In Cusco Historic District
In Cusco Historic District
In Cusco Historic District
Cusco, Machu Picchu, Pisac Indian Market and Ollantaytambo Fortress
Day-by-Day Itinerary
A short but spectacular flight over the snowcapped Andes to the oldest inhabited city in the hemisphere, Cusco, at an elevation of 11,440 feet.
Upon arrival a host will meet and assist you in transferring to the hotel and in registering.
Tour of Cusco and Nearby Ruins - Visit Sacsayhuaman fortress, an imposing example of Inca military architecture. It was built using colossal limestone blocks using a variety of interlocking shapes. The estimated weight of some stones is over 120 tons. Visitors are still wondering how it was constructed. Other archaeological sites included in the tour are the Incan military lookout point of Puca-Pucara and the Sanctuaries of Kenko and Tambomachay.
Morning train ride through the sacred valley of Urubamba to the "Lost City of the Incas," Machu Picchu. Perched 8,200 feet above the valley, it was hidden by mountains and semi-tropical jungles for 400 years until discovered by Hiram Bingham of Yale University in 1911. Archaeologists believe that the Inca "Virgins of the Sun" took refuge from the Spanish Conquistadors here. Guided tour of the ruins upon arrival.
Full Day Excursion to the Pisac Indian Market and the Ollantaytambo Fortress - Morning departure for a drive through the fertile countryside of the Urubamba Valley to the colonial village of Pisac where an Indian Market takes place Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays. Other days you will tour the religious nucleus and archaeological site of Pisac. During your visit to the bustling marketplace you will have the opportunity to bargain with the natives for many different types of Peruvian handicrafts and jewelry.
Continue to the Ollantaytambo archaeological complex, the Incas built it as a fort that included a temple, agricultural terraces, and an urban area. There are two distinct sectors: The religious and worship zone, and the residential area. Ollantaytambo was an important administrative center with probable military functions if one considers the walls and towers. There are also traces of ancient roads and aqueducts. The town of Ollantaytambo is called a "Living Inca Town" since the inhabitants maintain very old practices and customs. Lunch is at a beautiful country estate on the shores of the Urubamba River.
Transfer to the airport for your departure to Lima and your connecting international flight. Arrive home full of great memories of the rich tradition of Colonial Lima and the mystical Land of the Incas.
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