South Valley — Tipón, Pikillacta and Andahuaylillas
Inca hydraulic engineering at Tipón, the Wari city of Pikillacta and the baroque chapel of Andahuaylillas.
- Duration
- Half day (approx. 6 h)
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Maximum altitude
- 3,560 m
- Group size
- Maximum 16 people
- Departures
- Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays
- Best season
- All year round
A half-day circuit covering three sites southeast of Cusco, outside the usual Sacred Valley route.
Tipón preserves twelve terraces with channels, waterfalls and aqueducts that still distribute water today, with no pumping and no modern intervention. It is the best-preserved example of Inca hydraulic engineering in the region.
Pikillacta belongs to the Wari culture, predating the Incas by several centuries, and shows a grid urban layout with walls that once reached seven metres. The route ends at the Andahuaylillas chapel, known for its murals, colonial organ and gold-leaf ceiling.
Itinerary
08:30
Tipón
Twelve terraces with a channel system still running five hundred years on, with no pumps and no modern maintenance. It is the finest example of Inca hydraulic engineering you can visit.
3,560 m above sea level
10:30
Pikillacta
A Wari city predating the Incas by several centuries, laid out on a grid, with walls that once reached seven metres.
3,250 m above sea level
12:00
Andahuaylillas
Known as the Sistine Chapel of the Americas for its murals, colonial organ and gold-leaf ceiling. From outside it is a modest village church; inside it is something else entirely.
3,120 m above sea level
13:30
Return
Back in Cusco around 14:30.
What's included
- Hotel pickup in Cusco
- Tourist transport
- Professional guide in English or Spanish
Not included
- Cusco Tourist Ticket
- Entry to the Andahuaylillas chapel
- Lunch and tips
What to bring
- Sunscreen
- Cash for entrance fees
Frequently asked questions
Why do so few people visit?
Because it lies on the opposite side from the Sacred Valley and does not appear on the classic circuits. It is not for lack of merit: Tipón is one of the most technically impressive sites in the region.
Is it useful for acclimatising?
Very much so. It is a half day with no effort involved, and all three sites sit lower than Cusco.
Can I take photos in Andahuaylillas?
Photography inside is not permitted, in order to protect the pigments in the murals.