South Valley Tour - Half Day

Our adventure in the South Valley begins when we pick you up from your hotel in Cusco at 8:00 a.m. Our first stop will be at Tipón, located about 23 km to the South of Cusco. This vast Inca site covers some 239 hectares and was likely used as an agricultural center. It has 12 impressive and unusually wide agricultural terraces, all irrigated by a network of water channels fed by a natural spring from the Pachatusan Mountain above the site. It may have been used as a laboratory of sorts, with each terrace providing a different micro-climate within the complex. Some surrounding ruins have been excavated, while others remain partially visible below the soil and vegetation. 

We’ll spend about an hour exploring Tipón before heading on to Pikillaqta. Pikillaqta was built by the Wari civilization, which occupied the site from about 550 to 1100 AD (before the rise of the Inca Empire). The large site may have had various functions, including as a defensive settlement and as a huge feasting site for people coming from across the region. As we explore Pikillaqta, you’ll see houses, colcas (food storage areas), temples, and areas used for games and ceremonies, all connected by a network of narrow streets. The site has more than 700 structures in total, with some walls standing almost 12 meters high. We’ll spend about an hour exploring the ruins of Pikillaqta, and then continue on to Andahuaylillas. 

Next, we will visit Andahuaylillas, an Andean village with some spectacular colonial architecture. The most famous structure is the church of San Pedro Apóstol, built by the Spanish in the late 16th century. From the outside, this Baroque church looks fairly plain. When we go inside, however, you’ll see an amazing sight: an astounding display of colorful murals, a coffered painted ceiling, and an ornate altar covered in gold leaf. The church also has a majestic piano, numerous paintings from the Cusco school of artists, and exquisite silverwork. For this reason, it is sometimes referred to as “The Sistine Chapel of the Andes.” 

We’ll spend about one hour in Andahuaylillas, which is the last attraction on our tour of the South Valley. We will then return to Cusco, arriving at around 1:30 p.m.