Cusco Private Tour: Sacsayhuaman & Qenqo with Guide

Four hours, three archaeological sites, one guide who knows them

A 4-hour private tour of Cusco with a guide in English or Spanish covers the city's main attractions (Plaza de Armas, Cusco Cathedral and the Convent of Santo Domingo), then heads to the hilltop fortress of Sacsayhuaman and the ritual temple at Qenqo. Hotel pickup and drop-off, transport by private vehicle and snacks are included. You choose morning or afternoon.

Options for this experience

2 options

From US$ 87 per person, depending on the option and date you choose. See options & prices

Morning Private Tour 8 departure times: the first at 07:00, the last at 10:30 Guide in English or Spanish Includes pickup

Afternoon Private Tour 5 departure times: the first at 12:30, the last at 14:30 Guide in English or Spanish Private 4-hour city tour leaving at 12:30 pm, with pickup included

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Step-by-step itinerary

Cusco city and nearby ruins tour

• Visit Plaza de Armas
• See Cusco Cathedral
• Explore Qorikancha temple
• Tour Sacsayhuaman citadel
• Visit Qenqo labyrinth temple
• Explore Tambomachay aqueducts

Stops and time spent at each 7 stops

1. Sacsayhuaman 30m
2. Plaza de Armas Entry included 10m
3. Cusco Cathedral 20m
4. Qorikancha 20m
5. Puka Pukara 15m
6. Q'enqo 15m
7. Tambomachay 25m

What’s included

• Private guide in English or Spanish.
• hotel pickup and drop-off.
• transport by private vehicle.
• snacks during the tour.
• optional textile factory visit at no additional charge.

Times

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• Every day 07:00 07:30 08:00 08:30 09:00 09:30 10:00 10:30 12:30 13:00 13:30 14:00 14:30

Information

Private sightseeing tour of Cusco with your own guide covering Sacsayhuaman, Qenqo and the city center: hotel pickup, transport and snacks included.

Group Private 6 similar group tours ›

Live guide English and Spanish Another language? ›

Meeting point and pickup Hotel pickup included. See the pickup points

Book up to 3h before

Ages Up to age 60

Cancellation and refunds Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund. It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Good to know

Low physical effort Stroller-friendly Infant seats available Pets welcome Public transport nearby Not recommended with heart problems Infants must sit on laps

More information The pickup points, the operator’s instructions and every other detail are in the full listing. See the full listing

Traveler reviews

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The experience

The tour starts at your hotel and moves through Cusco's colonial center before climbing to the archaeological sites on the city's northern edge. Sacsayhuaman, a citadel built partly around 1100 CE, sits on the outskirts and was both a military stronghold and a checkpoint on the Inca road system. Qenqo, whose name means labyrinth in Quechua, is a temple carved into rock with a crooked canal running through it: researchers still debate whether it carried holy water, chicha or blood, but the evidence points to its use in death rituals and embalming.

Your private guide navigates the stops and explains what you're standing in front of, so you move at your own pace without waiting for a group. The vehicle handles the climbs between sites, which matters at this altitude. Snacks are provided during the tour, and you can pick a morning or afternoon slot depending on your schedule and how the light hits the stone.

An optional visit to a textile factory is available at no extra charge if you want to see traditional weaving. Bring a camera: the views from Sacsayhuaman look back over the entire city, and the carved rock at Qenqo photographs well in both morning and afternoon light.

Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and Spanish.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What's the difference between the morning and afternoon departures?

Both tours cover the same sites and last 4 hours. The choice is when you want to go. Morning tours start earlier and catch the sites in morning light. Afternoon tours depart later in the day.

Does the tour include entry to Cusco Cathedral?

The tour passes Cusco Cathedral on the Plaza de Armas, but cathedral entry is not included. Your guide will explain its history and architecture from outside.

What is Sacsayhuaman and why is it on this tour?

Sacsayhuaman is a massive hilltop fortress built by the Inca, located 6 kilometers north of Cusco. It's one of the best examples of ancient Incan architecture and was both a military center and a checkpoint on the Inca road system, making it essential to understanding how the empire controlled the region.

What does Qenqo actually show you when you get there?

Qenqo is a temple carved directly into rock, with a distinctive crooked canal cut through it. The site is small and intimate compared to Sacsayhuaman, and your guide will explain the theories about what liquid the canal carried and how the temple was used in Inca rituals.

Is this tour manageable at high altitude?

Cusco sits at 11,000 feet, and Sacsayhuaman is higher still. The tour is suitable for all fitness levels, though the source notes it's not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health. The private vehicle handles the steep climbs between sites, so you're not hiking the entire way.

Can I bring young children or infants?

Children 2 years and older can join. Infants under 2 must sit on an adult's lap, and specialized infant seats are available. Strollers can be brought, though the archaeological sites themselves have uneven terrain.

Operated by Rainbow Mountain Cusco Agency. Explorevia does not run this tour: we compare it with similar options, and you book it with our booking partner.

Prices and times updated 5 days ago