Cusco Things to Do Tips by AlbuqRay

La Catedral is on the beautiful Plaza de Armas. I was walking around the first night before dinner and took a few pictures. As are many of the Spanish sights, it was built on a much older Incan site (palace of the Inca Viracocha) which was destroyed and replaced. Even though it is being restored right now, there is much to see inside. It was the second stop on the Cusco half day tour the next day.

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Directions: Plaza de Armas, Cusco, Peru

Just across the corner from the Cathedral is Jesuit church, La Comania de Jesus. Built on the site of the palace of Inca Huayna Capac. Wish we could have seen Cusco in the days of the Incas.

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Directions: Plaza de Armas, Cusco, Peru

The second day in the Cusco area was a very full day trip to the Sacred Valley of the Incas. It was Sunday, so we got to experience the huge market in Pisac, as well as Ollantaytambo and Chinchero. Pisac is about an hour bus ride from Cusco. I'll do other tips with the specifics.

We had an excellent guide that day. Her name was Geovana. She was very knowledgable and patient.

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Directions: Pisac is about 30 km NE of Cusco

Pisac is in a spectacular location on the east end of the Sacred Valley. It is best known for its Sunday market for both tourists and locals. The Inca ruins on the mountainside are supposed to be some of the best; however, the tour did not allow us time to visit them.

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Directions: 30 km NE of Cusco

Sacsayhuaman (head of the cougar) is within walking distance of the plaza in Cusco but we took a bus. An Incan temple and fortress built with zig-zag walls to expose the flanks of any attackers, as all Incan architecture, it is characterized by huge stones that fit tightly with no mortar. Unseen are the unique Incan foundations made of llama wool and packed dirt that allow these structures to survive earthquakes that the Spanish construction does not. You can tell this is one of the original Incan doors since the stones and lintel fit, and have no mortar.

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Directions: 2 km north of Plaza de Armas, Cusco

Built on a hillside, these baths were probably used for religious ceremonies. I assume the water came from springs. It was the end of the dry season and there was not much flow.

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Directions: 8 km from Cusco

Ollantaytambo, resting place of the Inca general Ollantay, was my favorite place in the Sacred Valley. Another temple/fortress in a beautiful valley surrounded by mountains. It was built by the Inca Pachacutec. Quite an engineering feat, considering the rock quarry was across the valley at about the same height as the citadel itself. This is a popular site, as you can see from the people in the picture. We were stopped for 45 minutes when we tried to leave in a gridlock of tour buses. However, this place is worth it.

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Directions: About 100 km northwest of Cusco

If you climb the 200 steps to the top of the citadel, you can enjoy views like this one. One wonders if Ollantay ever stood here himself. His story is tragic but has a happy ending.

Ollantay was an Incan general who secretly fell in love with Kusi Qoyllur, the daughter of the Inca Pachacutec. After Ollantay distinguished himself in battle, the Inca offered him anything he wanted. Ollantay asked for the hand of his daughter in marriage. This was blasphemy in their rigid class society and Ollantay had to flee to the citadel, Ollantaytambo. Pachacutec had his own daughter entombed alive with the child she had had with Ollantay, with only food and water to keep them from dying in order to prolong their agony.

Ollantay rebelled and during the subsequent war, Pachacutec died. His son, Thupaq Yupanki and General Rumi Nawi eventually defeated Ollantay and enslaved him. However, when Thupaq Yupanki found his semi-dead sister, who had been in the live-in tomb for fifteen years with his niece, he decided there had been enough suffering and re-united Ollantay with his family.

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Directions: About 100 km northwest of Cusco

Machu Picchu is now one of the top tourist destinations in the world. It is a spectacular achievement left to us by the Incas. I took a four hour train ride from Cusco to Aguas Calientes and then a 25 minute bus ride up the mountain. Even though there will be many people there, everyone should visit Machu Picchu at least once in their life. The guy in the left background with the green coat had two artificial legs. Three of us had to help him off and on, but he did get to see much of the site. It rains there often, so be sure to take a raincoat or poncho. See my Cusco travelogues for more pictures. There is also an excellent travelogue by VT member, Hopkid, about his Inca Trail and Machu Picchu trip that should not be missed.

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Address: 112 km from Cusco in the Urubamba River Valley