Languaje
English - Spanish
Best Season
April - November
Departure City
Cusco
Guide
Professional guide
Transportation
Bus
Walking Hours
3-4 hours
Minimum Age
7
Maximum Age
70
Destinations
Cusco
Activities
Cultural Tours
Trip Type
Cusco Traditional
Difficulty
Easy

South Valley Cusco

South Valley Cusco is a particularly unique tour, created for tourists looking for more traditional tourist attractions.

South Valley Cusco is a tourist package that combines in a single trip 3 tourist destinations that show Inca and colonial architecture located a few kilometers south of Cusco.

The South Valley of Cusco offers a fascinating combination of natural landscapes and little explored archaeological sites that will take you to know a different facet of the ancient Inca civilization.

This tour starts with a visit to the archaeological site of Tipon, an impressive example of Inca hydraulic engineering, where you can admire the water channels that have been flowing since ancient times.

Then, you will continue to Pikillaqta, a jewel of the Wari culture, before the Incas. Its vast remains of buildings and its enigmatic history will transport you to an even more remote past.

The last stop will be in the picturesque village of Andahuaylillas, where you will visit the famous “Sistine Chapel of America”, a sixteenth-century church with beautiful frescoes and Baroque decorations that will surprise you.

This tour of the South Valley offers not only history, but also stunning landscapes with views of the Andes, fertile valleys and small traditional communities that keep their cultural legacy alive. Ideal for those looking for a quieter and more authentic trip, this lesser-known destination will connect you with the essence of Cusco and its natural environment.

What to wear

Backpack Appropriate clothing for the trip (hat, rain poncho (rainy season), tennis shoes) Sunscreen, mosquito repellent, lipstick Water bottle If you take any medication, take it with you travel camera, external battery, SD memory Additional national currency (soles)

Day 1 :

CUSCO – TYPE – SMALL – ANDAHUAYLILLAS

Pick up from the hotel, guided tour of three important places, we will start with the so-called “Sistine Chapel of America”, (due to the quality of the works of art found inside) the Church of Andahuaylillas, located in the town of the same name, located approximately 40 km (25 miles) east of the City of Cusco at an altitude of 3100 meters. (10170 feet).

A walk through its Main Plaza that is adorned with "pisonay" (coral trees) and palm trees. We continue our journey towards Tipón National Archaeological Complex located towards the east of the City of Cusco; covering a territory of approximately 2200 hectares.

The original Quechua name of the place is unknown. You can see diverse groups of royal rooms that were built by the Inca Wiraqocha as a dwelling and refuge for his father YawarWakaq.

This group of villages are located at an altitude of 3500 meters. (11,480 feet). In addition, there is a large impressive cultivation space that contains 12 very fertile terraces that are currently cultivated, whose walls were built with well-carved stones. Even more impressive is the irrigation system that is still serving agriculture and the advantage is the intake of water in the spring season.

The stones that channel the river have been finely calculated and sometimes with almost vertical drops that together constitute a work of hydraulic engineering. Some fountains must have had ceremonial functions.

Due to its location and the presence of a surrounding wall, Tipon must have been a very exclusive site. Towards the southwest of this group, on the almost vertical mountain surface is the cemetery named "Pitopuqyo" which today has looted tombs. In this place there were large amounts of cultural vestiges, currently you can find many pieces of broken ceramics.

To finish the tour, a guided visit to the Pikillacta Archaeological Complex, which covers an area of 3,421 hectares (8,453 acres), and is located in the province of Quispicanchis, to the east of the city of Cusco approximately 32 km (20 miles).

On the way you will be able to see a wonderful view of the Wakarpay lagoon which is located at an altitude of approximately 3200 meters. (10,500 feet). "Pikillaqta" is a compound Quechua word that means "lousy town" (piki = louse; llaqta = town); However, that is not the original name of the area or the main site, its previous name is unknown; Although, many chroniclers refer to this area with the name "Muyuna", "Muyna" or "Mohina".

It seems that the site began being called "Pikillaqta" since the last years of the colonial era or at the beginning of the republic; its reason is unknown. The pre-Hispanic site of Pikillaqta is located at 3350 meters. (11,000 feet) and belonged to a city of the Wari Culture developed in current Ayacucho.

Return to the City of Cusco.