South of the city of Cusco, on the way to the highlands, there is this beautiful valley with impressive landscapes, memorable archaeological centers from the pre-Inka and Inka times, and many majestic temples with impressive wall paintings, canvases of the “Escuela Cuscqueña” (art colonial) and sculptures of the Catholic religion, which will make us live unique experiences, between the historical and the living traditions that can be observed in the towns of this valley.

The places we will visit are:

The Archaeological Site of Tipón. Located 27 km from the city of Cusco, in the Oropesa district. Considered an Inka temple dedicated to water, as it shows one of the largest irrigations works and a complex system of agricultural terraces.

The Archaeological Site of Pikillacta. Located in the Lucre district, close to the Huacarpay wetlands. It is one of the pre-Inca cities, best known and best preserved of the Wari culture.

The chapel of San Pedro Apóstol de Andahuaylillas. One of the most beautiful colonial temples in America, better known as the Sistine Chapel of America. It houses the best of the colonial art of the Cusqueña School.

Category
Day Tours
Tour Code
CUS1D109
Location
Cusco, Peru
Tourism Modality
Culture
Duration
Half day / 5 hrs.
Distance
Trip by bus: ↔5 hrs. Visit: 40 min. each site
Min. Altitude
3,130 m / 10269 ft
Max. Altitude
3,460 m / 11351 ft
Difficulty
Easy
Group Size
4 to 10 people
Gastronomy
Local, Novoandina
Transportation
Tourist Bus
First Aid Kit
+Emergency oxygen bottle
Student Discount
Does not apply

Day 1

Between 8 and 8:30 am, the guide will pass to pick you up from your hotel to begin our tour of the Valley south of the City. This tour of Tipon, Piquillaqta, and Andahuaylillas takes in some of the most beautiful places in the Cusco area.

We will start out by visiting the great marvel of Inkan hydraulic engineering, Tipon. The amazing construction of Tipon is admired by engineers, architects, and visitors from all over the world. The surrounding countryside is also very picturesque.

After Tipon we will continue our journey of exploration at Piquillaqta, this site was once a cult headquarters and an administrative center for the great pre-Inkan Wari culture. The Wari Empire thrived from the 6th through the 9th century, A.D. Piquillaqta is a fine example of their planned urban engineering.

Finally, we will visit the Church of St. Peter, the Apostle, located in Andahuaylillas. This colonial era church will amaze you with its murals that cover the walls and the ceiling. The art work is so fine that the church is called “the Sistine Chapel of the Americas.” After our journey to the fascinating South Valley we will return to Cusco. The whole trip takes about 5 and a half hours (the South Valley Tour finishes up close to the main square “Plaza de Armas” of Cusco at 2:30pm)

INCLUDED

Pick up from the Hotel in Cusco.
Round Trip Transportation.
Professional tour guide (English / Spanish).
First aid kit.

DOES NOT INCLUDE

Entrance to the archeological sites (bring your Tourist Ticket of Cusco BTC)
Entry ticket for the chapel of Andahuaylillas. S/. 15.00 Soles (US$ 5).

(*) BTC Integral Tourist Tkt S/ 130 (US$40 approx.) For South Valley, Sacred Valley, City Tour BTC Partial Tourist Ticket S/ 70 (US$23 approx.) for South Valley of Cusco Optional: Ask for boxlunch S/25 (us$ 8). made with health care. RECOMMENDATIONS OF WHAT TO BRING: