Join Machu Picchu Tours on a half day Cusco City Tour that will give you an introduction to the Inca civilization and the impact of the Spanish conquest in Peru.
Just landed in Peru? No trip to Peru is complete without a city tour of Cusco. Join Machu Picchu Tours on a half day Cusco City Tour that will give you an introduction to the Inca civilization and the impact of the Spanish conquest in Peru.
Guided by a local expert, this half day tour in Cusco will let you discover many astonishing facts about the ancient ruins, Inca ruins, which are worth visiting before you visit Machu Picchu.
Cusco City nestles at 3399 meters above sea level. The former capital of the Inca empire has a mystery at every turn. The well-preserved architecture reflects the perfect blend of Inca and Spanish designs in Peru. Qorikancha or the Santo Domingo Church is the perfect example of this.
Qorikancha was built by the Incas as their supreme religious site. To them, this was the temple of the sun. When the Spanish conquered Cusco, they took it down and built the cathedral on its remains.
The city of Cusco saw rapid development under the leadership of Pachacutec. The renowned Inca emperor built Machu Picchu and Choquequirao, among other notable sites. You will be able to see his statue in the center of Plaza de Armas (Main Square) during your city tour in Cusco.
On this guided City Tour of Cusco, you will be visiting the San Pedro Market, Qorikancha, Sacsayhuaman, Q’enqo, Tambomachay, and Puca Pucara. You will discover that Cusco’s reputation as a gateway to Sacred Valley or Rainbow Mountain simply accentuates its enduring popularity in Peru and worldwide.
Our City Tour in Cusco is one of our signature tours. We have knowledgeable tour guides who have excellent knowledge about history and culture.
We operate the half-day trip from Cusco both in small groups and as private tours. Simply reach out to us to discover the former capital of the Incas.
Whether you are traveling solo or with a group, our tours are designed to provide a comprehensive and enriching experience, ensuring that you leave with a deeper understanding and appreciation of Cusco’s unique heritage.
This Cusco City Tour itinerary is designed to immerse you in the vibrant culture and history of Cusco, starting with a visit to one of its most iconic landmarks.
We will be picking you up from your hotel in Cusco. The half-day tour starts with a visit to the San Pedro Market. San Pedro is one of the most visited markets in Cusco. Here, hundreds of local residents and tourists gather every day to buy food, clothes, and various souvenirs. San Pedro Market is located just 5 blocks from the main square of the city, which we will also cover as part of our exciting Cusco walking tour.
We will continue the City Tour in Cusco at Qorikancha. This was the most prominent and sacred site of worship for the Incas. Legends say that once, the courtyard of the temple was full of statues made entirely of gold.
The Spanish rulers demolished the temple after conquering Cusco and built the temple, retaining its basement.
Once you have had your fill of these two iconic sites within the city of Cusco, we will be driving you to the outskirts of the city. Here, we will begin the tour at Sacsayhuaman. It is a massive fortress built entirely of massive stones, each weighing over a ton. It is still a mystery how the Incas transported these stones here.
Our next stop will be in Q’enqo. This site was used for scarification and mummification of corpses.
We will then visit Tambomachay. This was more like a spa to the political elites of the Incas. There are a series of canals through which water from the nearby Timpuc River flows. Even today, you will be able to see the water flowing through these canals.
We will then visit Puca Pucara. In Quechua, it means red rock. It gets its name after the color of the rock at sunset. This was the watch tower of the Incan military.
After a fun-filled and enriching day, we will drive you to return to Cusco City, where you can explore the city at your own pace. We will be dropping you off at Plaza Regocijo, a block away from Cusco’s main square – Plaza de Armas.
As your memorable day comes to a close, take a moment to reflect on the rich history and stunning landscapes you’ve experienced. The journey through Cusco on this day tour and its surroundings offers a unique glimpse into the ancient Incan civilization, leaving you with lasting memories and a deeper appreciation for this remarkable region.
Departure & Return Location
Cusco Hotel Transfer
Departure Time
1:00 p.m.
Price Includes
Price Excludes
Packing list
Usefull info
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Do you have any questions? Contact us at +51 974 378 488
Find out what those who have trusted us to explore unique destinations and live extraordinary adventures have to say.
John CJanuary 10, 2025Verified Excellent, perfectly planned trip. The trip was perfectly planned from start to finish, the transport, the hike, the hotel, the food and the entrance to Machu Picchu. The lovely guide Edwin was incredibly knowledgeable and enthusiastic about the site, the hike, and it's history. It truly is an incredible and captivating place that is a must see if you have the opportunity. Gabriel CNovember 12, 2024Verified Rainbow Mountain Tour guide We had a great tour of Rainbow Mountain. Jose was extremely knowledgeable and was a lot of help. The tour included good breakfast and lunch. I highly recommended this tour Joshua SNovember 10, 2024Verified "Unforgettable Machu Picchu Journey with an Exceptional Guide!" John was the perfect guide for our journey from Cusco to Machu Picchu! From the start, he made everything smooth and enjoyable, picking us up from our hotel and ensuring we were comfortable and ready for the adventure ahead. Thanks to his planning, we arrived at Machu Picchu early, avoiding the crowds and enjoying the stunning morning views. The weather was fantastic, and John's deep knowledge of the history and culture made every moment even more memorable. His explanations brought the ancient Incan sites to life, and he guided us thoughtfully through the walk at Machu Picchu, pointing out details we would have missed on our own. Throughout the entire day, John was attentive, patient, and incredibly helpful. He truly went above and beyond to make our experience unforgettable. Highly recommend! Gabriel CNovember 10, 2024Verified Great tour Me and my brother went on a tour with John. He was very helpful. He was very knowledgeable and helpful. Not only did he give a great tour but he was able to give us good recommendations and was very accommodating Kim AOctober 24, 2024Verified An amazing experience! We are an American family from Evansville, Indiana. After doing much research we chose Machu Picchu Tours to make our dream come true of seeing Machu Picchu via the 4-day Inca Trail Trek.Planning this kind of trip is no small feat, but John Taqquere Villaneuva was there for us every step of the way! He always responded quickly to my MANY texts and provided excellent information to prepare us for the trek. Our amazing guide, Edwin, the Porters and Chef went way above and beyond to make sure we felt safe and that we were getting the best experience that was promised. I cannot emphasize how important hygiene and safe food is on a trip like this. We feel our Porters did an excellent job keeping the dining area clean and providing excellent, healthy and safe food. While it is common for foreigners to get sick when traveling to a new country, the crew kept us healthy, hydrated, and safe the entire trip. Our porters took care of every single detail from setting up our camp, refilling our water bottles, and feeding us delicious hot meals 3 times a day. The porters were always there to take care of us. Our bags were transported and waiting for us in our tents upon arrival. Hot drinks were ready for us upon arrival at each campsite, and hot soapy water and towels were provided to clean up after a long day’s hike. Their work ethic and attention to detail was impressive. The 4 day trek is strenuous. Our guide, Edwin, coached us along the way, helping us to set a pace that worked for us so that we would not burn out. He also handled all of our paperwork and entry tickets. There are checkpoints and everything must be in order and spelled correctly. Without these documents, there is no trek and there is no entry into Machu Picchu. Our guide always kept us informed of the daily itinerary and was always supportive and eager to help. His knowledge of the history of the Inca and the ruins was exceptional. We walked away feeling an immense appreciation and understanding of the Inca because of Edwin. If your dream of seeing Machu Picchu is through the Inca Trail, or want to arrange guided tours, then don’t let fear stand in your way. And if you are looking for an agency, we highly recommend John Taqquere Villaneuva with Machu Picchu Tours. These are good, honest, trustworthy and hard-working people that will help make your dream come true. We are so thankful to Machu Picchu Tours, our Guide, Edwin, and the amazing Porters and Chef for their hard work and efforts to help make our dream come true. HikeJunkieCarlosOctober 21, 2024Verified Very organized crew knowledgeable friendly and just plain awesome to have around every step of the way. Couldn’t have asked for a better crew chef porters tents and food for this 4 day Inca trail tripWas the best experience for all 8 of us in our friends group to enjoy every moment and have amazing time all the way through the trip in town and on the Inca trailVery organized crew knowledgeable friendly and just plain awesome to have around every step of the way. Highly recommend this company to solo and groups that plan to visit Peru SkyMiles KOctober 19, 2024Verified 1 of 2 top Bucket List items, Hike the INCA Trail to Machu Picchu Completed the INCA trail with our Hike Junkies family. The Machu Picchu tours were INCREDIBLE!!! A great big shout out to John Taqquere Villanueva & his team for providing us with their expertise & care before, during & after the 4-day backpacking hike. The porters had camp setup for Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner during our hiking adventure. Our chef, Carmelito "5-STARS," prepared meals that you should only find in a fine dining restaurant. We even had some Peruvian history lessons along the way. A few surprise discovery viewpoints along the trail. After completing 4-day Inca trail, we hiked the Humanatay Lake on 5th day & Rainbow Mtn on 6th day. We THANK YOU, John, Alberto, Berle, Aiwyn & drivers, porters for making this the adventure of the century!...so far Rebecca ROctober 19, 2024Verified 4 day Inca Trail with Hike Junkies We just completed the 4 day Inca Trail with Machu Picchu Tours. John Taqquere Villanueva went above and beyond to provide us with an amazing experience, with fun, knowledgeable guides to qn amazing chef and porters. Our tents were comfortable and kept us warm and dry from the elements. We were served four course meals, desert and happy hour on each day. Happy hour consisted of fresh hot popcorn, hot cocoa, coffee, cookies and bread. In addition to the 4 day Inca Trail we scored permits to hike Huayna Picchu ( Stairs of Death) which we conquered just having completed the last day of the Inca trail. Yes, our group is crazy! One member of our group was unable to hike the four day Inca trail due to severe health issues, John Taqquere and went above and beyond to give him an amazing Machu Picchu experience. Our trip consisted of City Walking Tour of Cusco, Alpaca Farm, Humantay Lake, Rainbow Mountain and other ruins. This was a humbling experience that will last a lifetime. Chalmers BOctober 9, 2024Verified Great experience! Our guide Edwin was excellent. The first day is very challenging but equally rewarding, and we were really glad that MPT arranged a pre-meeting the day before to go over logistics and make sure we were properly equipped -- renting poles is highly recommended, well worth the $10. Reaching the Sun Gate and getting the full vista of Machu Picchu felt like a life accomplishment. The second day is much less challenging, walking through the actual ruins of Machu Picchu, and we felt much less pressure because we'd gotten such great views and photos the day before.
Huchuy Qosqo was used as a royal estate by Viracocha. During the last days of his rule, he faced a revolt from Cancha People. Huchuy Qosqo Hike is an off-the-beaten-track experience that takes you to the lesser-known yet prominent Inca site, Huchuy Qosqo Peru.
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