CUSCO 3 DAYS: CITY TOUR, SUPER SACRED VALLEY OF THE INCAS AND MACHU PICCHU

CUSCO 3 DAYS: CITY TOUR, SUPER SACRED VALLEY OF THE INCAS AND MACHU PICCHU

DURATION: 3 DAYS.

ATTRACTIONS TO VISIT:

• CITY TOUR IN CUSCO
• SUPER SACRED VALLEY OF THE INCAS
• MACCHUPICCHU

ITINERARY:

DAY 1: CITY TOUR IN CUSCO

For this tour the pick up from the hotel and / or accommodation is 15min before the tour starts.

We will start the tour in the imposing main square of Cusco, realizing the history that it houses, we will enter the Cathedral of Cusco,  symbol of Andean religious syncretism, later we will go through one of the narrow streets like many in Cusco to  the Inca Palace of Qoricancha,  also where the convent of Santo Domingo de Guzmán is considered in Inca times as the most important palace built for the Sun god,  culminating the visit we will board our tourist bus which will transport us to the 4 ruins which are around the city of Cusco arriving first at the archaeological site  of Sacsayhuaman, which is strategically built on a nearby mountain from where you can see the entire city of Cusco. It is famous for its megalithic stones worked in limestone, some of which are 9 meters high and weigh approximately 100 tons, in this place the festival of Inti Raymi or Festival of the Sun is held every year. 

Then we visit the archaeological site of Qenqo, which  means labyrinth or zigzag, fulfilled a purely religious function and where it is believed that the Incas mummified their dead, on the outside it has a semicircular enclosure with trapezoidal niches and a monolith that simulates being a puma which measures approximately six meters. Later we go to the archaeological  site of Puca Pucara, which means “red fortress”, since the calcareous stones with which this site is built have acquired the reddish coloration of the land. This place had the function of strategic control of people who entered the city of Cusco in Inca times.

And finally we visit the archaeological site of Tambomachay, or “tambo” which means place of supply and  rest, which were strategically located in the network of roads of the Inca, where we can also see sources of water for religious purposes or supply, as well as niches to house mummies and offerings a really magical place.

Culminating our tour, we return to our bus which will transport us back to the city of Cusco and rest after an extraordinary tour.

DAY 2: SUPER SACRED VALLEY OF THE INCAS

In the morning at 06:30Hrs. approx. we will pick you up at your hotel or accommodation, then we will start the tour of the Super Sacred Valley of the Incas, we will go by bus to the town of Chinchero.

Arriving at the archaeological park of Chinchero, which is characterized by the existence of  a Catholic colonial church that is built on an Inca palace, shows the imposition of the Catholic religion on the Andean culture in the arrival of the  conquerors, as well as the existence of places of religious use, huacas and others. Also, chinchero is characterized by its textiles produced in an artisanal way with techniques acquired from generation to generation since Inca times, you can visit a textile center to appreciate these processes of obtaining colors based on natural products for the dyeing of different wools, either llama or alpaca.

After Chinchero we will go in our transport to the archaeological park  of Moray, agricultural terraces of circular shape, the only ones in circular shape of  all the Inca constructions referred to terraces, the function that fulfilled was that of a site of experimental type for the obtaining and domestication of products and varieties both corn,  the potato, the olluco among others. In addition, we can appreciate a scenic beauty of mountains, snow-capped mountains considered apus or deities in Inca times.

Then we went to the salt mines of Maras, characterized mainly by the existence of water sources with sodium chloride that come from the mountain which make possible the existence of salt at more than 3000 meters above sea level. Salt production grounds in an approximate amount of 3800, which make this attraction have an exceptional scenic beauty.

Immediately after in our transport we go to the town of Urubamba where we have scheduled our buffet lunch, and thus taste the Peruvian Andean cuisine, in the sacred valley of the Incas.

After our pleasant buffet lunch we go in the transport to the archaeological park of Ollantaytambo,  whose name is due in honor of the Inca General Ollanta, famous for his romance with an Inca princess, daughter of Pachacútec. In this park we appreciate megalithic loses of an approximate weight of more than 45 tons of weight carved in pink porphyry rock, as well as environments of purely religious use, water sources and tambos since it also fulfilled the function of supply or rest.

After Ollantaytambo, we go to the town of Pisac traveling on the banks of the Vilcanota River which forms the Sacred Valley of the Incas, arriving at the archaeological park of Pisac we will visit this the Inca citadel located at the top of the mountain, to know the Inca neighborhoods, the cemetery, the terraces and their functions that they had.

Then we will descend by bus to the district of Pisac, where you can visit and see some of the local crafts that have to do with Andean metallurgy. 

Finally, after this wonderful view we will return to the city of Cusco culminating this unforgettable experience.

DAY 3: MACHU PICCHU TOUR BY TRAIN

In the morning we will pick you up from the  hotel in Cusco at 04:00 hrs  and we will be transported to the train station of Ollantaytambo (trip by car of 1 hour and 40 minutes approx.). [If the train leaves Poroy the car ride is 30 minutes, then take a train ride of 3 and a half hours.]

Once at the Ollantaytambo station 06:10 hrs we will board the train to go to the town of  Aguas Calientes (Machu Picchu town) on  the  train trip you will enjoy  extraordinary landscapes, mountains, rivers and streams, we can also appreciate the flora and fauna of this area of Cusco. Upon arrival in Aguas Calientes  (Machu Picchu town), the agency staff  will  be waiting for you to  give you all the indications, we will have  free time to have breakfast in the town of Machu Picchu (breakfast on our own), then we will go to the bus station, where we will board the bus that makes a zigzagging route to the mountain where the majestic citadel of Machu Picchu is located (30-minute bus trip). 

When getting off the bus we will go to the entrance of Machu Picchu, where we must  present  our  tickets and respective identification documents, from this place the guided tour will begin in the citadel of Machu Picchu, visit the  main enclosures of the city with our guide who will give us all the information and history of Machu Picchu for approximately 2 hours,  Paddle through the citadel and places such as: the Main Square, the Circular Tower, the Sacred Solar Clock, the Royal Quarters, among others. In  the  tourwe will open the  senses and fill us with the great energy that hides this majestic place.

At the appropriate time we must take the  bus back to the town of Aguas Calientes where we can  enjoy lunch in one of the restaurants and optionally you can visit the thermomedicinal baths that are north of the town (entrance not included).

In the afternoon we will take the return train   from Aguas Calientes 2 hours of travel to Ollantaytambo, where the  staff of the agency will not be waiting to transport you to the city of Cusco. 

INCLUDES:

• Transportation, professional tour guide and entrance tickets to the city tour in Cusco.
• Transportation, professional tour guide and entrance tickets to the Super Sacred Valley of the Incas tour.
• Buffet lunch on the Super Sacred Valley of the Incas tour.
• Tourist transportation from your Hotel in Cusco to the Ollantaytambo train station.
• Round trip train from the Ollantaytambo/Aguas Calientes/ Ollantaytambo station.
• Bus up and down from the town of Aguas Calientes to the Sanctuary of Machu Picchu – Aguas Calientes.
• Entrance ticket to the Sanctuary of Machu Picchu.
• Professional tour guide for your visit to the Machu Picchu Sanctuary.
• Return tourist transport from the Ollantaytambo station to the city of Cusco.

NOT INCLUDED:

• Tips, snacks, Food not described.
• Accommodation.
• Optional buffet lunch Machu Picchu USD 25.00 (at the request of the client).
• Entrance to Huayna Picchu Mountain according to availability (USD 70.00).
• Entrance to the hot springs.

WE RECOMMEND TO BRING:

• Passport or ID.
• Wear slippers or light shoes.
• Bottle of water.
• Raincoat (long poncho) in rainy season.
• Long-sleeved shirts.
• Long pants.
• Sunscreen, wide-brimmed hat for sunny days.
• Mosquito repellent.
• Swimwear.
• Sunglasses.
• Camera or camcorder.
• Have on hand money of low denomination soles or dollars.
• Personal medications.

COST PER PERSON IN US DOLLARS:

The tours are in shared service, that is, you will join a group for the excursions, which means that you will share the bus with other travelers like you.  And you will have a Tour Guide for all the group. This is also an opportunity to meet other people.  

We also have the option for private service, that means, you will have a private transport at your disposal for the tours and a professional tour guide just for you. To consult the prices of this private service, write to the corporate mail libertyperutravel@gmail.com