Your guide will pick you up from your hotel at 8am in our private van to start our adventure! Our first stop is at the famous white statue of Jesus that watches over Cusco from above. This statue is called Cristo Blanco, and is lit up 24 hours a day.

The tour starts to heat up a bit as we head over to our next stop: the Fortress of Sacsayhuaman. You will be blown away by its impressive Inca military construction and the giant stones used to build it, some of which weigh up to 128 tons!

There are plenty of ruins to explore on the route between Cusco and Pisac, and we hit them all- Q’enqo, Puka Pukara, and Tambomachay, and you will learn about them all from your local guide.

To keep things fresh and give you a small respite from the ruins, we make a stop at the mirador of Taray, where we can appreciate an expansive view of the Sacred Valley. From here, our next stop is Pisac archeological site.

Upon our arrival to the ruins atop the mountain, we will leap right in to the tour. There’s plenty to see here, including the biggest Inca cemetery with more than 2,000 tombs, farming terraces hand carved into the side of the mountain, the Inca tunnel, and the religious area of this famous Inca ruin.

We make our way down from the ruins to the famous Pisac market, famous for it being the largest pre-Columbian style handicraft and textile market in the region of Cusco.

Pisac itself is a fantastic window into the way that Incan culture has been brought into modern Peruvian culture. From the bright colors to the building techniques, the footprint of the Incas is all over this small town.

You will find plenty of hand-made souvenirs in Pisac. Alpaca goods of all types, (such as sweaters, shawls, hats, gloves, spreads, woven textile rugs, local silver jewelry, decorations, alpaca rugs, artwork), and trinkets of all types.

Be sure to try the homemade pizza and empanadas made in large old fashioned Inca ovens. Here, we will take some time for lunch and try out all of the local food before we head back to your hotel. We will return to Cusco at approximately 4 or 5 pm.

Read more about each site below!

Sacsayhuaman

Sacsayhuaman (which means falcon or hawk in Quechua) is one of the most impressive sites built by the Incas, and it was used as a fortress during the attack of the Spanish.

The stones that make up the walls are incredible, with the largest weighing in at 128 tons. Archeologists can’t agree on how they may have been transported to the location from the quarry.

The Incas designed Cusco in the shape of a puma, with Sacsayhuaman as the head. Sacsayhuaman is still used today for the Inti Raymi festival, held to celebrate the winter solstice on the 24th of June.

Q’enqo

The site of Q’enqo (meaning ‘maze’ in Quechua) contains many impressive hand-carved sections of bedrock. Everywhere carvings have been identified of llamas, condors, and snakes.

There are many zigzag grooves on top of the natural rock, probably used for pouring sacrificial chicha (a local fermented beverage made from corn).

Below the rock, there are a number of caves and passageways, an altar which was used for the sacrifices of lamas. In the caves, mummifications of buried people have been discovered by archeologists.

Puka Pukara

Puka Pucara can be translated to ‘the red fortress’ in Quechua. This is a small site, and although the name suggests that it was a fortress, it does not appear to have had any defensive purpose. Some archeologists theorize that it could have been used to protect the water source at Tambomachay.

Tambomachay

Tambomachay means “place of rest” in Quechua, and was the royal residence of the Inca Yupanqui when he went to hunt in the surrounding area. This site was also thought to have also been used as a temple to celebrate water. There are some interesting aqueducts, canals and cascades sculpted out of stone, designed to channel water flowing from a nearby stream.

PISAC MARKET

Located at the entrance of the Sacred Valley, you will find Pisac. It is a living village, and about as close to a traditional Inca Village as you can get.

It is also famous for being the largest pre-Columbian style handicraft market in the region. At this colorful Inca market, you will be able to meet and chat with locals who make these unique handmade items.

You can shop for alpaca goods, blankets, rugs, local jewelry, and much more. If you don’t feel like shopping, taking in the atmosphere is a great way to experience the market as well.

PISAC

The Pisac archeological site is very impressive, and we will explore the Inca Tunnel and the largest ancient Inca cemetery with more than 2,000 tombs. Further down the mountain is the Temple Complex constructed from pink granite, with a sun temple, ceremonial altars, water channels, and wells. The ruin is surrounded by agricultural terraces that blend into the natural shape of the mountain.