Especial
DAY 1: CUSCO – CITY TOUR COMBO
This one day visit of the city of Cusco, offers an interesting combination of popular, historical, cultural and religious atmospheres, between San Pedro´s Central Market, the Incan Museum, Sacsayhuaman, the Koricancha and Cusco´s Cathedral.
SAN PEDRO´S CENTRAL MARKET
We´ll go on our first visit in the more popular side of the city center, where the Central Market of San Pedro (Saint Peter) is located, as it is a very special place, where one can find the whole range of regional agricultural and livestock products, as well as a broad variety of handicraft products, textiles, musical instruments, natural remedies, and searching a bit, one can find rarities which you´ll be able to acquire at a good price, if you are a good negotiator and follow your guide´s advice.
INCAN MUSEUM
This museum, situated on the corner of the Cuesta del Almirante, in the city´s Historical Center, exposes the best sample of archaeological pieces of Incan origin that one can find here in Cusco, and its visit will allow you to develop a better understanding of what was that great culture and civilization all about.
LUNCH IN THE HISTORICAL CENTER OF CUSCO (Not included)
SACSAYHUAMAN:Guided visit of the Archaeological Park of Sacsayhuaman, including the Cyclopean and Ceremonial Architectural Complex of Sacsayhuaman, the Ceremonial Compound of Q´enqo or The Maze, the Temple dedicated to Water of Tambomachay and the road checkpoint of Puka Pukara which means Red Fortress, in Quechua.
KORICANCHA:Guided visit of the Temple of the Sun which was the Incas´ Main Temple, the rooms of which were lined with gold and silver sheets. Then, we´ll go on the guided visit of the Monastery and Church of Santo Domingo and that of the Koricancha´s Site Museum (Koricancha means Enclosure of Gold, in Quechua).
CATHEDRAL:Guided visit of Cusco´s Basilica Cathedral, of Renaissance and Baroque style, with our guide´s commentary about its history, as well as regarding the numerous and most valuable works of religious art it shelters.
DAY 2: CUSCO – RELIGIOUS CITY TOUR
Today, we´ll go on the guided visit of three places marked, in different ways, by Colonial Catholicism, starting by the Parochial Church of the old neighborhood of San Blas. Then, we´ll visit the exceptional religious art collection exposed in the Archiepiscopal Museum, to conclude this religious tour with the Company of Jesus Church, situated on Cusco´s Main Square (Plaza de Armas).
PAROCHIAL CHURCH OF SAN BLAS
This church, situated in Cusco´s craftspeople and artists´ neighborhood, is one of the oldest in the city and is characterized by fine works of religious art of indigenous origin, like for example, its Main Altar entirely sculpted in cedar wood, by an indigenous artist, as it was classified as one of most beautiful and finely worked ones in the world.
As a complement of this guided visit, we´ll take a stroll in the artists´ neighborhood, while we´ll visit some workshops of Cusco´s famous artists and craftspeople, before having lunch in San Blas or around the Plaza de Armas (Main Square).
ARCHIEPISCOPAL MUSEUM
This museum, located on the corner of Calle Hatunrumiyoq (Where the famous Twelve Angle Stone can be found), shelters and exposes a most valuable religious art collection, dating from the Colonial and Republican Periods, with unique pieces, such as the tunique that belonged to Father Valverde who actively participated in the ransom and death sentence of the Inca Atahuallpa, in Cajamarca, before the Spanish arrived in Cusco.
COMPANY OF JESUS
This church is situated on Cusco´s Main Square (Plaza de Armas), along with the Basilica Catedral, and was the Jesuits´ headquarters, during the Colony and until these were expulsed from Peru, by order of the King of Spain. Its façade is in baroque style and its interior is richly decorated with valuable and unique pieces of religious art, as well as with fine paintings from Cusco´s famous School of Art.
DAY 3: CUSCO – SACRED VALLEY – PISAQ – OLLANTAYTAMBO – CUSCO
This one day excursion to the Sacred Valley of the Incas, will give you more perspective and a broader understanding of what the Incas and their great civilization had achieved in architectural works, as well as in the art of integrating the human being in nature, since the Sacred Valley was as much the region´s best agricultural area, as the place of predilection and delights of the Incan royalty and nobility, during their apogee.
Guided visit of the Archaeological Complex of Pisaq, situated on top of a mountain, with splendid views over the Sacred Valley, the village of Pisaq and sourrounding snow-capped mountains. This architectural complex was built with finely carved stones assembled with great precision, and can be considered as an excellent example of Incan architecture, with its Intihuatana or Solar Clock, temples, neighborhoods and impressive cemetery.
Once back in the village, we´ll visit the Handicraft Market, in the center of the present day Pisaq. Then, and depending on our schedule and the group´s decision, we´ll have lunch in Pisaq or we´ll head to Urubamba, to enjoy a buffet lunch, at an open air countryside restaurant.
Arrival in the welcoming Living Incan Village of Ollantaytambo and guided visit of the megalithic Incan Fortress, as well as that of its ceremonial compounds, temples, administrative and military neighborhoods, etc.
Then, we´ll take the time to go on a guided walk around the Incan village of Ollantaytambo, and see from up close, some Incan houses still whole, with their inhabitants, many of whom are descendants of the ancient Incan nobility, and eventually, to acquire some beautiful pieces of local handicraft on offer in the numerous shops spread out throughout the whole village.
At dusk, we´ll return to the city of Cusco, on a bus.
DAY 4: CUSCO – CHINCHERO – MARAS – MORAY – CUSCO
This one day excursion will give us the chance to get to know Cusco´s high plains, visiting the localities of Chinchero and Maras, as well as Moray´s impressive compound of circular and concentric terraces.
We´ll leave the city of Cusco on a bus, to first head towards the locality of Chinchero, where we´ll go on a guided visit of the Incan Archaeological Complex, followed by an optional visit (On your own) of the Colonial Church and Typical Market, on the Main Square of this ancient Incan village, where farmers still apply free trade of agricultural products.
Afterwards, we´ll move on with a short bus transfer to the locality of Maras, also situated on the high plains between Cusco and the Sacred Valley of the Incas, to admire old colonial mansions, the doorways of which still display the shields of arms of the numerous important families that settled in this village, during the Colonial and Republican periods. Then, we´ll choose a nice place between Maras and Moray, to share a countryside lunch (Box-lunch type picnic), followed by some rest or a short digestive walk, with beautiful views of the majestic snow-covered mountains that surround the high plains.
In the afternoon, we´ll board the bus once again, to travel to Moray´s Archaeological Complex which is composed of a series of circular and concentric terraces, dug below ground level, in a sort of amphitheater which, according to the last research, might have served as an agricultural experimentation center, for the development and adaptation of plants, as much ornamental, as alimentary and medicinal ones, in Incan times.
In addition, we´ll have sufficient time to take pictures of this so special place, as well as of the magnificent views the high plains offer, with their surrounding crops, farming activities and mountainous landscapes.
Finally, we´ll board the bus that will take us back to the city of Cusco, enjoying a beautiful dusk over the high plains and Urubamba Mountain Range.
DAY 5: CUSCO – AGUAS CALIENTES – MACHUPICCHU – AGUAS CALIENTES
Today is the great day of the so longed for excursion to Machupicchu, with the guided visit of the Incas´ Lost City that will reveal its secrets to the visitor who sees it with the eyes of the heart and perceives it with the soul´s senses, in a deep communion with this so important Spiritual Center and master construction work of the Incas who managed to harmonize their technological knowledge, wisdom and respect for nature, integrating such a monument, in a so perfect way, into its beautiful and powerful geographical and natural environment, to such an extent that Machupicchu was recently elected as one of the Seven New Wonders of the Modern World.
5:00 a.m.: Transfer from your hotel to the San Pedro Railway Station, in the center of the city of Cusco, to board the BackPacker train that will take us on a picturesque journey of about 4 hours, passing by Cusco´s heights and heading down to the Sacred Valley of the Incas, to enter the jungle and finally arrive in the small village of Aguas Calientes, recently rebaptized Machupicchu Pueblo, from which we´ll go up by bus, on a 25 minute ride, to get to the Main Entrance of the Incan City of Machupicchu.
After the entrance procedures and short briefing given by our guide, we´ll get on the guided visit of the Sacred City of Machupicchu, including its temples and ceremonial compounds, Intihuatana or Solar Clock, urban and agricultural sectors, etc., and if time allows, we´ll visit the Temple of the Moon.
At the indicated time, we´ll board the bus going down to Aguas Calientes (Machupicchu Pueblo), to have lunch in the village (Not included), and give ourselves time to go on an optional visit (On our own) of the locality, where no cars are circulating, to discover its numerous shops and eventually, purchase beautiful pieces of local handicraft or art, on offer, as well as to enjoy the magical atmosphere of Machupicchu Pueblo, where we´ll stay overnight at a comfortable hostel with private bathroom and hot water shower.
DAY 6: AGUAS CALIENTES – MACHUPICCHU – AGUAS CALIENTES – CUSCO
This morning, we´ll get up very early, to go up on the first bus, to the Incan City of Machupicchu, and experience a beautiful adventure, climbing the mountain that gave its name to that so famous place (In Quechua, Machu = Old and Picchu = Mountain; that is, Ancient Mountain), to admire the Incas´ Sacred City, as a whole, as well as the surrounding region and its majestic snow-capped mountains, the Apus which are Andean divinities that watch over and protect this wonderful Sanctuary.
We´ll get up and will have a healthy breakfast, before we board the first bus that will take us to the Incan City, on a 25 minute ride.
Once again, we´ll enter the Incan City, accompanied by our guide, to directly head towards Mount Machupicchu, as we´ll start a slow uphill hike that will take a couple of hours, to get to the chosen spot, from which we´ll be able to contemplate the splendid panorama which we´ll have the opportunity to take pictures of, at will.
After some rest, punctuated by our guide´s commentary, we´ll start hiking down and back to the Lost City of the Incas which we´ll have a chance to explore on our own, before we meet at the exit, at a previously agreed time, to board the bus that will take us back down to Aguas Calientes, where we´ll have lunch (Not included), before we take the train back to Cusco.
DAY 7
Transfer Out
Note
The schedules announced in this program are approximate and can be modified, according to unforeseen circumstances and decisions made by our agency´s management, as well as by the guide who represents it, with the intention of offering the program´s best possible development, always giving priority to our customers´ well being and satisfaction.
