Cusco Machupicchu

Capital: City of Cusco
Altitud: 3.399 m.a.s.l.
Distancias:
· Cusco to Lima 1.153 kilometers
· Cusco to Ayacucho 597 kilometers
· Cusco to Arequipa 623 kilometers
· Cusco to Puno 389 kilometers
The province of Cuzco is in the Oriental region of Peru, passing through the oriental and central mountain ranges of the Andes.
The city of Cuzco, known as the archeological capital of America contends with Mexico for the honor of being the oldest city of America.
Economical and military capital of the Peruvian vice-royalty received the name of "La Muy Noble, Muy Leal Cabeza de los Reinos del Perú, Santiago del Cuzco" (The very noble, very loyal head of the Peruvian royalties). In the 20th., century it was honored as the Archeological Capital of South-America and Cultural Patrimony of Humanity.
The city of Cuzco is a living museum of America's history.
In Cusco we have the next tourist destinations:

:: CITY TOUR CUSCO
Sightseeing of Cusco visiting the Main Square, the Cathedral, and the Temple of the Sun or Korikancha. Take a pleasant walk in the bohemian District of San Blas, home of the best known craftsmen of Cusco. Visit its beautiful church, to admire its impressive carved wooden pulpit, with images of local fruits carved into it in filigree. Pop into some of the craft shops in its small Main Square. On your way back to Cusco centre, go through Hatunrumiyoc Street with its famous Twelve-angled Stone. Then, we drive out of the City to visit the Inca sites of Kenko, Tambomachay, Puca Pucara and the impressive Fortress of Sacsayhuaman. The latter site is strategically built on a hill overlooking Cusco and is famous for its enormous carved stones, some of them standing over 9m / 30ft tall, and weighing over 350 tons, set together with astounding precision to form the outer walls.

:: SACRED VALLEY OF THE INKAS
The Sacred Valley of the Incas is located by the Vilcanota River. We will have the opportunity to share closely the peasants customs and bargain with vendors at the typical indian market of Pisac, held on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays.
In the afternoon we will pass through the Towns of Calca and Urubamba, we visit the Inca Fortress and Citadel of Ollantaytambo, built to guard the entrance to this part of the Valley, and protect it from possible invasion from the tribes in the Lower jungle. The Fortress consists of a series of stepped carved stone terraces accessed by long staircases. Later on you can walk through the quaint streets of the nearby Town, and get a good idea of what this Strategic Military, Religious, and Agricultural Centre was like during the era of the Inca Empire. On our way back to Cusco we stop of at the picturesque Andean Village of Chincheros where the ruins of the Royal Hacienda of Tupac Inca Yupanqui lie. You can admire the well preserved Inca Wall in the Main Square, and visit the beautiful Colonial temple built on Inca foundations, with interesting paintings in the entrance.

:: MACHU PICCHU
Since Machu Picchu discovery on July 24, 1911, by north american Hiram Bingham, it has been considered oneof the world's greatest architectural and archaeological monuments, due to its extraordinary magnificence and harmonious structure.
At 2,400 meters above sea level (m.a.s.l), in the province of Urubamba, department of Cusco, Machu Picchu surprises us because of the way its stone constructions are spread over a narrow and uneven mountain top, bordering a sheer 400 meter cliff side of the Urubamba River canyon.
Machu Picchu is a citadel shrouded in mystery, and to this day archaeologists have not uncovered the history andpurpose of this city of stone. The site has an area of about one square kilometer, and stands in a region that the Incas considered to be magical, due to the meeting of the Andes mountains with the mighty Amazon river.
Perhaps, Machu Picchu mystery may never be fully explained as, so far, there are only hypothesis and conjectures. For some, it may have been an advance settlement for planned further expansions by the Incas. Others believe Machu Picchu have been a monastery where young girls (acllas) were trained to serve the Inca and the Willac Uno (High Priest). Support for this theory comes from the fact that of the 135 bodies discovered while exploring the site, 109 were female.
The surprising perfection and beauty of Machu Picchu's walls, built by joining stone to stone without using any cement or adhesive whatsoever, has led to many myths developing around how the city was constructed.
It is said that a bird by the name of Kak'aqllu knew the formula for softening rock but by command, perhaps, of the ancient Inca gods, had its tongue torn out. It is also said that there was a magic plant which could dissolve and compress stone.
Nonetheless, mysteries and myths aside, the real attractiveness of Machu Picchu, a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site, lies in its squares, aqueducts and watchtowers, its observatories and in its sun clock, evidence of the wisdom and skill of the city's Andean builders.

The excursion to Machu Picchu starts very early in the morning; we transfer the passengers to Cusco train Station for a three hour train journey to the famous Inca Citadel of Machu Picchu, also known as "The Lost City of the Incas", one of the best known examples of surviving Inca architecture. We will arrive in Aguas Calientes Station followed by a 30-minute bus drive, climbing 6km of winding road, to the marvellous Citadel. Upon arrival, you will participate in a guided tour of the Citadel, visiting the Main Plaza, the Circular Tower, the Sacred Sun Dial (the most important preserved Intihuatana), the Royal Quarters, the Temple of the Three Windows and several burial grounds. After the tour you'll have time to stroll around the Archaeological Site at your leisure. In the afternoon we return to Cusco and tranfer passengers to their hotels.

When the excursion is developed with an overnight in Aguas Calientes, you have time the next day to make a new visit to Machu Picchu, perform maditation and absorb the enegy that surround this sacred place, having the opportunity to walk up until the intipinku, the entrance to Machu Picchu when you walk the Inka Trail or climb the Huayna Picchu, mountain where the temple of the moon is located. After, in the afternoon you return to Cusco.