The South Valley Tour Cusco takes you to some less visited attractions in the region. The South Valley’s main attractions are the Inca ruins of Tipon, the Pikillacta archeological site, and the Andahuaylillas Temple.
Tipon is an archeological complex situated 27 km southeast of Cusco, at an altitude of 3560 meters (11679 feet) above sea level. Tipon has numerous water canals and fountains. It also has wide agricultural terraces that give Tipon its unique appearance. According to some historians, Tipon was a temple dedicated to the worship of water, and also an Inca royal palace.
Unlike most of the attractions in Cusco, Pikillacta was not built by the Inca civilization. Pikillacta is a pre-Inca archeological complex located 30 km southeast of Cusco. It was an ancient city built by the Wari civilization, which dominated the area of Cusco between 600 and 1000 AD. Pikillacta was the main Wari settlement in the region of Cusco.
The last place to visit during the Cusco South Valley tour is the Andahuaylillas temple. This colonial church is famous for its detailed mural paintings and religious sculptures. Due to the beauty of its works of art, Andahuaylillas is also known as the “Sistine Chapel of America”.
Also, some of the paintings of Andahuaylillas come from the famed Cusco School of Art, an art movement that appeared during the colonial era. This movement was mostly composed by indigenous and mestizo artists, who used to combine Spanish and Inca elements in their artworks.
During this half day tour to the South Valley of Cusco, you will explore Tipon, Pikillacta, and the Andahuaylillas Temple. You will be visiting some less known, but incredible, archaeological sites. Even though the South Valley is not as famous as the Sacred Valley, it is a place full of history and tradition.
At Sanvil Turismo we offer the best travel packages in the Cusco region. Our tour guides are professionals authorized by the local government to guide treks and tours in the region. They are experts in the history and traditions of each destination you will be visiting.
We also offer tours to the Sacred Valley of the Incas, the Inca Trail, the Vinicunca Rainbow Mountain, and the Inca city of Machu Picchu. Enjoy a unique vacation in Peru with us and explore the Inca historical sites of South America.
Your Hotel in Cusco City
8:00 am
We will pick you up from your hotel in Cusco at 8:00 am. Then, we will go in our private vehicle to Tipon. This short car trip will take around 40 minutes to complete. Once in Tipon, you will have a guided tour of this amazing archeological site. You will explore the beautiful Inca agricultural terraces and the numerous water canals that adorne Tipon.
Afterwards, we will go to Pikillacta. Pikillacta is one of the best preserved pre-Inca citadels in Peru. It was built by the Wari civilization before the rise of the Inca Empire. “Pikillacta” is a Quechua expression that means “City of the fleas”. This ancient citadel received that name due to its numerous small buildings and rooms.
Then, we will visit the enchanting Andahuaylillas temple. This unique church is famous for its delicate colonial works of art. We will enter the temple and appreciate the mural paintings and the catolic sculptures. Finally, we will return to the city of Cusco. We will be arriving there around 1:00 pm.
