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Cusco South Valley Tour Tipón & Ruins
Tour Overview
Travel south of Cusco to explore a lesser visited circuit that reveals layers of Andean civilization spanning over a thousand years. The South Valley route takes you away from the heavily trodden Sacred Valley paths and introduces a distinct landscape of wide plains, high altitude lakes, and agricultural valleys. This half day excursion is ideal for history enthusiasts, families, and travelers looking to acclimate to the local elevation before tackling higher treks.
The route follows a chronological journey backwards through time. You start by observing the stark contrast of colonial religious art at the San Pedro Apóstol Church in Andahuaylillas, famous for its elaborate interior murals. Moving deeper into the valley, the scenery shifts to the sprawling, grid patterned adobe ruins of Piquillacta, constructed by the Wari people around 500 CE. Finally, you reach Tipón, an intricate network of stone terraces where active Inca water channels still function perfectly today.
At an average elevation of 3,200 to 3,400 meters (10,500 to 11,150 feet), the physical demand for this tour is low to moderate. It requires walking over uneven stone paths and slight inclines, making it an excellent acclimatization activity for your first or second day in Cusco. Montavia Travel provides private transportation, allowing you to control the pace of the day, avoid large bus crowds, and spend as much time as you need at each location. Our specialized local guides explain the subtle engineering differences between Wari and Inca structures, offering context that standard guidebooks miss.
The best time to book this tour is during the dry season, from April to October, when the skies are clear and the stone pathways remain dry and safe for walking. However, the South Valley is accessible year round, and the rainy season brings bright green vegetation to the Tipón terraces.
- Examine Advanced Inca Hydraulic Engineering Watch clear mountain spring water flow through centuries-old stone channels and broad agricultural terraces at Tipón, an archeological site famous for its precise water management systems.
- Walk Through a Pre Inca City Navigate the grid-like streets and tall adobe walls of Piquillacta, a massive urban settlement built by the Wari culture long before the Inca Empire dominated the Andes.
- Admire 17th Century Colonial Frescoes Step inside the San Pedro Apóstol Church of Andahuaylillas to observe brightly painted ceilings and detailed murals crafted by artists from the Cusco School of painting.
- Taste Traditional Andean Cuisine Sit down in the rural village of Tipón to try baked cuy (guinea pig), a celebrated regional dish that connects modern Quechua daily life with ancient Andean traditions.
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1 - Journey Through the South Valley and Tipón
Your morning begins at 9:00 AM when your Montavia Travel guide and private driver arrive at your Cusco hotel. Leaving the city behind, you drive southeast for approximately one hour along the paved highway, following the path of the Huatanay River. By 10:00 AM, you arrive at the quiet village of Andahuaylillas. Here, you step inside the San Pedro Apóstol Church, built by the Jesuits in the late 16th century. Your guide will point out the prominent works of artists like Luis de Riaño and Esteban Murillo, explaining how Spanish colonizers used these vibrant murals to teach religious concepts to the local Quechua population.
At 11:00 AM, you travel a short distance to Piquillacta. Unlike the curved stone architecture of the Incas, this Wari site features rigid, geometric urban planning built from rough stones and clay mortar. For the next hour, you walk along the remains of high defensive walls and straight avenues, looking out over the nearby Huacarpay Lake. The scale of this pre Inca city provides sharp contrast to the later architectural styles of the region.
By 12:15 PM, the vehicle takes you up a winding road to the Tipón archaeological complex. You spend the next hour walking alongside the rushing water channels and wide agricultural terraces. Your guide will demonstrate the precise angles of the stone aqueducts, which successfully control the flow of water from a natural mountain spring down the steep hillside.
At 1:30 PM, you descend into the modern village of Tipón to experience a staple of Cusco's regional diet. You sit down for a traditional lunch featuring oven baked guinea pig (cuy), served with local potatoes and herbs. After the meal, you board the private van for the return drive, arriving back at your hotel in Cusco by 3:30 PM, leaving your late afternoon open for rest or further exploration.
(Note: A 1:00 PM afternoon departure is also available upon request, following the same pacing).
- Professional English / Spanish speaking guides specialized in Andean history.
- Private pickup and drop off at your hotel accommodation in Cusco.
- Traditional Andean lunch in the village of Tipón, featuring regional specialties like baked cuy (guinea pig).
- Flexible pacing with private service, allowing extra time at viewpoints and ruins.
- Cusco Tourist Ticket (Boleto Turístico) for Tipón and Piquillacta (70 PEN or approximately $20 USD per person, must be purchased in local currency at the first gate).
- Entrance fee for the San Pedro Apóstol Church in Andahuaylillas.
- Additional beverages or snacks not provided during the scheduled lunch.
- Gratuities for your guide and driver
We offer two departure times for our private South Valley tour. You can choose a morning departure at 9:00 AM, returning around 3:30 PM, or an afternoon departure at 1:00 PM, returning around 6:30 PM.
The sites on this tour sit between 3,100 meters (10,170 feet) and 3,400 meters (11,150 feet) above sea level. This is slightly lower or equal to Cusco. Because the walking involves minimal steep climbing, this half-day trip serves as an excellent acclimatization activity for your first few days in the Andes.
Expect to walk for approximately 45 to 60 minutes at each archaeological site. The paths at Piquillacta are mostly flat but feature loose dirt and stones. Tipón requires walking up and down stone stairs alongside the water channels. Sturdy walking shoes are required.
Yes, a traditional Cusco-style lunch is included. We stop at a local restaurant in the village of Tipón, which is famous across the region for preparing traditional oven-baked guinea pig, accompanied by native potatoes and local produce.
If you prefer an alternative to the traditional guinea pig dish, our partner restaurant in Tipón provides other regional options, including chicken, trout, or vegetarian meals. Please inform Montavia Travel of your dietary restrictions when booking.
No, you do not need the full 130 PEN ticket. You only need the Partial Tourist Ticket (Circuit 2), which costs 70 Peruvian Soles (approximately $20 USD). This partial ticket grants entry to Tipón, Piquillacta, and several Cusco city museums, and remains valid for two consecutive days.
No, the Cusco Tourist Ticket must be purchased in person at the entrance of the first archaeological site you visit. You must pay in cash using Peruvian Soles.
We recommend booking your private South Valley tour at least two to four weeks in advance, especially if you plan to travel during the peak dry season from May to September. This ensures we can secure our top-rated guides and preferred transportation for your specific dates.
Yes, the vibrant frescoes and gold leaf altars inside the San Pedro Apóstol Church date back to the early 17th century. The artwork, created by the Cusco School of painters, has undergone careful restoration over the past decade to preserve its original details.
From
$ 190 US
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