PISAQ.- This picturesque town with a blend of mestizo and colonial architecture belong to the province of Calca at the entrance to the Sacred Valley of the Incas, 32Km down a modern highway from the city of Cusco.

Founded during the reign of Viceroy Francisco de Toledo, the town has both Western and native features that make it an original and typical town of the region   

PISAQ ARTS AND CHAFTS MARKET.- Here merchants offer for sale all sorts of handicrafts, the most important of which are the textiles and ceramic goods such as ceremonial goblets called “Q’eros”, plates, ashtrays, necklace and replicas of pre-Hispanic pottery. There are also ponchos, sweaters and bag The handicrafts fairs are held every Thursday and Sunday in the main square o Pisaq, as well as the Indian market, which is visited by inhabitants from the various native communities to stock up on supplies or sell their products. 0n Sundays, there is also the traditional Mass held in Quechua, which is attended by the Varayoc or village leaders from the surrounding communities.

PISAQ ARCHAEOLOGICAL COMPLEX.- In the upper part there are the remains of this re-Columbian settlement located a few kilometers from the mestizo town. It takes up an entire mountain made up of different neighborhood or squares, the main one being Intiwatana, which is admired for the architectural skill with which its constructions were built. At the same time, the pre-Hispani cemetery is also of great interest as it is the largest found in this part of the continent. There are thousands of tombs, some of them looted. The complex is also famous for the colossal terraces that circle the mountains and the fabulous watchtowers which were used as observation points as well as for control and military defense.

CALCA
This area has a beautiful landscape, surrounded by the Pitusiray and Sawasiray snow-capped mountains. The archaeological complex of Huchuy Qosqo is located in this province, as well as the medicinal hot mineral baths of Machacancha (sulfurous hot water) and Minasmoqo (cold bubbling mineral water)

It is located 50 km from Cusco.

YUCAY
A historic area, Yucay is a pretty valley inhabited by the Runas of the Tahuantinsuyo who built impressive works of agricultural engineering. This area is important for the palace of the Inca Sairy Tupac 11, a construction made of stone and adobe mud brick with haute- and bas-relief decorations. It was a center of agricultural production for the Incas because of its mild climate, fertile land, abundant water and vegetation, especially fruit trees.

From Pisac to Urubamba

From Pisac, following the Vilcanota River towards the west, the narrow route between the river and the hills passes through the towns of Calca, Yucay and Urubamba before arriving at Ollantaytambo. Yucay is associated with some important events in Incan and colonial history. In the spacious Plaza de Armas we find a beautiful, impressive tree, the pisonay, whose leafy branches and beautiful flowers grant the town an air of festivity and elegance. The ruins of the Palace of the Inca Huayna Capac can also be found in this area. Urubamba is not located far from here.Like many places along the valley Urubamba is in a fine setting with snow-capped peaks in view, it has many restaurants and pleasant dining areas with reasonable prices. The nearby White Mountain range provides the area with scenery of extraordinary beauty. The town offers the visitor a wide range of possibilities for rest and lodging, and includes a number of hotels and other lodging houses.

URUBAMBA
Located 78km from Cusco via Pisaq and 57km via Chinchero, it is located in the heart of the Sacred Valley and is known as the “Pearl of the Vilcanota” with beautiful countrysides and a healthy climate, located at the foot of the majestic snow-capped peak Chicón.

Urubamba, the archaeological capital of Peru, has many possibilities for tourist activities, especially adventure tourism because of its natural beauty. In the rain season there is an abundance of seasonal fruit. The area was also a pre-Hispanic agricultural center.

OLLANTAYTAMBO
This archaeological complex was a gigantic agricultural, administrative, social, religious and military center in the era of the Tahuantinsuyo. The Spaniards called it the Fortress of Ollantaytambo. It is located 97km from Cusco down a modem highway.  

Once can see the architectural style of its streets and squares which are distinctly pre-Hispanic, with enormous polyhedrons forming the walls and trapezoidal doors of temples and palaces. The urban distribution was set along rectilinear and narrow streets which have been inhabited constantly by natives since the Incas ‘ time.

In the upper and western part of the city rises a mountain which houses innumerable pre-Hispanic constructions such as magnificent crafted temples and terraces. A striking construction is the partially destroyed main temple, where once can see the front stone carving made up of six perfectly built red monoliths. It also has stepped molds, a characteristic made by the Earth. This made academics to consider Ollantaytambo a living museum.

CHINCHERO
A former Inca agricultural center, this district of the province of Urubamba i made up of 10 “Ayllus” or indigenous communities. Located at 3,762 mete above sea level, Chinchero is 28 km down a modem highway from the Cusco tourist circuit. It possesses a beautiful Andean landscape and is surrounded by the year-round snow-capped peaks of Chicón, Wequey Willca (commonly Calle Puna Sillo or Veronica).
The current town of Chinchero is a blend of Andean and Hispanic architec and is also home to a unique archaeological complex, with the remains o buildings, places of worship, and terraces for crops and for foundations.

Included:

English speaking Guide

Transportation by tourism bus

Buffet lunch.

Departure:

Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday 09.00 - 18.30 hrs.

Price per person US$ 30.00