Cusco or Qosqo in Quechua, as the capital of Inca Empire, Cusco has a rich History and a living Culture waiting for you to be explored. is the best combination of Andes nature, traditions, Andean music, local people and the rich culture, Live the magic and tradition that envelops this beautiful city, On our city tour we will visit Qorikancha, The Cathedral of Cusco, The Fortress of Sacsayhuaman, Qenqo, Puca Puccara and Tambomachay. Enjoy this adventure together at smoothllamaperu.
Our team will pick you up at your hotel and let’s start our beautiful program visiting the combined program, visiting Inca buildings and nature around Cusco city.
HIGHLIGHTS:
Briefing/ smoothllamaperu Cusco office.
It will be in our office which is located at Street Lizandro Montero Ñ – 4
All travelers are required to visit the Cuzco office for a mandatory briefing on your trek one day prior to departure at 6:00 pm. At this meeting you will receive detailed information on the route, a list of what to bring, confirm your pick-up for the morning of the trek and be able to ask questions. However, if you wish to receive all the information in your hotel, let us know and our guide will kindly approach your hotel for the informative meeting.
Duration: 4 hours approximately. / Daily departures.
We start our tour with our team picking you up from your hotel, where ever it is located, and then we proceeding to explore the Imperial city of Cusco. You will have the opportunity to visit the city and admire the mix architectural evidence of Inca ancient construction and Catholicism, the Conquest, the Colonial period, and the Republic periods; which are still intact in all of their glory. You will see and experience the great development of the most important pre-Hispanic culture in South America.
THE CATHEDRAL
Located in Cusco´s Main Square, The Cathedral was built between 1560 and 1664 out of large slabs of red granite taken from the Incan construction of Sacsayhuaman, It houses important collections of gold and silver work of the colonial period, elaborately engraved wooden such as the choir, pulpit and altars, beautiful paintings from the Cusquenian School of Art (including a Last Supper painting in which Christ and His disciples eat Cuy – guinea pig!) and works of embossed silver. This cathedral flanks the grandiose Plaza de Armas – the historical and cultural heart of Cusco.
THE PLAZA DE ARMAS
Here our guide explains about many stories and legends from Incas time until now days in the heart of the city, our guide will help make this period of history come alive.
QORIKANCHA
We will arrive there in 5 minutes on foot along the ancient Inca Street. This religious center was built to worship the Sun, the most revered deity during the Inca Empire, and whose walls were lined with solid sheets of gold. All that remains now is just the fine stonework, because the conquistadors looted the rest and destroyed the temple to build the convent of Santo Domingo. Qorikancha was also an observatory, place where all the idols of gold and silver were kept, and also this sacred place was where priests kept track of major celestial events.
SAQSAYHUAMAN
We will arrive there in 20 minutes in our vehicle, Located at 2 km from the center of Cusco City, One of the most impressive sites built around Cusco by the Inca ancestors, this fortress was built using enormous carved rocks joined with compelling precision. It consists of three superimposed platforms in a zigzag shape with an average length of 360 meters, which makes this cyclopean construction more attractive; from here you can enjoy a spectacular view of Cusco city, with the beautiful landscape formed by the surrounding mountains.
QÉNQO
We will arrive there in 5 minutes driving, (Meaning ‘zigzag’ or ‘labyrinth’) Located 1 km from Sacsayhuaman, This site contains the most impressive carved rocks in the Cusco area, this complex was an Inca ceremonial cult center. There are carvings of ceremonial altars on top of the natural rock, although some are a little indistinct: a llama, a condor, and snakes have been identified. There are many zigzag channels, inside the rock there are a number of caves and passageways and an altar which was used for the sacrifices of llamas and mummification of important people and leaders, many human skeletons were found in the excavations.
PUKAPUKARA
We will arrive there in 10 minutes of driving from Qenqo, Puka Pukara (the red Inca fortress). It is thought that this fortress was perhaps an old Tambo which served both as a resting and guarding spot to protect Tambomachay. Pukapukara has two open plazas, one which was a check point and the other a plaza with a 360° view. The Inca walls here are simple but beautiful stonework; also from here you will enjoy the stunning view of the Mather nature, croplands, water channels, Andean valleys and much more.
TAMBOMACHAY
We will arrive here in 10 minutes of walking; the name means “Place to Rest” in Qechua. This site was thought to have been used as a Temple to the Water. For this reason, Tambomachay is associated with the water cult; the Inca construction has fine stonework with their respective trapezoidal ceremonial niches. In front of this construction there is a tower that is said to have served as a guarding post and communication tower, all the construction adorned by native plants such as: Queuña, Chachacomo, Ichu and much more.
**back to Cusco in 30 minutes end of the tour.
Inclusions: pick up from you hotel, where ever it is located, water, private vehicle.
Trekking: inside Inca buildings / 3 – 4 hours
DEGREE OF DIFFICULTY: Very Easy
WHAT IS INCLUDED
WHAT IS NOT INCLUDED
Note:
The price of the entrance tickets (BTG / Tourist Ticket) are:
ADULT PARTIAL TICKET: 70 soles o 23 USD
STUDENT PARTIAL TICKET: 70 soles (with student card)
Includes: Sacsayhuaman, Qenqo, Pukapukara, Tambomachay (valid 1 day)
ADULT GENERAL ADMISSION: 130 soles o 43 USD
STUDENT GENERAL ADMISSION: 70 soles (with student card and must be under 25 years old)Includes: Sacsayhuaman, Qenqo, Pucapucara, Tambomachay, Folk Art Museum, and Regional Historical Museum, Municipal Museum of Contemporary Art, Qorikancha Site Museum, Qosqo Native Art Center, Pachacutec Monument, Tipon, Pikillacta, Pisac, Ollantaytambo, and Chinchero & Moray. (Valid 10 days)
PRICE: US$80 solo person
DISCOUNTS:
Members of the South American Explorers: Receive USD10.00 discount.
BOLETO TURISTICO (tourist ticket)
You have the Option to Purchase a 1 Day or a 10 Day Boleto Turístico.
Note: The price of the entrance tickets (BTG / Tourist Ticket) are:
ADULT PARTIAL TICKET: 70 soles. o 23 USD
STUDENT PARTIAL TICKET: 70 soles (with student card)
Includes: Sacsayhuaman, Qenqo, Pukapukara, Tambomachay (valid 1 day)
ADULT GENERAL ADMISSION: 130 soles o 43 USD
STUDENT GENERAL ADMISSION: 70 soles (with student card and must be under 25 years old)
Includes: Sacsayhuaman, Qenqo, Pucapucara, Tambomachay, Folk Art Museum, and Regional Historical Museum, Municipal Museum of Contemporary Art, Qorikancha Site Museum, Qosqo Native Art Center, Pachacutec Monument, Tipon, Pikillacta, Pisac, Ollantaytambo, and Chinchero & Moray. (Valid 10 days)
Note: The entrance ticket to the main archeological sites like Sacsayhuaman, Pisac, Ollantaytambo, Chinchero, Tipon and Moray cannot be sold individually; you must buy the Boleto Turístico to visit them. You can get it in Avenida el Sol nearby Peru office or at the time you enter the first site that you are visiting.
YOU MUST PAY IN SOLES, NO CREDIT CARD OR US DOLLARS ARE ACCEPTED.
Important: These entrances are not included in the Boleto Turístico.
ABOUT THE BRIEFING
All travelers are required to visit the Cuzco office for a mandatory briefing on your trek one day prior to departure at 6:00 pm. At this meeting you will receive detailed information on the route, a list of what to bring, confirm your pick-up for the morning of the trek and be able to ask questions. However, if you wish to receive all the information in your hotel, let us know and our guide will kindly approach your hotel for the informative meeting.
It will be in our office which is located at Street Lizandro Montero Ñ – 4
HOW TO BOOK CUSCO CITY TOUR BY CAR?
FIRST, to book your “Cusco city tour by car”, we need you to fill out our booking form by clicking on BOOK NOW on our homepage or click here the link BOOK NOW.
To book your “Cusco city tour by car”, we need the following information (FROM EACH PARTICIPANT in your group). We cannot purchase an Inca Trail permit without the following information:
SECOND, we require a deposit of US$50.00 per person in order to purchase a permit for the “Short Inca trail trek to Machu Picchu”. You can make you deposit by clicking on the VISA or PAYPAL symbols on the top of our home page, or you can click on the VISA or PAYPAL symbols on our booking page or click here on the payment of your choice, either VISA or PAYPAL.
WHAT ABOUT THE PAYMENT BALANCE?
It would be greatly appreciated if you pay in cash at our office (US dollars or Peruvian soles) here in Cusco. We have many cash machines in the historical center to withdraw money. You can also pay by VISA or PAYPAL online but you will have to pay a 6% service charge, charged by VISA and PAYPAL. To pay your balance through PAYPAL, you need to log into your PAYPAL account using our email address of smoothllamaperu@gmail.com
WHO QUALIFY FOR THE STUDENT DISCOUNT?
Those passengers who booked their trip using the discounted price for ISIC Student Holders must bring their original and valid CIIU card (not a copy and not expired). This document must be shown at the Control Gate. Unfortunately, if you do not bring your card, you will be denied entry to the Trail as the permits won’t be valid without your card.
SCHOOL STUDENT
With the passport or national ID – original ones, from 8 to 17 years old
WHAT ABOUT TIPPING?
(smoothllamaperu staff receives a fair and decent payment immediately after they end their trip.)
**** (Please remember that tipping is 100% optional and depends entirely on the service you received. It is customary to give tips in Latin America, however it is NOT mandatory. If you do wish to give a tip, these are our recommended guidelines.)
ARE YOU PART OF THE SUSTAINABLE WORK?
Yes, we are a local sustainable & responsible tourism operator in that we incorporate the universal principles of tourism, protect the environment and benefit the local communities respecting their culture and religion. With this in mind, we have trained all our staff to know, understand and respect the local places and its people.
THINGS YOU MUST BRING WITH YOU
