Visit the most important tourist attractions in the city of Cusco and relive the ancient history and culture inherited from the Incas. In just a half-day tour, you will explore Coricancha, Sacsayhuamán, Qenqo, Puca Pucara, and Tambomachay—clear examples of the impressive stonework of the Incas.
After visiting Coricancha, we will head outside the city to Sacsayhuamán, where you will see enormous stone blocks weighing up to 40 tons, perfectly placed one on top of the other. Our guide will explain the significance of this site before the Spanish arrival and during the colonial period, as it was the location of one of the greatest battles between the Incas and Spaniards.
We will continue to Qenqo (labyrinth), so named for its paths that resemble a maze. Here, the most important feature is an ancient ceremonial table, which is believed to have been the final resting place or a place of honor for Pachacutec.
Next, we will visit Puca Pucara (Red Fortress), an important checkpoint for those entering the city of Cusco during the Inca era. Due to the city’s sacred status, all travelers had to purify their body and soul before entering. This purification could be performed at Tambomachay, the final site we will visit, where you can still admire the Incas’ impressive hydraulic engineering skills.
The tour ends near the main square of Cusco.
The cathedral’s construction had two stages: first, the Chapel of Triumph was built on the site of the ancient Suntur Wasi temple (House of God), followed by the main cathedral on the palace of Inca Wiracocha. The facade and interior feature a Renaissance style, with richly decorated cedar and alder carvings. The cathedral also houses a significant collection of Cusco School paintings and embossed silver artifacts.
According to chroniclers, Coricancha was one of the most impressive buildings in Inca Cusco, featuring walls covered entirely in gold sheets, as it was the main temple dedicated to the Sun god.
This complex includes 33 archaeological sites, with Sacsayhuamán being the most notable. It is believed to have had a religious purpose, though its location and style led the Spanish and chroniclers to consider it a military structure.
Qenqo, meaning “labyrinth,” is considered a sacred site where ceremonies were likely held in honor of the Sun, Moon, and stars. Outside, there is a semicircular amphitheater with trapezoidal niches and a monolith resembling a puma, approximately six meters high. Inside, a semicircular and semi-artificial cavern houses a table or altar where agrarian rituals were performed.
This complex includes numerous enclosures, inner plazas, aqueducts, watchtowers, and roads. It likely served as a rest stop or lodging site. It is said that whenever the Inca visited Tambomachay, he was accompanied by a large entourage that stayed at Puca Pucara. Its fortress-like appearance earned it its name.
Tambomachay likely served an important religious role connected to water and the regeneration of the earth. The site spans approximately half a hectare and was constructed using limestone with polygonal masonry techniques.
