|
|
|
Destination ~ Cuzco
|
 |
Centre of the Inca world, you enter the
archaeological capital of South America.
Cuzco is the most visited area in all of
Peru and contains a wonder of living history.
Sacsayhuaman,
Machu Picchu,
Ollantaytambo and Pisaq are just a few of
the many sites to be visited. |
A few days in Cuzco are
simply not enough !
| Cuzco
is not a place to be for a few days, as you
will discover, a week is not enough time to
see all there is to be seen, it is for this
reason we ask you to consider your time available
and carefully pick the places you would most
wish to visit. This is just the start of the
discovery for the visitor as the area contains
such sites as Pucu Pucara, Quenqo and Qusilluchayo,
the list of fascinating places just goes on
and we could, like many others, write a book
on this area. We suggest you read one of the
many guide books on Cuzco as we have limited
space available here. |
|
Spoilt for choice
We
have a wide range of accommodation on offer,
from family run Pensions to first class hotels,
you cant help but be spoilt for choice in
Cuzco. Please be aware that Cuzco stands at
an altitude of 3,300 meters (10,900 ft) and
for the first few days it is important to
acclimatise and take things slowly.
We
suggest you spend your first few days exploring
this fascinating city and take a relaxing
bus tour before starting on the more adventurous
hikes to some of the hard to get to sites.
The city is a great place to wander around
and see a wide selection of arts and crafts.
The
old colonial buildings blend in with the
huge stone Inca walls and the modern style
of architecture. Festivals play a large
part in the life of the people and a visit
timed to include one of these great shows
of culture and colour can add to a powerful
memory of your visit to Peru.
|
|
When To Go?
The area can be visited all year round but
the temperature can drop to near freezing
so it is advisable to consider the month
you best wish to travel. July and August
are the warmest and driest times but this
is also the height of the tourist season
and this can lead to overcrowding and distract
from your pleasure.
PERUVIAN
SECRETS will be happy to
involve you in the tour planning for this
area and provide you with as much information
as possible to enable you to get the most
out of your visit. We offer such a wide
choice, it is best you tell us what you
most wish to see and do from serious discovery
of little known sites to general tours to
the full moon party Inca style. What ever
your choice we can make it happen. |
Around
Cuzco:
Sacsayhuaman
|
One
of the best examples of Inca stonework,
only 2km from the centre of Cuzco strategically
on a hill overlooking the city, stands this
great fortress Famous for its enormous carved
stones joined with astonishing precision
to form the outer walls. Some of the great
stones are over 30ft tall and weigh over
350 tons, building took over seventy years
and required a workforce of up to 20,000
men. Cuzco was laid out in the form of a
Puma, with Sacsayhuaman making up the head.
The site is made up of three levels, each
with a zigzag wall (the teeth of the Puma).
What
can be seen today is only a small part of
the fortress as the Spanish, with disregard
to the site, used it for stone to build
the colonial buildings of Cuzco. |
Qenko & Puca Pucara
These
two archaeological sites are 4km and 6km
NE of Cuzco reached by a paved road. Qenko
is a limestone formation which has been
intricately carved with depictions of mythical
beings, along with winding underground passageways
and a semicircular amphitheatre believed
to be a place of worship. Puca Pucara who's
name in Quechua means “red fortress”
is a military construction comprised of
layered terraces, high walls and stairways.
The fort made up the Cuzco line of defence. |
|
Tambo Machay (Baños
del Inca)
| |
This
site is 7km NE of Cuzco and is the baths
of the Incas.
The
site is thought to have been built for the
worship of water, the fine aqueducts and
waterfalls are fed by cold and natural hot
springs.
The
site of Puca Pucara can be seen from a nearby
tower. |
Return
to Destinations
|
|
|
|
|
