South Valley of the Incas Half-Day Tour from Cusco

The furthest point is Andahuaylillas, only 1-hour from Cusco. Compare that to a Sacred Valley tour where you reach Ollantaytambo 2-hour from Cusco. Altitude is about 3100/10,000 feet, except Tipon at 3500m/11,500ft a bit lower than Cusco City

South Cusco Valley tour: The valley to the South of Cusco is largely unexplored by tourists but has some wonderful places to visit. It is a great way to get into the heart of the authentic Peru.

First you visit the Inca complex of Tipon an elaborate set of terraces and water channels. It is thought to have been used as a ceremonial center to worship water. The town below is also home to various roadside sellers on the weekends, when Cusqueñans come to enjoy guinea pig on a stick, or roast in a clay oven.

Driving on through Oropesa, known as the bread capital of Peru, here there are over forty bakeries and arriving at the pre- Inca ruins of Pikillaqta. This is vastly different Inca site in Cusco area. This adobe complex was built by the Wari culture who once dominated the central highland and coastal regions of Peru. Widely considered the first culture to develop mass agricultural terraces, many of the Inca administrative practices can be traced back to the Wari civilisation.

After this, we will take a short walk down to the lake of Huacarpay. This wetland has been declared a Ramsar site, as a wetland of international importance due to the vast number of migratory birds that stop here. Each October birds migrate down from the Northern hemisphere to avoid the harsh winter. Then in April they stop over on their way back up to Northern summer. Apart from that, there is a more localized form of migration when the cold weather comes to the Peruvian Altiplano. Birds migrate down here to stay at a lower altitude and enjoy warmer temperatures. This is a beautiful place to enjoy a picnic provided by us.

Finally you hop back on the bus and drive 20-minute out to the “Sistine Chapel of the Americas”, in Andahuaylillas. Situated in a beautiful, quiet plaza, this baroque church is famous for its incredible artwork. It has many fine examples of paintings completed by the Cusco Religious art school (Escuela Cuzqueña).

Back to Cusco at 2:30pm approximately.

Everyone has heard of the Sacred Valley. Its a very nice tour, great to visit and is on the way to Machu Picchu. But have you heard of The South Valley of the Incas? For most people as Cusco, South Valley day tour would be in addition to the Sacred Valley. If you want to get a bit deeper into the real Peru, and do not want to travel the tourist trail, then this is perfect. Slightly less spectacular perhaps than the Sacred Valley but it has a more restrained beauty. Non crowded route, an authentic tour, great variety of sites and less driving from Cusco than the regular Sacred Valley tour.

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
A current valid passport is required on the day of travel
Passport name, number, expiry and country is required at time of booking for all participants
Bring a warm fleece and a rain jacket (in case of rainy season November to March)
Bring sunscreen and a hat
In the event of changing hotel, please let us know on time. If hotel details are not provided on time, you may lose the tour
A minimum of 2 people per booking is required
Not wheelchair accessible
Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 10 travelers