Ancient and Colonial Cusco, Private Tour

Upon arrival at Cusco Airport, a representative will be waiting to greet you at the airport and the transportation service will transfer you to your Sacred Valley hotel. If you are arriving on a domestic flight from Lima, ensure that your arrival time is no later than 10:30 , later arrival times will be too late. En route to the hotel, following the road to Pisac, you will make a stop at the Inkariy Museum where you will learn about the pre-Columbian history and traditions of Peru. This museum features a chronological circuit of exhibits that will not only give you an insight into the impressive Inca Empire, but will also introduce you to the lesser-known peoples of Peru, including the Caral, Chavín, Paracas, Moche, Nasca, Wari, Malbayeque and Chimú cultures. Upon arrival at your hotel, you will be assisted with check-in and then you can enjoy some free time to make use of the hotel facilities or to relax and re-charge your batteries ready for the exciting trip ahead. 

Overnight in Sacred Valley.

Today, breakfast at the hotel is followed by visit to the town of Chinchero, a small high-altitude town offering beautiful views of the valley and the chance to witness traditional clothing, customs and local handicrafts. Visit archaeological remains and a beautiful 17th-century church, one of the first Catholic buildings in Peru. You will then be transferred to the Yucay Museum of Living Culture, where you can see textiles, adobe pottery and silverware being crafted using techniques dating back to the Incas. This centre not only gives you an insight into local Andean traditions, but you also have the opportunity to feed the llamas, sheep and alpacas! Feel the true spirit of the Sacred Valley as you sample a lunch of local cuisine in a cosy restaurant in Ollantaytambo. After eating, explore the streets of Ollantaytambo, inhabited uninterruptedly since Inca times, and climb the iconic fortress built into the mountainside. On Sundays, you may also visit the local market. At the end of the day, return to your hotel to rest full of the spirit of the Incas.

Overnight in the Sacred Valley.

Wake up to breakfast at the hotel then transfer to the Ollanta station to begin your trip to Machu Picchu. Enjoy the approximately two-hour scenic train ride to Aguas Calientes, also known as ‘Machu Picchu Pueblo’, the last stop before entering the most important archaeological site in Peru. It is believed that Machu Picchu was built for the Inca emperor Pachacútec around 1450 as a holiday residence. The citadel was abandoned just over 100 years later, probably as a result of the Spanish Conquest, although historians have never uncovered why it was abandoned or how it escaped the destruction that other Inca settlements faced. Instead, the jungle slowly engulfed its stone construction, covering it in a thick vegetation that kept it hidden and protected until the ‘lost city of the Incas’ was brought to international attention in 1911. Your tour will introduce you to the origins of this impressive citadel and guide you around some of its most iconic monuments, such as the main square, the royal rooms, the Temple of the Three Windows, the circular towers, the Sacred Clock and cemeteries. At the end of the tour, return to Aguas Calientes for lunch at the famous Café Inkaterra, a beautiful thatched-roof restaurant hemmed in between the railway and a mountain. In the afternoon, back to your hotel in Cusco

Overnight in Cusco.

After breakfast at the hotel, enjoy a guided tour of this charming city, which was once the capital of the Inca Empire. The tour begins at the Santo Domingo Convent, a building constructed on the site of Coricancha, one of the most important Incan complexes dedicated to sun worship. According to historical records, the original temple walls depicted scenes of nature and were covered in gold leaf. After Coricancha, visit the imposing cathedral in the Plaza de Armas, then head to the Cusco hills, where you’ll find the fortress of Sacsayhuamán and panoramic views of Cusco. Continue on to Qenqo, an archaeological site where it is believed the Incas carried out religious rituals. Your tour ends in Puka Pukara, meaning “red fortress” in Quechua. Puka Pukara is an ancient military site comprising numerous rooms, courtyards, baths, aqueducts and towers. At the end of the tour, you will be transferred back to your hotel. At the end of the tour, return to your hotel to rest or take part one of the traditional pottery workshops: Glazed Ceramics or Colonial Gold Leaf application.

Overnight in Cusco.

Enjoy your breakfast at the hotel before embarking on a journey through pre-Inca times to the Colonial era in the Southern Valley. You will start your journey in Tipón, a perfectly preserved archaeological site just 27 kilometres away from the city of Cusco. This site is considered a masterpiece of hydraulic engineering and the fully-functioning irrigation systems are still in use by the local population today. Then visit an impressive colonial mansion that dates back to 1650. Continue to Pikillacta, one of the best preserved pre-Inca cities in Peru. Pikillacta was built by the Wari people around 800 AD and used for approximately 2000 years. The site covers more than 3,000 hectares and contains 700 structures including stone and mud buildings of two and three floors, terraces and a rock carving of a condor. Finally, visit Andahuaylillas, a town located around 40 kilometres away from Cusco. The main attraction here is the local Church, often referred to as the ‘Sistine Chapel of the Americas’ owing to the high quality of art found inside. The church was built in the sixteenth century on the site of what are believed to have been Wari buildings. From here, we will return to Cusco for the evening. 

Overnight in Cusco.

After finishing your breakfast at the hotel, check out transfer to the airport. Although this is the last day of your journey around Cusco and surrounding areas, we hope that your memories of this remarkable region, bursting with both culture and history, will last a lifetime.