Located high in the Peruvian Andes, the Imperial Inca city of Cusco awaits you with its charming mix of Inca and Spanish architecture. On this interesting half day tour visit the majestic Qoricancha, the most important site in Inca times and the site of the Santa Domingo church built on top of the Inca temple. Travel just outside of Cusco to see the 4 Inca ruins, learn their history, legends and importance to the Inca culture.

Places you visit in our Cusco City Tour

• Qoricancha, also called the Temple of the Sun 
• Sacsayhuaman, the most impressive archeological site near Cusco
• Qenqo, an immense promontory where the Inca carved right into the bedrock
• Pukapukara, the Red Fortress with cryptic historical use
• Tambomachay, the most important site for water rituals.

Itinerary

At the selected time you will be picked up from your hotel. Cusco is a prime example of Andean and Spanish culture located high in the Andes Mountains. The first stop on the tour is the Convent of Santo Domingo. This church was built over the temple of Qoricancha, considered the most important temple in Cusco for the Inca, and their main center of worship. Enjoy the site before traveling to Sacsayhuaman an impressive site that sits above the city. Later visit the sites of Qenqo, Puca Pucara and Tambo Machay. Learn their history from your professional guide. Arrive back at your hotel just in time for a tasty dinner in one of the many restaurants in the city of Cusco.

Places visited on the City Tour

Qoricancha and the Convent of Santo Domingo

Qoricancha meaning enclosure of gold, was the most important temple in Cusco during Inca empire and dedicated to the worship of the sun. What a site it must have been during Inca times covered with solid sheets of gold. Today we only see the fine stonework, when the Spanish arrived, they used the stones to build the Santo Domingo Church. Something not to be missed is the impressive collection of art by the Escuela Cusqueña de Arte.

Sacsayhuaman

One of the most impressive Inca sites that you will see, Sacsayhuaman means satisfied falcon. Until today it is not certain as to the purpose of the site before the Spanish arrived. Research has discovered that it was most likely used as a temple as burial tombs have been discovered.

Even today after much of the site has been taken away or destroyed you can still see how great Sacsayhuaman must have been in Inca times. Some of the incredible stones remain and the largest weighs a massive 128 tons.

The city of Cusco was planned in the shape of a Puma, which was something the Inca worshipped. Sacsayhuaman was the head of the Puma. The Inca ruin features zigzag walls which you will not miss. On the 24^th June every year the Inti Raymi festival is held at the site, in Inca times this was to celebrate the winter solstice.

Qenqo

This site has the most impressive carved rocks in the Cusco area. The site is covered in these carvings some are indistinct not recognizable and others like the llama, condor and snakes are identified. Zigzag channels are sculpted into the bedrock. Below the rock, there is a number of caves, passageways, an altar which may have been used for sacrifices. Buried mummies have also been discovered around Qenqo.

Puka Pukara

Known as the red fortress, this small site may have not been a fortress as the name suggests. On further investigation it had no defensive purpose. Most likely purpose was a resting place for messengers and administrative center for the town of Cusco. It is interesting to see the way the Incas built the walls over the bedrock.

Tambo Machay

The name means “place of rest” in Quechua. It used to be the royal palace of the Inca Yupanqui when he went to hunt in the surrounding area. This site was also thought to have been used as a Temple to the Water. There are some interesting aqueducts, canals and fountains sculpted out of stone, designed to channel water flowing from a nearby stream.

What is Included in the Cusco City Tour?

Included

• Pick up at your hotel
• Professional guide, fluent in English & Spanish
• Private transportation to visit all Inca sites

Not Included

• Entrance to Archeological sites: Purchase the Boleto Turístico (tourist ticket) of 70 soles (about US$20), at the first site you enter. This can be used for 1 day to visit archeological sites in the Cusco region.  (See important info, for other options)
• Entrance to Qoricancha (10 Soles per person)