Travel Guide to Cusco:
Cusco is a fascinating mix of history and modern–day culture. It was once the capital of the Inca Empire. The City of Cusco is full of historical landmarks and is an impressive city located in the southern Peru, near some of the most beautiful scenery imaginable. Its location as the original capital of the Inca Empire makes it an important historical landmark, surrounded by numerous archaeological sites that define everyday life. In planning your travels to Cusco and the surrounding areas, remember that if a tour/can be found to be very cheap, there may be several problems with the quality of the service. The City of Cusco is well–known for its indigenous culture, historical landmarks, markets, foods, and shops.
1. Where to Stay in Cusco:
When choosing somewhere to stay in Cusco there are hundreds of choices. Do you prefer to stay in a large luxury hotel or a boutique guest house? Are you a mid-range traveler, budget, or do you love to treat yourself to your sleeping arrangements?
Big luxury hotel stayers will find themselves at home at Palacio del Inca Luxury Collection and its prime location behind the Qoricancha makes it the perfect central location. Other options include the Belmond and the Marriot.
Smaller boutique hotels can be tricky to get right, and there’s no one size fits all for travelers, so chat to our team about what you like while booking your tour and we will match you up with your perfect place.
2.Where to Eat in Cusco:
Great restaurants are another thing that Cusco and the Sacred Valley are overwhelmed by. Read this blog to find out about our favorite restaurants in Cusco and the Sacred Valley.
3.Cusco Museums to visit:
There are many museums to visit in Cusco to learn about the Incas and pre-Inca cultures. Some of the best you can only visit using a Cusco general entrance ticket which is valid for only ten days and grants you access to all the ruins around Cusco city and some in the Sacred Valley. You can find out more about the tourist ticket here.
Qoricancha
An Incan temple that was partially torn down by the Spanish and rebuilt as a church, is the best example of the stark contrast between Incan and Spanish architecture. It has a very interesting history and is highly recommended to visit with a guided tour.
Museo of contemporary Art: This muesum shows some of the best artworks made in Cusco from the 19th century to today, seing some of Cusco Artworks.
Museo historico regional: A museum about colonial, inca and pre inca history all packed within a single museum.
Chinchero: Within the town of Chinchero with a BTC you are able to visit the impressive cathedral and Inca ruins that it sits on top of. Chinchero town is also famous for it’s traditional weaving techniques and regional market.
Independent Museums:
Inca Museum
The Inca museum takes visitors through the history of the Incas and is widely considered to be one of the best museums in Cusco city. It’s also just seconds away from the Plaza de Armas (albeit up a hill) so it’s a great pit stop for those on the search for something to do during a spare afternoon.
Chocolate Museum
If you love chocolate then there’s no reason not to visit the chocolate museum. It will take you through the life and times of chocolate along with free samples, demonstrations, and even chocolate sculptures. Perfect for families and backpackers alike.
Morada de Los Dioses
Not exactly a museum, but instead a rock carving sculpture park. It’s in the process of being built, but still absolutely worth a visit if you like rock carving or are looking for something different to do in the wider Cusco area. It is easily accessible by taxi and should cost around 5s to enter.
Centro de Textiles Tradicionales del Cusco:
Learn about traditional weaving techniques and how natural dyes are use to make vibrant design allowing you to get a deeper view into Andean culture.
4. Things to do in Cusco
There is more than a lifetime of activities in Cusco and Peru. There are must visits and hidden gems everywhere you look- but sometimes you need an expert to help you find the really good things amongst the tourist traps. So here we are!
Visit the Local Ruins:
The main thing to do in Cusco is to head up into the mountains to explore the inca ruins that lie a short distance from Cusco. Some of the main sites to take a visit to is Saqsayhuaman, Puka pukara, Qenqo, Tambomachay and Inkilltambo.
Our main advice for visiting these sites is to avoid getting on a standard tour of the ruins. The experience you will get is one of following the crowds, getting on and off of buses to take selfies while getting rushed from one ruin to the next with a guide with limited english. However there are other options like biking between the Inca sites, or going on a hike which gets you out of sync of the crowds.
Rainbow mountain(s)
Rainbow Mountain is a very popular and famous destination. However, we don’t recommend it and we actually stopped offering trips there. We did this because there are thousands of visitors every day, so it’s always very crowded. It also often suffers from social troubles, with the two communities that control the entrances fighting, often becoming violent. However, there is a (much better) alternative. Palcoyo has not one, but three rainbow mountains. The walk is also much shorter and flatter, about 45 minutes with a gentle hill, as opposed to 2 hours with a very steep incline at the end.
The surrounding scenery is also much more pleasant when visiting Palcoyo, as you will see a whole valley of wonderful colors surrounding you and the Ausangate mountain range in the background. An added bonus is the optional short extra hike to the rock forest above. Finally, the extra bonus for Palcoyo over Vinicunca (the ‘typical’ rainbow mountain) is that the areas surrounding Palcoyo are used for alpacas to graze on, so you can get up close to Peru’s favorite animal.
Huchuy Qosqo
High above the Sacred Valley lie the mysterious and little-known ruins of Huchuy Qosqo. Your hike takes you along the old Inca trail, through remote farming communities and stunning mountain scenery to finally reach this fantastic Inca site. If you are looking for a great day hiking, far from the crowds, this is a truly spectacular option.
The Huchuy Qosqo hike is available as a 1 or 2-day hike.
Chinchero to Huayllabamba
This is a delightful combination of culture and trekking.
Explore a little walked section of the Inca Trail on your way from the weaving town of Chinchero to Huayllabamba- the home of one of the oldest authentic markets in Peru.
There is more than one Inca trail. This half-day hike follows a lesser-known one connecting the impressive Inca site of Chinchero with the Sacred Valley.
Chinchero itself has a fascinating market that is much more authentic than the more famous Pisac market. Here you can see the local women dressed in beautiful hand woven traditional clothing before taking this beautiful trail down through a canyon to emerge amongst the lush agricultural fields that border the Urubamba River.
Community Day in the Sacred Valley
This day we will visit one of the mountain communities of our project “La Base Lamay”, learn about their life, and traditions, and contribute to the sustainable development of the community. We will meet at La Base and coordinate the activity with the group. The community will welcome us and teach us their traditions and customs. We will participate in a spontaneous faena Agricola and recognize the different varieties of local crops and plants, learning also about their farming traditional tools and techniques.
After the activity, we will have a typical lunch, based on the food produced by the community. In the afternoon, the women will share with us the art and process of weaving, which is very important in their family dynamics, and we will have the opportunity to talk with them about their customs and their role in the field. After this interactive day, we will return to Lamay and to your hotel, or your next destination.
Check out our community day here.
Visit Maras and Moray :
Another great option not too far from Cusco, is to vist the impressive sites of Maras and Moray. Maras Salt pans have been used for well over four hundred years to extract salt from the local stream. The method used to exctract the salt is to fill pools of water and leaving them to stand in the sun, when the water evaporates it leaves behind the pink and white salt. Maras town is also famous for it’s colonial doors and archways, there is also an impressive church nearby.
Meanwhile, Moray is believed to be an Inca agricultural experimental site. By changing the altitude Incas were able to create lots fo Microclimates which changed conditions like the temparature and the amount of water plants received. Afterwards they were able to see which fruit and vegetables grew best at every elevation. However others belive it was a landing site for UFO’s. We personally recommend visiting Maras and Moray either by hiking or biking to get away from the crowds and enjoy the places at your own pace. This can also be combined with Paddleboarding on Lake Huaypo.
Sacred Valley Tour
The Sacred Valley of the Incas is a spectacular place with lots of inca and pre inca sites. It was a deeply important area for the Inca civilization, the warmer climate, and slightly lower altitude meant that it was used to grow an extensive list of food, including the UNESCO-protected white corn. The Sacred Valley hosts many Inca sites, artesnal markets and impressive scenery, and many companies try to do this impressive Valley within a single day. Read this blog as to why we don’t recommend doing the standard Sacred Valley tour.
Our personal favourite is to bike from Pisac to Ollantaytambo by bike or E-bike this allows you to take in the sites at your own pace, get away from the crowds and appreciate the beautiful andean scenery. There certainly are areas in the Sacred Valley that deserve a little more time, Urubamba and Ollataytambo are great places to visit. We also recommend visiting the artesenal market in Pisac, near to Pisac there are also some impressive inca ruins to check out. The Sacred Valley ends at, Ollantaytambo famous for a significant inca battle with the spanish, it is also the departure point for the Inca Trail and trains to Machu Picchu.
Pumamarca
Close to Ollantaytambo lies the rarely visited Inca ruins of Pumamarca, this 7 kilometer walk is quite easy and straightforward, here you go down the beautiful Patacancha Valley and down towards the town of Ollantaytambo, this short hike allows you to visit local andean culture and relax and take your time before getting on a train or trekking into Machu Picchu.
Cusco Cooking Class
Eating in Peru is pretty cool. But learning to cook here is so much better. This will give you a skill that you can share with your friends and family and will offer you a fresh (and delicious) way to always remember Peru.
You can explore Cusco markets alongside your own personal private chef before being whisked away to a rooftop restaurant in the heart of Cusco, where you will learn how to make two traditionally Peruvian dishes and the iconic drink of Peru- the Pisco Sour. What could be better? Insider tip- check out the afternoon class to enjoy the sunset with your pisco sour.
Check out our cooking class here
Art Workshop
A great family freindly option is to decorate your very own Pucara Bull. Working with the Totemiq Art Collective you can learn about aplying traditional gilding techniques to design your own Pucara bull. You will also learn about the history of the bulls and their role in local customs. Its a great place to see, how Cusco school of art combined Andean culture with European art technniques and styles.
This workshop is helping to preserve the traditions of Cusco’s artists. This is a great way to create your own very special souvenir and pass a fun, relaxing and educational two hours.
Rafting
A great way to spice up your trip to Peru is to add a bit of Rafting. We have a wide range of rafting trips, spanning from one day rafting on the Urubamba river and Apurimac Canyon, to a 10 day extravaganza to the heart of the Amazon Rainforest and everything in between. Our personal favourite trip is the Apurimac canyon which can be done in one, two or three days.
The Apurimac canyon is the best rafting in all of Peru as you get a crystal clear blue river all to yourself. Staying a night or two allowys you to see the impressive milkyway with no light pollution, and allows you to disconnect from the internet for a couple days of peace and quiet. At Amazonas Explorer we have a saying: The only thing better than the one day Apurimac, is the two day Apurimac and the only thing better than the two days is the three day Apurimac. So we reccomend spending as uch time as possible on this impressive river.
Check out our rafting activities here.
Paddleboarding or Kayaking
We love watersports so much we have our own base on the shore of Lake Huaypo in the Sacred Valley. This is the perfect way to spend a morning relaxing while staying active in the Sacred Valley. Paddleboarding in Peru is nothing new. 3000 years ago Peruvian fishermen were riding the waves on small reed platforms known as “Caballos de Totora”. Literally “reed horse”. These were the origins of stand up paddleboarding in Peru and the world.
Amazonas Explorer has the world’s highest Paddleboarding fleet, here in Cusco, 3500m or 11,000 feet higher than this addictive sport’s humble origins. If you have ever wanted to try it out, then this half-day Paddleboarding in Cusco tour at Laguna Huaypo is a great opportunity. You can also combine this experience with a traditional Pachamanca, a ‘Pago la Tierra’ ceremony with a local Shaman, or a cooking demonstration. You can also make this a day experience adding on a visit to Maras and Moray or another bike ride in the Sacred Valley. Get in contact with us for more information on this.
Waqrapukara
A mere 3 hour from Cusco, lies a stunning, little known Inca site, perched high above the Apurimac Canyon at 4100metres/ 13450 feet. Its name means “The Horned Fortress”. Our 2 day/1-night Waqrapukara Trek is a must for anyone wanting to visit this stunning archaeological site before it is discovered by the crowds. Camping close to the ruins, under the star-filled Andean sky, far from the crowds, this is a truly spectacular option to see a hidden jewel of Peru.
You can also combine this tour with kayaking on Lake Pomacanchis, and for those who really want to pack the adventure in, visit with the Palcoyo Rainbow Moutain as well.
Bike Adventures
There are several biking trails in Cusco, Peru really is a bikers paradise if you know the right trails. One option is to visit ancient inca sites around cusco on an e-bike, or you can cycle down old mule trails to the Maras salt pans, if you are good at mountain biking we reccommend cycling down the Inca Avalnache trail or the santisimo trail. Please contact us to disscuss you options and match you with a bike ride that matches your skill level. E-bike tours are another great option to help you cope with the altitude of Cusco and the surrounding regions, E-bikes allow you to go further and enjoy different sites.
If you like to mountain bike, we offer exceptional biking experiences in Cusco for biking enthusiasts and beginners alike.
6. Conclusion:
With so many different activities available for travelers to take on while visiting Cusco, you would be hard-pressed to not fill up your holiday. At Amazonas Explorer, we are experts in Cusco and the Sacred Valley, so get in contact with one of our adventure specialists to help streamline your options for an incredible adventure in Cusco and Peru.
