Full Day Cusco City Tour: Four Inca Sites & Qorikancha

Megalithic stones weighing over 150 tons hold the walls of Sacsayhuamán together without mortar.

A full-day guided tour of Cusco visits five major Inca sites—the Temple of Gold at Qorikancha, the massive fortress Sacsayhuamán, the carved Q'enqo temple, the Red Fortress of Puka Pukara, and the water temple at Tambomachay—with a professional guide in your choice of English, Spanish or Portuguese, hotel pickup included, and return to your hotel or Plaza de Armas in the late afternoon. The tour runs about five hours and suits all fitness levels.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Cusco's Inca landmarks

• Visit Qorikancha Temple of Gold
• Tour Sacsayhuamán megalithic complex
• See stone carvings at Q'enqo temple
• Explore Puka Pukara Red Fortress
• Visit Tambomachay water temple
• Return to Cusco, drop off at hotel or Plaza de Armas

The Experience

The tour starts with pickup from your hotel and heads into Cusco to Qorikancha, the Temple of Gold—the first temple the Incas built, once covered in large quantities of gold and silver before the Spanish conquest stripped it. From there you leave the city to reach Sacsayhuamán, the massive complex famous for stones weighing over 150 tons fitted together without mortar. During the Inca Empire it was called the Temple of Lightning and dedicated to Illapa, the god of thunder.

The route continues to Q'enqo, a temple carved into stone and dedicated to Pacha Mama, Mother Earth, where you can see the intricate stone carvings up close. Next is Puka Pukara, the Red Fortress, named for the reddish stone that makes up its walls and buildings. The final stop is Tambomachay, a sacred temple dedicated to water worship that likely served as a purification bath for Inca rulers. In the late afternoon the guide brings you back to Cusco, dropping you at your hotel or at Plaza de Armas, whichever you prefer.

Your guide is a professional who speaks English, Spanish or Portuguese and leads the group through the history and architecture of each site. Round-trip transportation is included, along with agency services. The pace suits all physical fitness levels, and the remaining time after the five-hour tour is yours to explore or rest.

What’s included

• Professional guide in English, Spanish or Portuguese.
• round-trip transportation from your hotel.
• agency services.

Good to know

Easy physical level

Operated by Peru Grand Travel

Is this one for you?Choose this tour if you want to cover Cusco's four main Inca sites in one afternoon rather than spending multiple days—the guide routes you efficiently through Qorikancha, Sacsayhuamán, Tambomachay, and Puka Pukara in a single outing.

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Top questions

What is Qorikancha and why is it called the Temple of Gold?

Qorikancha was the first temple built by the Incas and was formerly covered in large quantities of gold and silver before the Spanish conquest. Its name means "Temple of Gold" in Quechua.

How big are the stones at Sacsayhuamán?

The megalithic stones at Sacsayhuamán weigh over 150 tons each and are fitted together without mortar. During the Inca Empire the complex was called the Temple of Lightning and dedicated to Illapa, the god of thunder.

What will I see at Q'enqo?

Q'enqo is a temple dedicated to Pacha Mama, Mother Earth, where you can see intricate stone carvings carved directly into the rock.

What does Puka Pukara mean?

Puka Pukara means "Red Fortress" in Quechua, named for the reddish stone structures that make up its walls and buildings.

What was Tambomachay used for?

Tambomachay is a sacred temple dedicated to water worship that likely also served as a purification bath for Inca rulers.

How long does the tour take and when do I get back?

The tour runs about five hours. You're picked up from your hotel in the morning and returned to your hotel or Plaza de Armas in the late afternoon.