The Sacred Valley
This wonderful new museum takes visitors into the world of the fascinating pre-Colombian civilizations that came before the Inca. It acknowledges the…
Must-see attractions in Cuzco & the Sacred Valley
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Cuzco
This newish museum exhibits 360 pieces from Machu Picchu taken by Hiram Bingham's expeditions and recently returned by Yale University, including stone…
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Parque Arqueológico Choquequirao
Cuzco & the Sacred Valley
Translating as 'Cradle of Gold,' this remote Incan site (3050m) in the Vilcabamba mountain range over the Apurimac canyon bears a strong resemblance to…
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Cuzco
An excellent way to explore the fascinating Inca cosmovision. They defined constellations of darkness as well as light, used astronomy to predict weather…
Cuzco
A squatter on the site of Viracocha Inca’s palace, the cathedral was built using blocks pilfered from the nearby Inca site of Sacsaywamán. Its…
Cuzco
If you visit only one Cuzco site, make it these Inca ruins forming the base of the colonial church and convent of Santo Domingo. Once the richest temple…
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Cuzco & the Sacred Valley
This immense ruin of both religious and military significance is the most impressive in the immediate area around Cuzco. The long Quechua name means …
Ollantaytambo
Both fortress and temple, these spectacular Inca ruins rise above Ollantaytambo, making a splendid half-day trip. (Admission is via the boleto turístico…
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Cuzco & the Sacred Valley
Also known as Vinicunca, the Rainbow Mountain is a viral hit with travelers thanks to the photogenic nature of its mineral stripes. Getting there requires…
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Cuzco
The charmingly modest Museo Inka, a steep block northeast of the Plaza de Armas, is the best museum in town for those interested in the Incas. The…
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The Sacred Valley
With concentric terraces carved into a huge earthen bowl, the deep amphitheater-like terracing of Moray, reached via Maras village, is a fascinating…
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Cuzco
In Inca times, the plaza, called Huacaypata or Aucaypata, was the heart of the capital. Today it’s the nerve center of the modern city. Two flags usually…
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The Sacred Valley
Salineras is among the most spectacular sights in the whole Cuzco area, with thousands of salt pans that have been used for salt extraction since Inca…
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Cuzco & the Sacred Valley
Snowcapped Ausangate (6384m), the highest mountain in southern Peru, can be seen from Cuzco on a clear day. Hiking a circuit around its skirts is the most…
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Iglesia de La Compañía de Jesús
Cuzco
Built upon the palace of Huayna Cápac, the last inca to rule an undivided, unconquered empire, the church was built by the Jesuits in 1571 and…
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Templo y Convento de La Merced
Cuzco
Cuzco’s third most important colonial church, La Merced was destroyed in the 1650 earthquake, but was quickly rebuilt. To the left of the church, at the…
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Machu Picchu Historical Sanctuary
Cuzco & the Sacred Valley
For many travelers to Peru, a visit to the lost Inca city of Machu Picchu is the whole purpose of their trip. With its awe-inspiring location, it is the…
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Cuzco
Winning entries in Cuzco’s annual Popular Art Competition are displayed in this engaging museum. This is where the artisans and artists of San Blas…
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Cuzco & the Sacred Valley
A demonstration of the Incas’ mastery over their environment, this extensive Inca site consists of some impressive terracing at the head of a small valley…
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Cuzco
More austere than many of Cuzco’s other churches, Iglesia San Francisco dates from the 16th and 17th centuries and is one of the few that didn’t need to…
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Cuzco
This eclectic museum is housed in the colonial Casa Garcilaso de la Vega, the house of the Inca-Spanish chronicler who now lies buried in the cathedral…
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Machu Picchu
The Inca Trail ends after its final descent from the notch in the horizon called Intipunku (Sun Gate). Looking at the hill behind you as you enter the…
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Cuzco
Inside a Spanish colonial mansion with an Inca ceremonial courtyard, this dramatically curated pre-Columbian art museum showcases a stunningly varied, if…
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Cuzco & the Sacred Valley
The real ‘lost city of the Incas,’ Vilcabamba – also known as Espíritu Pampa – is what Hiram Bingham was looking for when he stumbled on Machu Picchu. The…
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Cuzco
This simple adobe church is comparatively small, but you can’t help but be awed by the baroque, gold-leaf principal altar. The exquisitely carved pulpit,…
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Cuzco & the Sacred Valley
Meaning ‘the Place of the Flea,’ Piquillacta is the only major pre-Inca ruin in the area. Built around AD 1100 by the Wari culture, it’s a large…
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Cuzco & the Sacred Valley
Dating from the 17th century, this Jesuit church houses many carvings and paintings, including a canvas of the Immaculate Conception attributed to Esteban…
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Cuzco & the Sacred Valley
Named after the Inca site of Rimactambo, Limatambo is popularly known as Tarawasi. The site was used as a ceremonial center and a resting place for the…
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Ollantaytambo
The 6km hike to the Inca quarry on the opposite side of the river from the main ruins is a good walk from Ollantaytambo. The trail starts from the Inca…
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Iglesia y Convento de Santa Clara
Cuzco
This 16th-century church, part of a strict convent, is difficult to visit but it's worth making the effort to go for morning services, because this is one…
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Choquequirao
Discovered only in 2002 by archaeologist Percy Paz, these steep terraces on the backside of the ruins feature unique stonework resembling that found in…
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The Sacred Valley
A visit to the community of Patabamba offers a fascinating participative demonstration of the weaving process, all the way from picking the plants to…
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Cuzco
Originally the palace of Inca Roca, the foundations of this museum were converted into a grand colonial residence and later became the archbishop’s palace…
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Museo de Sitio Manuel Chávez Ballón
Aguas Calientes
This museum has superb information in Spanish and English on the archaeological excavations of Machu Picchu and Inca building methods. Stop here before or…
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Machu Picchu
A scenic but level walk from the Hut of the Caretaker takes you right past the top of the terraces and out along a narrow, cliff-clinging trail to the…
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Museo Municipal de Arte Contemporáneo
Cuzco
The small collection of contemporary Andean art on display at this museum in the municipality building is really one for the fans. Museo Quijote has a…
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Cuzco & the Sacred Valley
Twenty minutes past Sicuani – just before Abra la Raya, the high pass that marks the boundary between the Cuzco and Puno departments – are these hot…
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Machu Picchu
This Quechua word loosely translates as the ‘Hitching Post of the Sun’ and refers to the carved rock pillar, often mistakenly called a sundial, at the top…
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The Inca Trail
Towards the end of the Inca Trail, you'll reach the beautiful, well-restored ruin of Phuyupatamarka (Place Above the Clouds), about 3570m (11,712ft) above…
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Cuzco & the Sacred Valley
The Inca site of Saihuite, 45km east of Abancay, has a sizable, intricately carved boulder called the Stone of Saihuite, which is similar to the famous…
