Cusco City Tour
Half a day, five Inca sites, and the best introduction to the city
- 1 day
- 3,700 m max
- Easy
- Cusco to Cusco
Five hours on the Inca foundations of Cusco — the Plaza de Armas, the Temple of the Sun at Qorikancha, then Sacsayhuamán, Q'enqo, Puka Pukara and Tambomachay in the hills above the city. Morning or afternoon, with a guide.
Most visitors treat Cusco as the place they wait before Machu Picchu. That is a waste of a city that was the capital of the largest empire in the Americas and still has the walls to prove it.
Five hours covers the essentials: Qorikancha, where the Spanish built a convent on top of the Temple of the Sun and the Inca stonework underneath is visibly the better work, and then the four sites in the hills above town — Sacsayhuamán with its hundred-tonne blocks, Q’enqo, Puka Pukara and the still-running fountains at Tambomachay.
It is also a sensible first afternoon in Peru. Gentle, short, outdoors, and at altitude — which is exactly what the body wants before anything harder.
What you'll see
Five sites in one afternoon
Qorikancha, Sacsayhuamán, Q'enqo, Puka Pukara and Tambomachay, with a guide who can explain what you are looking at.
Qorikancha
The most sacred temple in the Inca empire, dedicated to the sun, with a Spanish convent built straight onto its walls. You see both at once and can judge the stonework for yourself.
Sacsayhuamán
Blocks weighing more than a hundred tonnes, fitted without mortar, on the ridge above the city. It is the thing people fly to Peru to look at and do not expect to find in Cusco itself.
Your first day, well spent
Gentle, short, and at altitude — which is exactly what a first afternoon in Cusco should be before any trek or train.
Morning or afternoon
Two departures, so it fits around an arrival flight or a day you are otherwise keeping free.
Cusco City Tour: day by day
Times are what we actually aim for, not a best case. Traffic into Cusco and the train timetable move them by a little.
Day 1
Qorikancha and the archaeological park above Cusco
About five hours, of which an hour and a half to two is on your feet. The morning departure runs 09:00 to 14:00 and the afternoon one 14:00 to 18:00.
- StartMeet your guide at the Plaza de Armas, the old Inca capital's main square, and walk through the colonial streets around it.
- QorikanchaThe Temple of the Sun, and the convent of Santo Domingo built on top of it. The best single lesson in Inca masonry in the city.
- SacsayhuamánA short drive up to the ceremonial complex above Cusco, with its megalithic walls and the panorama back over the rooftops.
- Q'enqoCarved limestone, underground chambers and ritual altars, used for ceremonies and astronomical observation.
- Puka PukaraThe red fortress, a checkpoint and resting place on the road into the capital, with the valleys below it.
- TambomachayThe temple of water, where Inca aqueducts and fountains are still running after five centuries.
- FinishBack by tourist vehicle to the centre of Cusco.
- Meals
- None included
- Night
- Not applicable — you sleep in Cusco
What the price covers
Transport and guiding
- Comfortable tourist transport between Qorikancha and the archaeological park
- A certified bilingual guide, English and Spanish
Support
- Free luggage storage at our office during the tour
- Our operations team available before and during the tour
- A first-aid kit on every departure
Not included
- The Cusco Tourist Ticket, which you buy at the Sacsayhuamán gate in cash — about 70 soles for the city circuit or 130 soles for the full ticket
- The Qorikancha entrance, about 20 soles, paid at the door
- Meals, drinks and snacks
- Tips, which are genuinely optional
What to bring
Papers and money
- Your original passport
- Cash in soles for the tourist ticket and Qorikancha — cards are not accepted
- Your Cusco Tourist Ticket, if you already have one
- Any medication you take
What to carry
- A small daypack
- A refillable water bottle
- A camera and a power bank
Clothes
- Comfortable walking shoes
- Layers — Cusco swings from cold to warm and back in an afternoon
- A light jacket or fleece
- A hat or cap
Sun and weather
- High-factor sun cream
- Sunglasses and a lip balm with SPF
- A rain jacket or poncho between December and March
Questions we get asked
How long does it take?
About five hours, with an hour and a half to two of that walking. There are two departures, 09:00 to 14:00 and 14:00 to 18:00, so you can fit it around a flight or a rest.
Why are the entrance tickets not included?
Because the Cusco Tourist Ticket is a multi-site pass that most visitors want to buy in the version that suits the rest of their trip. The partial ticket covers the city circuit for about 70 soles. The general ticket, about 130 soles, is valid for ten days and covers sixteen sites including the Sacred Valley — if you are also doing a valley day, it is the better buy. Your guide will help you choose at the gate.
How much cash do I need?
Enough for the tourist ticket and about 20 soles for Qorikancha, in Peruvian soles. The archaeological sites do not take cards, and this catches people out more often than anything else on this tour.
Is it suitable for children or older travellers?
Yes. It is graded easy, the walking is short and the vehicle does the distance between sites. The one thing to respect is the altitude — Sacsayhuamán is at 3,700 m, which is higher than Cusco itself.
Should I do this on my first day in Cusco?
It is one of the better options for a first afternoon. Short, gentle, and it gets you outside and moving, which helps with acclimatisation more than lying in a hotel room does. Do not book it for the morning you land if you are arriving on an overnight flight.
What language is the tour in?
English and Spanish, with certified bilingual guides. Other languages can sometimes be arranged on a private departure — ask when you enquire.
Can I do it privately?
Yes, with your own guide, vehicle and start time. Private departures are quoted against your dates and party size, so tell us how many of you there are.
Ask us about Cusco City Tour
Tell us your dates and we'll come back with availability, the circuit we'd recommend, and a firm price. No deposit to ask, and we answer within one working day.