these sights are still used by local farmers. Next, you’ll continue to Pikillacta, considered to be one of the best-preserved pre-Inca cities in Peru. This complex was built by the Wari culture, who were ancestors of the Incas. The site contains around 700 stone structures that cover an area of more than 3,000 hectares. At this site you’ll also have the chace to gaze upon the head of a condor that the Wari carved into a cliff. Locals continue to inhabit this city, and experts believe that it once maintained a population of about 10,000 people. Finally, you’ll make a visit Andahuaylillas, a village located 40 kilometres from Cusco, which is the home of the San Pedro de Andahuaylillas Church, most commonly known as the Sistine Chapel of America. Most who enter this church are stunned by the high quality artwork that lines its walls. The Spanish built the church in the 16 th century atop the remains of buildings which were probably originally built by the Wari. At the church you can still admire the original pipe organ. After visiting these sights around Cusco, you’ll head back to your hotel. Overnight at the selected hotel in Cusco on bed and breakfast basis.

After breakfast, you’ll be picked up from your hotel, and brought to the Cusco airport. Breakfast included.