Free Tour, Incas And Hidden Gems

Join a free, pay-what-you-want walking tour on GuruWalk that covers Cusco's Inca history and local culture over two hours. A local guide leads the walk and shares the city's hidden gems along the way.

Overview

This is a free walking tour listed on GuruWalk: there is no fixed ticket price, and you pay the guide what you want at the end. This is a tip-based walking tour of central Cusco that runs about 2 hours and starts on the Plaza de Armas, where the guide waits near Calle Plateros in front of the Inca Rail office holding a pink umbrella marked FREE CUSCO WALKING TOURS. Booking itself costs nothing. You pay the guide at the end whatever you feel the walk was worth, which is how the operator runs it. Guides work in English, Spanish and Portuguese.

The walk moves through the historic core: Calle del Medio, the House of Inca Garcilaso, the Church of La Merced and Avenida del Sol, then on to the Temple of the Virgins of the Sun, the Jesuit Temple and the old streets of Loreto, Inca Roca and the 7 Serpents. It finishes at the San Blas viewpoint. Along the way the route takes in Calle Loreto, Qorikancha and the Stone of the 12 Angles. The operator describes the full route as 8 stops, though the listing itself only names the first 3, so the later part of the walk is something you discover as you go.

It suits travellers who want a guided walk through the city with a local telling stories and anecdotes rather than a scripted monument checklist. Reviewers describe the guides as knowledgeable and kind, and one said the walk made their stay in the city all the better.

Itinerary

1. Meet at Plaza de ArmasFind the guide in front of the Inca Rail office, near Calle Plateros, identifiable by a pink umbrella that says FREE CUSCO WALKING TOURS. No pickup is included; everyone makes their own way to the square.
2. Calle LoretoThe first named stop on the route is Calle Loreto, which the listing also lists among the famous streets the walk explores.
3. QorikanchaThe walk continues to Qorikancha, the second named stop on the route.
4. Stone of the 12 AnglesThe third named stop is the Stone of the 12 Angles, which the listing describes as enigmatic.
5. Further stops to San BlasThe listing names only the first 3 of 8 stops, and the remaining stops are not itemised. The description says the route passes the House of Inca Garcilaso, the Church of La Merced, Avenida del Sol and the Jesuit Temple, and ends at the San Blas viewpoint. The whole walk takes 2 hours.

What To Expect From The Tour

A few practical points will help you get the most out of this walk.

• Finding the guide. There is no pickup or hotel meeting for this tour. You need to reach the Plaza de Armas yourself and look for the pink umbrella reading FREE CUSCO WALKING TOURS, in front of the Inca Rail office near Calle Plateros. The listing gives this as the only meeting arrangement.
• Pace and footwear. This is a 2-hour walking tour through the city centre, so expect to be on your feet the whole time. Comfortable shoes make sense for a route that ends at the San Blas viewpoint. The operator does not state a maximum group size.
• Weather. One reviewer enjoyed the walk even though the weather was not fully cooperative. The listing does not advise on what to bring, so plan for the conditions you expect on the day.
• Commercial stops. One reviewer mentioned that the walk included commercial stops and described them as easy and non-pushy, so there was no pressure to buy. This is a single traveller's account rather than something the listing confirms. Treat any purchases along the way as optional extras.
• Tipping model. Booking is free and the guide is paid by tips at the end, based on what each guest thinks the walk was worth. This is the operator's stated model, not an optional extra.
• Photos. The walk ends at the San Blas viewpoint, which the operator describes as having notable views over the city. You will also pass the Stone of the 12 Angles along the route.

Common issues. The main practical limit is that the listing names only the first 3 of the 8 stops, so you cannot see the full route in advance. One reviewer wished there had been more stops between the last few locations, feeling the final stretch moved quickly. One reviewer also noted the weather was not ideal on their walk, though they still enjoyed the tour. There is no pickup, and the free-booking model means you are expected to tip the guide at the end.

Common Questions