South Valley Tour from Cusco
A full-day tour south of Cusco to the colonial church of Andahuaylillas, known as the “Sistine Chapel of the Americas,” the pre-Inca Wari city of Piquillacta and the Inca water system of Tipón.
About this Expedition
Pristine Biodiversity
Immersion in primary forest trails and macaw or tapir clay licks with privileged viewing.
Native Guides
Bilingual guides from the native communities of Manu and Tambopata, with spotting scopes and binoculars.
Logistics and Lodges
Private transport and boats, a cook on the trip and nights in rainforest lodges.
Day-by-Day Itinerary
Andahuaylillas: San Pedro Church
We pick you up at your hotel in Cusco at 8:00 a.m. and drive to the village of Andahuaylillas to visit the Church of San Pedro, known as the “Sistine Chapel of the Americas.”
The Jesuits built it between the late 16th and the early 17th century. Its layout is typical of a village church, and like other colonial buildings it has thick walls of sun-dried mud brick (adobe). The church is decorated with 17th-century mural paintings, and two large stone columns stand at the main entrance.
Piquillacta: Pre-Inca Wari City
After the church, we continue to Piquillacta, an archaeological site of the pre-Inca Wari culture. You explore its large urban layout, surrounded by mountains and lakes.
Tipón: Inca Water Engineering and Return to Cusco
Next we visit the archaeological site of Tipón, where you see the engineering of an Inca irrigation and water system.
Finally, we stop in the village of Tipón, known for cuy al horno (baked guinea pig), a traditional dish of the Cusco region and a direct link between ancient Inca culture and today’s Quechua culture. Then we drive back to Cusco.
Included & Not Included Services
What this trip includes
- Hotel pickup in Cusco at 8:00 a.m.
- Tourist transport
- Professional tour guide fluent in English
Not included in the price
- Entrance ticket to the archaeological sites, sold only in Peruvian soles at the first archaeological site (ask for the current price when booking)
- Entrance fee to San Pedro Church in Andahuaylillas
- Tips for your guide
Questions about this tour
What time does the South Valley tour start?
We pick you up at your hotel in Cusco at 8:00 a.m.
Which places do you visit on this tour?
You visit San Pedro Church in Andahuaylillas, the pre-Inca Wari site of Piquillacta and the Inca archaeological site of Tipón, with a final stop in the village of Tipón before returning to Cusco.
What is included in the price?
Hotel pickup, tourist transport and a professional tour guide fluent in English.
Are entrance tickets included?
No. The ticket for the archaeological sites is sold only in Peruvian soles at the first archaeological site, and San Pedro Church charges its own entrance fee. Ask for the current prices when booking.
What is Tipón known for?
The archaeological site of Tipón shows the engineering of an Inca irrigation and water system, and the village of Tipón is known for cuy al horno (baked guinea pig), a traditional dish of the Cusco region.
