How to get out Cuzco
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Amazing Inca walls at Sacsayhuamán
Ccaccaccollo, Traditional fabric making from Llama shearing to weaving in this township.
The Four Archaeological Ruins, The closest and largest of these ruins is the amazing Inca Sacsayhuamán (sometimes called Saqsaywaman and pronounced "Sexy Woman") ruins high above Cuzco. It is a steep climb from the Plaza de Armas up Plateros street which changes to Saphi. Look for the long staircase on the right, follow the paved curvy road up to the next cobblestone pedestrian path and follow this climb past the first closed control point to the second control. No need to take a cab if you can handle it. But, be careful, as robberies have been reported in mornings and evenings. There is a charge to explore the ruins at the second control or present your the boleto turistico. Those on a budget can get a sense of the ruins without paying by walking up the hill and up to the entrance. You can then walk to the adjacent hill with the big Jesus on it and look down on the city. However, the sheer size of the stones that were moved and the importance of the battle there make it worth entrance fee. Read up on the battle beforehand as the guides don't discuss it. Also, a view of the circular base of the former tower as shown in many of the photos is not possible due to the protective ropes. Go earlier in the morning as later visits are disrupted by whistles from guards telling unobservant tourists to get off the ruins.
Qenko, (or Q'enqo), The Second site up the road from Sacsayhuamán. Take the cumbi shared busses up the hill for 1 sole or take a walk of about 0.5-1 km up a gradual incline to visit the site. Its name means "Zig-Zag" in Quecha, and probably refers to the Zig-Zag channels carved into a rock. Explore the pass through cave and view the altar on which llamas were sacrificed. The large erect stone shown on the boleto turistico is a solar calendar. On each side of the stone is a square wall two stones high. Each stone is representative of a number of days, the total is the total days in the year. Opposite the stone are the familiar windows in which mummies and human remains were discovered. Accessible with the boleto turistico
Pukapukara, (red fort). Named after the red hue of the hillsides nearby. The third site along the route, even heartier walkers will find the walk a bit long and a bit steep despite the paved and well traveled road. However, the views along the walk are great and small mud brick bars are intermittent between the sites. Hire a taxi or take a cumbi shared bus up from Qenko for one sole to save time and energy. A larger site than Q'enqo, the guides have more to say about this site. It was likely a checkpoint or military control. Offerings of coca leaves amongst other things were received here. Accessible with the boleto turistico.
Puka Pukara, ruin of fort overlooking road
Tambomachay, The most distant ruin on the route from Cuzco. It is a small site with an ornamental fountain whose source is unknown as reportedly archaeologists lack the tools necessary to determine the source without damaging the site. Likely it is an underground spring. In several Incan sites such as Ollentaytambo water sources were covered or underground to protect the water supply from poisoning. Accessible with the boleto turistico. Bathrooms are free with the Boleto. Take a cumbi all the way back to Plaza de las Armas in Cuzco for 1 sole.
Guides and tours to all four sites in one day, If interested, pay/negotiate for a guide at the second control at Sacsayhuamán to tour you through all four sites. Ask the guard at the ticket control which guides have been through the government training. Expect between 60-80 soles depending upon the season which is about 15-20 soles per site. Allow 4-5 hr for the trip when taking the Cumbis shared buses. Pack a snack although water is available along the way. Bathrooms (clean and well maintained) are only available at the final site Tambomachay. A boleto turisitico is recommended as control points exist at three of the four sites and are carefully monitored.
If you don't want to hire a guide, then you could take a taxi or combi to Tambomachay/Pukapukara and walk back down the hill to the remaining sites. This is much kinder on the legs! If you go to the first two sites in the morning, there is a backpacker's cafe about 250 m down the road on the right that does tasty and inexpensive sandwiches and very good fruit juice. The walk down to Q'enqo and Sacsayhuamán has nice views.
A better alternative is to take a day trip to Pisac, and see the ruins there, which is part of the Boleto. These ruins are much more impressive than the ones nearer to Cusco.
Pisac , Colorful marketplace, climb up to the expansive ruins to the religious site and cemetery behind. 32 km (20 mi) from Cuzco. Accessible with the boleto turistico.
Ollantaytambo, Religous center that doubled as a fortress during the Spanish conquest . A great place to visit on the return from Machu Picchu or an alternative if you don't want to visit Machu Picchu. Great place to stay too. 77 km (48 mi) from Cuzco. Accessible with the boleto turistico.
Moray (Peru) , The agricultural laboratory of the incas. Several cocentric circles up to 150 m deep caused temperature changes of between 2-4°C. Seeds were developed here and spread throughout the empire. 67.5 km (42 mi) from Cuzco. Accessible with the boleto turistico.
Tipon, Farming terraces, water channels and long staircases believed to be a part of the Incan royal estate. Here sits the largest hydraulic system built by the incas (much of it still functioning) as well as an Incan cemetary. 22.5 km (14 mi) from Cuzco. Accessible with the boleto turistico.
Lake Titicaca, PeruRail connects Cuzco to Juliaca and Puno, and the journey is one of the most spectacular rail journeys in the world, passing both through amazing scenery and the middle of small towns. The journey should take 10 hr, but there are often delays. The 'scenic stop' included at La Raya is a bit of a waste of time, though it's included anyway.
- There are several buses that travel to Lake Titicaca, which are compareably priced, and takes less time than the train. They also stop at 5 or 6 interesting spots along the trip, including the "Sistine Chapel of South America" Prices have increased recently, and the cheap backpacker train no longer runs this route, having been sent to the Poroy (Cusco) - Macchu Pichu line. The trip from Cusco to Puno runs about US$220 each way now.
Machu Picchu, The atmospheric ruin perched below the Andes and above the jungle. For the best experience, walk there on the Inca Trail or one of the alternative trails, which is certainly worth the exercise! There are numerous tour companies which organise such trips, costing US$365-450 with all travel costs. As of April 2008, a one-way trip on PeruRail costs US$71 for Vistadome class, and US$58 Backpacker class. This journey takes just under 4 hours, but note that trains now terminate (and begin) at Poroy - you must take a bus or taxi from Cusco to Poroy (the section of track between Poroy and Cusco was too steep and difficult to continue using).
- Troubles reaching Machu Picchu, The railroad service between Ollantaytambo and Km. 82 may be disrupted or at times suspended due to landslides, mudslides and subsidence following sustained periods of very heavy rain. This means that everybody must be transported to Km. 82 to get on a second train. An overland trip is a very good yet adventurous alternative way to get there. When the the rail service is operating between Poroy and Machu Picchu it is a slow but beautiful and comfortable 4 hr trip.
Choquequirao, Like Machu Picchu a big Inca ruin area at the edge of a mountain with great view. It offers much bigger area and terraces but less housing. Not as fabulous as Machu Picchu but definitely worth a visit. Only accessible by trekking (possibility to continue to MP) and thus only very few visitors. BTW, it's cheaper.
Puno, Visiting Lake Titicaca is the perfect way to complete a journey to the Southern Andes. It is possible to travel from Cusco taking a direct 30 minutes flight, traveling by train or by road, which allows stopping at various interesting sites on the route such as Andahuaylillas, Piquillacta, Tipon, Huaro, Raqchi or Lampa as well as witnessing stunning landscapes.
La Paz (Bolivia), At the very least there appear to be overnight buses direct from Cuzco to La Paz that pass through Desaguadero. The duration seems to be about 15-17 hr long. As an alternative, go from Cuzco to Copacabana, Bolivia, (about 10 hr) and from there onto La Paz (about 2 hr).
There are several smaller bus terminals in Cuzco that travel to other destinations around the Sacred Valley of the Incas.
Av. Grau 525, Cuzco—Chinchero - Urubamba.
Calle Puputi 208, Cuzco—Pisac - Yucay - Urubamba.
Av. Tullumayo 207, Cuzco—Pisac - Calca.
Av. De La Cultura 1320, Cuzco—Urcos (Tipon - Piquillacta - Andahuaylilas).
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The Most Frequently Asked Travel Questions about Cuzco
