Cusco City Tour Half-Day – Overview
This is a perfect half-day tour that will take you exploring the best of Cusco City and visiting the most beautiful and important neighborhoods, streets, plazas, temples, and archeological sites. Amaze yourself with the magnificent architecture of the Colonial buildings lying over the Inca foundations, and visit the temples and palaces of the city center. To finish later, visit Sacsayhuaman, Qenqo, PukaPukara, and Tambomachay.
Discover the hidden secret of Cusco City and explore the most remarkable streets and neighborhoods.
Places you visit:
- Plaza de Armas of Cusco: Home to the beautiful Cathedral of Cusco and the Church of the Company of Jesus.
- 12 Angled Stone Street: Watch the famous rock embedded in one of the first Inca palaces.
- Loreto Street: The street with the finest example of Inca architecture.
- Qoricancha (The Golden Temple): The most important temple dedicated to the sun, now the Convent of Santo Domingo.
- Sacsayhuaman: You will visit the most imposing construction on the city’s outskirts.
- Q’enqo: Known for its subway passages.
- Puka Pukara: The “Red Fort” is a strategic site before arriving in Cusco.
- Tambomachay: You will take a guided tour through its aqueducts, canals, and water fountains.
- Cristo Blanco: Enjoy the panoramic view of the city from the most famous statue of the city.
CITY TOUR (OFFERED EVERY DAY FROM 12:30 PM TO 6:00 PM)
Cusco City Tour , We will pick you up at your hotel, at our office (or directly at the Cathedral). to begin the tour. Together, we will then head to Cusco’s Plaza de Armas where we will visit the famous Cathedral (entry fee: 40 soles, children and students with ID 20 soles not included in the tourist ticket). After touring this sacred church we will continue on foot with our group through an ancient Inca-built street from the Plaza de Armas to the Qoricancha, the Temple of the Sun (entry fee: 20 soles – not included in the tourist ticket). In the Qoricancha, you will observe first-hand the juxtaposition between the Inca culture and Catholicism. You will also learn about the differences in architecture between the Incas and Spaniards. The Qoricancha was the main temple for the Incas and was the center of their city, where all their highways departed from. Thus, their incredible architecture is on full display throughout the site.
From Qoricancha your group will walk down to El Sol Avenue and take our bus to drive up and outside of the city. It will take 25 minutes to arrive to the majestic Inca site Sacsayhuaman. We will enter the ruins site and the guide will lead you around and explain this incredible fortress’ history. You will have extra time to explore it on your own.
From Sacsayhuaman, we will take a short drive to the Qenqo Temple. In Quechua, Qenqo means labyrinth or zig-zag and the temple is named for the crooked channel cut out of its rock. Next, we will head to Puca Pucara and admire the small circular Inca military fortress. Last but not least, we will visit Tambomachay, the temple of water. We will then drive back to Cusco and end the tour in the main square. If this is a private tour, we will drop you off at your hotel.
IT IS INCLUDED:
- Professional guide in English and Spanish
- Transportation
NOT INCLUDED:
- Entrance fees:
- Catedral 40 soles (Only cash).
- Temple of the Sun (Qoricancha) 20 soles (Only cash).
- Tourist Ticket 70 soles for 4 archeological sites (Only cash).
- You can buy the entrance tickets when we arrive at the sites
WHAT TO BRING
- Original passport (or a picture)
- Daypack for personal items
- Comfortable clothes and appropriate footwear
- Extra money in soles for the entrances, souvenirs and handcrafts
- Camera and batteries
- Sunscreen
- Water
- Sunglasses
Flexible cancellation/ change
- Cancel your tour 24 hours in advance and be reimbursed for the full amount of the tour. If you cancel the tour after these 24 hours prior to your tour no refund will be processed.
- The policy to reschedule or to make any amendment allows the update to be made no more than 5 days prior to the date of your tour and it is valid until December 31st, 2025.
- The itinerary may be subject to changes due to unforeseen circumstances, beyond the control of the operator, changes without prior notice.
Do I need to walk a lot on this tour?
No. This is an easy tour, around the historic center of Cusco, and there is little walking to be done. The first part is a short walk between Cusco’s Cathedral and Qoricancha (about 10 minutes), and then we travel by van to visit each of the ruins.
Why is the tourist ticket not included?
The Boleto Turístico (tourist ticket) is a personal ticket and must be purchased in Cusco or at the entrance of the visited sites where this ticket is required.
Check our guide with all the information about the tourist ticket.
What is the difference between this city tour and the panoramic bus tour?
This is a guided tour, where travelers get on and take a complete tour inside each visited site. The bus tours just pass by the sites and the tourists do not enter the attractions and only watch from the outside, from the bus.
