About this experience
We will pick you up from your hotel at 8:00 am in the morning in private transport and drive about 20 minutes to the hills above Cusco. We will visit the amazing Inca sites of Puka Pukara (an Inca military outpost) Tambomachay (where you can see Inca aqueducts), and finally visit the massive boulders that make up the ruins at Sacsayhuaman. After taking time to enjoy the majestic views over Cusco, we will be picked up by our driver and return to Cusco to have lunch at a restaurant at the main square. After lunch, we will have in-depth city tour of Cusco where we will visit the San Pedro Market which is a local, non-touristic market. Then we will visit all of the best sites in Cusco including the Cathedral, the temple of the sun, and if we have time, the museum where all of the original artifacts from Machu Picchu are located.
At a glance
- Duration: 8 hr
- Private experience
Plan your experience
Set aside 8 hr for the experience itself, with additional time to reach your meeting or pickup point.
Before you go
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Local guides to help you plan
Puka Pukara Guide From Cusco
Plan Puka Pukara as part of Cusco’s one-day Circuit I archaeological route, with practical advice on the S/70 listed ticket, transport choices, weather, and accessibility planning.
Tambomachay Guide From Cusco
Plan a Tambomachay visit from Cusco with practical advice on the Tourist Ticket, transport, timing, combined sites, family entry rules, and accessibility.
Sacsayhuaman Guide for First Timers
Plan a first visit to Sacsayhuaman with practical guidance on current hours, Cusco Tourist Ticket options, routes from central Cusco, accessibility, site rules, and combining the nearby archaeological sites.
What is included
- Round-trip private transfer
- Local professional guide
- Private Tour
- Hotel pickup and drop off
Not included
- Food and drinks
- Entrance to archaeological sites requires Boleto turistico: 130 soles-$37 per person. covers entrance to Pisac, Ollantaytambo, Chinchero, Moray, multiple museums in Cusco, and Sacsayhuaman or half ticket 70 soles--$23 which covers only some of these sites
- Entrance to cathedral ($12) and coricancha ($3)
Itinerary and highlights
This tour will take you to three Inca archaeological sites. You will be met by your guide at your hotel at 8:30am and we will be driven in private transport 20 minutes to the Inca archaeological site of Puka Pukara or red rock which was previously a military site.
Then we will drive to Tambomachay, an amazing series of terraces with original Inca aqueducts, canals and waterfalls.
Finally, we will drive to the Unesco world heritage site of Sacsayhuaman. Located on a steep outcropping overlooking Cusco, this Inca site is composed of massive boulders held together without mortar. It was an important site for military and ceremonial purposes. You will be given a private tour of the site and we will go to a vista where there are great views overlooking the city of Cusco
Return by private transport to the main square of Cusco where we will have lunch and if you are brave, you can try guinea pig (cuy).
After lunch, we will walk to the bustling San Pedro market, where many local Cusqueños shop and go to eat. We will take a tour of the stands that sell everything from fruits and vegetables, meats and medicinal plants.
You will then be led on a tour of the most important historical sites of Cusco including the Plaza de Armas and the main cathedral. Inside the cathedral, you can see a massive silver altar and a painting of the last supper where they are eating guinea pig. We will also will give you a tour of Coricancha, which was the most sacred Inca temple dedicated to Inti, the sun God. When the Spaniards arrived to Cusco, they demolished the temple, using the existing foundation on which to build a colonial church. If there is time, we can visit the museum where many artifacts from Machu Picchu are located.
Meeting and pickup information
- Please, let us know your exact hotel names in order to pick you up from there.
Languages and tickets
- English — Guide
- Spanish — Guide
- Mobile Only
Tour operator
- Valentins Pachamama Journeys
Accessibility and practical details
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Cancellation policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Questions about this experience
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