Cusco City Tour Half Day

Trip Summary

Just landed in Cusco? Our Cusco City Tour, or Half-Day Cusco City Tour, with an experienced local guide, will give you the best introduction to the city, its culture, and history.

Cusco, the captivating ancient capital of the Inca Empire, is the gateway to the world wonder, Machu Picchu. It is the best place to experience the blend of two cultures and architectures (Inca and Spanish). The Cusco City Tour is a must when visiting Cusco and is usually one of the first highlights for all tourists. From the bustling San Pedro Market to the historic sites, Cusco has a completely different look and feel compared to the rest of Peru.

This tour includes the following attractions:

The Cathedral: Features Gothic, Renaissance Mannerist, and Baroque styles.
Qoricancha: One of the most important religious centers of the Inca Empire. Its stone constructions are even more perfected than Machu Picchu.
Sacsayhuaman: A megalithic monument with great artistic expression, a clear demonstration of Inca technological achievements.
Qenqo: Considered a sacred site (huaca) in the Inca period.
Puka Pukara: A site used for controlling areas, which also had various administrative spaces.
Tambomachay: A sacred place where water was worshipped, as this element was vital for human existence.

At the end of the tour, we will return to the city of Cusco, where transportation will drop you off 2 or 3 blocks from Cusco’s Plaza de Armas.

Travel Itinerary

Day 1: Cusco City Tour (Half Day)

After picking you up at your hotel at the designated time, we will travel by minibus to the Plaza de Armas, where Cusco’s Cathedral is located. We will enter the city’s most important temple to marvel at its architecture and artistic richness. Many of its decorative elements are made with Inca gold. We will be here for approximately 45 minutes.

Later, we will walk for 8 minutes to the nearby Qoricancha Temple, also known as the Temple of the Sun. This place was one of the most important religious centers of the Inca Empire and represents one of the best examples of the fusion between Inca and Spanish cultures. We will be here for about 35 minutes.

At approximately 3:30 p.m., we will board the minibus again to head towards the four Cusco ruins: Sacsayhuaman, Qenqo, Puca Pucara, and Tambomachay. After about half an hour of travel, we will arrive at Sacsayhuaman, where we will have a guided tour to learn about this great Inca architectural work. We will be here for approximately 1 hour.

Then we will visit the Qenqo sanctuary (about 5 minutes away), followed by Puca Pucara, and finally Tambomachay, known as the Inca’s Bath. We will spend between 15 and 20 minutes at Qenqo.

After visiting the most essential places in Cusco and its surroundings, we will drop you off near the Plaza de Armas after four and a half hours of touring.

About the Tourist Ticket

If you plan to visit most of Cusco’s major tourist attractions during your stay, we recommend purchasing the General Tourist Ticket to save on entrance fees and simplify your trip.

Tourist Ticket. To visit various cultural attractions in Cusco, you require either a Partial Tourist Ticket or a General Tourist Ticket.

General Tourist Ticket: S/. 130.00 Soles – Foreigners and S/. 70.00 Soles – Peruvians
- Includes admission to 16 tourist sites in Cusco, such as: Regional Historical Museum, Puca Pucara, Museum of Contemporary Art, Tambomachay, Museum of Popular Art, Pisac, Qoricancha Site Museum, Ollantaytambo, Qosqo Center of Native Art, Chinchero, Monument to Inca Pachacutec, Moray, Sacsayhuaman, Tipón, Q’enqo, and Piquillacta.
Partial Tourist Ticket: S/. 70.00 Soles – Foreigners and S/. 40.00 Soles – Peruvians
- Includes one-day admission to one circuit of attractions.
- There are three circuits: Circuit I (Sacsayhuaman, Qenqo, Tambomachay, Puca Pucara), Circuit II (Regional Historical Museum, Museum of Contemporary Art, Museum of Popular Art, Qoricancha Site Museum, Qosqo Center of Native Art, Monument to Inca Pachacutec, Tipón Archaeological Park, Pikillacta Archaeological Park), Circuit III (Pisac, Ollantaytambo, Chinchero, Moray)

Includes / Does Not Include

Includes

Hotel pick-up (from one hour before the tour start time for groups; schedule agreed for private tours).
Bilingual professional guide (Spanish and English).
For group tours, the tour is offered in both languages.
For private tours, you can choose between Spanish, English, or Portuguese.
Tourist transportation to the attractions.

Does Not Include

This tour requires a General or Partial Tourist Ticket, in addition to the entrance fees for the Cathedral and Qoricancha.
- Partial Tourist Ticket (S/. 70.00 for Foreigners / S/. 40.00 for Peruvians)
- Cathedral entrance fee (S/. 40.00 for Foreigners / S/. 20.00 for Peruvians)
- Qoricancha entrance fee (S/. 20.00 for adults)