Megalithic Marvels of Peru 2023

After breakfast at our hotel, we will depart for today’s excursion to Caral. Located about 3 hours north of Lima in the region known as the “Norte Chico,” the Caral civilization is considered to be the oldest known civilization in the Americas. Dating back nearly 5,000 years the Caral civilization’s development was roughly contemporary with the construction of the Great Pyramids in Egypt.

During our tour of this massive site, we will have the opportunity to appreciate many different examples of monumental architecture including sunken plazas, temples and impressive stepped pyramids. After our tour we will enjoy some lunch before heading back to Lima where we will have the rest of the evening free.

Today’s Hotel:

After breakfast at our hotel, we will head to the Lima Airport to catch our flight to the city of Cusco, former capital of the Inca Empire. Upon arrival in Cusco, we will check in at our hotel and have some time to relax before starting our excursions for the day.

After lunch, we will start our walking tour of the city of Cusco. On our tour, we will explore all of the architectural highlights of Cusco’s historic center, including both the colonial buildings of the Plaza de Armas and the superbly constructed ancient walls that still remain intact throughout the city. One of our highlights will be the famous twelve-angled stone, showcasing incredible megalithic craftmanship.

We will end our tour with a visit to Coricancha, the site of the most important Inca sun temple. The site was later occupied by the Spanish, who built the Convent of Santo Domingo on top of the existing megalithic walls. Many of the original structures have survived, in many cases even outliving the later colonial constructions. After our visit to Coricancha, we will head back to our hotel where we will have the rest of the evening free.

Today’s Hotel:

After breakfast at our hotel, we will head to the nearby Sacred Valley to start today’s excursion. The Sacred Valley of the Incas was the center of the vast Incan Empire. This fertile land features an excellent climate and has been a major agricultural region for thousands of years. The extensive ruins stretch from the villages of Pisac to Ollantaytambo before you eventually arrive at the citadel of Machu Picchu. Today we will have the opportunity to visit the following incredible sites:

Pisac

This site functioned as the Southern Gateway to the Sacred Valley, and is known for its military, ceremonial and agricultural purposes. Here you can admire numerous agricultural terraces lining the mountainside, the most of any site in the Sacred Valley.

Chinchero

At the picturesque Andean Village of Chinchero, we will have the chance to visit the Royal Hacienda Ruins of Tupac Inca Yupanqui. We will admire a well-preserved wall in the Main Square and visit the beautiful colonial temple built atop a foundation of earlier megalithic walls.

Moray

This mysterious complex is the site of several impressive monuments consisting of terraces built in the shape of concentric circles. The site is believed to have been used for agricultural experiments because of the many different climates achieved at the different levels of the terraces.

After our visits to these sites we will head back to the hotel where you will have the rest of the evening free.

Today’s Hotel:

After breakfast at our hotel, we will head out to continue exploring the Sacred Valley of the Incas. Today we will have the opportunity to visit these two sites:

Ñaupa Iglesia

The small, enigmatic site of Ñaupa Iglesia is generally considered to have been a “huaca,” the Quechua word for a place, person or object that is endowed with sacred significance. It was likely a node on the Inca ceque system, a series of ritual pathways radiating out from Cusco along which were placed huacas and other important shrines. Pilgrims and other travelers would have traveled along these lines while fulfilling certain ritual obligations. Though the exact way in which huacas were thought of and used by the people of the time is largely unknown, visiting a place like Ñaupa Iglesia gives visitors a small glimpse into the mysteries of the Inca worldview.

Ollantaytambo

The Inca Fortress and Citadel of Ollantaytambo, guarding the Northern entrance of the Valley, is one of the most important sites in the Sacred Valley. As you walk through the quaint streets of the town and make your way up the steps of the fortress, you will start to realize what an important strategic Military, Religious, and Agricultural Center it was during the reign of the Inca Empire. This is also the place where the Inca had their last stand against the Spanish before retreating to seek refuge at Vilcabamba.

After our visits to these sites we will head back to the hotel where you will have the rest of the evening free.

Today’s Hotel:

Today we will get up early to catch the Vistadome train to Aguas Calientes, the starting point for our visit to Machu Picchu.

One of the Seven Wonders of the World, Machu Picchu deserves all the attention that it gets for being an engineering and architectural masterpiece. Visitors will be impressed by the many plazas, temples, houses, storage facilities, sundials, stairs that still maintain their structure centuries later despite constant exposure to intense weather and earthquakes.

During your tour through this magnificent site, your bilingual guide will explain all about the historical sanctuary of Machu Picchu and visit all the major sites within the lost city. The guided tour will take around 2 hours.

After the tour we will descend to Aguas Calientes, where you will have time to visit the hot springs that the town is named for (not included in cost of tour). Then, you will eat lunch before catching the Vistadome train back to Cusco.

Today’s Hotel:

Today we will visit some of the most impressive megalithic constructions located near the city of Cusco. We will have the chance to visit the following sites:

Saqsaywaman

Saqsaywaman is a ceremonial fortress located two kilometers north of the city of Cusco. Built with massive megalithic stone walls, Saqsaywaman is considered by many to be the greatest architectural work found in the region. You will also be able to enjoy a beautiful panoramic view of the city of Cusco from the nearby Cristo Blanco lookout point.

Q’enqo

Located about 4 km (15 minutes) northeast of the city of Cusco, this mysterious site is one of the largest huacas (pre-Columbian places of worship) in Cusco and features a number of intricate underground passageways.

Puca Pucara

Puca Pucara, whose name means “Red Fortress” in Quechua, is a fortress composed of large walls, terraces and stairways which provides us an excellent example of military architecture.

Tambomachay

This stunning site consists of a series of aqueducts, canals and several waterfalls running through natural rock formations. This site serves as one of the most impressive examples of megalithic architecture designed to manipulate water. Though its exact purpose is unknown, it may have been a place of devotion for a local water cult.

You will return to your hotel in the early evening and will have the rest of the night free.

Today’s Hotel:

Today we will visit some of the lesser-known but just as impressive megalithic buildings of the Incas located near the city of Cusco. We will have the chance to visit the following sites:

Templo de la Luna

The “Temple of the Moon” was carved from rock and used for ceremonies dedicated to the moon, which was very important in the Andean worldview.

Balcón del Inca

Explore this mysterious cave located up a steep hill near the Templo de la Luna.

Templo de los Monos

Known as Cusilluchayoc in the Quechua language, the Templo de los Monos (Temple of the Monkeys) is a large carved rock featuring ancient reliefs of monkeys and other animals, which is what gave the place its name.

Zona X

This intriguing site is characterized by its intricate stone structures which exhibit advanced engineering techniques that defy conventional explanations, as well as rumored entrances to secret underground caverns.

You will return to your hotel in the early evening and will have the rest of the night free.

Today’s Hotel:

Today we will get up early to explore a few of the most impressive lesser-known megalithic sites in Cusco. We will have a chance to visit the following interesting sites:

Saywite

This complex is most known for the famous Saywite Stone, a large carved boulder with depictions of animals, plants, humans and dozens of other figures. The site also includes ruins of a temple, water channel, and plazas.

Tarawasi

This fascinating site is characterized by impressive stone structures and walls featuring unique design patterns not found anywhere else in Peru.

Killarumiyoc

The Killarumiyoc archaeological site is home to megalithic stones featuring precise and intricate carvings of human and animal figures and celestial objects, suggesting it may have been a sacred site for astronomical observation and religious ceremonies or an important center for mathematics and geometry.

Today’s Hotel:

After having breakfast at our hotel, we will set out to explore some of the most important examples of megalithic architecture in Cusco’s Southern Valley. We will have the chance to visit the following sites:

Tipón

This sprawling site is famous for its impressive system of agricultural terraces, which are characterized by their precision engineering and advanced irrigation techniques. The terraces are designed to direct water from natural springs to irrigate crops grown at various altitudes, making it possible to cultivate a wide range of crops from the region. In addition to the agricultural terraces, Tipón also contains a number of other impressive structures, including a large central plaza, a series of canals and aqueducts, and a number of finely crafted stone buildings.

Rumicolca

This unique site consists of a series of massive gate-like stone walls. These imposing structures were built using very precise stone masonry techniques, and have remained remarkably intact over the centuries.

After visiting these sites we will head back to our hotel in Cusco where we will have the rest of the evening free.

Today’s Hotel:

We wish you safe travels on your trip home!

Today you will be picked up by our representative and transferred to Cusco Airport where you will catch your flight back to Lima to connect with your flight home.