Explore Cusco’s lesser-known South Valley. Marvel at the sophisticated water channels of Tipon, walk the pre-Inca Wari city of Pikillacta, and admire the Sistine Chapel of the Andes in Andahuaylillas: a rich mix of Inca engineering and colonial art.
Suitable for all ages.
Two payments in cash and in soles: S/ 15 at the San Pedro church in Andahuaylillas, and the Cusco Tourist Ticket, which covers Tipon and Pikillacta. Neither Inca site sells an individual ticket, so the Tourist Ticket is the only way in. Tell us what else you plan to visit and we will confirm which version you need and the exact amount before your tour.
Three things you will not see in the Sacred Valley. Tipon is the finest surviving example of Inca hydraulic engineering, with channels and fountains still running today. Pikillacta is a vast Wari city that predates the Incas by centuries. And the church at Andahuaylillas, known as the Sistine Chapel of the Andes, holds some of the most elaborate colonial painting in Peru. It also receives a fraction of the visitors, so the sites feel far quieter.
Light. Pickup is at 08:30 and you are back in Cusco by 14:30, with short walks at each stop. Tipon involves the most effort, since the terraces climb a slope, but you set the pace and there is no obligation to reach the top. It works well as an early tour while you are still adjusting to the altitude.
No. The tour runs through the middle of the day and returns to Cusco around 14:30, so have a good breakfast before pickup and lunch on your return. Bring water and a snack, along with coins in soles for the toilets at the sites.
Yes. There is no minimum age, and the short duration and light walking suit families well, though the appeal of Andahuaylillas and Pikillacta is largely historical, which younger children may find less engaging than the water channels at Tipon. Children under 10 do not pay for the Tourist Ticket, and those aged 10 to 17 pay a student rate with ID.
