Cusco Prodigious: Machu Picchu, Maras, Salt City, Valleys 6D/5N

Cusco City Tour 

Cusco Cathedral: Built in 1560 and taking nearly 100 years to complete, Cusco Cathedral is an emblematic feature of Cusco’s main colonial square – Plaza de Armas. In 1928, Cusco Cathedral was granted Minor Basilica status, and became the official seat of the diocese (under the supervision of a bishop). The full name of the Cathedral is “The Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption of the Virgin.” Furthermore, the cathedral was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site under the City of Cusco listing in 1983.

The Koricancha Palace: Religious center known as “The Temple of the Sun” where you will admire the impressive engineering used in its construction.

Sacsayhuaman: Located 3 Km. From the city of Cusco, impressive stone fortress with an excellent architecture, Famous for its huge carved stones some of which are at 9 m/ 30 feet tall,with a weigh over 350 tons. Here is where the Inty Raymi or Fiesta del Sol take place in June Every year.

Qenqo: Ceremonial and ritual center, amphitheatre where sacrifices were made.

Puca-Pucara: An old tambo (resting place), monitoring place throughout the Inka Empire Routes. – Tambomachay: Located 7 Km. From the city of Cusco, ceremonial center of cult to the water , known traditionally as the place of water. Excursion time: around 5 hours.

Sacred Valley of the Incas

Pisac: he village lies about 28 km from Cusco, right along the Vilcanota or the Urubamba River. Altitude: 3347m and located 3.5km from the town of Pisac. The big attraction are the Incan ruins known as Inca Písac which lie atop a hill at the entrance to the valley. They are separated into four areas stretching along the picturesque ridge- Pisaqa, Intihuatana, Q’allaqasa, and Kinchiracay. Due to its strategic location Pisac was once the site of a vital Inca road which wound its way through the Sacred Valley to the borders of the eastern jungle. This made it an important connecting route for the Inca Empire and the city of Paucartambo– giving Inca Písac a strategic controlling point. With its elevated position, researchers believed the site served a defensive purpose, protecting the southern end of the valley. It was also an important agricultural sector and the terraces constructed on the steep hillside are still in use today. 

Ollantaytambo: A village in the Sacred Valley of south Peru, set on the Urubamba River amid snow-capped mountains. It’s known for the Ollantaytambo ruins, a massive Inca fortress with large stone terraces on a hillside. Major sites within the complex include the huge Sun Temple and the Princess Baths fountain. The village’s old town is an Inca-era grid of cobblestoned streets and adobe buildings. Elevation: 2,792 m During the Inca Empire, Ollantaytambo was the royal estate of Emperor Pachacuti, who conquered the region and built the town and a ceremonial center. At the time of the Spanish conquest of Peru, it served as a stronghold for Manco Inca Yupanqui, leader of the Inca resistance. 

Machu Picchu Citadel

Machu Picchu took some 30 years to construct. Built during the reign of Inca Pachacutec (1438 – 1471), Due to limited historical information the true and original name of this epic Inca citadel is unknown. Machu Picchu’s name derives from the mountain that lies to the south-west of the citadel, meaning “Old Mountain.”

Machu Picchu citadel covers a vast area of approximately 9 hectares (22.3 acres), and is constructed on a mountain ridge high above the Sacred Valley. Machu Picchu is split into two main sectors: the Agricultural Sector in the south and the Urban Sector in the north, of which both are roughly equal in size. Granite stone was the main building material used in the construction of Machu Picchu, which was obtained from onsite quarries and others within close proximity. The finest Inca construction techniques were reserved for the Royal Quarter; the best examples are found at the Sacred Square, the Temple of the Sun and the Temple of the Moon. This magic and epic Inca citadel is one of South America’s greatest archaeological sites. In 1981, Machu Picchu was declared a Peruvian Historical Sanctuary and later in 1983, it became a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

South Valley of the Incas

Piquillaqta: This is a huge sprawling site, interesting because it is the only ruin of a pre-Inca city in the Cusco region. It is attributed to the Wari culture, which emerged in the central highlands near present-day Ayacucho, flourished around 1000 AD, and may ultimately have been overwhelmed by the Incas.

Andahuyalillas: Rumicolca” was once the gigantic stone gateway to the Cusco valley, and we pass through the narrow valley it guards on our way to the village of Andahuaylillas, whose famous colonial church is known as the “Sistine Chapel of the Americas” because of its beautiful painted ceiling and other art treasures.

Saylla: Its main tourist attraction is Sillkinchani located 9 kilometers southeast of the city of Cusco, it is believed that Sillkinchani could be the seventh or eighth huaca of the road to Qollasuyo, it is a unique and narrow passage of the plain towards Cusco that is known precisely as “Angostura”, which marks the boundary between the Cuzco and Huacarpay basins, it is more likely that it was a kind of surveillance and control post. In front of Sillkinchani, on the left side of the same ravine, there is another small archaeological site called Qontaymoqo, built on very incompetent quaternary materials such as sand and diatomites.

Wasao: famous land of fortune tellers and healers. Coca leaves reading, with the Íncas sacred leaves and flourishing offerings ritual.

Oropesa tipon: Town with history, which dates back to pre-Inca times, when it was populated by the brave and rebellious Pinaguas caciques and running the years, the Incas with Pachacutec at the head they broke them and taking advantage of its excellent climate, the Inca conqueror and transformer of the Reyno of Cusco, he built the stone residences of Tipón and Urpicancha, presuming that Huáscar was born in the summer residence of Urpicancha. The archaeological complex of Tipón: is the greatest expression of the so-called hydraulic engineering, because to the admiration of our 21st century scientists, their irrigation canals and their aqueducts are in full and perfect functioning. Tipón was a place where the Incas domesticated the plants to turn them into edible products. The tradition tells that in the summer residence of Urpicancha, the Inca princes ran: Huáscar, Manco Inca, Sayritupac and Tupac Amaru I, sons of the great Huayna Capac. Oropesa, in the stage of conquest and colonialism was the residence of conquerors and colonizers, who were attracted by its extraordinary climate and the fertility of its lands were installed in this valley.

Church Sixtima of America: the most beautiful churches in South America and known as the Sistine Chapel of America by the amount of beautiful paintings and art it is in this church.

Maras Moray Salt City

 Maras a town near the city of Cusco in the Sacred Valley of the Incas, from there you can appreciate the amazing snowy peaks “El Chicon” and “Veronica.” The village still preserves the attractiveness from the pre-Hispanic, colonial and republican, then at 7 kilometers South west of maras is the Moray Archeological Complex an area set of enormous terraces that overlap concentrically in a giant pit. In the Inca time these beautiful terraces served as an agricultural laboratory “Greenhouse Prototype.” Finally northwest of Maras town is the Salt mines, this fascinating place comprised of about 2000 small wells with an average area of about 5 meters, in operations since the Inca times until these days. The harvest process is done by the people of Maras.

Chinchero

A town The small rustic town of Chinchero lies off between Cusco and Urubamba. Located at 3762m above sea level, so is higher than Cusco. It is towered over by the Vilcabamba range and the snow capped peak of Salcantay. There is a great display of Inca architecture, ruins and megalithic carved rocks. Chinchero is home to the famous Peruvian weaving and also has a colorful market. (smaller than the one in Pisac but also offers some beautiful crafts). A beautiful adobe church sits on the plaza, that can be visited daily.

World Wonders definitely worth visiting!

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Travelling to Cusco shouldn’t be underestimated remember the Inca empire is located at 3,400 meters (11,200ft), therefore we strongly recommend to consult your doctor about altitude pills and the vaccines you may need.

You can expect a really pleasant adventure that you will remember for a long time. You will visit the beautiful Sacred Valley with amazing landscapes, a 7 kilometers southwest of Maras, is the Moray Archaeological Complex, a set of huge terraces that concentrically overlap in a giant well. In the Inca era, these beautiful terraces served as an agricultural laboratory “Greenhouse Prototype” and the Inca Salt Mines (Salineras de Maras). South of Cusco, the church of South America the Sistine Chapel of America known for the amount of beautiful paintings and art it possesses. Machu Picchu which is located about 2500 meters (8200 feet) above sea level and the visit to this magical Inca city is very unique and special. You will see several ancient Inca ruins on the way there and eventually you will reach Macchu Picchu. Experience the walks that the Incas did during their existence in that magical place. You will visit the following tourist places: 

• City Tour in the city of Cusco
• The Sacred Valley of the Incas
• Maras Moray Salt Mines (Salineras de Maras)
• Archaeological Complex of Moray
• Machu Picchu by train