South Valley Tour

Tour to the South Valley of Cusco – Tipon, Pikillacta and Andahuaylillas

Discover the historical and cultural richness of Cusco’s South Valley Tour, a less crowded but equally fascinating destination as the Sacred Valley. On this half-day excursion, you will visit impressive archaeological sites, Andean landscapes and one of the most beautiful churches in the Americas.

What places will you visit on the South Valley Tour?
  • Tipon – An ancient water worship center with Inca agricultural terraces and an advanced irrigation system that still works.
  • Pikillacta – An impressive pre-Inca city of the Wari culture, with organized streets and huge stone buildings.
  • Andahuaylillas – Home to the “Sistine Chapel of America”, a colonial church with impressive frescoes and unique baroque art.

South Valley Tour offers trip to a lesser known attraction off the city of Cusco. Dotted with lakes and Inkan archaeological ruins, the sites of Pikillaqta, Tipon and Andahuaylillas are worth the half day trip from Cusco.

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South Valley Tour

Half Day
Price 120 USD Por Persona
Group To 12 People
Difficulty Easy
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This is a day trip to some of the impressive sites outside of Cusco City. Andahuaylillas is a small village famous for its church, Iglesia de San Pedro, known as the “Sistine Chapel of the Americas”. Piquillacta is a well-preserved archaeological site from the Wari period, a pre-Inca culture. Tipon is an impressive example of Inca ingenuity and agricultural innovation.

Tipon

the transfer will pick you up at the main square in Cusco, between 8:00 and 8:30 am. As a first point, we will travel to Tipón (27 km from Cusco), where you will be able to appreciate its agricultural terraces in an excellent state of preservation.

Tipon a site known for water channels and agricultural terraces. The water channels of Tipon are believed to be used as a ceremonial centre by Incas to worship water. The street below the site is popular among Cusqueñans. During weekends, locals often gather to savour the local delicacy guinea pig which is a popular tradition here.

Pikillaqta

The next stop on the trip will be in Pikillaqta. On the way to Pikillaqta, we will be passing through a dusky town known as Oropesa. Oropesa is referred to as the “bread capital of Peru”. It houses over a fifty different bakeries in a small town.

Pikillaqta is the only site that exists from Pre Inka time. Pikillaqta is a complex entirely built in adobe during the Wari regime. Waris once dominated the coastal and central parts of Peru.
Pikillaqta is a hilly region with small lakes in the vicinity. During the Wari rule and even during the Incas, maize was majorly produced in Pikillaqta. Maize was so important for the Waris that they painted it in their potteries along with supernaturals and deities. Back then, Pikillacta was believed to have controlled the whole region through agriculture.

Andahuaylillas

Our next stop will be in Andahuaylillas. Andahuaylillas is home to The Sistine Chapel of the Americas. Although from outside it may not seem so eye catching to most, the interiors of this chapel is an eye popping kaleidoscope. It has a dazzling display of colourful murals, an ornate gold leaf altar and ceilings painted in coffered.
The “San Pedro de Andahuaylillas” as known by the locals, was built at the end of the 16th century given the fact that one of its murals, signed by Luis de Riaño, has a date written in it that states it is from the year 1626.

We will then return to Cusco.

This region South of the city of Cusco holds an incredible collection of archaeological treasures that are waiting for you on a complete one-day itinerary. The South Valley consisted of a place with a lot of activity. Formerly, it was inhabited by the Incas, so there is a great variety of magnificent landscapes that combine ancient buildings with nature. It is even believed that this territory was one of the first to be inhabited in the region, having recorded the first signs of cultures 1000 years before Christ.

  • This Valle Sur tour including Tipon, Pikillaqta and Andahuaylillas it is a great opportunity to visit the non visited sector in Cusco, with beautiful lakes and villages, we have daily departures in our private guided tours, you can just book at our Office or by e-mail. Also you can find the best places where Cuzqueños eat Cuy al horno -Guinea pig.
  • This tour offers an unbeatable mix of landscapes, a cultural wealth with Inca ruins and tour to lovely Andean villages.
  • This fantastic half day tour will take you to visit three important historical sites: The Temple of Tipon, the Pikillaqta ruins and the Church of Andahuaylillas.
  • Explore with us these wonderful places in south Cusco and be amazed for its magical story.

At Tunqui Expeditions, we specify the included and non-included services under all the tour itineraries listed on our website. We take care of all the logistics, but please pay attention to the details to avoid missing anything. Some items may be different for specific programs, so please read carefully before booking with us.

What is Included ?

  • Pick up from your hotel
  • Tourist transport.
  • Professional tour guide in Spanish or English.
  • 24/7 Customer Service – We have 24 hours a day telephone service.
  • Medical Kit or First AID Kit – Our guides are trained to deal with basic emergencies.

What is NOT Included ? 

  • Breakfast, Lunch and dinner
  • Cusco Tourist Ticket
    • From PEN 70.00 (US$ 20.00)  per person.
  • Andahuaylas Entrance fee (S/. 20 soles or $ 6 USD per person)
  • Travel Insurance
  • Tips for our staff
  • Additional costs or delays beyond our control

We want to make your trip to Peru as memorable and as carefree as possible. In this section, you’ll find the answers to all the questions you have about traveling with Tunqui Expeditions in one place. Please read the following information carefully – it will help you with any questions about our services.

Do you have another question that we haven’t answered here? Write us and we will get back to you as soon as possible!

Can I store my luggage at your office?

Of course

During the trip, your main luggage can be stored at our office (you can organize it with us on the briefing day or by email) or at your hotel, both free of charge.

Any equipment that you won’t need on the trek can be stored safely in your hotel. Nearly every hotel will provide this service. Don’t leave items of value with your bags; put them in the hotel safe and obtain an itemized receipt (in the unlikely case of theft, many insurance companies require that you have a copy of the receipt itemizing everything). It’s best to put items such as credit cards inside a sealed, signed envelope for extra peace of mind.

Pick up of guests

Please note:

  • All pickups are within Cusco City, but we recommend booking a hotel in the historic center for its convenient location.
  • Our guide or staff will confirm the pickup time the day before the tour.
  • Due to traffic conditions, the pickup time may vary between 30 and 45 minutes.
  • Cusco is an old city and has many narrow cobbled streets. Some hotels and Airbnbs are located on streets without car access or on long, steep slopes, making it difficult to transport luggage. For such reasons, we strongly advise you to book accommodation with good access.

Group Tours

Group tours are made up of different types of people, then physical conditions and ages can vary. By agreeing to be part of a group tour, you also accept that some people may be faster or slower than you. Therefore, each person can go at their own pace on the route.

It may be the case that a group wishes to modify the tour; however, the guide will be the one who decides, after consulting with all the participants, if such modifications are possible.

Strikes and demonstrations

Strikes and demonstrations are common in Peru, and this may interrupt some of our tours. Roads can be blocked, and train tracks can be taken over. However, we will try to keep your trip as originally planned, even if it means leaving the night before the scheduled date.

Under these circumstances, tours may also be canceled. In case of changes or cancellations, everything will be coordinated with you by our operations department. Your safety is our highest priority, and our decisions will be made to protect it.

Lost objects

Please pay attention to where you leave your things and remember to take everything once you leave our transport, tents or restaurants. You’re the only one responsible for your objects during the tour.

Remember to check this list before packing your bags to make sure you don’t forget anything important. Have a nice trip!

Essential

  • Valid Passport
  • Extra money (recommended soles)
  • Personal medication
  • Water bottle or CamelBak
  • Sunblock: factor 70 or more

Clothing

  • Light footwear or sandals
  • Warm jacket
  • Waterproof jacket
  • Raincoat or rain poncho
  • Sun hat to protect neck and face
  • Wool hat for the cold
  • Sunglasses with UV protection

Equipment

  • Medium trekking backpack (15 – 25 liter)

Recommended

  • Camera and charger Camera and charger

The “South Valley Tour” can leave any day of the week, the whole year.

Group Price: US$ 150.00 US$ 120.00 per person

This small-group journey is guaranteed to operate with just two guests. Notice that PayPal charges a fee of 7 %, which we ask the client to cover since it’s due to the use of its service. This tax is just for online deposits.

Price Guarantee

Once your booking has been confirmed, we guarantee the price won’t increase, whatever the circumstances. So please, before booking, ensure you’ve read all our important tour information.

Cancellation Policy

Free cancellation

  • For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
  • This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund.
  • Cut-off times are based on the experience’s local time.

Additional Info

  • Specialized infant seats are available
  • Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
  • Suitable for all physical fitness levels
  • Our tour start and finish in Cusco. People who want to starts in the Sacred Valley must to add extra payment.
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