South Valley Tour: Tipón, Piquillacta, Andahuaylillas

Overview of Tour

• Pick up at your hotel at 9am or 1pm (your choice)
• Private transport to Andahuaylillas, Tipón and Piquillacta
• Visit of the “Sistine Chapel of the Americas,” and the archeological sites of Tipón and Piquillacta
• Lunch with baked guinea pig in Tipón
• Trip back to your hotel in Cusco

South Valley Tour: Tipón, Piquillacta, Andahuaylillas

We pick you up at your hotel at 9:00am or 1:00pm, and we drive in our private van towards Andahuaylillas where we visit the Saint Peter church of Andahuaylillas, considered as the “Sistine Chapel of America.” It was built by the Order of the Jesuits at the end of the 16th century and the princes of the 17th century. Its architectural structure is typical for village churches. Its walls are wide like all the colonial buildings, made of sun-dried bricks of mud (adobe), the facade is decorated with magnificent murals, and two large stone columns at the main entrance.

Although its architecture is relatively modest, the decoration of its interior is unique and impressive. We can first mention a picture of the “Assumption of the Virgin,” painted by the Spanish historical painter Esteban Murillo. You will also see wall paintings attributed to Luis de Riaño (17th century). After a time to visit the church, we continue with our journey towards the Pre-Inca archaeological site of Piquillacta, where we explore and enjoy the huge urban planning of the pre-Inca Wari culture surrounded by stunning mountains and lakes.

Afterwards we continue our journey to the spectacular archeological site of Tipón, where we will see the best of Inca hydraulic water work system. Finally, we head back to the village of Tipón, which is known, for its baked guinea pig dish, a traditional dish of the region of Cusco and one of the direct links between ancient Inca culture and modern Quechua culture.  After a delicious lunch, we are on our way back to your hotel in Cusco.

What is Included

• Professional guide fluent in English
• Private transport
• Traditional Cusqueñian lunch in the rural village of Tipón famous for the local delicacy guinea pig

What is not Included 

• Entrance tickets to archeological sites: 70 soles (1 day only) or approximately $20 USD per person, which can only be purchased in soles only at the first archeological site. (See important info for more information)
• Entrance fee to Saint Peter church of Andahuaylillas
• Tips for your guide

Please note: The South Valley Tour is only offered to our clients doing a 2, 3, 4 or more days tours or treks to Machu Picchu.

PRICE $150 USD

• GROUP of 1 to 6 persons – $150 USD for the total group (not per person)
• GROUP  of 7 to 12 persons – $190 USD for the total group (not per person)

WHY CHOOSE SAM TRAVEL?

SAM Travel Peru is a family owned travel agency and a local tour operator based in Cusco with personal experience over many years of trekking. SAM Travel Peru is a 100% Cusqueñian Company without any shareholders.

 Our dream as a locally based company is to create small personalized tours & treks strictly and only operated by local professional staff catering in PERSONALIZED and HIGH QUALITY SERVICE.  

We take pride in our reputation as a RESPONSIBLE & SUSTAINABLE tour operator. Our staff are our extended family. We ensure they are supported financially by offering them a fair salary. We are proud of our team without them , we wouldn’t be able to offer the best service and lifetime experiences to our clients.

SAM Travel Peru knows how important it is to trust in a reliable honest operator to create your adventure of a lifetime while in Peru. Check out our reviews and certificates of excellence on, TRIPADVISOR for yourself! Also we are highly recommended on Conde Nast Travelers,  Lonely Planet and by many blogs like: Salkantay/Inka Trail ! July 14th to 20th 2016  Trek de Lares 4 hours, “It’s the journey, not the destination…”, Lares Pass – Day 3, Trekking in the Sacred Valley.

SMALL GROUPS

To ensure a more personalized service for our guests, at SAM Travel Peru we have a policy that our groups will not exceed 10 people. This fact alone sets us apart from other companies that operate departures with bigger groups.

OUR TOP TOUR GUIDES

We are so proud of our guides! They are highly professional and speak fluent English. They are very knowledgeable and passionate for Inca heritage and history.  Our guides are dedicated to continuous personal and professional development. They do research to ensure that you receive accurate and recognized theories in Inca and Andean culture. Our crew is fun loving, great sports and well-educated. They all hold degrees in one of the following: Archaeology, Tourism, Botany, History or Anthropology.

OUR SERVICE PROJECTS

SAM Travel Peru has always believed that we should give back to the local isolated communities.  Therefore, as part of our commitment to responsible tourism, we always do many service projects and hire locally.

SAM Travel Peru is so proud to be able to support these people, not only employing them but go back to our grassroots as they share with their families. It makes us happy to have this holistic approach with our highland employees and their families!

BOLETO TURISTICO (tourist ticket )

You have the Option to Purchase a 1 Day or a 10 Day Boleto Turistico. 

The partial ticket, or 1 Day ticket costs 70 soles  ($20 USD) and is valid for 1 day.  You can visit a many sites as you like in one day with no further charge.  There are no discounts with this ticket.

Both tourist tickets, of 1 day or 10 day, allows the access to different archeological sites around Cusco, and Sacred Valley.  This is the best way to visit all the archeological sites of the region and the Sacred Valley. Most of the main archeological sites are not accessible for free.

The general ticket allows you over the next 10 days to enter 16 archeological and cultural sites in Cusco, the south valley and the Sacred Valley. The price of this ticket is 130 soles (about $40 USD) and is valid for 10 days. This is the cheapest and most convenient way to plan to see different sites in a few days. The cost for students under 25 (with the presentation of a valid ISIC card) and for teenagers under 18 (with the presentation of an identity card) is 70 soles ($20 USD). Children under 11 are free.

Here is a list of sites where you can use your Boleto Turistico:

• Sacsayhuaman
• Qenqo
• Pucapucara
• Tambomachay
• Pisaq
• Ollantaytambo
• Chinchero
• Moray
• Tipon
• Piquillaqta

Note : The entrance ticket  to the main archeological sites like Sacsayhuaman, Pisac, Ollantaytambo, Chinchero, Tipón and Moray cannot be sold individually; you must buy the Boleto turístico to visit them. You can get it in Avenida el Sol nearby Peru office or at the time you enter the first site that you are visiting.  YOU MUST PAY IN SOLES, NO CREDIT CARD OR US DOLLARS ARE ACCEPTED. 

Important: These entrances are not included in the Boleto Turistico.  

• The entrance to Qoricancha or Santo Domingo Convent (10 soles)
• The entrance to the Cathedral (25 soles)

Your briefing will take place the night before your tour. It will be held at our office at 6 or 6:30pm, depending on your confirmation email details.  The office is located at Calle Santa Teresa  Nº383 ; office 107 (second floor). We are next to Subway sandwich shop and share a lobby with Hotel Casona Corrales.

TIPPING

If you’re happy with the services provided, a tip – though not compulsory – is appreciated. While it may not be customary in your country, it’s of great significance for the people who will take care of you during the Lares trek to Machu Picchu. It inspires them to give excellent service and is an entrenched feature of the tourism industry across many SAM Travel Peru destinations. Of course, you are free to tip as much as you would like, depending on your perception of the quality and the length of your trip. Remember, a tip is not compulsory and should only be given when you receive excellent service.

ARE WE SUSTAINABLE? 

Yes, we are a locally sustainable & responsible tourism operator. That incorporates universal principles of tourism: protect the environment and benefit the local communities by respecting their culture and religion. With this in mind, we have trained all our local staff to know and understand, respect the places and the local people.

WHAT TO BRING

• • • Warm jacket and rain jacket
    • Hat
    • Water
    • Sun protection
    • Some money for souvenirs
    • Money in soles to purchase boleto turistico y entrance to salt mine
    • Original passport
    • If you are a student, take your valid university card (only works for the 10 day boleto turistico)