South Valley Day Trip

Set out on a seven-hour day trip to the South Valley of Cusco and discover the ancestral secrets held there. Travellers spend the outing exploring the South Valley and its ancestral side.

Overview

This day trip heads south out of Cusco for seven hours, with three stops along the way. Tipon comes first, an Inca site built around water: agricultural terraces and a network of irrigation canals. From there the route continues to Pikillacta, a pre-Inca city left by the Wari culture centuries before the Incas rose.

The last stop is the colonial church at Andahuaylillas, sometimes called the Sistine Chapel of South America and described by the operator as the oldest colonial temple on the continent. The tour finishes at Plaza Regocijo in Cusco at 16:00. Hotel pickup from central locations is included, and travellers who do not use the pickup service can meet the group at the Mermaid Fountain in Plaza de Armas.

The day suits travellers who want archaeology and colonial history in a single outing without a long commitment. The guide asks the group whether they want a lunch stop, and if the majority agrees there is a one-hour break. Guided time at each site runs around fifty minutes.

What's Included

Itinerary

1. Hotel pickup in CuscoPickup from central hotels around the Plaza de Armas; otherwise meet at the Mermaid Fountain in Plaza de Armas.
2. Drive southBus or coach for 1 hour through the countryside south of Cusco.
3. Tipon guided tourA guided tour of 50 minutes covering the agricultural terraces and irrigation canals.
4. Transfer to PikillactaBus or coach for 30 minutes to the Wari-era site.
5. Pikillacta guided tourA guided tour of 50 minutes through the pre-Inca walled city.
6. Transfer to AndahuaylillasBus or coach for 45 minutes to the village.
7. Andahuaylillas guided tourA guided tour of 45 minutes at the colonial church, known as the Sistine Chapel of South America. Church entrance costs 18 soles and is not included.
8. Optional lunch stopIf the majority of the group agrees, the guide adds a one-hour lunch stop. Meals are not included in the tour price.
9. Return to CuscoBus or coach for 1 hour, finishing at Plaza Regocijo at 16:00.

What To Expect From The Tour

A few practical points will shape the day, from entrance fees to the lunch question.

• Bring cash and ID. The listing asks for a passport or ID card plus cash. The Andahuaylillas church entrance costs 18 soles, and the tourist ticket covering the archaeological sites is bought separately, so cash on the day matters.
• Pack food. No meals are included. One traveller reported no reliable stop to buy food and suggested bringing at least a sandwich, while others enjoyed an optional buffet stop and the pan chuta bread sold in Oropesa. Snacks in the bag are the safe play.
• Pace and fitness. The listing recommends comfortable clothes for the day.
• The lunch vote. The guide asks everyone whether they want lunch, and a one-hour stop happens only if the majority agrees. Two reviewers said they would have preferred to skip the late restaurant stop, so travellers who do not want it should say so when asked.
• Photo stops. Tipon's canals and Pikillacta's wall both drew praise from travellers.
• Two languages. Guiding runs in English and Spanish. One English-speaking reviewer noted the guide understood the language well but occasionally had trouble with questions, likely due to accent, so it helps to speak slowly and simply.

Common issues. The main complaints are about the optional meal stop: two reviewers said they would have skipped the late restaurant visit, and one noted the stop was not mentioned when booking. One reviewer found the Andahuaylillas church not worth the entrance fee and suggested skipping it, and another called a museum offered near the Church of San Pedro a waste of time. Entrance fees and meals are all extra, so the day costs more than the headline price once tickets and lunch are added. Cancellation is possible up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.

Common Questions