Free Historical Tour, Award Winner

Spend two hours on a historical free walking tour of Cusco with a local guide on GuruWalk. The walk is free to join and runs on a pay-what-you-want basis, and it is a GuruWalk 2026 award winner.

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. Real Cusco Free Walking Tours runs this two-hour walk, and the operation earned recognition in a 2026 awards program as one of the best free tours in Latin America in Spanish. Booking costs nothing upfront. The model is simple: reserve a place, take the walk, then pay the guide whatever the experience felt worth at the end. Departures run in English and Spanish at various times.

The route begins at the water fountain in the Plaza de Armas, where the team in white shirts gathers guests under the REAL CUSCO logo. From there the walk covers the Qoricancha, the temple of the sun, along with the famous Stone of the 12 Angles and the Stone of the 13 Angles. It continues past the temples of the Puma, the Serpent, and the Condor, and the Yachay Wasi, the Inca school. Later stops take in the traditional San Blas neighborhood, the San Cristóbal neighborhood, what the operator calls the most beautiful balcony in the city, viewpoints, and museums.

The story runs from the foundation of Inca culture through the colonial and Republican eras up to the present day. A musical presentation of Andean instruments is part of the program, and the walk closes with a free toast of Pisco Sour. The operator presents the tour as a way to learn about Andean culture, music, and history while getting a sense of the city's most popular and traditional neighborhoods.

Itinerary

1. Meet at the fountainThe group gathers at the water fountain in the Plaza de Armas, at Portal de Comercio 145. Look for the team in white shirts with the REAL CUSCO free tours logo.
2. Plaza de ArmasThe main square is the first confirmed stop of the route. The full route has nine stops, and the listing names only the first two, so the order of later stops can vary.
3. QoricanchaThe temple of the sun is the second confirmed stop on the route.
4. Stones of 12 and 13 AnglesThe walk passes the famous Stone of the 12 Angles and the Stone of the 13 Angles.
5. Temples of Puma, Serpent, CondorThese three temples feature on the route as part of the Inca-era story of the city.
6. Yachay WasiThe Inca school is another stop on the route.
7. San Blas and San CristóbalThe route moves through the traditional San Blas neighborhood and the San Cristóbal neighborhood, including what the operator calls the most beautiful balcony in the city.
8. Viewpoints and museumsViewpoints and museums appear along the way. The listing does not state that any museum entry fees are covered.
9. Music and Pisco toastThe tour ends with a musical show and presentation of Andean instruments, and then a toast of Pisco Sour that the operator provides free of charge.

What To Expect From The Tour

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

• Finding the team. The meeting point is the water fountain in the Plaza de Armas, at Portal de Comercio 145. The guides wear white shirts and carry the REAL CUSCO free tours logo. Arriving a little early makes it easier to spot them in a busy square.
• How payment works. Booking is free and guests pay the guide what they think the walk was worth at the end. The amount is entirely up to each guest. The Pisco Sour toast at the finish is free.
• Andean music finish. A musical show and a presentation of Andean instruments are built into the tour, and the walk ends with a free toast of Pisco Sour. Both are listed as part of the program rather than extras.
• Local recommendations. Several travellers said the guide gave them useful tips on what to see and do around Cusco and the rest of Peru. The operator also describes the tour as a way to discover everything you can do and see in the city.
• Language and timing. The tour runs in English and Spanish, with departures available at different times. Check the live booking page for the current schedule before planning the day around it.
• Time on foot. The walk lasts two hours and covers neighborhoods, viewpoints, and museums. Comfortable shoes are a sensible choice for a walking tour of this length.

Common issues. There is no pickup, so every guest makes their own way to the fountain in the Plaza de Armas. The listing names only the first two stops of the nine-stop route, so the exact order of the rest is not fixed, and one reviewer noted the guide adjusted the route on request. Museums appear on the route but the listing does not state that entry fees are included. The Pisco Sour toast is the only food or drink the listing promises.

Common Questions